Patents by Inventor Takenobu Matsuo

Takenobu Matsuo has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7112268
    Abstract: A plating device and a plating method are provided that are capable of enhancing uniformity in plating on a treatment surface of an object to be treated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Wataru Okase, Takenobu Matsuo
  • Patent number: 6953522
    Abstract: A contact is disposed to come into contact with a metal layer formed on a substrate being treated, the contact being in contact with a surface being treated from an opposite surface through a through hole present in a substrate. Alternatively, a contact is disposed to come into contact with a metal layer formed on a substrate, the contact coming into contact at an approximate center of the substrate. Alternatively, a plurality of needle bodies are disposed to be in electrical contact with a metal layer of a substrate being treated, thereby power supply for electrolytic polishing/plating to a substrate being treated being implemented, without restricting to a periphery of a substrate, from a plurality of points on a surface thereof. Due to any one of these, liquid treatment equipment enables to improve uniformity in plane of an electric current sent to a surface being treated and of liquid treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kyungho Park, Wataru Okase, Takenobu Matsuo
  • Patent number: 6949719
    Abstract: A thermal insulator can change a heat insulation characteristic partially with a simple structure. The thermal insulator is divided into a plurality of parts in accordance with a temperature of a heat source which is insulated by the thermal insulator. The plurality of parts are formed of different honeycomb structures, respectively, so as to provide different heat insulation characteristics. The plurality of parts may be formed by different materials, or a shape or dimension such as a cell pitch of the honeycomb structure may be varied. Heat is collected from air within the honeycomb cells, and is transferred to other parts for heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Osamu Suenaga, Wataru Okase, Takenobu Matsuo
  • Publication number: 20040195230
    Abstract: A thermal insulator can change a heat insulation characteristic partially with a simple structure. The thermal insulator is divided into a plurality of parts in accordance with a temperature of a heat source which is insulated by the thermal insulator. The plurality of parts are formed of different honeycomb structures, respectively, so as to provide different heat insulation characteristics. The plurality of parts may be formed by different materials, or a shape or dimension such as a cell pitch of the honeycomb structure may be varied. Heat is collected from air within the honeycomb cells, and is transferred to other parts for heating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Osamu Suenaga, Wataru Okase, Takenobu Matsuo
  • Patent number: 6756565
    Abstract: A thermal insulator can change a heat insulation characteristic partially with a simple structure. The thermal insulator is divided into a plurality of parts in accordance with a temperature of a heat source which is insulated by the thermal insulator. The plurality of parts are formed of different honeycomb structures, respectively, so as to provide different heat insulation characteristics. The plurality of parts may be formed by different materials, or a shape or dimension such as a cell pitch of the honeycomb structure may be varied. Heat is collected from air within the honeycomb cells, and is transferred to other parts for heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Osamu Suenaga, Wataru Okase, Takenobu Matsuo
  • Patent number: 6740164
    Abstract: Plating apparatus and plating method that can plate more uniformly on a processing surface of a workpiece are provided. The plating apparatus is comprised of a plating solution bathe which is provided with a first electrode held in a state soaked in a plating solution; a workpiece holding mechanism which holds a workpiece to contact its processing surface to the plating solution; and a contact member, disposed in the workpiece holding mechanism, that electrically contacts with the circumferential edge of the workpiece so to form a conductive layer on the workpiece surface as a second electrode. The contact member is divided along the circumferential direction of the workpiece with which they are electrically contacted. Thus, even if the contact resistance between each section of the contact member with the workpiece is variable, it is possible to adjust the plating electric current for each section of the contact member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Wataru Okase, Takenobu Matsuo
  • Publication number: 20040074763
    Abstract: A plating device and a plating method are provided that are capable of enhancing uniformity in plating on a treatment surface of an object to be treated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Inventors: Wataru Okase, Takenobu Matsuo
  • Patent number: 6716329
    Abstract: A plating system is composed of a transfer device for performing transfer of a wafer, a plating unit and a washing/drying unit provided around the transfer device. Each unit is structured to be detachable from the plating system. The plating unit is divided into a wafer transfer section and a plating section by a separator, and atmosphere of each section is independently set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Wataru Okase, Takenobu Matsuo
  • Publication number: 20040053509
    Abstract: A plating system includes a housing forming an outer face thereof. The housing is composed of a frame and a plurality of panels fitted into the frame. Heat contraction is utilized to cover the frame and the panels with synthetic resin films.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventors: Wataru Okase, Jun Yamauchi, Takenobu Matsuo
  • Patent number: 6641709
    Abstract: A mist trap mechanism and method for a plating apparatus, which can provide an improved mist removing effect by a simple structure, are provided. A gas discharge passage is formed to connect the space in a plating chamber and space outside of the plating chamber and provided with a liquid spouting portion and a solid wall. The discharge gas collides with the liquid spouted from the liquid spouting portion, and the discharge gas collides with the solid wall which has its surface wetted with the liquid spouted from the liquid spouting portion. Such a two-staged collision of the discharge gas effectively takes the mist contained in the discharge gas into the liquid. A liquid recovery portion is disposed in connection with the gas discharge passage to collectively catch the mist in a state captured by the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Wataru Okase, Koichiro Kimura, Takenobu Matsuo
  • Patent number: 6634370
    Abstract: Liquid treatment units are disposed in multi-tiers surrounding a main-arm 35. Among liquid treatment units, plating units M1 through M4 are disposed on a lower tier side, and a unit for post-treatment process such as a cleaning unit 70 where a cleaner atmosphere is necessary is disposed on an upper tier side. Thereby, an improvement in an area efficiency and the formation and maintenance of a clean atmosphere can be simultaneously obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Satoshi Nakashima, Wataru Okase, Takenobu Matsuo, Tameyasu Hyakuzuka, Yasushi Yagi, Yoshiyuki Harima, Jun Yamauchi, Hiroki Taniyama, Kyungho Park, Yoshitsugu Tanaka, Yoshinori Kato, Hiroshi Sato
  • Publication number: 20030094372
    Abstract: A mist trap mechanism and method for a plating apparatus, which can provide an improved mist removing effect by a simple structure, are provided. A gas discharge passage is formed to connect the space in a plating chamber and space outside of the plating chamber and provided with a liquid spouting portion and a solid wall. The discharge gas collides with the liquid spouted from the liquid spouting portion, and the discharge gas collides with the solid wall which has its surface wetted with the liquid spouted from the liquid spouting portion. Such a two-staged collision of the discharge gas effectively takes the mist contained in the discharge gas into the liquid. A liquid recovery portion is disposed in connection with the gas discharge passage to collectively catch the mist in a state captured by the liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Publication date: May 22, 2003
    Inventors: Wataru Okase, Koichiro Kimura, Takenobu Matsuo
  • Publication number: 20020102846
    Abstract: Plating apparatus and plating method that can plate more uniformly on a processing surface of a workpiece are provided. The plating apparatus is comprised of a plating solution bathe which is provided with a first electrode held in a state soaked in a plating solution; a workpiece holding mechanism which holds a workpiece to contact its processing surface to the plating solution; and a contact member, disposed in the workpiece holding mechanism, that electrically contacts with the circumferential edge of the workpiece so to form a conductive layer on the workpiece surface as a second electrode. The contact member is divided along the circumferential direction of the workpiece with which they are electrically contacted. Thus, even if the contact resistance between each section of the contact member with the workpiece is variable, it is possible to adjust the plating electric current for each section of the contact member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2002
    Publication date: August 1, 2002
    Inventors: Wataru Okase, Takenobu Matsuo
  • Publication number: 20020088610
    Abstract: A thermal insulator can change a heat insulation characteristic partially with a simple structure. The thermal insulator is divided into a plurality of parts in accordance with a temperature of a heat source which is insulated by the thermal insulator. The plurality of parts are formed of different honeycomb structures, respectively, so as to provide different heat insulation characteristics. The plurality of parts may be formed by different materials, or a shape or dimension such as a cell pitch of the honeycomb structure may be varied. Heat is collected from air within the honeycomb cells, and is transferred to other parts for heating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Publication date: July 11, 2002
    Inventors: Osamu Suenaga, Wataru Okase, Takenobu Matsuo
  • Patent number: 6403498
    Abstract: A substrate processing method of processing a surface of a substrate in manufacture of a semiconductor device, characterized by comprising a surface processing step for making a substance having an adsorption heat higher than that of an organic matter whose adsorption on the surface of the substrate, which has been cleaned, is undesirable, adsorbed on the surface of the substrate, and a film formation step for forming a thin film on the surface of the substrate which was processed in the above step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Takenobu Matsuo, Tsuyoshi Wakabayashi, Teruyuki Hayashi, Misako Saito
  • Patent number: 6337365
    Abstract: An electronic/electric part used in a clean room in which the atmosphere is controlled to process a substrate in a semiconductor device industry, which contains a resin base material and additives added to the resin base material. The additives contain one or more materials selected from the group consisting of an anti-electrostatic agent made of a nonionic compound of a molecular weight of 350 or higher, an anti-oxidizing agent made of a phenolic compound of a molecular weight of 300 or higher, a lubricant, a plasticizer, a fire retardant, and a water repellent. The additives hardly releases gaseous organic substances from the resin base material under a condition where the part is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2002
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Taisei Corporation
    Inventors: Takenobu Matsuo, Tsuyoshi Wakabayashi, Misako Saito, Sadao Kobayashi, Yoshihide Wakayama, Masayuki Imafuku
  • Publication number: 20010040098
    Abstract: A plating system is composed of a transfer device for performing transfer of a wafer, a plating unit and a washing/drying unit provided around the transfer device. Each unit is structured to be detachable from the plating system. The plating unit is divided into a wafer transfer section and a plating section by a separator, and atmosphere of each section is independently set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Publication date: November 15, 2001
    Inventors: Wataru Okase, Takenobu Matsuo
  • Publication number: 20010037943
    Abstract: A contact is disposed to come into contact with a metal layer formed on a substrate being treated, the contact being in contact with a surface being treated from an opposite surface through a through hole present in a substrate. Alternatively, a contact is disposed to come into contact with a metal layer formed on a substrate, the contact coming into contact at an approximate center of the substrate. Alternatively, a plurality of needle bodies are disposed to be in electrical contact with a metal layer of a substrate being treated, thereby power supply for electrolytic polishing/plating to a substrate being treated being implemented, without restricting to a periphery of a substrate, from a plurality of points on a surface thereof. Due to any one of these, liquid treatment equipment enables to improve uniformity in plane of an electric current sent to a surface being treated and of liquid treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2001
    Publication date: November 8, 2001
    Inventors: Kyungho Park, Katsusuke Shimizu, Wataru Okase, Takenobu Matsuo
  • Publication number: 20010037764
    Abstract: Liquid treatment units are disposed in multi-tiers surrounding a main-arm 35. Among liquid treatment units, plating units M1 through M4 are disposed on a lower tier side, and a unit for post-treatment process such as a cleaning unit 70 where a cleaner atmosphere is necessary is disposed on an upper tier side. Thereby, an improvement in an area efficiency and the formation and maintenance of a clean atmosphere can be simultaneously obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2001
    Publication date: November 8, 2001
    Inventors: Satoshi Nakashima, Wataru Okase, Takenobu Matsuo, Tameyasu Hyakuzuka, Yasushi Yagi, Yoshiyuki Harima, Jun Yamauchi, Hiroki Taniyama, Kyungho Park, Yoshitsugu Tanaka, Yoshinori Kato, Hiroshi Sato
  • Publication number: 20010037945
    Abstract: Between a wafer and a holder holding a wafer, a seal member is disposed so that a contact surface is formed in an approximate plane, and an inner periphery surface is formed in an approximate plane and approximately vertical to a contact surface. The seal member, in a sealed state, has a brim portion of a radius of curvature of 0.5 mm or less at a boundary portion between an inner periphery surface of a seal member and a contact surface. Due to a brim portion, a gap between a contact surface of a seal member and a surface being plated of a wafer W can be made smaller, resulting in reducing bubbles entering in a gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2001
    Publication date: November 8, 2001
    Inventors: Wataru Okase, Takenobu Matsuo, Koichiro Kimura, Kyungho Park, Yoshinori Kato, Yasushi Yagi