Rotating Turret Work Support Patents (Class 118/319)
  • Patent number: 11532461
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a processing vessel; a placing table provided within the processing vessel and configured to place a substrate thereon; and a component disposed between the processing vessel and the placing table, the component constituting an anode. The component has a flow path through which a heat exchange medium flows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Michishige Saito, Shota Kaneko, Shuhei Yamabe
  • Patent number: 11417542
    Abstract: A semiconductor processing apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a body portion, which includes at least one semiconductor processing unit. Each semiconductor processing unit includes a recess formed on an upper surface of the body portion, wherein a bottom surface of the recess has at least one location and a peripheral. The bottom surface ascends from the at least one location toward the peripheral against a direction of gravity or descends from the at least one location toward the peripheral following the direction of gravity. Each semiconductor processing unit also includes a first channel that connects to the recess at the at least one location, as well as at least one second channel connecting to the recess at the peripheral. Each of the first channel and the at least one second channel serves as an inlet or an outlet via which a fluid enters or exits the recess. A method according to the present disclosure may control a flowing direction of a fluid flowing across a substrate surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Wuxi Huaying Microelectronics Technology Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Sophia Wen, Zhikai Wang
  • Patent number: 11211264
    Abstract: A substrate rotation mechanism rotates the substrate holder about a central axis. A top plate opposes the upper surface of the substrate and rotates about the central axis. A gas supply part supplies a treatment atmospheric gas to a radial central part of a lower space that is a space below the top plate. An ion generator generates and supplies ions to the treatment atmospheric gas supplied from the gas supply part. Then, in a state in which the top plate is positioned lower than when the substrate is transported into the apparatus, the treatment atmospheric gas that contains the ions is supplied to the lower space to form an ion stream that spreads radially outward from the radial central part of the lower space while rotating the substrate holder and the top plate. Accordingly, charges can be dissipated from the top plate with a simple structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Inventors: Michinori Iwao, Ryo Muramoto
  • Patent number: 11120942
    Abstract: A process for production of a multilayer electronic component having an element body wherein a functional part and a conductor part are laminated, using an ejection device wherein ink is electrically charged at an ejection part by applying a voltage and the electrically charged ink is ejected from the ejection part by an electrostatic attraction force, and including a first step of forming a green functional part by using a first ink including a functional particle as the ink, a second step of forming a green conductor part by using a second ink including a conductive particle as the ink, a step of forming a green multilayer body by repeating the first step and the second step, and a step of treating the green multilayer body to obtain the element body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Sato, Yukari Wada
  • Patent number: 11101147
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes a first processing liquid supplying step of supplying a first processing liquid to an upper surface of the substrate, a holding layer forming step of solidifying or curing the first processing liquid to form a particle holding layer on the upper surface of the substrate, a holding layer removing step of peeling and removing the particle holding layer from the upper surface of the substrate, a liquid film forming step of forming, after removing the particle holding layer from the substrate, a liquid film of the second processing liquid, a solidifying step of cooling the liquid film to a temperature not more than a melting point of the sublimable substance to make the liquid film solidify on the substrate and form a solid film, and a sublimating step of sublimating and thereby removing the solid film from the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Inventors: Yukifumi Yoshida, Hiroaki Takahashi, Masayuki Otsuji, Manabu Okutani, Chikara Maeda, Hiroshi Abe, Shuichi Yasuda, Yasunori Kanematsu
  • Patent number: 11101148
    Abstract: A semiconductor processing apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a body portion, which includes at least one semiconductor processing unit that has a recess formed on an upper surface of the body portion, wherein a bottom surface of the recess has at least one location and a peripheral. The bottom surface ascends from the at least one location toward the peripheral against a direction of gravity or descends from the at least one location toward the peripheral following the direction of gravity. Each semiconductor processing unit also includes a first channel that connects to the recess at the at least one location, and at least one second channel connecting to the recess at the peripheral. Each of the first and second channels serves as an inlet or an outlet via which a fluid enters or exits the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Wuxi Huaying Microelectronics Technology Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Sophia Wen, Zhikai Wang
  • Patent number: 11033925
    Abstract: A device for performing a surface coating of pieces is disclosed. The device comprises a housing including one leak-tight cavity containing a drum, heating means, at least one water inlet conduit and one dyeing agent inlet conduit, and a recovery tank and a fluid recirculation circuit from said recovery tank to said leak-tight cavity and drum. The leak-tight cavity includes a first level sensor connected to a control device, such that the entry of water to the leak-tight cavity is interrupted when a specific level is reached inside the cavity, and the recovery tank includes at least a second level sensor connected to the control device, such that the entry of water and dyeing agent to the leak-tight cavity is interrupted if a specific level is exceeded inside the recovery tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Inventors: Adam Juvert Vila, Xavier Perpinya Zarza
  • Patent number: 10901320
    Abstract: There is provided a method of developing an exposed resist film formed on a surface of a substrate to form a resist pattern, which includes: rotating the substrate about a rotation axis that extends in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate that is horizontally supported; supplying a developing solution through a discharge hole positioned above the substrate onto the resist film such that the developing solution is widely spread on a surface of the resist film; and positioning a wetted part having a surface that faces the surface of the substrate, above a preceding region in the surface of the substrate, the preceding region being a region to which the developing solution is preferentially supplied through the discharge hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Tomohiro Iseki, Hirofumi Takeguchi, Yuichi Terashita
  • Patent number: 10818520
    Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate treating apparatus including a substrate holder, a rotating drive unit, a treatment liquid supplying unit, an exterior cup, and an interior cup. The interior cup is movable between a collection position where the interior cup collects the treatment liquid and a retracting position where the exterior cup collects the treatment liquid, and includes an interior cup main body with an annular contour, a liquid outlet in the interior cup main body for draining the treatment liquid in the interior cup main body, and an exhaust port in the interior cup main body for exhausting gas in the interior cup main body. The exterior cup includes an exterior cup main body with an annular contour, a liquid outlet in the exterior cup main body for draining the treatment liquid in the exterior cup main body, and an exhaust port in the exterior cup main body for exhausting gas in the exterior cup main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahito Kashiyama, Koji Nishiyama, Kota Kabune
  • Patent number: 10815569
    Abstract: A shower head of a combinatorial spatial atomic layer deposition (CS-ALD) apparatus may be provided. The shower head of the CS-ALD apparatus may include a plurality of shower blocks. Each of shower blocks may include a plurality of unit modules. Each of the shower blocks and each of the unit modules may be controlled independently from each other. Each of the plurality of unit modules may include a source gas injection nozzle, a purge gas injection nozzle, a reactant gas injection nozzle, and exhaust areas between the injection nozzles. The plurality of shower blocks may be separated from each other. Gas injection areas of the injection nozzles may be separated from the exhaust area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xianyu Wenxu, Yongsung Kim, Jaikwang Shin, Wooyoung Yang
  • Patent number: 10700166
    Abstract: A nozzle cleaning device is capable of uniformly cleaning a nozzle from a front end of the nozzle to an upper part thereof. The nozzle cleaning device includes a storage tank, a liquid discharging portion and an overflow discharging portion. The storage tank has a cylindrical inner peripheral surface and is configured to store therein a cleaning liquid that cleans a nozzle used in a substrate process. The liquid discharging portion is configured to discharge the cleaning liquid into the storage tank toward a position eccentric with respect to a central axis of the cylindrical inner peripheral surface to store the cleaning liquid within the storage tank and configured to form a vortex flow of the cleaning liquid revolving within the storage tank. The overflow discharging portion is configured to discharge the cleaning liquid that overflows the storage tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Kai, Shinya Ishikawa, Yuji Kamikawa, Shuichi Nagamine, Naoki Shindo
  • Patent number: 10596592
    Abstract: Method for coating a substrate with a coating material is described, in particular with a coating or photoresist, wherein said substrate is provided in said method. Said coating material is applied to said upper side of said substrate. A gas flow is generated, said gas flow being directed from said underside of said substrate to said upper side of said substrate, wherein said gas flow prevents a bead of said coating material forming on said edge of said upper side of said substrate or a previously existing bead is removed by means of said gas flow. In addition, a coating system is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: SUSS MICROTEC LITHOGRAPHY GMBH
    Inventors: Darren Southworth, Omar Fakhr
  • Patent number: 10558120
    Abstract: A photolithography system includes a variable-volume buffer tank, a dispensing system connected to the buffer tank, and a valve configured to release gas from a head space of the buffer tank while blocking the release of liquid from the head space. A storage container has an opening at the bottom and drains to the buffer tank through that opening. The buffer tank has a storage capacity sufficient to receive the full contents of the storage container. The system supplies chemical solutions to the dispensing system while keeping the chemical solutions from contact with air and other gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wen-Zhan Zhou, Heng-Jen Lee, Hsu-Yuan Liu, Yu-Chen Huang, Cheng-Han Wu, Shih-Che Wang, Ho-Yung David Hwang
  • Patent number: 10553421
    Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate processing apparatus. The substrate processing apparatus includes a first nozzle that ejects droplets of a chemical liquid toward a front surface of a substrate, the droplets being formed by mixing a gas supplied by a gas supply mechanism and a heated chemical liquid supplied by a heated chemical liquid supply mechanism with each other, and a second nozzle that ejects the heated deionized water supplied by the heated deionized water supply mechanism toward the rear surface of the substrate. The first nozzle supplies the droplets to the front surface of the substrate heated from the rear surface thereof by the heated deionized water supplied from the second nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Seiki Ishida, Shogo Fukui, Hidetaka Shinohara
  • Patent number: 10520403
    Abstract: A slide processing apparatus controls the temperature and orientation of a microscope slide carrying one or more specimens. The apparatus heats the specimen-bearing microscope slide while the slide is oriented to both facilitate adhesion between the specimens and the slide and control movement of the specimens relative to the microscope slide. A slide dryer of the apparatus conductively heats the specimens using a conductive slide heater that physically engages the microscope slide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan Peter Beer
  • Patent number: 10424497
    Abstract: A wafer carrier including a case having an opening at one end, slots disposed in the case and receiving wafers, and a wireless communication circuitry disposed on an inner sidewall of the case and configured to detect humidity of a gas contained in the case may be provided. The wireless communication circuitry may be further configured to compare the detected humidity with a threshold humidity predetermined, and transmit a first warning signal to an external host via wireless communication when the detected humidity is greater than the threshold humidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bum-Soo Kim, Philwoong Jung, Yoonmi Lee, Hangryong Lim, Manyoung Shin, Young Hoon Son
  • Patent number: 10379441
    Abstract: A liquid processing apparatus includes a substrate holding part, a processing liquid supply part configured to supply a processing liquid to the substrate, a cup body provided to surround the substrate and configured to drain the processing liquid scattered by the rotation of the substrate, a solvent supply part configured to supply a solvent for dissolving a solid component generated from the processing liquid, an exhaust path member having an exhaust port opened inside the cup body, and configured to exhaust an atmosphere around the substrate, and a liquid diffusion part having a concavo-convex pattern and provided on an inner surface of an exhaust path so that the solvent is spread by a capillary phenomenon inside the exhaust path through which the atmosphere is exhausted. The exhaust path is formed inside the cup body and the exhaust path member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Satoshi Shimmura
  • Patent number: 10283384
    Abstract: A method for etching an etch layer formed on a front side of a wafer and a wafer etching apparatus are provided. The wafer etching apparatus includes a first flow channel, a temperature-regulating module, and a second flow channel. The first flow channel is configured to carry a preheated/precooled liquid for controlling a temperature of a wafer. The temperature-regulating module is coupled to the first flow channel. The temperature-regulating module is configured to control a temperature of the liquid in the first flow channel. The second flow channel is configured to carry an etchant for etching an etch layer formed on a front side of the wafer. The method includes: controlling the temperature of the wafer by using the preheated/precooled liquid; and etching the etch layer with the etchant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Manish Kumar Singh, Bo-Wei Chou, Jui-Ming Shih, Wen-Yu Ku, Ping-Jung Huang, Pi-Chun Yu
  • Patent number: 10224223
    Abstract: Vacuum processing, such as a backside metallization (BSM) deposition, is performed on a taped wafer after a gas escape path is formed between a base film of the tape and the wafer frontside surface following backgrind. Venting provided by the gas escape path reduces formation of bubbles under the tape. The gas escape path may be provided, for example, by a selective pre-curing of tape adhesive, to breach an edge seal and place the wafer frontside surface internal to the edge seal in fluid communication with an environment external to the edge seal. With the thinned wafer supported by the pre-cured tape, BSM is then deposited while the wafer and tape are cooled, for example, via a cooled electrostatic chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Eric J. Li
  • Patent number: 10184862
    Abstract: A slide processing apparatus controls the temperature and orientation of a microscope slide carrying one or more specimens. The apparatus heats the specimen-bearing microscope slide while the slide is oriented to both facilitate adhesion between the specimens and the slide and control movement of the specimens relative to the microscope slide. A slide dryer of the apparatus conductively heats the specimens using a conductive slide heater that physically engages the microscope slide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan Peter Beer
  • Patent number: 10181417
    Abstract: A substrate transport mechanism receives two substrates from an upstream ID section using two arms of three arms. The substrate transport mechanism delivers one of the two substrates to and from an individual processing unit of a processing block using one of arms holding the one of the two substrates to be subjected to a given process by the processing block and one of the arms holding no substrate. The substrate transport mechanism then keeps holding the other substrate with the remaining one arm of the arms having received the substrates while the processing unit processes the substrate. The substrate transport mechanism transfers the two substrates to a downstream processing block using the one arm holding the substrate subjected to the given process by the processing block and the one arm holding the other substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: SCREEN Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Kokabu, Kazuhiro Nishimura
  • Patent number: 10090175
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor wafer comprises: a wafer chuck which holds the rear surface of a wafer having a via hole; a cap which is installed in such a way as to move up and down above the wafer chuck and has a sealed lip which forms a liquid reservoir by sealing the outer peripheral portion of the upper surface of the wafer; and a nozzle which injects and recovers processing liquids to and from a reaction chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: SCIENTIFIC VALUE SOLUTIONS CO. LTD
    Inventor: Jin Woo Lee
  • Patent number: 10081863
    Abstract: A thin-film depositing apparatus including a mask, and a chucking unit for adhering the mask to a surface of a substrate, wherein the chucking unit includes a plurality of magnet units that contact another surface of the substrate by independently rising or falling by using their weight and thus are magnetically combined with the mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyung-Hoon Chung, You-Min Cha
  • Patent number: 10074547
    Abstract: Embodiments of a photoresist supply system including a photoresist nozzle device are provided. The photoresist nozzle device includes a tube including a first segment, a curved segment connected to the first segment, and a second segment connected to the curved segment. The photoresist nozzle device also includes a nozzle connected to the second segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuo-Shu Tseng, You-Feng Chen, Yen-Yu Chen
  • Patent number: 10056270
    Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate treating apparatus including a substrate holder, a rotating drive unit, a treatment liquid supplying unit, an exterior cup, and an interior cup. The interior cup is movable between a collection position where the interior cup collects the treatment liquid and a retracting position where the exterior cup collects the treatment liquid, and includes an interior cup main body with an annular contour, a liquid outlet in the interior cup main body for draining the treatment liquid in the interior cup main body, and an exhaust port in the interior cup main body for exhausting gas in the interior cup main body. The exterior cup includes an exterior cup main body with an annular contour, a liquid outlet in the exterior cup main body for draining the treatment liquid in the exterior cup main body, and an exhaust port in the exterior cup main body for exhausting gas in the exterior cup main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahito Kashiyama, Koji Nishiyama, Kota Kabune
  • Patent number: 10043697
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus including a plurality of processing devices each of which processes a substrate is provided. The apparatus comprises a conveying device including a conveyance path and conveys, to one of the plurality of processing devices, a substrate conveyed into one end of the conveyance path from an outside of the substrate processing apparatus, and an adjusting device configured to perform adjustment of a pre-alignment state of the substrate conveyed from the one end and to be conveyed into one of the plurality of processing devices, wherein the adjusting device is arranged on the conveyance path and between a processing devices of the plurality of processing devices, farthest from the one end, and a processing device, of the plurality of processing devices, closest to the one end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masato Sato
  • Patent number: 9988716
    Abstract: An apparatus for depositing a coating on a part comprises: a chamber; a source of the coating material, positioned to communicate the coating material to the part in the chamber; a plurality of thermal hoods; and means for moving a hood of the plurality of thermal hoods from an operative position and replacing the hood with another hood of the plurality of hoods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Litton, Peter F. Gero, Kevin W. Schlichting
  • Patent number: 9972514
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating a wafer-shaped article comprises a spin chuck configured to hold a wafer-shaped article of a predetermined diameter in a position wherein a lower surface of the wafer-shaped article is spaced a predetermined distance from an upper surface of the spin chuck. A treatment assembly is mounted above the upper surface of the spin chuck and underlying a wafer-shaped article when mounted on the spin chuck. The treatment assembly extends parallel to the upper surface from an axis of rotation of the spin chuck radially to a distance that is at least half the predetermined diameter. The spin chuck comprises upwardly projecting gripping pins configured to hold a wafer-shaped article in position, wherein the gripping pins do not pass through the treatment assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH AG
    Inventors: Dietmar Hammer, Reinhold Schwarzenbacher, Milan Pliska, Bridget Hill, Michael Brugger
  • Patent number: 9721813
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a cleaning method which enables a cup and a member around the cup to be cleaned thoroughly. In this cleaning method, a cleaning liquid is supplied to a cleaning jig from the upper side of the cleaning jig while rotating the cleaning jig held by a substrate holding unit. The cleaning liquid supplied to the cleaning jig is scattered obliquely upward along an inclined surface of an inclined portion which is provided around the entire circumference of the cleaning jig in the vicinity of the outer circumferential edge of the cleaning jig, thereby cleaning cups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Ogata, Hiromi Kiyose, Hidetsugu Yano, Tsukasa Hirayama
  • Patent number: 9713822
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprising a substrate holding rotating mechanism, a process liquid supply mechanism having a nozzle for dispensing a process liquid toward a principal face of the substrate, a processing liquid reservoir for holding sufficient process liquid to form a liquid film covering the whole principal face of the substrate, a liquid film forming unit for forming the liquid film by supplying the process liquid onto the principal face of the substrate in a single burst, and a control unit for controlling the liquid film forming unit and the process liquid supply mechanism such that the process liquid is dispensed from the process liquid nozzle toward the principal face of the substrate after formation of the liquid film covering the whole area of the principal face of the substrate by the liquid film forming unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Miyagi, Koji Hashimoto, Toru Endo
  • Patent number: 9581939
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a developing device and method. The developing device includes the nozzle for spraying the developing liquid, the machine table for bearing the glass substrate, and the inclination controller for controlling the nozzle and the machine table to be inclined towards a predetermined direction of the machine table at a predetermined angle and keeping the inclined angle within a preset period. The method includes controlling, by the inclination controller, the machine table and the nozzle to be inclined towards a first direction of the machine table at a predetermined angle during the inclination cycle period and keeping the inclined angle within the preset period, and controlling, by the inclination controller, the machine table and the nozzle to be sequentially inclined towards other directions of the machine table at a predetermined angle according to the preset inclination direction sequence and keeping the inclined angle within the preset period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., BEIJING BOE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Changgang Huang, Hongjiang Wu, Gyuhyun Lee
  • Patent number: 9530676
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus can prevent photo-corrosion of, e.g., copper interconnects due to exposure of a surface to be processed of a substrate to light, and can perform processing, such as cleaning, of a substrate surface while preventing photo-corrosion of, e.g., copper interconnects due to exposure to light. The substrate processing apparatus includes a plurality of processing areas housing therein processing units which have been subjected to light shielding processing; and at least one transfer area housing therein a transfer robot and disposed between two adjacent ones of the plurality of processing areas. A light shielding wall is provided between the transfer area and each of the two adjacent processing areas, and a light-shielding maintenance door is provided for the front opening of the transfer area. The processing units are coupled to the light shielding walls in a light-shielding manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshio Yokoyama, Junji Kunisawa, Mitsuru Miyazaki, Kenichi Suzuki, Hiroshi Sotozaki
  • Patent number: 9508568
    Abstract: A special mode has a second rinsing process which supplies a rinsing liquid to a substrate while holding and rotating the substrate with a spin chuck under operating conditions different from those in a first rinsing process in a normal mode. In the second rinsing process, a processing cup is cleaned with the rinsing liquid flown off from the rotating substrate. In the second rinsing process in which the substrate is held by the spin chuck, the rinsing liquid flown off from the substrate is less prone to collide with chuck members. The provision of a mechanism designed specifically for the cleaning of the cup is not required in the special mode. The special mode is a mode executable when a substrate is present inside a chamber, and can be executed in the middle of lot processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Asuka Yoshizumi, Ayumi Higuchi
  • Patent number: 9454080
    Abstract: A spin treatment apparatus according to an embodiment performs a treatment while rotating a substrate and includes: at least three clamp pins configured to contact an outer peripheral surface of the substrate and clamp the substrate; rotatable pin rotators provided for the respective clamp pins and each configured to retain the corresponding clamp pin at a position offset from a rotation axis of the pin rotator parallel with a rotation axis of the substrate; magnet gears provided for the respective pin rotators around outer peripheral surfaces thereof and each having a magnetic-pole part formed spirally about the rotation axis of the pin rotator; rotation magnets provided for the respective magnet gears and positioned to attract and be attracted by the magnetic-pole part of the corresponding magnet gear; and a movement mechanism configured to move the rotation magnets along the rotation axes of the pin rotators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masaaki Furuya
  • Patent number: 9421567
    Abstract: This invention discloses an apparatus for coating a semiconductor wafer in a coating chamber comprising a platform for placing the semiconductor wafer thereon. The apparatus further includes a catch and recycle (C&R) apparatus comprises a rim/ring controllable to move below and surround the platform for receiving and catching a coating material spurned off in coating the semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Incorporated
    Inventors: Winston Wu, Yiming Gu
  • Patent number: 9418883
    Abstract: A device for holding a wafer-shaped article comprises an annular chuck base body having a plurality of movable contact elements for securing a wafer-shaped article to the annular chuck base body, and a gear mechanism driving the contact elements in unison between a first position and a second position. The annular chuck base body comprises a housing formed from a material that is resistant to attack by strong inorganic acids. The annular chuck base body also comprises a reinforcing ring fitted within the housing and formed from a material whose coefficient of linear thermal expansion is substantially less than that of the housing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH AG
    Inventors: Andreas Gleissner, Thomas Wirnsberger
  • Patent number: 9405193
    Abstract: An imprint apparatus include: a substrate stage; a dispense unit; an irradiation unit; a receiving unit configured to receive an imprint material that is dummy dispensed from the dispense unit; and a controller configured to cause the dummy dispensed imprint material to be irradiated by an energy beam from the irradiation unit without bringing the dummy dispensed imprint material into contact with the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yousuke Kondo, Toshinori Kobashi
  • Patent number: 9387520
    Abstract: Disclosed are a liquid processing apparatus and a cleaning method which may perform cleaning on a portion which is not in the vicinity of a drain section in an exhaust route. The liquid processing apparatus includes an exhaust section provided in vicinity of the drain section, which is configured to exhaust a surrounding atmosphere of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit; an exhaust route forming member configured to form an exhaust route reaching the exhaust section; and a first cleaning unit configured to supply a cleaning liquid to the exhaust route forming member at the exhaust route side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Ogata, Terufumi Wakiyama, Yoshihiro Kai, Ryouga Kamo, Yoshinori Ikeda
  • Patent number: 9373531
    Abstract: A substrate can be appropriately accommodated in a cassette. A substrate transfer device includes a substrate transfer unit that delivers the substrate with respect to the cassette configured to accommodate the substrate; a detection unit that detects the substrate accommodated in the cassette; and a control device than controls the substrate transfer unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Akira Murata, Katsuhiro Morikawa, Issei Ueda
  • Patent number: 9343339
    Abstract: A coating head is constructed of a solvent feed mechanism connected to a forward side in a direction of movement of a coating solution feed mechanism, and a gas jet mechanism connected to a rearward side in the direction of movement. While moving the coating head relative to a substrate, a solvent is supplied onto the substrate from the solvent feed mechanism, then a coating solution is supplied onto a film of the solvent from the coating solution feed mechanism, and finally a gas is jetted to an uneven surface of the coating solution from the gas jet mechanism to smooth a thin film surface of the coating solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: SCREEN Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukihiko Inagaki, Tomohiro Goto
  • Patent number: 9260251
    Abstract: A multi-row magnetic dial assembly that conveys work pieces, such as fasteners, includes a work piece engaging surface disposed around an outer perimeter, adjacent a first dial surface and/or adjacent a second dial surface. Multiple magnets are disposed adjacent the work piece engaging surface to exert a magnetic force on work pieces to magnetically hold them against a dial. The magnets include a first magnet and a second magnet that exert magnetic forces so that the work piece engaging surface magnetically attracts and holds first and second rows (or more) of work pieces, the first row being distal from the second row by a row separation distance. The dial can be oriented in a horizontal plane or a non-horizontal plane. Related methods of operation are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: ND Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Gerald F. Snow
  • Publication number: 20150110964
    Abstract: Rotating projector for a coating product including a spraying device having a circular spraying edge, driving means for driving the spraying device around a rotational axis, a body including primary openings arranged on a primary contour for ejecting primary air jets in a primary direction. The air jets having an axial component and an orthoradial component which are nonzero. The primary direction has a nonzero radial component, which is centrifugal relative to the rotation axis. Each primary jet extends along the rotational axis at a distance from the rotational axis than the radius of the spraying edge. The body includes secondary openings arranged on a secondary contour for ejecting the secondary air jets in a secondary direction having axial and centripetal radial components. The secondary jets hit an external surface of the spraying device. The contours coincide with a circle centered about the rotation axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Eric Prus, Sylvain Perinet, David Vincent, Olivier Gourbat
  • Patent number: 8991329
    Abstract: Improved wafer coating processes, apparatuses, and systems are described. In one embodiment, an improved spin-coating process and system is used to form a mask for dicing a semiconductor wafer with a laser plasma dicing process. In one embodiment, a spin-coating apparatus for forming a film over a semiconductor wafer includes a rotatable stage configured to support the semiconductor wafer. The rotatable stage has a downward sloping region positioned beyond a perimeter of the semiconductor wafer. The apparatus includes a nozzle positioned above the rotatable stage and configured to dispense a liquid over the semiconductor wafer. The apparatus also includes a motor configured to rotate the rotatable stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jungrae Park, Wei-Sheng Lei, Prabhat Kumar, James S. Papanu, Brad Eaton, Ajay Kumar
  • Publication number: 20150083041
    Abstract: A glue applicator includes a bracket, a driving assembly assembled to the bracket, and a positioning assembly. The positioning assembly includes a tray connected to the driving assembly, and a plurality of positioning blocks assembled to the tray and configured to fasten a glue dispenser to the tray. The tray can rotate relative to the bracket when driven by the driving assembly, and the glue dispenser can rotate along the tray. The present disclosure can improve the adhesion strength of glue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: MING-LU YANG, JIE NI
  • Patent number: 8944081
    Abstract: Disclosed are a liquid processing apparatus and a liquid processing method that can prevent a substrate in a processing chamber from being contaminated due to contamination attached to a cup. The liquid processing apparatus includes: a processing chamber in which a substrate holding unit holding a substrate and a cup placed around the substrate holding unit are installed; a nozzle for supplying a processing liquid to the substrate held by the substrate holding unit; and a cup cleaning unit cleaning the cup by supplying a cleaning liquid to the upper part of the cup. A concave portion is formed in the upper part of the cup and the cup cleaning units supply the cleaning liquid to the concave portion in the upper part of the cup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Jiro Higashijima
  • Patent number: 8845815
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid processing apparatus including first and second cups installed so as to surround a rotation holding unit of a substrate and guide a processing liquid scattered from the rotating substrate downwards. A first driving unit and a second driving unit elevate the first cup and the second cup between a position receiving the processing liquid and the lower position thereof. A controller controls that the first cup and the second cup are ascended at the same time by transferring the driving force of the first driving unit while the first cup or a first elevating member thereof is overlapped with the second cup or a second elevating member thereof from the lower side by setting the ascending speed of the first cup to be higher than the ascending speed of the second cup when the first and second cups are ascended at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Ogata, Terufumi Wakiyama
  • Patent number: 8828182
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally provide plasma etch process chamber improvements. An improved gas injection nozzle is provided for use at a central location of the lid of the chamber. The gas injection nozzle may be used in an existing plasma etch chamber and is configured to provide a series of conic gas flows across the surface of a substrate positioned within the chamber. In one embodiment, an improved exhaust kit for use in the plasma etch chamber is provided. The exhaust kit includes apparatus that may be used in an existing plasma etch chamber and is configured to provide annular flow of exhaust gases from the processing region of the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Stanley Detmar, Brian T. West, Ronald Vern Schauer
  • Patent number: 8813678
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus including a holder for rotatably holding a substrate; a coating solution supply nozzle for supplying a coating solution onto a front surface of the substrate to be processed held by the holder; a treatment chamber housing the holder and the coating solution supply nozzle; a cooling device which cools the substrate before the coating solution is supplied to the substrate, to a predetermined temperature; a heating devices which heats the substrate coated with the coating solution to a predetermined temperature; and a transferer that transfers the substrate between the treatment chamber, the cooling device and the heating device, wherein the treatment chamber, the cooling device and the heating device are partitioned from ambient air, and wherein at least the treatment chamber is connected to a gas supply mechanism having a supply source of a gas having a kinematic viscosity coefficient higher than that of air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Kazuo Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 8770138
    Abstract: A plated film having a uniform film thickness is formed on a surface of a substrate. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes: a holding mechanism for holding a substrate rotatably; a nozzle for supplying a processing solution for performing a plating process on a processing target surface of the substrate; a substrate rotating mechanism for rotating the substrate held by the holding mechanism in a direction along the processing target surface; a nozzle driving mechanism for moving the nozzle in a direction along the processing target surface at a position facing the processing target surface of the substrate held by the holding mechanism; and a control unit for controlling the supply of the processing solution by the nozzle and the movement of the nozzle by the nozzle driving mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kenichi Hara, Mitsuaki Iwashita, Takashi Tanaka, Takayuki Toshima, Takehiko Orii
  • Patent number: 8726828
    Abstract: Disclosed is a coating apparatus having a coater chuck capable of improving a photoresist coating uniformity by preventing the coater chuck for performing a photoresist coating process from being sunk, in a manner of employing a different type of a material for making the coater chuck, wherein the coater chuck is made of stone and connected to a a servo motor via a drive shaft, the driving shaft being movable up and down, and a glass substrate coated with photoresist through a slit nozzle is placed on the coater chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong-Young Joo, Tae-Jung Kan