Centrifugal Force And/or Rotated Work Body Patents (Class 134/33)
  • Patent number: 11821126
    Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a basket rotatably mounted within a cabinet and defining a chamber configured for receiving a load of clothes, a door pivotally mounted to the cabinet for providing selective access to the chamber, and a camera assembly mounted within the cabinet in view of the chamber. A controller is configured to initiate an automatic self-clean cycle, the method comprising determining that the door is closed, obtaining one or more images of the chamber using the camera assembly, determining that there is no load in the chamber based at least in part on the one or more images, determining that a self-clean condition is satisfied, and commencing the self-clean cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Je Kwon Yoon, Seung-Yeong Park, Jaehyo Lee
  • Patent number: 11798801
    Abstract: A wafer-cleaning apparatus includes an inner pin that supports a wafer. The wafer-cleaning apparatus further includes a nozzle disposed above the inner pin, a light source disposed under the inner pin, a window disposed between the light source and the wafer, and a window protector disposed between the wafer and the window. The nozzle supplies a chemical liquid to the wafer and the inner pin distributes a portion of the chemical liquid on an upper surface of the wafer by rotating the wafer. The window protector receives a portion of the chemical liquid that flows out of the wafer and the light source supplies the light to the wafer through the window protector and the window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hunjae Jang, Seungmin Shin, Kuntack Lee, Seungho Kim, Younghoo Kim, Taehong Kim, Sunghyun Park
  • Patent number: 11789365
    Abstract: A method for processing a substrate includes forming a pattern on a substrate, supplying water to cover the pattern, and after the supplying the water, irradiating the pattern with light having a wavelength longer that which causes dissociation of water. A substrate processing apparatus of an embodiment includes a transfer chamber to receive a patterned substrate, a water supplying chamber to cover the pattern with water, and an irradiating chamber to irradiate a portion of the pattern with near-field light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventors: Ryu Komatsu, Takeharu Motokawa, Noriko Sakurai, Hideaki Sakurai
  • Patent number: 11728184
    Abstract: A drying module 300 according to the present disclosure includes a drying tank 320 having a wall 322, a liquid supply port 334 for supplying liquid to an inner surface of the wall 322 and an outlet 336, a plurality of nozzles 340 for spraying a gas to a substrate holder 200, a liquid supply system 312 which supplies the liquid from the liquid supply port 334 to the inside of the drying tank 320, a gas supply system 310 which supplies the gas to the plurality of nozzles 340, and a control module 380. The control module 380 controls the liquid supply system 312 and the gas supply system 310 such that the plurality of nozzles 340 sprays the gas to the substrate holder 200 or a substrate W while the liquid supply port 334 supplies the liquid to the inner surface of the wall 322.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sho Tamura
  • Patent number: 11721563
    Abstract: A cleaning module for cleaning a wafer comprises a wafer gripping device configured to support a wafer in a vertical orientation and comprises a catch cup and a gripper assembly. The catch cup comprises a wall that has an annular inner surface that defines a processing region and has an angled portion that is symmetric about a central axis of the wafer gripping device. The gripper assembly comprises a first plate assembly, a second plate assembly, a plurality of gripping pin, and a plurality of loading pin. The gripping pins are configured to grip a wafer during a cleaning process and the loading pins are configured to grip the wafer during a loading and unloading process. The cleaning module further comprises a sweep arm coupled to a nozzle mechanism configured to deliver liquids to the front and back side of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jagan Rangarajan, Adrian Blank, Edward Golubovsky, Balasubramaniam Coimbatore Jaganathan, Steven M. Zuniga, Ekaterina Mikhaylichenko, Michael A. Anderson, Jonathan P. Domin
  • Patent number: 11511321
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes forming a high surface tension liquid film by supplying high surface tension liquid on a substrate surface, replacing the high surface tension liquid film with low surface tension liquid by supplying the low surface tension liquid to a center area of a substrate so that the low surface tension liquid impinges on the high surface tension liquid film formed on the center area of the substrate, and supplying high surface tension liquid for a predetermined period of time during the supplying the low surface tension liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Young Jin Kim, Jin Tack Yu, Bu Young Jung, Byung Sun Bang, Seung Hoon Oh, Young Jun Choi, Jong Hyeon Woo
  • Patent number: 11467496
    Abstract: An apparatus includes: a coating module for applying a coating liquid to each wafer and discharging a removing liquid from a nozzle toward a beveled portion of the wafer under rotation; an imaging module; and a controller for controlling: the imaging module to image outer end and rear surfaces of the wafer; obtaining a height dimension of an outer edge of a coating film with respect to an inner edge of the beveled portion based on the imaging result; determining whether or not the obtained dimension is an allowable value; if the result is negative, resetting the number of revolutions of the wafer based on the obtained dimension and a first reference data; controlling the coating module to again perform the application and removal operations; performing the determination process; and if the result is positive, storing the reset number of revolutions in a storage part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Akiko Kiyotomi
  • Patent number: 11152229
    Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a chuck stage, a scrubber nozzle, a scrubber nozzle scan mechanism, a stage rotation mechanism, and a holding stage including a holding fluid nozzle and a top plate, the top plate having one main surface facing an opposite surface of a wafer, and the holding fluid nozzle being disposed adjacent to a center rather than a periphery portion of the top plate. A holding fluid discharged from the holding fluid nozzle is caused to flow through an area between the opposite surface of the wafer and the one main surface of the top plate to produce holding force, and the holding force causes the opposite surface to hold pressure applied to a processing surface of the wafer by a scrubbing fluid discharged from the scrubber nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11145520
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for liquid-treating a substrate. In a method for treating a substrate, the substrate may be treated by supplying a treatment liquid onto the rotating substrate by using a first nozzle and a second nozzle, the first nozzle supplies the treatment liquid to an area including a central area on the substrate, and the second nozzle supplies the treatment liquid to a peripheral area of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Young Hun Lee, Eui Sang Lim
  • Patent number: 11052340
    Abstract: A cartridge cleaning device comprising a cleaning nozzle joined to means for vertically displacing the nozzle, a power unit, and a rotatable platform. Fluid is introduced to the device and split into two streams, one stream providing fluid to the cleaning nozzle and the other stream directed to the power unit and effectuating rotation of a power wheel, thereby generating a torque which is transferred to the means for vertically displacing the nozzle and the rotatable platform. The torque to the means for vertically displacing the cleaning nozzle effectuates vertical displacement of the nozzle. The torque to the rotatable platform effectuates rotation of the rotatable platform on which at least one cartridge is placed during cleaning operations. The cleaning nozzle directs a stream onto the cartridge surface and perpendicular to the cartridge longitudinal axis and is displaced vertically in concert with cartridge rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Inventor: Bradley W. Boesel
  • Patent number: 11052341
    Abstract: A cartridge cleaning device comprising a cleaning nozzle joined to means for vertically displacing the nozzle, a power unit, and a rotatable platform. Fluid is introduced to the device and split into two streams, one stream providing fluid to the cleaning nozzle and the other stream directed to the power unit and effectuating rotation of a power wheel, thereby generating a torque which is transferred to the means for vertically displacing the nozzle and the rotatable platform. The torque to the means for vertically displacing the cleaning nozzle effectuates vertical displacement of the nozzle. The torque to the rotatable platform effectuates rotation of the rotatable platform on which at least one cartridge is placed during cleaning operations. The cleaning nozzle directs a stream onto the cartridge surface and perpendicular to the cartridge longitudinal axis and is displaced vertically in concert with cartridge rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Inventor: Bradley W. Boesel
  • Patent number: 10854481
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes holding a substrate horizontally, supplying water-containing processing liquid to an upper surface of the substrate, forming a low surface tension liquid film, covering the upper surface by supplying that liquid to the substrate's upper surface, supplying a gas to a center region of the liquid film to form an opening in the center, widening the opening in order to remove the film, rotating the substrate around a predetermined rotational axis along a vertical direction, blowing, in the opening widening step, the gas toward a gas supply position that is set further inward than a peripheral edge of the opening on the upper surface of the substrate, and moving the gas supply position toward the peripheral edge of the upper surface of the substrate, and supplying, the low surface tension liquid toward a liquid landing position that is set further outward and moving the liquid landing position toward the peripheral edge of the upper surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Inventors: Shigeki Tanizawa, Nobuyuki Miyaji, Makoto Takaoka, Naoki Sawazaki, Tsuyoshi Okumura, Atsuyasu Miura
  • Patent number: 10790166
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes a replacing step of replacing the processing liquid with a low surface tension liquid, a liquid film forming step of forming a liquid film of the low surface tension liquid on the upper surface of the substrate, by continuing supplying the low surface tension liquid to the upper surface of the substrate after the replacing step, an opening forming step of forming an opening at a central region of the liquid film, an enlarging removing step of removing the liquid film from the upper surface of the substrate by enlarging the opening toward a peripheral edge of the substrate, and a liquid film contact step of bringing a proximity member into contact with the liquid film, by bringing the proximity member close to the peripheral edge of the substrate after starting the opening forming step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuya Emoto
  • Patent number: 10786836
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes a chemical liquid supplying step of supplying a chemical liquid to a substrate, an elapsed period measuring step of measuring an after-the-end elapsed period, a recovery step of controlling the switching unit to be in a recovery guiding state, when, at a start of the chemical liquid supplying step, the after-the-end elapsed period is less than a predetermined first period, and a draining step of controlling the switching unit to be in a drain guiding state, in which the liquid led to the recovery space is led to the drain line, when, at the start of the chemical liquid supplying step, the after-the-end elapsed period is not less than the predetermined first period and then switching to the recovery guiding state based on establishment of a predetermined draining ending condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsuyasu Miura, Kazuhiro Fujita, Hiroki Tsujikawa, Yuya Tsuchihashi, Kenji Takemoto
  • Patent number: 10668593
    Abstract: The polishing head comprises: a head main body part; a carrier being connected to the head main body part; a pressure chamber; a fluid supplying section; a linear motion guide having an outer cylindrical body and a spline shaft, which is provided in the outer cylindrical body and capable of moving in an axial direction thereof, and which is prohibited to rotate with respect to the outer cylindrical body so as to transmit a rotational force to the spline shaft through the outer cylindrical body; and a rotation transmitting plate being provided between a lower end of the spline shaft and an upper face of the carrier, the rotation transmitting plate being capable of tiltably supporting the carrier and transmitting a rotational force of the spline shaft to the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIKOSHI MACHINERY CORP.
    Inventors: Masayuki Tsukada, Kazutaka Shibuya, Takayuki Fuse
  • Patent number: 10640903
    Abstract: A process for treating at least one garment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Guillaume Bonnet, Nans Elian Ravidat, Annalise Charlotte Richmond, Paulus Antonius Augustinus Hoefte
  • Patent number: 10593569
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes a liquid film forming step of supplying a low surface tension liquid onto the upper surface of the substrate while rotating the substrate at a first rotational speed, in order to form a liquid film of the low surface tension liquid on the upper surface of the substrate, a rotation decelerating step of decelerating rotation of the substrate to a second rotational speed while continuing the liquid film forming step, after a processing liquid on the substrate has been replaced with the low surface tension liquid, an opening forming step of forming an opening in the center region of the liquid film on the substrate that rotates at the second rotational speed after completion of the liquid film forming step, and a liquid film removing step of removing the liquid film from the upper surface of the substrate by widening the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taiki Hinode, Sadamu Fujii, Rei Takeaki
  • Patent number: 10533796
    Abstract: A method for thickening a cryogenic slurry is disclosed. The method comprises providing a cryogenic slurry flow path, a cryogenic liquid discharge path, and a filter medium between the cryogenic slurry flow path and the cryogenic liquid discharge path. The cryogenic slurry comprises a solid and a cryogenic liquid. The cryogenic slurry is fed into the cryogenic slurry flow path, generally tangential to the filter medium. This causes a portion of the cryogenic liquid to cross the filter medium into the cryogenic liquid discharge path as a cryogenic liquid discharge and the cryogenic slurry to thicken to produce a thickened slurry. The filter medium comprises a cryogenically-stable material such that adsorption of gases is inhibited, deposition of solids is prevented, and temperature-change induced expansion and contraction of the filter medium is optimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Inventors: Larry Baxter, Eric Mansfield, Kyler Stitt, David Frankman, Skyler Chamberlain, Nathan Davis, Stephanie Burt, Steven Malone
  • Patent number: 10475638
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate rotating unit 11 configured to hold and rotate a substrate 3; a processing liquid supplying unit 13 configured to supply a processing liquid to the substrate; and a replacement liquid supplying unit 14 configured to supply, to the substrate, a replacement liquid with which the processing liquid supplied from the processing liquid supplying unit is replaced. While the replacement liquid supplying unit 14 supplies the replacement liquid to the substrate, the processing liquid supplying unit 13 supplies the processing liquid to a position on the substrate positioned at an outer peripheral side thereof than a supply position of the replacement liquid to form a liquid film of the processing liquid. It is possible to maintain a state in which the entire surface of the substrate is covered with the liquid film without increasing consumption amount of the replacement liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Shinohara, Yuki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10460923
    Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for liquid-treating a substrate. The method for liquid-treating a substrate includes a first treatment liquid supplying operation of supplying a first treatment liquid to a treatment location of the substrate, and a wetting operation of, after the first treatment liquid supplying operation, supplying a wetting liquid onto the substrate, wherein the wetting operation includes a simultaneous supply operation of supplying the wetting liquid to the first location while the first treatment liquid is supplied, and wherein the first location is a location deviating from the treatment location. Accordingly, the surface of the substrate may be prevented from being dried while the treatment liquid is converted to a wetting liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Young Ha Kim, Se Jeong Choi, Kang Suk Lee, Kiyoung Kwark, Jeoung Eun Park, Jeong Yeong Park
  • Patent number: 10435833
    Abstract: Laundry washing machine (1) having an outer casing (2), a washing tub (3), arranged inside the casing (2), a rotatable drum (4), arranged in axially rotating manner inside the washing tub (3) and designed to receive laundry to be washed, and a detergent dispensing assembly (12), designed for supplying laundry detergent into the washing tub (3). The washing machine also has a water softening system (14), designed to receive fresh water from a water mains (13) and reduce the hardness degree of the fresh water in order to supply softened water the detergent dispensing assembly (12) and/or to the washing tub (3), during one or more softened water laundry washing phases, and a control panel (28) configured to allow operator to input information associated with washing performance/s. A controller (15) is configured to control the water softening system (14) in order to perform a washing program comprising one or more softened water laundry washing phases based on input washing performance/s information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Andrea Zattin, Elisa Stabon
  • Patent number: 10431448
    Abstract: A wet etching method according to the present disclosure includes rotating a substrate, supplying an etching chemical liquid to a first surface (a surface on which a device is formed) of the rotating substrate, and supplying an etching inhibiting liquid (DIW) to a second surface (a surface on which no device is formed) of the substrate while supplying the chemical liquid to the substrate. The etching inhibiting liquid wraps around the first surface through an edge of the substrate and reaches a first region extending from the edge of the substrate on the peripheral edge portion of the first surface to a first radial position located radially inward from the edge on the first surface. As a result, bevel etching of an upper layer of a substrate on which a film having two layers is formed may be satisfactorily performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Hiromitsu Nanba
  • Patent number: 10395951
    Abstract: In a method of cleaning a substrate, a protecting liquid may be sprayed to a surface of the substrate from a first position in a first spray direction. Cleaning droplets may be injected on to the surface of the substrate. The protecting liquid may be sprayed to the surface of the substrate from a second position different from the first position in a second spray direction. For example, the protecting liquid may be always sprayed from the central portion toward the edge portions in the substrate so that the protecting liquid on the substrate may have a uniform thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seok-Hoon Kim, Kyoung-Seob Kim, Dong-Chul Kim, Hyo-San Lee
  • Patent number: 10395949
    Abstract: The substrate drying apparatus includes a rinse agent nozzle configured to eject a rinse agent to the substrate while moving away from a center of the substrate relative to the substrate, a drying gas nozzle configured to spout a drying gas to the substrate while moving away from the center of substrate relative to the substrate with movement of the rinse agent nozzle, a liquid area sensor and a dried area sensor configured to sense a surface of the substrate around an interface of the rinse agent by moving away from the center of the substrate with movement of the rinse agent nozzle and the drying gas nozzle, and a control unit configured to control a drying condition based on the sensing results of the liquid area sensor and the dried area sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventor: Tomoatsu Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 10357806
    Abstract: The inventive concepts provide an apparatus for treating a substrate. The apparatus includes a housing proving an inner space in which a substrate is treated, a spin head supporting and rotating the substrate in the housing, an injection unit comprising a first nozzle member spraying a first treatment solution to the substrate put on the spin head, and a controller controlling the first nozzle member. The first nozzle member includes a body, a vibrator, a pump, and a power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jong Han Kim, Yoon-Jong Ju, Yu Hwan Kim, Edwin Lee, Seong Soo Lee
  • Patent number: 10273622
    Abstract: A laundry washing machine and method automate the selection of a load type for a laundry washing machine during an initial fill phase of a wash cycle and based in part on weight and fluid level sensed by weight and fluid level sensors operatively coupled to a wash tub and after a selected amount of water has been dispensed into the wash tub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Midea Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Phillip C. Hombroek, Christopher G. Hoppe
  • Patent number: 10247473
    Abstract: Embodiments of methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for processing a substrate includes a non-vacuum enclosure; at least one opening in the non-vacuum enclosure to insert a substrate into or remove a substrate from the non-vacuum enclosure; a movable substrate carrier, including a plurality of substrate holders, disposed within the non-vacuum enclosure to linearly move substrates disposed on the plurality of substrate holders; a heater to heat an interior of the non-vacuum enclosure; a gas supply to supply a gas to the interior of the non-vacuum enclosure; and a vent to exhaust the gas from the interior of the non-vacuum enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventor: Michael C. Kutney
  • Patent number: 10242863
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus for processing a wafer including a temporary substrate and a semiconductor device. The substrate processing apparatus includes a first half portion, a second half portion and a liquid supply unit. The first half portion includes a working platform. The second half portion includes an upper cover having a first surface and a plurality of second holes. The liquid supply unit provides a liquid. The wafer is placed on the working platform, and a second surface of the semiconductor device and the first surface are spaced by a distance sufficient for allowing the liquid to come into contact with the first surface when the liquid flows at the second surface to generate a suction force on the second surface. As such, a peel force is formed between the temporary substrate and the semiconductor device to cause the two to separate from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignees: WET TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yi-Cheng Wang
  • Patent number: 10167589
    Abstract: A method for controlling a rinsing cycle of a washing machine is provided. The method may include a primary rinsing by supplying water into the inner tub until a water level in the outer tub becomes a preset circulating water level, wherein some of the water is supplied through a drawer in the washing machine that holds fabric softener, and a remaining amount of water is supplied by spraying the water supplied from the external water source through the direct water nozzle via a direct water supply hose, a secondary rinsing by spraying water into the inner tub through the circulating nozzle, and a third rinsing by spraying the water into the inner tub through the direct water nozzle while draining the outer tub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Naeun Kim, Hwanjin Jung, Sanghyun Lee, Bonkwon Koo, Sunho Lee, Dongwon Kim
  • Patent number: 10161074
    Abstract: A laundry washing machine and method utilize weight, fluid level and fluid property sensors to dynamically select a load type, control a wash cycle and control an amount of detergent dispensed during a wash cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Midea Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Phillip C. Hombroek, Christopher G. Hoppe
  • Patent number: 10103020
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding part, a substrate rotating mechanism, a processing liquid supply part for supplying a processing liquid onto the substrate, a cup part for receiving the processing liquid spattering from the substrate being rotated, by its inner peripheral surface, a top plate disposed above the substrate, and a liquid film forming part for forming a rotating liquid film which rotates in the same direction as the substrate does, on the inner peripheral surface of the cup part, by supplying a liquid onto an upper surface of the top plate rotating in the same direction as the substrate rotates, in parallel with a processing of the substrate with the processing liquid. It is possible to prevent droplets caused by collision of the processing liquid spattering from the substrate against the cup part from being deposited on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hitoshi Nakai
  • Patent number: 10077522
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling a washing apparatus, and more particularly, to method for controlling a washing apparatus provided with an independently rotatable drum and a pulsator, comprising a step of draining further comprising a plurality of steps of draining a predetermined amount of rinsing water at a time; a middle step of dehydrating; and a step of supplying water, further comprising a plurality of steps of providing a predetermined amount of rinsing water at a time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Youngkee Oh, Deughee Lee, Changsik Kim, Taehyok Kwon
  • Patent number: 10043653
    Abstract: A method of cleaning and drying a semiconductor wafer including inserting a semiconductor wafer into a chamber of a cleaning tool, spinning the semiconductor wafer in a range of about 300 revolutions per minute to about 1600 revolutions per minute, and simultaneously spraying the semiconductor wafer with de-ionized water and a mixture of isopropyl alcohol and nitrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Wei-Cheng Chen, Ling-Sung Wang, Chih-Hsun Lin, Tzu kai Lin
  • Patent number: 9937533
    Abstract: Disclosed is a panel polishing device, comprising a polishing belt movable along a predefined direction and a spray head arranged above the belt. The spray head has a main body and a plurality of through-holes penetrating the main body in its thickness direction. Through-holes have outlets facing the belt and are arranged along a length direction of the spray head. The length direction of the spray head conforms to a movement direction of the belt. At least the through-holes on both sides of the main body are oblique outwardly with respect to the remaining through-holes. Also, the disclosure provides a panel cleaning equipment including the panel polishing device. In the device according to the disclosure, pressure of bi-component fluid is more widely applied onto belt and a larger belt is contacted with the panel, such that the panel is thoroughly cleaned without polishing blind regions on both sides thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., HEFEI BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Laichao Ji, Jinjun Wang, Zhendong Wang, Rui Hu, Jingxin Mao, Tongtong Huang
  • Patent number: 9895711
    Abstract: A substrate liquid processing apparatus including: a substrate rotary-holding unit configured to rotate a substrate while holding the substrate; and a processing liquid supply unit configured to supply a processing liquid to a bottom surface of the substrate held by the substrate rotary-holding unit. The substrate rotary-holding unit includes: a base plate disposed spaced apart from the substrate below the substrate; a cover member supported by the base plate and disposed outside an outer periphery of the substrate; and a discharge port formed between the base plate and the cover member and configured to discharge an air stream occurring below the substrate. The support portion of the base plate and the cover member protrudes outwards from a top surface of the base plate to be connected to the cover member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Jian Zhang, Yoshifumi Amano, Eiichiro Okamoto, Yuki Ito
  • Patent number: 9887122
    Abstract: In an apparatus for treating a wafer-shaped article, a spin chuck is configured to hold a wafer-shaped article of a predetermined diameter. A non-rotating plate is positioned relative to the spin chuck such that the non-rotating plate is beneath and parallel to a wafer-shaped article when positioned on the spin chuck. A fluid dispensing nozzle passes through the non-rotating plate and terminates in a discharge end positioned above and adjacent to the non-rotating plate. The discharge end comprises a horizontal gas discharge nozzle configured to distribute gas radially outwardly across an upper surface of the non-rotating plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH AG
    Inventors: Hongbo Si, Bhaskar Bandarapu, Andreas Gleissner, Bernhard Loidl
  • Patent number: 9765289
    Abstract: Methods and chemical solvents used for cleaning residues on metal contacts during a semiconductor device packaging process are disclosed. A chemical solvent for cleaning a residue formed on a metal contact may comprise a reactive inorganic component and a reactive organic component. The method may comprise spraying a semiconductor device with a chemical solvent at a first pressure, and spraying the semiconductor device with the chemical solvent at a second pressure less than the first pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hui-Jung Tsai, Hung-Jui Kuo, Chung-Shi Liu
  • Patent number: 9764446
    Abstract: The invention suppresses generation of noises attributable to rotation of a rotary joint. A rotary joint includes a rotating body that rotates on a rotating axis A, a housing disposed so as to surround the rotating body, and at least one bearing disposed between the rotating body and the housing and adapted to support rotation of the rotating body. The rotary joint supplies fluids through fluid connection ports formed in the housing and fluid passages formed inside the rotating body to a polishing table having attached thereto a polishing pad for polishing a substrate or a holding portion that is adapted to hold the substrate while pressing the substrate against the polishing pad. At least one elastic member is interposed at least either between the rotating body and the at least one bearing or between the housing and the at least one bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideo Aizawa, Tadakazu Sone, Masao Umemoto, Ryuichi Kosuge
  • Patent number: 9721817
    Abstract: Provided are an apparatus for measuring impurities on a wafer and a method of measuring impurities on a wafer. The apparatus includes: a wafer aligning device for aligning a wafer; a loading robot for moving and loading the aligned wafer; a rotation stage for rotating the loaded wafer; a scan robot for holding a natural oxide layer etching solution for the wafer and a metallic impurity recovery solution; and a container for receiving a predetermined etching solution and a recovery solution, wherein the scan robot removes an oxide layer on an edge region of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: LG Siltron Inc.
    Inventor: Seung Wook Lee
  • Patent number: 9648999
    Abstract: A robot vacuum cleaner includes a housing and a brush roller disposed at a bottom of the housing. The brush roller is configured to be rotatable about a horizontal axle. A blade is disposed above the brush roller in stationary relation with respect to the housing. The horizontal axle is adjustable in height relative to the housing. The brush roller is spaced away from the blade in a lower position and is in engagement with the blade in an upper position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: MIELE & CIE. KG
    Inventors: Carina Uphoff, Markus Thamm
  • Patent number: 9576787
    Abstract: A substrate treatment method includes a substrate holding unit which horizontally holds a substrate; a rotating unit which rotates the substrate held by the substrate holding unit about a vertical axis; and a first nozzle having an opposing face to be opposed to a lower surface of the substrate inward of a peripheral portion of the substrate in spaced relation to the lower surface of the substrate during rotation of the substrate by the rotating unit and a treatment liquid spout provided in the opposing face for filling a space defined between the lower surface of the substrate and the opposing face with a treatment liquid spouted from the treatment liquid spout to keep the space in a liquid filled state; wherein the treatment liquid spreads outwardly over the lower surface of the substrate and further, flows around to a peripheral portion of an upper surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Kishimoto, Koji Ando
  • Patent number: 9566618
    Abstract: A sputter target assembly comprising a Si target and a backing plate is provided wherein the backing plate is bonded to the target. The Si target comprises a smooth, mirror-like surface and has a surface roughness of less than about 15.0 Angstroms. Methods are provided for producing silicon target/backing plate assemblies wherein a silicon blank is processed to remove scratches from the blank surface resulting in a mirror like surface on the target, and a surface roughness of 15.0 Angstroms or less. The method comprises a first and second cleaning step with the first step being performed before the scratch removal step, and the second step being performed after the scratch removal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Tosoh SMD, Inc.
    Inventors: Yongwen Yuan, Eugene Y. Ivanov, Yang Liu, Phil Frausto, Weifang Miao
  • Patent number: 9566616
    Abstract: There is disclosed a substrate processing apparatus which is capable of detecting whether a substrate, such as a wafer, supported by a fluid is properly present in a predetermined processing position or not. The substrate processing apparatus includes at least one distance sensor configured to measure a distance between a scrubber and a hydrostatic support structure; and a processing controller configured to calculate a gap between the hydrostatic support structure and the surface of the substrate from a measured value of the distance and determine whether the gap falls within a predetermined range or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuji Togawa, Kenya Ito, Yu Ishii, Keisuke Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 9570327
    Abstract: A substrate liquid treatment apparatus comprises a chuck (13) that holds and rotates a wafer, a back surface purging nozzle (15) that discharges a purge gas toward the back surface of the wafer, and a periphery purging nozzle 16 that discharges the purge gas onto the back surface of the wafer. The back surface purging nozzle has a slit-like opening part extending from a central side to a peripheral side of the substrate in a plan view. Vertical distance between the slit-like opening part and the substrate held by the substrate holding unit increases as approaching an end of the opening part on the central side of the substrate. The periphery purging nozzle discharges the purge gas, toward a central part of the substrate, toward a region on the back surface of the substrate, which region is located radially outside an end of the slit-like opening part of the back surface purging nozzle and radially inside an peripheral edge of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masahiro Fukuda, Akihiro Kubo, Taro Yamamoto, Kenzi Yada, Atsushi Ookouchi
  • Patent number: 9517494
    Abstract: A method for cleaning photomasks includes the following steps: provided a cleansing device having a scrubbing unit. The scrubbing unit having a saturated scrubbing surface is use to clean photomasks with the obliquely dispensed fluids. In such a fashion, loosened contaminants are removed. As least one oblique surface is formed on the peripheries of the scrubbing surface to form a channeling region such that fluids can instantly flow away from photomasks after cleaning to prevent re-contamination. The instant disclosure also provides a system for cleaning photomasks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: GUDENG PRECISION INDUSTRIAL CO, LTD.
    Inventor: Yung-Chin Pan
  • Patent number: 9501697
    Abstract: A method for authenticating and/or identifying a security article that includes a transparent or translucent substrate and, on a side of a first face of the substrate, a first image. The method includes superimposing at least partially the first image of the article with a second image. The second image may be produced by an electronic imager. The second image may be situated on the side of a second face of the substrate that is opposite to the first face. The method permits observation of an authentication and/or identification information item of the security article during a change of the angle of observation of the first and second superimposed images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: ARJOWIGGINS SECURITY
    Inventors: Henri Rosset, Philippe Dietemann
  • Patent number: 9299593
    Abstract: A method includes providing a wafer and providing a first spray bar spaced a distance from the wafer. A first spray is dispensed from the first spray bar onto a first portion (e.g., half) of the wafer. Thereafter, the wafer is rotated. A second spray is dispensed from the first spray bar onto a second portion (e.g., half) of the rotated wafer. In embodiments, a plurality of spray bars are positioned above the wafer. One or more of the spray bars may be tunable in separation distance and/or angle of dispensing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ming-Hsi Yeh, Kuo-Sheng Chuang, Ying-Hsueh Chang Chien, Chi-Ming Yang, Chin-Hsiang Lin
  • Patent number: 9266153
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a storage tank configured to store a liquid; a substrate support unit configured to rotatably, horizontally support a substrate; and a plate driving unit configured to move the substrate support unit between an immersion position at which the substrate is immersed into the liquid stored in the storage tank, and a separation position located above the immersion position, at which the substrate is separated from the liquid stored in the storage tank. The substrate processing apparatus also includes a rotary drive unit configured to rotate the substrate supported by the substrate support unit, and liquid supply units configured to supply a liquid to the substrate that is being rotated by the rotary drive unit in the separation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shuichi Nagamine, Yusuke Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 9263304
    Abstract: Suppressed is damage of a semiconductor wafer due to charging of a cleaning liquid used in a single wafer type wafer cleaning step. A chemical solution discharged from a tip of a cleaning nozzle is brought into contact with protrusions of wafer chucks to thereby let static electricity of the chemical solution go to the wafer chucks, and subsequently, the cleaning nozzle is moved above the wafer to supply the chemical solution onto a top surface of the wafer, thereby suppressing abnormal discharge (damage) of the wafer due to charging of the chemical solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Kanamitsu, Takuya Koga, Kazutoshi Anabuki
  • Patent number: 9194074
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a washing machine and a control method thereof. The control method effectively transmits high-concentration wash liquid to laundry, while minimizing the amount of water used, through washing using bubbles, and maximizes the increase in volume of the wash liquid rubbed on the inner circumferential surface of the drum using the generation of bubbles and the rotation of the drum to raise the water level of the wash liquid without additional water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyun Sook Kim, Eun Suk Bang, Bo Ram Lee