Patents by Inventor Yoshiyuki Kawafuchi

Yoshiyuki Kawafuchi 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: 6932868
    Abstract: A substrate is horizontally held by a substrate holding portion freely movable in the Y-direction, and a nozzle portion is provided above and opposing the substrate, and movable in X-direction corresponding to the coating liquid feeding region of the substrate. A discharge opening is formed at a lower end of the nozzle portion, and a channel connecting the discharge opening with a coating liquid feed tube coupled to an upper end of the nozzle portion is formed within the discharge opening. At the mid-stream of the channel, a liquid pool portion larger in diameter than the discharge opening is formed, the inside of which is provided with a filtering member formed by porous bodies blocking the channel. The filtering member forms a pressure loss portion, which absorbs pulsation occurring at the coating liquid feed tube before it reaches the discharge opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Takahiro Kitano, Norihisa Koga, Toshichika Takei, Yoshiyuki Kawafuchi
  • Publication number: 20050109274
    Abstract: A substrate is horizontally held by a substrate holding portion freely movable in the Y-direction, and a nozzle portion is provided above and opposing the substrate, and movable in X-direction corresponding to the coating liquid feeding region of the substrate. A discharge opening is formed at a lower end of the nozzle portion, and a channel connecting the discharge opening with a coating liquid feed tube coupled to an upper end of the nozzle portion is formed within the discharge opening. At the mid-stream of the channel, a liquid pool portion larger in diameter than the discharge opening is formed, the inside of which is provided with a filtering member formed by porous bodies blocking the channel. The filtering member forms a pressure loss portion, which absorbs pulsation occurring at the coating liquid feed tube before it reaches the discharge opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2004
    Publication date: May 26, 2005
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takahiro Kitano, Norihisa Koga, Toshichika Takei, Yoshiyuki Kawafuchi
  • Publication number: 20050100681
    Abstract: The present invention is a coating unit for applying a coating solution to a substrate which includes: a discharge nozzle for reciprocating in a predetermined direction above the substrate and discharging the coating solution to the substrate; a holder for holding the substrate and horizontally movable in one direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction; and a cover for covering an upper face of the substrate when the substrate is moved in the one direction to be more forward than the discharge nozzle as viewed from a plane, wherein a lower face of the cover is inclined such as to be higher on the discharge nozzle side. According to the present invention, the cover covering the upper face of the substrate restrains a solvent from evaporating from the coating solution applied on the substrate to secure flatness of a coating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Publication date: May 12, 2005
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinji Kobayashi, Takahiro Kitano, Masateru Morikawa, Kazuhiro Takeshita, Yoshiyuki Kawafuchi
  • Patent number: 6860945
    Abstract: The present invention is a coating unit for applying a coating solution to a substrate which includes: a discharge nozzle for reciprocating in a predetermined direction above the substrate and discharging the coating solution to the substrate; a holder for holding the substrate and horizontally movable in one direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction; and a cover for covering an upper face of the substrate when the substrate is moved in the one direction to be more forward than the discharge nozzle as viewed from a plane, wherein a lower face of the cover is inclined such as to be higher on the discharge nozzle side. According to the present invention, the cover covering the upper face of the substrate restrains a solvent from evaporating from the coating solution applied on the substrate to secure flatness of a coating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shinji Kobayashi, Takahiro Kitano, Masateru Morikawa, Kazuhiro Takeshita, Yoshiyuki Kawafuchi
  • Patent number: 6811613
    Abstract: A substrate is horizontally held by a substrate holding portion freely movable in the Y-direction, and a nozzle portion is provided above and opposing the substrate, and movable in X-direction corresponding to the coating liquid feeding region of the substrate. A discharge opening is formed at a lower end of the nozzle portion, and a channel connecting the discharge opening with a coating liquid feed tube coupled to an upper end of the nozzle portion is formed within the discharge opening. At the midstream of the channel, a liquid pool portion larger in diameter than the discharge opening is formed, the inside of which is provided with a filtering member formed by porous bodies blocking the channel. The filtering member forms a pressure loss portion, which absorbs pulsation occurring at the coating liquid feed tube before it reaches the discharge opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Takahiro Kitano, Norihisa Koga, Toshichika Takei, Yoshiyuki Kawafuchi
  • Patent number: 6761125
    Abstract: A system for supplying a chemical to a substrate to form a liquid film of the chemical on the substrate. The system includes a plate having a slit between a nozzle portion movable in lateral directions, and a substrate held by a substrate holding portion movable in longitudinal directions. Shock eliminating portions, provided at left and right ends of the slit, inhibit mist from being produced from a coating liquid supplied outside of the slit. A pair of shutters are capable of washing the coating liquid received by the surfaces of the shock eliminating portions. In the vicinity of the slit, a suction port is provided over a range corresponding to a movable region of the nozzle for sucking mist produced when the nozzle is scanned to carry out coating. The plate has a slit for dispersing a downward flow outside of the slit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Takahiro Kitano, Yoshiyuki Kawafuchi, Norihisa Koga, Toshichika Takei
  • Publication number: 20030097983
    Abstract: A substrate is horizontally held by a substrate holding portion freely movable in the Y-direction, and a nozzle portion is provided above and opposing the substrate, and movable in X-direction corresponding to the coating liquid feeding region of the substrate. A discharge opening is formed at a lower end of the nozzle portion, and a channel connecting the discharge opening with a coating liquid feed tube coupled to an upper end of the nozzle portion is formed within the discharge opening. At the midstream of the channel, a liquid pool portion larger in diameter than the discharge opening is formed, the inside of which is provided with a filtering member formed by porous bodies blocking the channel. The filtering member forms a pressure loss portion, which absorbs pulsation occurring at the coating liquid feed tube before it reaches the discharge opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Publication date: May 29, 2003
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takahiro Kitano, Norihisa Koga, Toshichika Takei, Yoshiyuki Kawafuchi
  • Publication number: 20030056722
    Abstract: There is provided a system for supplying a chemical to a substrate to form a liquid film of the chemical on the substrate, the system being capable of inhibiting particles from adhering to the surface of the substrate and improving the yields of a coating film formed on the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takahiro Kitano, Yoshiyuki Kawafuchi, Norihisa Koga, Toshichika Takei
  • Publication number: 20020134304
    Abstract: The present invention is a coating unit for applying a coating solution to a substrate which includes: a discharge nozzle for reciprocating in a predetermined direction above the substrate and discharging the coating solution to the substrate; a holder for holding the substrate and horizontally movable in one direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction; and a cover for covering an upper face of the substrate when the substrate is moved in the one direction to be more forward than the discharge nozzle as viewed from a plane, wherein a lower face of the cover is inclined such as to be higher on the discharge nozzle side. According to the present invention, the cover covering the upper face of the substrate restrains a solvent from evaporating from the coating solution applied on the substrate to secure flatness of a coating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinji Kobayashi, Takahiro Kitano, Masateru Morikawa, Kazuhiro Takeshita, Yoshiyuki Kawafuchi