Rotating Work Patents (Class 118/320)
  • Patent number: 7926444
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a method for forming a thin film having a uniform thickness so as to follow asperities of a surface of a wafer to be processed and to provide a film-forming device used for the method. The film-forming device includes a treatment chamber for receiving a wafer and isolating the wafer from the air; a solvent-gas-supplying portion for supplying a solvent gas into the treatment chamber; a chuck for rotatably holding the wafer so that the downward-facing surface of the substrate is the surface on which a thin film is formed; a coating-solution-supplying portion for supplying a coating solution as a mist of charged particles toward the surface of the wafer; and a charging portion for charging the wafer with an electrical potential opposite to the charge of the particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shouichi Terada, Tsuyoshi Mizuno, Takeshi Uehara
  • Patent number: 7910161
    Abstract: This manufacturing device for an optical disc includes: a disc-supporting base on which a disc substrate is mounted; a pin-shaped member arranged at a center of the disc-supporting base, and is movable in the vertical in a center hole of the disc substrate; and a capping member which is slidably placed on a top of the pin-shaped member, and closes the center hole of the disc substrate, wherein when the capping member placed on the top of the pin-shaped member is lowered such that a back face of the capping member contacts an around of the center hole of the disc substrate mounted on the disc-supporting base, the capping member slides on the top of the pin-shaped member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Origin Electric Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hironobu Nishimura, Masahiro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7908997
    Abstract: A new and improved hybrid hot melt adhesive or other thermoplastic material dispensing system wherein two or more different hot melt adhesive or other thermoplastic material depositions, comprising, for example, two or more different types of patterns, two or more different types of application techniques or processes, or two or more different types of cyclical operations, can effectively be simultaneously achieved at substantially two or more different locations relative to an underlying substrate. The hybrid system comprises a metering station upon which is mounted a metering head comprising a plurality of metering head dispensing modules, and a pair or remote applicator heads comprising a pair of applicator head dispensing modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Mel Steven Lessley, Daniel D. Bourget
  • Patent number: 7906173
    Abstract: A resist coating method supplies a resist solution to substantially the center of a target substrate to be processed while rotating the target substrate at a first rotational speed, then reduces a rotational speed of the target substrate to a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed, reduces the rotational speed of the target substrate to a third rotational speed lower than the second rotational speed or until rotational halt to adjust the film thickness of the resist solution, and accelerates the rotation of the target substrate to a fourth rotational speed higher than the third rotational speed to spin off a residue of the resist solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kousuke Yoshihara, Tomohiro Iseki
  • Publication number: 20110059227
    Abstract: A systems and method for reducing coating defects on a stent may involve a support apparatus comprising wire cage for carrying a stent. The support apparatus may have no structure that extends inside the stent. A support apparatus may include a plurality of wires that pass through the stent but do not pass through the midplane of the stent. A support apparatus may contact only the proximal ends of the stent. The method may involve keeping the stent in motion during a spray coating process to prevent the stent from having a point remain in continuous contact with a support apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Inventors: Stephen D. Pacetti, Kalvass Melton Laura
  • Patent number: 7900578
    Abstract: A carrying system includes first and second carrying machines each of which includes a holding unit, a base and a linkage having pivotally joined first and second links. The holding unit can be moved, by turning the second link relative to the first link which is turned relative to the base, along a substantially arc carrying route extending round the pedestal between a loading position and a processing position. The arc carrying route is closer to the pedestal with respect to an imaginary circle having its center on the pedestal and a radius corresponding to the distance between the pedestal and either of the loading position and the processing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akio Hirose, Katsuhiko Goto
  • Patent number: 7897195
    Abstract: Various embodiments of methods and devices for coating stents are described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
    Inventors: David Rego, Kurt Kilchenmann, Sang joon Park, Mark Haight, Anthony S. Andreacchi, Yung-Ming Chen, Arnoldo M. Currlin, Antonio Garcia, Jason Van Sciver, Thomas David Esbeck, Bryan D. Glenn, Patrick A. Tuohy, Richard Baillargeon, Edward P. Garcia, Steven E. Lehner
  • Patent number: 7897206
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical data storage medium, comprising at least one substrate (11) and a plurality of layers deposited on the substrate (11) is described. The medium includes at least one of a transparent spacer layer and transparent cover layer (12). The layer (12) is provided by applying a liquid onto the rotating substrate (11) and rotating the substrate (11) further in order to spread out the liquid into a layer substantially uniformly between an inner radius ri and an outer radius ro, and solidifying the liquid layer (12) by means of exposure to UV radiation. After applying the liquid onto the rotating substrate the liquid layer (12) is heated by heating means (14) in such a way that the temperature rise of the liquid layer (12) at ri has a value dTri, while the temperature rise of the liquid layer (12) between ri and ro gradually increases, and the temperature rise of the liquid layer (12) at ro has a value dTro>dTri.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Petrus Helena Gerardus Maria Vromans, Katerina Musialkova, Fransiscus Sophia Josepha Petronella Van De Kerkhof, Erik Jan Prins, Johannes Cornelis Hendricus Jacobs
  • Patent number: 7884033
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing microelectronic topographies, a method of use of such an apparatus, and a method for passivating hardware of microelectronic processing chambers are provided. The apparatus includes a substrate holder configured to support a microelectronic topography and a rotatable case with sidewalls arranged on opposing sides of the substrate holder. The method of using such an apparatus includes positioning a microelectronic topography upon a substrate holder of a processing chamber, exposing the microelectronic topography to a fluid within the processing chamber, and rotating a case of the processing chamber. The rotation is sufficient to affect movement of the fluid relative to the surface of the microelectronic topography. A method for passivating hardware of a microelectronic processing chamber includes exposing the hardware to an organic compound and subsequently exposing the hardware to an agent configured to form polar bonds with the organic compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Lam Research
    Inventor: Igor C. Ivanov
  • Patent number: 7871658
    Abstract: A system, nozzle assembly, and method for coating a stent with a solvent and polymer are provided. The polymer can include a therapeutic substance or a drug. The polymer and solvent can be discharged from separate tubes disposed within another tube carrying moving air. The polymer and the solvent mix together when they are discharged and are atomized by the air. The ends of the tubes can be concentric with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Dirk Pacetti
  • Patent number: 7856939
    Abstract: A recirculation spin coater system includes a spin coating bowl with a having a recirculation drain and a wetting fluid chamber associated with the upper end of the inner side walls wherein the wetting fluid chamber is configured to dispense a side wall wetting fluid to inner side walls of the spin coating bowl. A vision system configured to capture images of the work piece within the spin coating bowl for quality control and work piece positioning. An annular array of light sources are surrounding sides of the spin coating bowl and are configured to illuminate the interior of the spin coating bowl for optical controls. The vision system may be utilized for both quality control and work piece positioning. The coating nozzle is configured to move between a first coating position vertically aligned with the work piece, and a second purge position vertically aligned with the recirculation drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Transitions Optical, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence M. Minor, Lisa Marie Titolo, Hung Nguyen, Steve R. Susie
  • Patent number: 7851018
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an optical information recording medium, which forms a light-transmitting layer made of a radiation curing resin on a substrate having a signal recording layer, a liquid foundation is formed by coating the radiation curing resin in a first coating step. Next, a radiation curing resin is further coated on the foundation in a second coating step. After this, a curing step is performed. By separating the dropping and spreading of the radiation curing resin into two steps, not only the manufacturing time can be reduced, but also the volume of the used radiation curing resin can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuya Hisada
  • Patent number: 7833572
    Abstract: A dispensing apparatus includes a frame, a support coupled to the frame to receive electronic substrates, a first dispensing unit to dispense viscous material, a second dispensing unit to dispense viscous material, and a gantry coupled to the frame. The gantry includes a first Z drive mechanism to support the first dispensing unit and lower the first dispensing unit toward a first electronic substrate pattern when performing a dispense operation, and a second Z drive mechanism to support the second dispensing unit and lower the second dispensing unit toward a second electronic substrate pattern when performing a dispense operation. The second Z drive mechanism may be adjusted relative to the first Z drive mechanism a predetermined distance. A controller controls a dispense operation of the first dispensing unit on the first electronic substrate pattern and a dispense operation of the second dispensing unit on the second electronic substrate pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works, Inc.
    Inventor: Hugh R. Read
  • Patent number: 7827930
    Abstract: An electroless deposition system is provided. The system includes a processing mainframe, at least one substrate cleaning station positioned on the mainframe, and an electroless deposition station positioned on the mainframe. The electroless deposition station includes an environmentally controlled processing enclosure, a first processing station configured to clean and activate a surface of a substrate, a second processing station configured to electrolessly deposit a layer onto the surface of the substrate, and a substrate transfer shuttle positioned to transfer substrates between the first and second processing stations. The system also includes a substrate transfer robot positioned on the mainframe and configured to access an interior of the processing enclosure. The system also includes a substrate a fluid delivery system that is configured to deliver a processing fluid by use of a spraying process to a substrate mounted in the processing enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Dmitry Lubomirsky, Arulkumar Shanmugasundram, Russell Ellwanger, Ian A. Pancham, Ramakrishna Cheboli, Timothy W. Weidman
  • Patent number: 7823534
    Abstract: A developer nozzle is moved from a periphery of a wafer toward the central portion while an exposed substrate held at a spin chuck is being rotated about a vertical axis and while a developing solution is being discharged from the developer nozzle, and this way the developing solution is supplied to the surface of the wafer, the developer nozzle having a slit-like ejection port whose longitudinal direction is oriented to the direction perpendicular to the radial direction of the wafer. The movement speed of the nozzle is higher than a case where a nozzle with a small-diameter circular nozzle is used, and this enables a development time to be reduced. Further, the thickness of a developing solution on a substrate can be reduced, so that the developing solution can be saved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Atsushi Ookouchi, Taro Yamamoto, Hirofumi Takeguchi, Hideharu Kyouda, Kousuke Yoshihara
  • Patent number: 7823532
    Abstract: The die as provided is a die in which an upper block is placed on an upper surface of a lower block with a lower surface of the upper block in contact with the upper surface, wherein the lower block includes a manifold and a slit serving as a path for discharging paint from the manifold to the outside, constituted respectively from between the lower block and the lower surface of the upper block by forming a cavity and a space which communicates with the outside from this cavity along a columnar direction, respectively, from one end face of a columnar body with a trapezoidal shape of cross section to the other end face, a paint supply path which communicates with the manifold is formed from an outer side located between the one end face and the other end face of the lower block, a slit space dimension of the slit between front end portions in a paint discharge direction of the lower block and the upper block in a discharge port serving as an open end to the outside is smallest on the one end face side and inc
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Horikawa, Yasuhiro Ueyama, Masaru Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7820243
    Abstract: A resist coating method supplies a resist solution to substantially the center of a target substrate to be processed while rotating the target substrate at a first rotational speed, then decelerates the rotation of the substrate to a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed, or until rotational halt, makes the deceleration smaller in the deceleration step as the rotational speed becomes closer to the second rotational speed or the rotational halt, and accelerates the rotation of the substrate to a third rotational speed higher than the second rotational speed to spin off a residue of the resist solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kousuke Yoshihara, Tomohiro Iseki
  • Patent number: 7815968
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to semiconductor, integrated circuits, and particularly, but not by way of limitation, to centrifugal methods of filling high-aspect ratio vias and trenches with powders, pastes, suspensions of materials to act as any of a conducting, structural support, or protective member of an electronic component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gareth Hougham, Leena Paivikki Buchwalter, Stephen L. Buchwalter, Jon Casey, Claudius Feger, Matteo Flotta, Jeffrey D. Gelmore, Kathleen C. Hinge, Anurag Jain, Sung K. Kang, John U. Knickerbocker
  • Publication number: 20100255208
    Abstract: A droplet applying device (2) includes: application heads (2d) configured to eject an application liquid as multiple droplets toward to-be-coated subjects (K1, K2); a moving mechanism (2c) configured to move each of the to-be-coated subjects (K1, K2) and the application heads (2d) relative to each other; and a rotating mechanism (2b) configured to rotate the to-be-coated subjects (K1, K2) in a plane intersecting with an ejecting direction in which the multiple droplets are ejected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicants: Shibaura Mechatronics Corporation, Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoru Hara, Takahiro Yamazaki, Akihiro Shigeyama, Hideyuki Suzuki, Makoto Kanbe, Tadashi Shiozaki
  • Patent number: 7802536
    Abstract: There is provided an apparatus including: a processing cup having an opening opened upward to allow a substrate to be loaded and unloaded, an exhaust port for exhausting an unnecessary atmosphere produced in forming a film applied on the substrate, and an aspiration port for aspirating external air; and an aspiration device aspirating the unnecessary atmosphere through the exhaust port, wherein when the substrate is accommodated in the opening of the processing cup, the substrate has a perimeter spaced from the opening by a predetermined gap, and below the substrate accommodated in the processing cup there is formed an exhaust flow path extending from the aspiration port to the exhaust port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kousuke Yoshihara, Hiroichi Inada
  • Patent number: 7798092
    Abstract: A process for treating a particulate material is described, comprising the steps of filling the material into a container, the container having a base, an upright wall widening from bottom to top, and a deflection element adjoining the wall in an upper region of the container, moving the material in the container in a continuous circulatory movement along the base to the wall and along the wall upward by rotating the wall about a vertical axis of rotation, and moving the material along the deflection element by an air stream, which is introduced substantially from bottom to top through at least one air gap in a transition region from the wall to the deflection element and, in a region adjacent to the air gap, substantially tangentially with respect to the course of at least one of the wall and the deflection element. Further an apparatus for carrying out the process is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Inventor: Herbert Hüttlin
  • Patent number: 7793609
    Abstract: Provided is a coating and developing apparatus composed of an assembly of plural unit blocks. A first unit-block stack and a second unit-block stack are arranged at different positions with respect to front-and-rear direction. Unit blocks for development, each of which comprises plural processing units including a developing unit that performs developing process after exposure and a transfer device that transfers a substrate among the processing units, are arranged at the lowermost level. Unit blocks for application, or coating, each of which comprises plural processing units including a coating unit that performs application process before exposure and a transfer device that transfers a substrate among the processing units, are arranged above the unit blocks for development. Unit blocks for application are arranged in both the first and second unit-block stacks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masami Akimoto, Shinichi Hayashi, Yasushi Hayashida, Nobuaki Matsuoka, Yoshio Kimura, Issei Ueda, Hikaru Ito
  • Patent number: 7793610
    Abstract: A liquid processing apparatus includes: a substrate holding member configured to rotate along with a substrate held thereon in a horizontal state; a rotary cup configured to surround the substrate held on the substrate holding member and to rotate along with the substrate; a rotation mechanism configured to integratedly rotate the rotary cup and the substrate holding member; a liquid supply mechanism configured to supply a process liquid onto the substrate; and an exhaust/drain section configured to perform gas-exhausting and liquid-draining of the rotary cup. The exhaust/drain section includes an annular drain cup configured to mainly collect and discharge a process liquid thrown off from the substrate, and an exhaust cup surrounding the drain cup and configured to mainly collect and discharge a gas component from inside and around the rotary cup. Liquid-draining from the drain cup and gas-exhausting from the exhaust cup are performed independently of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masami Akimoto, Takayuki Toshima, Satoshi Kaneko, Kazuhisa Matsumoto, Norihiro Ito, Hiromitsu Nanba
  • Publication number: 20100227044
    Abstract: A holding device and method is provided for efficiently applying a coating on the exterior surface of a tubular hollow body, while preventing coating application on the interior surface and coating defects. The holding device of the present invention comprises at least two structures contacting the inner surface of the tubular hollow body and extending to a portion where the structures are connected and rotary motion is induced to rotate the tubular hollow body. The structures are arranged and shaped so that an inner hollow section is formed in which excess coating material can accumulate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Inventor: Ingo Scheer
  • Patent number: 7790227
    Abstract: The resist coating unit (COT) has a spin chuck (41) which holds the wafer to be supplied with a resist liquid, and a process cup (50) which accommodates the spin chuck (41) and exhaustes an atmosphere around the wafer W from a bottom thereof. The process cup (50) comprises a first cup (51) with an outer circumferential wall (61a), and an airflow control member (52) laid out close to the wafer W in the first cup (51) in such a manner as to surround the wafer W. The airflow control member (52) has a vertical cross section of an approximately rectangular shape defined by the upper ring portion (62a) having a cross section of an approximately triangular shape and protruding upward, and a lower ring portion (62b) having a cross section of an approximately triangular shape and protruding downward. An exhaust passage (55) for substantially exhausting the atmosphere around the wafer W is formed between the outer circumferential wall (61a) and the airflow control member (52).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Hideo Shite
  • Patent number: 7779777
    Abstract: A substrate-processing apparatus includes a sample table which mounts thereon a to-be-processed substrate, a first line which supplies a chemical solution, a second line which supplies a cleaning liquid, a three-way valve connected to the first and second lines and configured to select one of the first and second lines, a filter provided across the first line upstream of the three-way valve, and configured to eliminate a foreign material from the chemical solution, and a nozzle provided downstream of the three-way valve and configured to discharge the chemical solution or the cleaning liquid when the first or second line is selected via the three-way valve. The three-way valve selects the first line when the substrate is coated with the chemical solution, and selects the second line in other cases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Eishi Shiobara, Hirokazu Kato, Seiro Miyoshi, Shinichi Ito
  • Patent number: 7779778
    Abstract: A coating device (42) for a coating solution and a light beam radiating device (151) which cures the coating solution are arranged in a clean room (7). Spectacle lenses (2) include a set of two lenses and are stored in a coating container (50). The coating device (42) applies the coating solution to coating target surfaces of the spectacle lenses (2) in the coating container (50). When the set of two spectacle lenses (2) coated with the coating solution are extracted from the coating container (50), they are stored in a lens rack (120) and sealed by a transparent plate of the light beam radiating device (151). After air in the lens rack (120) is purged with nitrogen gas, curing treatment for the coating solution is performed by the light beam radiating device (151).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Igarashi, Masahiro Jinbo, Masahiko Samukawa, Shuichi Sato, Norihisa Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7776382
    Abstract: A method for coating a rollable device including a device rotator having a pair of rollers and spray nozzle is described. The spray nozzle produces a spray of coating material that is directed towards a gap that is between the rollers of the pair. The majority of any spray not deposited on the rollable device during a coating process passes through the gap between the rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Surmodics, Inc
    Inventors: Ralph A. Chappa, Mark F. Carlson
  • Patent number: 7765950
    Abstract: An apparatus for sensing a spin chuck for a spin coating unit includes a spin chuck which sucks a wafer with vacuum pressure to allow the wafer to be placed thereon, a rotary shaft which is rotated by driving of a motor below the spin chuck correspondingly thereto, and whose upper end is engaged with the spin chuck so as to interlock with the rotation of the spin chuck and a shaft guide shaped so as to surround a tubular stationary shaft of the spin chuck engaged with the rotary shaft. The apparatus further includes a sensing unit which senses whether or not the stationary shaft of the spin chuck is inserted into the shaft guide to a predetermined height a control unit which determines whether or not the spin chuck has been assembled normally from a signal sensed by the sensing unit and a notifying means which is controlled by the control unit to allow a user to recognize an assembled state of the spin chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Do-Gyun Lee
  • Patent number: 7757625
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a method for forming a thin film which can be uniformly and precisely planarized without a high-loaded process as in a chemical mechanical polishing method and to provide a device used for the method. In a method for forming a thin film on a surface of a-semiconductor wafer as a substrate to be processed by supplying a coating solution to the wafer having asperities on the surface thereof, a thin film of a coating solution is planarized by placing the wafer having the thin film formed on the surface thereof in a solvent gas atmosphere generated in a treatment chamber, then spraying a solvent gas toward the surface of the wafer from a solvent-gas-supplying nozzle and, simultaneously, relatively moving the wafer and/or the solvent-gas-supplying nozzle in directions parallel to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shouichi Terada, Tsuyoshi Mizuno, Takeshi Uehara
  • Patent number: 7752996
    Abstract: An electroless plating chamber is provided. The electroless plating chamber includes a chuck configured to support a substrate and a bowl surrounding a base and a sidewall of the chuck. The base has an annular channel defined along an inner diameter of the base. The chamber includes a drain connected to the annular channel. The drain is capable of removing fluid collected from the chuck. A proximity head capable of cleaning and substantially drying the substrate is included in the chamber. A method for performing an electroless plating operation is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Yezdi Dordi, William Thie, John M. Boyd, Fritz C. Redeker, Aleksander Owczarz
  • Patent number: 7748341
    Abstract: An apparatus for coating the surface of a lens includes a carousel having a central hub and a plurality of arms. A drive shaft is mounted to each arm, with a magnetic clutch and a lens holder being operatively attached to the drive shaft. The carousel is configured to be raised, rotated, and lowered into a series of workstations for processing the lens in a predetermined sequence. A workstation has associated therewith a spin drive attached to a reciprocating arm assembly. The spin drive includes a magnetic clutch which may be coupled to the magnetic clutch of any one of the arms on the carousel, such that a rotation generated by the spin drive is transferred to the drive shaft, and the lens holder. The arm assembly is capable of being extended and retracted to selectively engage and disengage the carousel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Satisloh North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth F. Muster, William M. Palleva, Terry Van Blaricom, Patrick M. Green
  • Patent number: 7740908
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for producing a solid substrate used for sensors having a film with a small film thickness distribution, and a solid surface used for sensors having a film with a small film thickness distribution. The present invention provides a method for producing a solid substrate for sensors that has a coating on the surface using spin coating, wherein a substrate to be coated is rotated in an atmosphere in which the vapor pressure of coating solvent is 50% to 100% with respect to the saturation vapor pressure so as to form a thin film of a coating solution on said substrate to be coated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yukou Saito, Masashi Hakamata
  • Publication number: 20100144158
    Abstract: A liquid treatment device having a substrate holding section (2) for horizontally holding a wafer (W) and capable of rotating with the wafer (W), a rotation cup (4) having an annular shape so as to surround the wafer (W) held by the substrate holding section (2) and capable of rotating with the wafer (W), a rotation mechanism (3) for integrally rotating the rotation cup (4) and the substrate holding section (2), a nozzle (5) for supplying a treatment liquid for the wafer (W) and a cleaning liquid for the rotation cup (4), a liquid supply section (85) for supplying the treatment liquid and cleaning liquid to the nozzle (5), and a nozzle movement mechanism for moving the nozzle (5) between a first position at which the liquid is discharged to the wafer (W) and a second position at which the liquid is discharged to an external portion of the rotation cup (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Inventors: Norihiro Ito, Satoshi Kaneko, Hiromitsu Nanba
  • Publication number: 20100126414
    Abstract: A mounting assembly for a stent and a method of coating a stent using the assembly are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Syed F.A. HOSSAINY, Charles SNYDER, Anh TRAN, Arthur J. WEN
  • Publication number: 20100130022
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus is provided. The substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate supporting member including a spin head on which a substrate is placed, a nozzle discharging processing liquid to the substrate placed on the spin head, and a processing liquid supplying source supplying the processing liquid to the nozzle. The nozzle includes a nozzle main body that has a plurality of discrete discharging openings and an integration discharging opening. The discrete discharging openings have a slit-shaped cross section having a first length and are arrayed in series in a predetermined direction. The integration discharging opening is formed by connecting the discrete discharging openings to each other in a single slot shape having a length greater than the first length, and finally discharges the processing liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: SEMES CO., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-Woon PARK, Sang Uk PARK, Jae Seung GO
  • Patent number: 7694650
    Abstract: An exhaust monitoring cup which measures exhaust gas flowing through a top opening in a coater cup of a spin coating apparatus used in the deposition of photoresist coatings on semiconductor wafers. The exhaust monitoring cup includes a gas flow cup which is positioned in fluid communication with the top opening of the coater cup. The exhaust gas flows through a gas flow opening in the gas flow cup, and a flow rate measuring apparatus at the gas flow opening receives the exhaust gas and measures the flow rate thereof. The flow rate of the gas leaving the gas flow cup can be compared to the flow rate of the gas flowing from an exhaust conduit leading from the bottom of the coater cup, to facilitate detection of abnormal conditions in the coater cup or exhaust conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.
    Inventors: Kuo-Chen Huang, Chang-Shing Chen, Hsin-Yi Ho
  • Patent number: 7691431
    Abstract: A system is provided for spray coating medical devices, comprising a rotary atomizer with one or more rotary heads and a plurality of holders to hold a plurality of medical devices, such as stents, wherein the holders are positioned around a longitudinal axis of the rotary head. A method of using such a system is also provided. The invention enables the use of rotary atomizers to coat small medical devices with reduced waste of coating material and allows increased production throughput by the coating of multiple devices simultaneously. The rotary atomizer may be an electrostatic rotary atomizer. The holders and/or a holding structure on which the holders are mounted may move relative to the rotary atomizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventors: James Feng, Narin Anderson, Tom Eidenschink
  • Patent number: 7685963
    Abstract: In a photoresist dispensing apparatus for use in manufacturing a semiconductor device, to coercively emit photoresist from a bottle by using a dispensing pump and to pass it through a supply line and a filter to obtain a filtering operation, and to spray the filtered photoresist to a wafer through a spraying nozzle; a bubble removal unit is equipped with the supply line, before the dispensing pump. Large and micro bubbles generated in the midst of flow of photoresist, and foreign substances, are substantially filtered off so as to supply photoresist of a good quality. A floating load in a foreign substance removal filter is substantially removed, thus spraying photoresist under an always uniform and stabilized pressure by using a dispensing pump, to cover a wafer with photoresist in a uniform thickness and obtain a precise pattern formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Haw Lee, Jin-Jun Park
  • Patent number: 7681521
    Abstract: An SOD system (100A) comprises a process block (8) for performing a prescribed processing so as to form an insulating film on a wafer W, a carrier block (7) for transferring the wafer W from the outside into the process block (8), a sub-transfer mechanism (12) for transferring the substrate W between the process block (8) and the carrier block (7), and a main transfer mechanism (15). A process tower (T1) prepared by stacking one upon the other a plurality of process units for performing a series of processing for forming an insulating film on the wafer W is arranged detachable from the process block (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Takahiro Nishibayashi
  • Publication number: 20100050940
    Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a processing unit, a substrate loading unit, a substrate unloading unit, and a carrying unit. A carrying device has a constitution in which a suction portion suctioning and holding a substrate is rotatable about an arm portion provided in a base portion and the substrate is rotated in the state where the substrate is held by a holding portion. A coating device has a constitution in which a liquid material is ejected from a nozzle to both surfaces of the substrate rotating in an upright state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: TOKYO OHKA KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Sahoda, Futoshi Shimai, Akihiko Sato
  • Publication number: 20100055294
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a method and apparatus for coating a medical device. In one embodiment, the method for preparing a substantially uniform coated medical device includes (1) preparing a coating solution comprising a solvent, a therapeutic agent, and an additive; (2) loading a metering dispenser with the coating solution; (3) rotating the medical device about the longitudinal axis of the device and/or moving the medical device along the longitudinal or transverse axis of the device; (4) dispensing the coating solution from the metering dispenser onto a surface of the medical device and flowing the coating solution on the surface of the medical device while the medical device is rotating and/or linearly moving; and (5) evaporating the solvent, forming a substantially uniform coating layer on the medical device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: Lutonix, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey WANG, Harrison Malinoff, Lixiao Wang, Christopher M. Barry, Dennis W. Wahr, Scott Naisbitt
  • Patent number: 7669780
    Abstract: A fluid supply nozzle includes a fluid flow-in section into which a fluid flows in, a reservoir section for storing the fluid, a flow velocity control wall provided between the fluid flow-in section and the reservoir section and including an orifice for making the fluid flow in the reservoir section while reducing a flow velocity, and a discharging section including a slit for discharging the fluid with pressure of the fluid applied to the reservoir section. A substrate processing apparatus is formed so as to include the fluid supply nozzle. Moreover, a substrate processing method includes the step of discharging a fluid in a single-layered, continuous film to supply the fluid onto a substrate. Thus, the substrate is processed. To perform this method, the fluid supply nozzle of the present invention can be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kou Sugano, Hiroshi Yoshioka
  • Publication number: 20100040766
    Abstract: A coating apparatus for coating the balloon portion of a balloon catheter is described. The coating apparatus includes a rotatable member in which the catheter portion of the balloon catheter is mounted and fixed, and which causes rotation of the balloon catheter. The apparatus also includes a support member in which the distal tip of the catheter is inserted and free to rotate; and a spray nozzle directing sprayed material on the balloon surface. The inventive configuration of the coating apparatus allows the balloon catheter to be rotated along its axis with insubstantial or no wobble, which significantly improves the quality of the coating applied to the surface of the balloon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Inventors: Ralph A. Chappa, Mark F. Carlson
  • Patent number: 7662436
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method for spin coating a film onto a substrate. Preferred embodiments deposit a film, such as a resist, having a thickness gradient from the substrate's centrifugal center to its edge. The gradient may be linear or stepwise continuous, for example. Other embodiments of the invention provide a semiconductor fabrication method. The method comprises forming a resist layer having a predetermined thickness on a substrate. Preferably, the predetermining includes making swing curve measurements on a single test wafer that is coated according to embodiments of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Yayi Wei, Stefan Brandl
  • Publication number: 20100034960
    Abstract: A coating method and a coating apparatus are used to apply coating material to struts of a medical device (e.g., stent) which bound openings. The method involves optically scanning the medical device to produce position information identifying positions of the struts, using the position information to calculate a predetermined position, setting an applying manner to apply the coating material based on the predetermined position, setting an applying path accommodating the applying manner, and relatively moving the medical device and an applicator head along the applying route and path while dispensing the coating material from the applicator head and applying the coating material to the struts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shori Kindaichi, Yasukazu Harada, Kazuyuki Takeda
  • Patent number: 7654221
    Abstract: An electroless deposition system and electroless deposition stations are provided. The system includes a processing mainframe, at least one substrate cleaning station positioned on the mainframe, and an electroless deposition station positioned on the mainframe. The electroless deposition station includes an environmentally controlled processing enclosure, a first processing station configured to clean and activate a surface of a substrate, a second processing station configured to electrolessly deposit a layer onto the surface of the substrate, and a substrate shuttle positioned to transfer substrates between the first and second processing stations. The electroless deposition station also includes various fluid delivery and substrate temperature controlling devices to perform a contamination free and uniform electroless deposition process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Dmitry Lubomirsky, Arulkumar Shanmugasundram, Ian A. Pancham
  • Patent number: 7638001
    Abstract: A film forming apparatus which forms a film on a substrate by utilizing a chemical solution, including: a correlation data creating unit which creates a correlation data that is related to the quality of a chemical solution, from data that is related to the properties of the chemical solution including at least one of data on storage temperature for the chemical solution to be loaded and data on pressure applied to the chemical solution to be loaded; and a determining unit which determines whether or not the chemical solution holds expected quality thereof on the bases of the correlation data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Daisuke Kawamura
  • Patent number: 7636234
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing microelectronic topographies, a method of use of such an apparatus, and a method for passivating hardware of microelectronic processing chambers are provided. The apparatus includes a substrate holder configured to support a microelectronic topography and a rotatable case with sidewalls arranged on opposing sides of the substrate holder. The method of using such an apparatus includes positioning a microelectronic topography upon a substrate holder of a processing chamber, exposing the microelectronic topography to a fluid within the processing chamber, and rotating a case of the processing chamber. The rotation is sufficient to affect movement of the fluid relative to the surface of the microelectronic topography. A method for passivating hardware of a microelectronic processing chamber includes exposing the hardware to an organic compound and subsequently exposing the hardware to an agent configured to form polar bonds with the organic compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventor: Igor C. Ivanov
  • Patent number: 7632352
    Abstract: Provided is a spin coating apparatus having a ring-shaped or polygonal auxiliary member for use in manufacture of a coated substrate via spin coating, wherein the auxiliary member is positioned adjacent to the side of a substrate for coating, within a range of a spaced distance of 0.03 to 0.8 mm and a range of a height deviation of less than 0.1 mm, upon mounting the substrate. When a surface of a substrate for coating is spin coated with a coating agent using the apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to eliminate or effectively reduce a ski-jump phenomenon at end portions of a coated substrate occurring when spin coating is performed, thereby resulting in uniform coating of a coating solution on the substrate, and it is also possible to effectively decrease contamination of the substrate for coating due to inflow or stay of the remaining coating agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tae-sik Kang, Seongkeun Lee, Youngjun Hong