Plural Fluids Applying Conduits Patents (Class 134/99.1)
  • Patent number: 11967509
    Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate processing apparatus including: a substrate holding member that holds a peripheral portion of a substrate; a rotating member that includes a plate provided with the substrate holding member and rotates the substrate by rotating the plate; a fluid supply unit that is disposed at a center of the rotating member and supplies a processing liquid and an inert gas to a lower surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding member; and a controller that controls to perform a liquid processing by supplying the processing liquid to the lower surface of the substrate while rotating the substrate, and, after the liquid processing, to perform a drying processing of the substrate while supplying the inert gas to the lower surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Osamu Miyahara
  • Patent number: 11693322
    Abstract: A liquid processing apparatus includes a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate; a processing liquid supply configured to supply a processing liquid onto a front surface of the substrate; a gas supply configured to supply a gas onto the front surface of the substrate; and a controller. The gas supply includes a diffusion nozzle which is provided with multiple discharge openings respectively elongated at different angles with respect to the front surface of the substrate. The controller performs controlling the gas supply to jet the gas from the diffusion nozzle onto a region of the front surface of the substrate including at least a central portion thereof in a state that the processing liquid is supplied on the front surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takuya Miura, Shougo Takahashi, Kouichirou Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11497373
    Abstract: A dishwasher includes a pump device operated by a pump current for supply of washing liquor to a first spray device via a first hydraulic arrangement for providing a first washing zone and to a second spray device via a second hydraulic arrangement for providing a second washing zone. A third spray device is connected to one of the first and second hydraulic arrangements for providing an intensive washing zone. In a first switching state, the third spray device is isolated from the one hydraulic arrangement, and in a second switching state the third spray device is connected to the one hydraulic arrangement. A control device determines a current switching state of the third spray device as a function of a difference between the pump current when washing liquor is supplied to the first hydraulic arrangement and when washing liquor is supplied to the second hydraulic arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeräte GmbH
    Inventors: Vitus Hörmann, Michael Georg Rosenbauer, Karlheinz Rehm, Johannes Wölfle, Andreas Heidel, Bernd Kränzle
  • Patent number: 11482429
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a holder that holds a substrate; a liquid supply that sequentially supplies a first processing liquid and a second processing liquid to a main surface of the substrate held by the holder; a friction body that comes into contact with and rub the main surface of the substrate during the supply of the first processing liquid and the second processing liquid; a mover that moves a contact position of the friction body in a first axial direction and a second axial direction; and a controller that controls the liquid supply and the mover to move the contact position of the friction body in one-side direction of the first axial direction during the supply of the first processing liquid, and move the contact position of the friction body in the other-side direction of the first axial direction during the supply of the second processing liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Takanori Obaru
  • Patent number: 11391535
    Abstract: The firearm barrel cleaning system selectively cycles a stream of ultrasonic cleaning fluid through the barrel of a firearm, and further selectively ultrasonically induces cavitation within the cleaning fluid in the barrel for ultrasonic cleaning. The firearm barrel cleaning system includes a receiver assembly having a first end adapted for receiving the stream of cleaning fluid and a second end is adapted for insertion into the firearm receiver and sealing against a first end of the barrel to eject the stream of cleaning fluid into the barrel. A cap structure, having an outlet hose connector is clamped over the muzzle end of the barrel of the firearm. A pump selectively circulates the cleaning fluid through the receiver assembly, the barrel and out through the cap structure. An ultrasonic transducer is mounted on the receiver assembly for selectively inducing cavitation in the cleaning fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Inventor: Paul N. Begins
  • Patent number: 10974272
    Abstract: A pipe doping apparatus comprises a bucket assembly including a base and a bucket supported on the base and having an inside volume, a lubricating unit having at least one lubricant applicator inside the bucket; and a source of torque configured to rotate the bucket and/or the lubricating unit relative to a tubular. The apparatus may include a cleaning unit and/or a drying unit and the source of torque may be a fluid jet in either. At least one lubricant applicator may be retractable and may be actuated between a retracted position and an extended position by centripetal force. The apparatus may further include a positioning assembly supporting the base and the rotary bucket assembly and a controller connected to and controlling each of: the positioning assembly, the cleaning unit, the drying unit, and the lubricating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: NABORS DRILLING TECHNOLOGIES USA, INC.
    Inventors: Ronald Schanlaub, Keith Hager, Chris Magnuson, Eric Deutsch
  • Patent number: 10890161
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods disclosed for generating embedded clean electrical energy. Particular aspects of the invention disclosed for design and integration of a micro wind generator array and a solar panel to form a micro-embedded electrical energy system. The embedded electrical energy system facilitates to produce more watts per hour in a most efficient way per square meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Inventor: Bhaskar R Vemuri
  • Patent number: 10892240
    Abstract: A semiconductor fabrication apparatus has a transfer plate having a plurality of transfer pins to transfer a flux onto a plurality of lands on a semiconductor substrate, a holder movable with the transfer plate, to hold the transfer plate, a positioning mechanism to perform positioning of the holder so that the plurality of lands and the respective transfer pins contact each other; and a pitch adjuster to adjust a pitch of at least part of the plurality of transfer pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keiichi Niwa
  • Patent number: 10807568
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus includes a fluid discharge portion discharging fluid to a cleaning object, a gas discharge portion jetting gas to the cleaning object, a fluid tank, a fluid pump supplying the fluid via a fluid passage, a gas pump supplying gas via a gas passage, a control unit, a housing at which a part of the fluid passage and a part of the gas passage are provided, and a valve element switchable between a closed position at which the gas passage is blocked and an open position at which the gas passage is opened, the valve element including a first surface receiving a fluid pressure in a direction where the valve element is brought to the closed position and including a second surface receiving a gas pressure in a direction where the valve element is brought to the open position in a state where the valve element is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Taichi Mizuno, Hidetoshi Inayoshi
  • Patent number: 10518300
    Abstract: A method and means for washing a floor of a recovery boiler, including mixing by mixing devices wash water in which remaining salt on recovery boiler furnace floor dissolves, and where wash water is sucked from a wash water pool on the furnace floor into suction openings of the mixing devices for implementing said mixing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: VARO TEOLLISUUSPALVELUT OY
    Inventor: Timo Karjunen
  • Patent number: 10373849
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a plurality of processing units and a gas supply unit. The plurality of processing units are stacked and arranged, and each configured to hold a substrate in a chamber and to process the substrate by a processing liquid, and the gas supply unit is provided for each of the processing units to supply a gas into each of the processing units. The gas supply unit includes an intake unit and an air supply unit. The intake unit takes in and purifies outside air, and the air supply unit configured to supplies a clean air purified by the intake unit into the processing units. In addition, the intake unit is arranged on a lateral side of the chamber, and is arranged on the same side face of the chambers between the stacked and arranged processing units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Junya Minamida, Masaru Oda, Sho Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9147593
    Abstract: Apparatus for processing wafer-shaped articles comprises a chuck adapted to hold a wafer-shaped article of a predetermined diameter during a processing operation to be performed on the wafer-shaped article. The chuck comprises a chuck body having an outer surface that faces a wafer-shaped article when positioned on the chuck. The outer surface comprises a first electrically conductive material and the chuck body further comprises a first conductive pathway between the first conductive material and ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH AG
    Inventors: Otto Lach, Stephan Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 9131827
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a dishwasher (1) comprising a tub (2) wherein the items to be washed are emplaced, an odor detector (3) for measuring the odor level of the interior air (H-in) containing the gasses emanating from the dishes in the tub (2) that generate bad odor and a housing (4) wherein the odor detector (3) is disposed and the odor detector (3) effectively measures the interior air (H-in) in the housing (4) thereby performing an adaptive washing program depending on the detected odor level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Inventor: Halime Usta Yogun
  • Patent number: 9130002
    Abstract: A spin chuck for holding semiconductor wafers includes one or more damping mechanisms to limit the force with which chuck pins impact the wafer edge following wafer shift. The damping mechanism may be a linear or rotary dashpot. The dashpot or dashpots are mounted on a surface of the chuck body and include a control arm that contacts a common gear ring that in turn drives the chuck pins during radially inward and outward movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH AG
    Inventors: Dieter Frank, Michael Puggl, Roman Fuchs, Otto Lach
  • Patent number: 9113766
    Abstract: A dishwasher with multiple, physically separate treating chambers includes a liquid supply system supplying liquid to the treating chambers, an air supply system supplying air to the treating chambers, and a common heating element for simultaneously heating the air and liquid. A method for operating a dishwasher including simultaneously heating the air and the liquid with a common heating element is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Barry E. Tuller, Rodney M. Welch
  • Patent number: 8997764
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating a wafer-shaped article, comprises a spin chuck for holding a wafer-shaped article in a predetermined orientation, at least one upper nozzle for dispensing a treatment fluid onto an upwardly facing surface of a wafer-shaped article when positioned on the spin chuck, and at least one lower nozzle arm comprising a series of lower nozzles extending from a central region of the spin chuck to a peripheral region of the spin chuck. The series of nozzles comprises a smaller nozzle in a central region of the spin chuck and a larger nozzle in a peripheral region of the spin chuck. In the method according to the invention, a heated liquid is supplied through the series of nozzles so as to supply more heat to peripheral regions of a wafer than to central regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Lam Research AG
    Inventor: Michael Puggl
  • Publication number: 20150090302
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holder, and a discharge head for peripheral area from which a fluid is discharge toward a surface peripheral area of the substrate held on the substrate holder. The discharge head for peripheral area includes multiple nozzles, and a support part that supports the nozzles integrally. The nozzles include a processing liquid nozzle from which a processing liquid is discharged toward the surface peripheral area, and a gas nozzle from which gas is discharged toward the surface peripheral area. The gas nozzle is placed upstream of a rotative direction of the substrate relative to the processing liquid nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Tomonori FUJIWARA, Nobuyuki SHIBAYAMA, Yukifumi YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20150075571
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding means that holds a substrate horizontally, a substrate rotating means that rotates a substrate held by the substrate holding means about a vertical rotation axis passing through the substrate, a discharging member that discharges a processing liquid toward the substrate, and a high-temperature processing liquid pipe that supplies a processing liquid of a temperature higher than that of the discharging member to the flow passage. The discharging member includes a plurality of discharge ports respectively disposed at a plurality of positions different in distance from the rotation axis and a flow passage connected sequentially to the plurality of discharge ports in order from outside to inside. The discharging member discharges a processing liquid supplied from the flow passage to the plurality of discharge ports from the plurality of discharge ports toward the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventor: Atsuyasu Miura
  • Publication number: 20150079701
    Abstract: A manufacturing apparatus includes a chuck for contacting a peripheral portion of a workpiece. The apparatus includes a nozzle to eject a process fluid (liquid or gas) toward a first surface while the workpiece is in contact with the chuck. The apparatus also includes a plate having an opening configured such that a support fluid (liquid or gas) can be ejected toward a second surface of the workpiece while the workpiece is in contact with the chuck. In an example, the support fluid can be used to counteract a displacement of the interior portion in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the workpiece due to, for example, gravity and/or hydrostatic pressure of the process fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Daisuke YAMASHITA
  • Patent number: 8951359
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid processing method for performing a liquid process on a front surface of a substrate by using a processing solution and then performing a rinse process on the front surface of the substrate by using a rinse solution having a temperature lower than a temperature of the processing solution. The liquid processing method includes performing an intermediate process between the liquid process and the rinse process, for adjusting a temperature of the front surface of the substrate to a temperature higher than the temperature of the rinse solution and lower than the temperature of the processing solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Takao Inada, Naoyuki Okamura, Hidetsugu Yano, Yosuke Hachiya
  • Patent number: 8944079
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for filling or packing contents, particularly beverages, food, medications, or the like, into containers. As the containers pass through the device from an inlet to an outlet side, the containers passing through the working chamber have a sterile fluid, particularly sterile air, applied thereto for preventing germ growth. In order to reduce the cleaning effort for lines for the sterile fluid, the invention proposes that a cleaning medium having an internal line is inserted into the line for applying the sterile fluid. The line no longer needs to be disassembled in order to load the sterile fluid. In order to distribute the sterile fluid uniformly throughout the containers in a working chamber, the sterile fluid is distributed in two stages, first by means of the pipe extending into the working chamber, as described above and then through a profile extending over the containers and below the pipe, having openings for passing the sterile fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Elopak Systems AG
    Inventors: Dirk Auer, Sergey Anokhin
  • Publication number: 20150027503
    Abstract: A liquid processing apparatus for performing liquid processing with respect to a substrate using processing fluid, includes: a plurality of substrate holding units arranged side by side in a left-right direction; a nozzle configured to supply the processing fluid to the substrate held in each of the substrate holding units; and a nozzle moving mechanism configured to move the nozzle forward and backward in a front-rear direction intersecting an arrangement direction of the substrate holding units between a supplying position in which the processing fluid is supplied to a region including a central portion of the substrate and a waiting position which is defined at a rear side of a row of the substrate holding units opposite to a front side of the row of the substrate holding units at which the substrate is loaded and unloaded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Yasushi TAKIGUCHI, Koki YOSHIMURA, Taro YAMAMOTO, Hideharu KYOUDA, Koshi MUTA
  • Publication number: 20150013732
    Abstract: A substrate treatment apparatus is used for treating a major surface of a substrate with a chemical liquid. The substrate treatment apparatus includes: a substrate holding unit which holds the substrate; a chemical liquid supplying unit having a chemical liquid nozzle which supplies the chemical liquid onto the major surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit; a heater having an infrared lamp to be located in opposed relation to the major surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit to heat the chemical liquid supplied onto the major surface of the substrate by irradiation with infrared radiation emitted from the infrared lamp, the heater having a smaller diameter than the substrate; and a heater moving unit which moves the heater along the major surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Sei NEGORO, Ryo MURAMOTO, Toyohide HAYASHI, Koji HASHIMOTO, Yasuhiko NAGAI
  • Publication number: 20150000712
    Abstract: A sonic cleaning tool having a component retaining fixture, a sonic bath, and a cleaning fluid circulating system. The sonic bath has a sound field transducer and is structurally configured to place the component retaining fixture in sonic communication with the sound field transducer within the sonic bath. The component retaining fixture comprises a first end plate, a second end plate, a first component securing member, a second component securing member, and a plurality of compression studs. The first component securing member projects from the first end plate and is structurally configured for repeatable transition between a retracted position and an extended position. The second component securing member projects from the second end plate. The compression studs of the component retaining fixture span from the first end plate to the second end plate and are spaced to form a plurality of sonic transmission windows between the compression studs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Cliff LaCroix, Armen Avoyan
  • Publication number: 20140374046
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus includes at least one cleaning nozzle that generates and directs a high-pressure liquid jet towards a point of impact on a surface, such as a conveyor belt having a drying screen. A cleaning head has a main opening that faces towards the surface, a discharge opening and a wall with at least one inlet opening defined therein. The at least one cleaning nozzle is disposed outside of the cleaning head and is oriented such that the high-pressure liquid jet passes through the at least one inlet opening before striking the surface. At least one first compressed air supplying device is disposed outside of the cleaning head and is configured to steer liquid from the at least one cleaning nozzle, after it has struck the surface, towards the main opening of the cleaning head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventor: Roman Caspar
  • Publication number: 20140373877
    Abstract: Disclosed are a liquid processing apparatus and a liquid processing method in which a substrate is processed by a processing liquid in the form of liquid droplets. The liquid processing apparatus includes: a first processing liquid ejecting unit configured to eject a first processing liquid in a form of liquid droplets which contains pure water toward the surface of the substrate; and a second processing liquid ejecting unit configured to eject a second processing liquid as a continuous liquid stream toward the surface of the substrate processed by the first processing liquid in the form of the liquid droplets. The second processing liquid inverts a zeta potential on the surface of the substrate into a negative zeta potential.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Shigehisa Inoue, Daisuke Nakayama, Katsufumi Matsuki, Takuro Masuzumi, Yuki Yoshida, Meitoku Aibara, Hiromi Kiyose, Takashi Uno, Hirotaka Maruyama, Kazuya Koyama, Takashi Nakazawa
  • Publication number: 20140360536
    Abstract: A throughput in processing a substrate can be improved and a running cost thereof can be reduced. A substrate processing apparatus 1 that processes a substrate 3 with a processing liquid and dries the substrate 3 includes a substrate rotating device 22 configured to rotate the substrate 3; a processing liquid discharging unit 13 configured to discharge the processing liquid toward the substrate 3; a substitution liquid discharging unit 14 configured to discharge a substitution liquid, which is substituted with the processing liquid on the substrate 3, toward the substrate 3 while relatively moving with respect to the substrate 3; and an inert gas discharging unit 15 configured to discharge an inert gas toward a peripheral portion of the substrate 3 in an inclined direction from above the substrate 3 while moving in a direction different from a direction in which the substitution liquid discharging unit 14 is moved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Yosuke Kawabuchi, Hisashi Kawano, Satoru Tanaka, Hiroyuki Suzuki, Kotaro Oishi, Kazuyoshi Shinohara, Yuki Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20140352741
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a clean gas supply mechanism includes a supply path having an upstream end provided with a gas intake port, and a downstream end connected to a treatment chamber. The supply path is provided therein with a fan, and a filter disposed upstream of the fan. A return path branches from the supply path at a first position downstream of the fan and upstream of the treatment chamber and is connected to the supply path at a second position downstream of the filter and upstream of the fan. A switching mechanism selectively switches between a first state where the clean gas flows into the treatment chamber, and a second state where the clean gas returns to the supply path through the return path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Tooru NAKAMURA
  • Patent number: 8900400
    Abstract: A proximity head defined by a body having a length. The body includes a main bore defined therein and extending along the length. A resistor bore is defined in the body and extends along the length. The resistor bore defined below the main bore. A first plurality of bores defined between the main bore and the resistor bore and a second plurality of bores defined between the resistor bore and an exterior surface of the body. The exterior surface of the body defining a proximity surface of the proximity head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Arnold Kholodenko, Cheng-Yu (Sean) Lin, Russell Martin
  • Patent number: 8887741
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid processing apparatus which performs a liquid processing by supplying a chemical liquid from a chemical liquid supplying unit to substrate rotating around a vertical axis, and includes a cover member arranged at an upper surface of substrate to oppose the substrate and have a space therebetween is provided with a gas supplying port, and gas is supplied from gas supplying port toward the space. The gas is discharged from the space through a gap between protrusion at the circumferential edge of cover member protruding downward and the substrate. In addition, lamp heater heating the circumferential edge of substrate is arranged in the space along the circumferential direction of substrate, the chemical liquid supplied from a chemical liquid supplying unit is supplied to a position closer to the circumferential edge side than a position at which lamp heater is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Jiro Higashijima, Yoshifumi Amano
  • Publication number: 20140326282
    Abstract: An endoscope cleaning/disinfecting apparatus has a cleaning tank in which an endoscope is disposed, a chemical tank that stores a chemical solution, a water supply connecting portion that is connectable to a water service pipe, an endoscope cleaning/disinfecting section having a first conduit that connects the cleaning tank and the chemical tank, and a second conduit that connects the cleaning tank and the water supply connecting portion, an operation panel that is a water information input section to which hardness information of water that is supplied from the water service pipe is inputted, a memory that is a history information retaining section that retains cleaning history information of the endoscope cleaning/disinfecting section, and a control section that is a determination section that determines necessity or nonnecessity of scale removal of the endoscope cleaning/disinfecting section based on the hardness information and the cleaning history information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: OLYMPUS MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORP.
    Inventor: Shinichiro KAWACHI
  • Patent number: 8858730
    Abstract: A beverage can cleaning apparatus for cleaning beverage cans before they are dispensed from vending machines. The apparatus has a can holder, a hinged platform, tubes, a first nozzle, a second nozzle and a sensing block that matches the profile of the can top periphery. The sensing block is depressed a compressed distance, the distance being dependent on the orientation of the can, and cleaning fluid or compressed air is selectively directed through the first or second nozzle. Subsequent to air or cleaning fluid being dispensed against the top of the beverage can, the can holder releases the hinged platform sending the beverage can into the vending machine's dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Inventor: Peter Chapman
  • Publication number: 20140299157
    Abstract: The present invention provides a cleaning method for an electing head of an alignment film printer, which is used automatically to clean up the ejection head of the alignment film printer, comprising the following steps: spraying a dissolving liquid to the ejection head of the alignment film printer at a specific time according to a specific moving path to dissolve droplets coagulated on the nozzles of the ejection head, and the dissolving liquid sprayed to cover all the ejection heads of the alignment film printer; proceeding with a vacuum suction according to the moving path to remove the dissolving liquid covered on the surface of the ejection head. The present invention further provides a cleaning device for an electing head of an alignment film printer. The cleaning method and device for the ejection head of the alignment film printer according to the present invention can prevent effectively the ejection head of the alignment film printer from clogging because of dry drip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yu Song
  • Publication number: 20140283884
    Abstract: A system for drying a surface of a substrate is provided. The system for drying a surface of a substrate comprising: a rotary support; a first dispenser fluidly coupled to a source of liquid, the first dispenser positioned above the surface of the substrate so as to be capable of applying a film of the liquid to the surface of the substrate; a second dispenser fluidly coupled to a source of drying fluid with a supply line, the second dispenser positioned above the surface of the substrate so as to be capable of applying the drying fluid to the surface of the substrate; and a proportional valve operably coupled to the supply line between the second dispenser and the source of drying fluid, the proportional valve capable of being incrementally adjusted from a closed position to an open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: Akrion Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Zhi Lewis Liu, Hanjoo Lee, Ismail Kashkoush
  • Patent number: 8839810
    Abstract: A manway cover for use with a storage enclosure, for example an enclosed tank, includes an interior surface and an exterior surface. A fluid line connector is attached to the exterior surface of the manway cover for releasable attachment of a fluid line thereto. A rotatable spray nozzle is attached to the interior surface of the manway cover and is in fluid communication with the fluid line connector. When a fluid line is connected to the fluid line connector, fluid flows from the fluid line connector to the spray nozzle, whereupon it is sprayed into the interior of the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Vertical Tank, Inc.
    Inventors: Stan Ellis, Travis Ellis
  • Patent number: 8821681
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for wet treatment of a disc-like article, which comprises: a spin chuck for holding and rotating the disc-like article, and an inner edge nozzle dispensing treatment liquid directed towards a first peripheral region of the first surface of the disc-like article, wherein the first surface is facing the spin chuck and the first peripheral region is defined as being a region of the first surface with an inner radius (ri), which is greater than 1 cm less than the disc-like article's radius (ra), wherein the inner edge nozzle is positioned in a stationary manner between the disc-like article (when placed on the spin chuck) and the spin chuck, wherein the inner edge nozzle is feed through a central pipe, which is disposed in a stationary manner and penetrates centrally through the spin chuck, for supplying a treatment liquid against a first surface of the disc-like article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research AG
    Inventors: Michael Puggl, Alexander Schwartzfurtner, Dieter Frank
  • Patent number: 8813764
    Abstract: Apparatus, methods and systems for physically confining a liquid medium applied over a semiconductor wafer include a first and a second chemical head that are disposed to cover at least a portion of a top and an underside surface of the semiconductor wafer. Each of the first and the second chemical heads include an angled inlet conduit at a leading edge of the respective chemical heads to deliver liquid chemistry into a pocket of meniscus in a single phase. The pocket of meniscus is defined over the portion of the top and underside surface of the semiconductor wafer covered by the chemical heads and is configured to receive and contain the liquid chemistry applied to the surface of the semiconductor wafer as a meniscus. A step is formed at a leading edge of the first and second chemical heads along an outer periphery of the pocket of meniscus to substantially confine the meniscus of the liquid chemistry within the pocket of meniscus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Enrico Magni, Eric Lenz
  • Publication number: 20140216500
    Abstract: Some embodiments relate to methods and apparatus for mitigating high metal concentrations in photoresist residue and recycling sulfuric acid (H2SO4) in single wafer cleaning tools. In some embodiments, a disclosed single wafer cleaning tool has a processing chamber that houses a semiconductor substrate. A high oxidative treatment unit may apply a high oxidative chemical pre-treatment to the semiconductor substrate to remove a photoresist residue having metal impurities from the semiconductor substrate in a manner that results in a contaminant remainder. A SPM cleaning unit apply a sulfuric-peroxide mixture (SPM) cleaning solution to the semiconductor substrate to remove the contaminant remainder from the semiconductor substrate as an SPM effluent. The SPM effluent is provided to a recycling unit configured to recover sulfuric acid (H2SO4) from the SPM effluent and to provide the recovered H2SO4to the SPM cleaning unit via a feedback conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: Taiwan Semicunductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chien-Wen Hsiao, Shao-Yen Ku, Tzu-Yang Chung, Shang-Yuan Yu, Wagner Chang
  • Publication number: 20140202496
    Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus, a temperature of an anti-static liquid having electrical resistivity which gradually decreases as a liquid temperature increases is adjusted by a temperature adjustment part and the electrical resistivity of the anti-static liquid is higher than the electrical resistivity of a processing liquid (SPM liquid). After that, a plurality of substrates are immersed in the anti-static liquid inside the anti-static liquid storage part and both main surfaces of each substrate entirely conic into contact with the anti-static liquid. This gradually removes static electricity from the substrate. Then, the SPM liquid is supplied onto an upper surface of the substrate to thereby perform an SPM process. In the SPM process, it is thereby possible to prevent a large amount of electric charges from sharply moving from the substrate to the SPM liquid and prevent any damage to the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: DAINIPPON SCREEN MFG., CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro MIYAGI, Kenichiro ARAI
  • Publication number: 20140182628
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus includes: a substrate holder configured to hold and rotate a substrate; an ultrasonic cleaning unit configured to impart an ultrasonic vibration energy to deaerated pure water and then supply the deaerated pure water onto a surface of the substrate; a pure water spray nozzle configured to spray deaerated pure water onto the surface of the substrate; a chamber surrounding the substrate holder and the pure water spray nozzle; and an inert gas supply line configured to supply an inert gas into the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Inventor: Tomoatsu ISHIBASHI
  • Publication number: 20140182634
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus cleans a surface of a substrate in a non-contact state. The substrate cleaning apparatus includes a substrate holding mechanism configured to hold and rotate the substrate, a two-fluid nozzle configured to jet a two-fluid jet flow, comprising a gas and a liquid, downwardly toward the front surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding mechanism, and a moving mechanism configured to move the two-fluid nozzle in one direction from a central portion toward a radially outer side of the substrate held by the substrate holding mechanism. The two-fluid nozzle is inclined so that an angle between an ejection center line of the two-fluid jet flow jetted from the two-fluid nozzle and a vertical line becomes a certain inclined angle, and the two-fluid jet flow collides with the front surface of the substrate at a forward position in a moving direction of the two-fluid nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Inventor: Tomoatsu ISHIBASHI
  • Publication number: 20140182635
    Abstract: A cleaning device for a reflective surface of a disc light-condenser includes a low pressure air transfer tube which is provided on the reflective surface of the disc light-condenser, driven by a pneumatic motor and capable of rotating around the central axis of the reflective surface of the disc light-condenser, and a high pressure water pipe provided in parallel with the low pressure air transfer tube; the lower end of the low pressure air transfer tube is connected with a plurality of air flow nozzles; the lower end of the high pressure water pipe is provided with a plurality of high pressure water nozzles via a nozzle mounting shaft; during cleaning, the low pressure air transfer pipe and the high pressure water pipe are connected to a mobile cleaning station of a solar power generating system via a fluid connecting pipe and a signal control line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicants: XIANGTAN LIYUAN ELECTRIC TOOLING CO., LTD, XIANGTAN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shuhui Wang, Jianfeng Huang, Anwang Dang, Rongyao Liu, Yufen Tang, Qingsong Peng
  • Publication number: 20140174483
    Abstract: A rinsing liquid (DIW) is discharged from a rinsing liquid discharge port formed in a blocking member to perform rinsing processing to a substrate surface while a nitrogen gas is supplied into a clearance space, and a liquid mixture (IPA+DIW) is discharged from a liquid mixture discharge port formed in the blocking member to replace the rinsing liquid adhering to the substrate surface with the liquid mixture while the nitrogen gas is supplied into the clearance space. Thus, an increase of the dissolved oxygen concentration of the liquid mixture can be suppressed upon replacing the rinsing liquid adhering to the substrate surface with the liquid mixture, which makes it possible to securely prevent from forming an oxide film or generating watermarks on the substrate surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: DAINIPPON SCREEN MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko MIYA, Akira IZUMI
  • Patent number: 8758525
    Abstract: A dishwasher includes a cabinet, a washing tub provided in the cabinet, a condensation duct to cool air in the washing tub and to discharge the cooled air outside of the dishwasher and having a guide duct to divide the cool external air and to mix divided parts of the cool external air with the air in the washing tub in stages, and a fan assembly to introduce the air in the washing tub and cool external air into the condensation duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sung Jin Kim
  • Patent number: 8757178
    Abstract: A method and apparatus remove photoresist from a wafer. A process gas containing sulfur (S), oxygen (O), and hydrogen (H) is provided, and a plasma is generated from the process gas in a first chamber. A radical-rich ion-poor reaction medium is flown from the first chamber to a second chamber where the wafer is placed. The patterned photoresist layer on the wafer is removed using the reaction medium, and then the reaction medium flowing into the second chamber is stopped. Water vapor may be introduced in a solvation zone provided in a passage of the reaction medium flowing down from the plasma such that the water vapor solvates the reaction medium to form solvated clusters of species before the reaction medium reaches the wafer. The photoresist is removed using the solvated reaction medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Robert P. Chebi, Jaroslaw W. Winniczek
  • Patent number: 8739805
    Abstract: In an example embodiment, a linear wet system includes a carrier and a proximity head in a chamber. The proximity head includes three sections in a linear arrangement. The first section suctions liquid from the upper surface of a semiconductor wafer as the wafer is transported by the carrier under the proximity head. The second section is configured to cause a film (or meniscus) of cleaning foam which is a non-Newtonian fluid to flow onto the upper surface of the wafer. The third section is configured to cause a film of rinsing fluid to flow onto the upper surface of the wafer as the wafer is carried under the proximity head. The third section is defined partially around the second section and up to the first section, so that the third section and the first section create a confinement of the cleaning foam with respect to the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Arnold Kholodenko, Cheng-Yu (Sean) Lin, Leon Ginzburg, Mark Mandelboym, Gregory A. Tomasch, Anwar Husain
  • Publication number: 20140102474
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus for cleaning a substrate back surface includes a first substrate supporting portion supporting the substrate at a first area of the substrate back surface, the back surface facing down; a second substrate supporting portion supporting the substrate at a second area of the substrate back surface, the second area being separated from the first area; a cleaning liquid supplying portion supplying cleaning liquid to the substrate back surface; a drying portion drying the second area of the substrate back surface; and a cleaning portion cleaning a third area of the substrate back surface when the substrate is supported by the first substrate supporting portion, the third area including the second area, and cleaning a fourth area of the substrate back surface when the substrate is supported by the second substrate supporting portion, the fourth area excluding the second area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yasushi TAKIGUCHI, Taro YAMAMOTO, Akihiro FUJIMOTO, Shuuichi NISHIKIDO, Dai KUMAGAI, Naoto YOSHITAKA, Takahiro KITANO, Yoichi TOKUNAGA
  • Publication number: 20140096792
    Abstract: Provided is a method and system for cleaning a substrate with a cleaning system comprising a pre-treatment system and a wet clean system. One or more objectives for the pre-treatment system are selected and two or more pre-treatment operating variables including UV dose, substrate temperature, oxygen partial pressure, oxygen and ozone partial pressure, and/or total pressure, are optimized to meet the pre-treatment objectives, using metrology measurements. The substrate includes a layer to be cleaned and an underlying dielectric layer having a k-value. A pre-treatment gas comprising oxygen and/or ozone is delivered onto a surface of the substrate and irradiated with a UV device, generating oxygen radicals. Cleaning of the substrate in the pre-treatment process is set at less than 100% in order to ensure the change in k-value of the substrate is within a set range for the substrate application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: IAN J. BROWN
  • Publication number: 20140097267
    Abstract: A cleaning method for cleaning a droplet ejector, which includes nozzles to eject a particulate material composition liquid, and a nozzle plate bearing the nozzles is provided. The cleaning method includes forming a substantially closed cleaning space outside the nozzles and the nozzle plate; supplying a cleaning liquid to the cleaning space so that the nozzles and the nozzle plate are contacted with the cleaning liquid; and vibrating the cleaning liquid when the nozzles and the nozzle plate are contacted with the cleaning liquid to clean the nozzles and the nozzle plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasutada Shitara, Minoru Masuda, Shinji Aoki, Yoshihiro Norikane, Andrew Mwaniki Mulwa, Masaru Ohgaki, Kiyotada Katoh, Satoshi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8684014
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid processing apparatus and a liquid processing method, which can process an entire wafer at a sufficiently high temperature and can sufficiently suppress adhesion of particles on a surface of the wafer, when the peripheral portion of the wafer is processed. The liquid processing apparatus includes a holding part to hold the substrate, a rotation driving part to rotate the holding part, and a shield unit. The shield unit includes an opposed plate opposed to the substrate held by the holding part, a heating part to heat the substrate through the opposed plate, and a heated gas supplying part to supply heated gas to a surface of the substrate held by the holding part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Amano, Tsuyoshi Mizuno