Centrifugal Force Utilized Patents (Class 427/240)
  • Patent number: 10431446
    Abstract: A wafer cleaner and a method therefor that efficiently cleans a wafer with a little amount of a cleaning liquid and efficiently performs a heating wet cleaning processing. The present invention includes a stage where a wafer is placed, a rotary driving unit that rotates the stage in a circumferential direction, a liquid discharge nozzle disposed facing the wafer placed on the stage and supplies a cleaning liquid on the wafer placed on the stage, and a control unit that causes the liquid discharge nozzle to supply a space between the wafer placed on the stage and the liquid discharge nozzle with a predetermined amount of the cleaning liquid to fill the space. The present invention also includes a lamp disposed on a position facing the wafer placed on the stage to heat at least an interface portion of the wafer and a cleaning liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Shiro Hara, Sommawan Khumpuang, Shinichi Ikeda, Akihiro Goto, Hiroshi Amano
  • Patent number: 10424490
    Abstract: Provided are a hardmask composition and a method of forming a fine pattern using the hardmask composition, the hardmask composition including a solvent, a 2D carbon nanostructure (and/or a derivative thereof), and a 0D carbon nanostructure (and/or a derivative thereof).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sangwon Kim, Minsu Seol, Hyeonjin Shin, Dongwook Lee, Seongjun Jeong
  • Patent number: 10289004
    Abstract: A developing apparatus includes: a substrate holder that hold a substrate horizontally; a developer nozzle that supplies a developer onto the substrate to form a liquid puddle; a turning flow generation mechanism including a rotary member that rotates about an axis perpendicular to the substrate while the rotary member is being in contact with the liquid puddle thereby to generate a turning flow in the liquid puddle of the developer formed on the substrate; and a moving mechanism for moving the turning flow generation mechanism along a surface of the substrate. The line-width uniformity of a pattern can be improved by forming turning flows in a desired region of the substrate and stirring the developer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kousuke Yoshihara, Hideharu Kyouda, Koshi Muta, Taro Yamamoto, Yasushi Takiguchi
  • Patent number: 10290518
    Abstract: A substrate liquid processing apparatus includes a substrate holding device which holds a substrate in horizontal position and rotate the substrate around vertical axis of the substrate, a liquid discharge device which is positioned underneath central portion of lower surface of the substrate in the horizontal position and discharges processing liquid toward the lower surface of the substrate, and a gas discharge passage structure which has a gas discharge passage formed around the discharge device such that drying gas passes through. The discharge device has a head including a cover which is extending beyond upper end of the passage such that the cover is covering the upper end of the passage, a liquid discharge port which is protruding from the cover toward the substrate in the horizontal position, and a curved portion which is formed between the port and cover such that the curved portion has a surface bending downward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kento Kurusu, Yukiyoshi Saito, Seiki Ishida
  • Patent number: 10249532
    Abstract: Tooling apparatus and methods are provided to fabricate semiconductor devices in which controlled thermal annealing techniques are utilized to modulate microstructures of metallic interconnect structures. For example, an apparatus includes a single platform semiconductor processing chamber having first and second sub-chambers. The first sub-chamber is configured to receive a semiconductor substrate comprising a metallization layer formed on a dielectric layer, wherein a portion of the metallization layer is disposed within an opening etched in the dielectric layer, and to form a stress control layer on the metallization layer. The second sub-chamber comprises a programmable hot plate which is configured to perform a thermal anneal process to modulate a microstructure of the metallization layer while the stress control layer is disposed on the metallization layer, and without an air break between the process modules of forming the stress control layer and performing the thermal anneal process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Roger A. Quon, Michael Rizzolo, Chih-Chao Yang
  • Patent number: 10236185
    Abstract: A method of forming patterns for a semiconductor device includes preparing a hardmask composition including a carbon allotrope, a spin-on hardmask (SOH) material, an aromatic ring-containing polymer, and a solvent, applying the hardmask composition to an etching target layer, forming a hardmask by heat-treating the applied hardmask composition, forming a photoresist pattern on the hardmask, forming a hardmask pattern by etching the hardmask using the photoresist pattern as an etching mask, and forming an etched pattern by etching the etching target layer using the hardmask pattern as an etching mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yool Kang, Kyoung-sil Park, Yun-seok Choi, Boo-deuk Kim, Ye-hwan Kim
  • Patent number: 10203605
    Abstract: A development method includes: a development step of supplying a developing solution to a surface of a substrate for manufacturing a semiconductor device after undergoing formation of a resist film and exposure, to perform development; a first rotation step of, after the development step, increasing revolution speed of the substrate to rotate the substrate in a first rotational direction around a central axis so as to spin off and remove part of the developing solution from the substrate; and a second rotation step of, after the first rotation step, rotating the substrate in a second rotational direction reverse to the first rotational direction so as to spin off and remove the developing solution remaining on the substrate from the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yusaku Hashimoto, Takeshi Shimoaoki, Masahiro Fukuda, Kouichirou Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10204777
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding part, a substrate rotating mechanism, and a chamber. The substrate rotating mechanism includes an annular rotor part disposed in an internal space of the chamber and a stator part disposed around the rotor part outside the chamber. The substrate holding part is attached to the rotor part in the internal space of the chamber. In the substrate rotating mechanism, a rotating force is generated about a central axis between the stator part and the rotor part. The rotor part is thereby rotated about the central axis, being in a floating state, together with a substrate and the substrate holding part. In the substrate processing apparatus, the substrate can be easily rotated in the internal space having excellent sealability. As a result, it is possible to easily perform single-substrate processing in a sealed internal space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshimitsu Namba
  • Patent number: 10185219
    Abstract: In a developing method, a developing nozzle starts discharge of developer to a position set in advance on a substrate, spinning about the center thereof, away from the center. This causes a flow of the developer at the center having a small centrifugal force immediately after the discharge is started. Accordingly, a dissolution product of a resist can be ejected outside the substrate more efficiently than the case when the discharge of the developer to the center is started. Moreover, this achieves distributed arrival positions of the developer directly discharged from the developing nozzle immediately after the discharge is started. Consequently, thin resist patterns especially at the center of the substrate are eliminated to obtain suppression in treatment variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Tanaka, Tadashi Miyagi, Masahiko Harumoto, Koji Kaneyama
  • Patent number: 10168618
    Abstract: A liquid processing method includes: accommodating a substrate horizontally in each of a first processing region and a second processing region, for performing therein a process on the substrate by a processing solution from a nozzle; rotating a rotary body about a vertical axis; keeping a plurality of processing nozzles provided at the rotary body; supplying different kinds of processing solutions to the substrate from the plurality of processing nozzles; holding a processing nozzle selected from the plurality of processing nozzles by a nozzle holder provided at the rotary body; transferring the nozzle holder into selected one of the first and the second processing regions by a nozzle transfer device; and rotating the rotary body by a rotation driving unit so as to allow a front of the nozzle holder in a forward/backward direction thereof to face the selected one of the first and the second processing regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Norihiko Sasagawa, Hiroichi Inada, Yasushi Takiguchi
  • Patent number: 10068763
    Abstract: A method of forming a coating film includes horizontally supporting a substrate, supplying a coating solution to a central portion of the substrate and spreading the coating solution by a centrifugal force by rotating the substrate at a first rotational speed, decreasing a speed of the substrate from the first rotational speed toward a second rotational speed and rotating the substrate at the second rotational speed to make a surface of a liquid film of the coating solution even, supplying a gas to a surface of the substrate when the substrate is rotated at the second rotational speed to reduce fluidity of the coating solution, and drying the surface of the substrate by rotating the substrate at a third rotational speed faster than the second rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kousuke Yoshihara, Takafumi Niwa
  • Patent number: 10042262
    Abstract: Disclosed is a negative developing method including a puddle-forming step, a diluting step, and a surface drying step. In the puddle-forming step, developer containing an organic solvent is supplied to a resist film formed on a surface of the substrate and keeping a puddle of the developer on the resist film. In the diluting step, a concentration of a dissolution product dissolved in the developer on the resist film is diluted by additionally supplying the developer containing the organic solvent to the resist film after the puddle-forming step. In the surface drying step, the surface of the substrate is dried by rotating the substrate after the diluting step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Miyagi, Koji Kaneyama
  • Patent number: 9997382
    Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus, an outer edge portion of a substrate in a horizontal state is supported from below by an annular substrate supporting part, and a lower surface facing part having a facing surface facing a lower surface of the substrate is provided inside the substrate supporting part. A gas ejection nozzle for ejecting heated gas toward the lower surface is provided in the lower surface facing part, and the substrate is heated by the heated gas when an upper surface of the rotating substrate is processed with a processing liquid ejected from an upper nozzle. Further, a lower nozzle is provided in the lower surface facing part, to thereby perform a processing on the lower surface with a processing liquid. Since the gas ejection nozzle protrudes from the facing surface, a flow of the processing liquid into the gas ejection nozzle can be suppressed during the processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Izumoto, Takemitsu Miura, Kenji Kobayashi, Kazuhide Saito, Akihisa Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 9955577
    Abstract: A conductive component including: a substrate, a first layer comprising a plurality of island structures disposed on the substrate, wherein the island structures include graphene; and a second layer disposed on the first layer, wherein the second layer includes a plurality of conductive nanowires. Also, an electronic device including the conductive component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Youngjin Cho, Hyeon Cheol Park, Kwanghee Kim, Weonho Shin, Daejin Yang
  • Patent number: 9952965
    Abstract: A method, program product, and computer system is provided for test case self-validating. A probe builder, instruments one or more source code modules with a test probe. The test probe placement is based on at least one criterion including: an application program interface (API), a component, a test case name, a product release, and a product feature. The probe builder registers the test probe in a probe database. The registered test probe has record in the probe database that includes a probe identifier, a probed command, a probed file name, a line number, the test case name, and a location of an executable binary containing the test probe. The probe builder compiles the instrumented source code modules into one or more binary executable modules. The test case generator creates a test case that includes at least one registered test probe. The test case validator validates the test case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Su Liu, Priya Paul, Jun Su, Cheng Xu
  • Patent number: 9947534
    Abstract: A coating treatment apparatus supplying a coating solution to a front surface of a rotated substrate and diffusing the supplied coating solution to an outer periphery side of the substrate to thereby apply the coating solution on the front surface of the substrate includes: a substrate holding part holding a substrate; a rotation part rotating the substrate held on the substrate holding part; a supply part supplying a coating solution to a front surface of the substrate held on the substrate holding part; and an airflow control plate provided at a predetermined position above the substrate held on the substrate holding part for locally changing an airflow above the substrate rotated by the rotation part at an arbitrary position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kousuke Yoshihara, Koji Takayanagi, Shinichi Hatakeyama, Kohei Kawakami
  • Patent number: 9817323
    Abstract: A liquid treatment method includes: supplying a first organic solvent to a substrate with the substrate being held horizontally by a substrate holder; and thereafter supplying a second organic solvent to a substrate held by the substrate holder, the second solvent having a higher cleanliness than the first solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yuichi Yoshida, Kousuke Yoshihara
  • Patent number: 9814145
    Abstract: A method for forming a Z-directed component for insertion into a mounting hole in a printed circuit board according to one example includes filling a first cavity having a tapered surface with a body material. A first layer of a constraining material is provided on top of the first cavity and has a second cavity having a width that is smaller than the first cavity. The second cavity is filled with the body material. Successive layers of the constraining material are provided on top of the first layer of the constraining material. Cavities of the successive layers of the constraining material are selectively filled with at least the body material to form layers of the main body portion of the Z-directed component. The constraining material is dissipated to release the Z-directed component from the constraining material and the Z-directed component is fired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Bryan Hardin, Paul Kevin Hall, Qing Zhang, John Thomas Fessler
  • Patent number: 9779926
    Abstract: A method and system for formation and withdrawal of a sample from a surface to be analyzed utilizes a collection instrument having a port through which a liquid solution is conducted onto the surface to be analyzed. The port is positioned adjacent the surface to be analyzed, and the liquid solution is conducted onto the surface through the port so that the liquid solution conducted onto the surface interacts with material comprising the surface. An amount of material is thereafter withdrawn from the surface. Pressure control can be utilized to manipulate the solution balance at the surface to thereby control the withdrawal of the amount of material from the surface. Furthermore, such pressure control can be coordinated with the movement of the surface relative to the port of the collection instrument within the X-Y plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: UT-BATTELLE, LLC
    Inventors: Gary J. Van Berkel, Vilmos Kertesz
  • Patent number: 9765431
    Abstract: The present application relates to atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes for producing metal phosphates such as titanium phosphate, aluminum phosphate and lithium phosphate, as well as to ALD processes for depositing lithium silicates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: ASM IP HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Jani Hamalainen, Jani Holopainen, Timo Hatanpaa, Mikko Ritala, Markku Leskela
  • Patent number: 9757765
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for fabricating pyrite thin films from molecular inks. A process is provided that comprises dissolving simple iron-bearing and sulfur-bearing molecules in an appropriate solvent and then depositing the solution onto an appropriate substrate using one of several methods (roll-to-roll coating, spraying, spin coating, etc.), resulting in a solid film consisting of the molecules. These molecular precursor films are then heated to 200-600° C. in the presence of sulfur-bearing gases (e.g., S2, H2S) to convert the molecular films into films of crystalline iron pyrite (FeS2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Matthew Law, Amanda S. Weber, Sean Seefeld, James Puthussery
  • Patent number: 9760007
    Abstract: A semiconductor device manufacturing method of the present invention includes a coating step of coating a front surface of a wafer with a material containing a solvent, a volatilization step of volatilizing the solvent by heating the material, and a rinse step of jetting an edge rinse solution for removing the material from a first nozzle to a peripheral portion of the front surface of the wafer while rotating the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Shoichi Kuga
  • Patent number: 9720325
    Abstract: A method includes rotating a wafer at a first speed for a first time duration. The wafer is rotated at a second speed that is lower than the first speed for a second time duration after the first time duration. The wafer is rotated at a third speed that is higher than the second speed for a third time duration after the second time duration. A photoresist is dispensed on the wafer during the first time duration and at least a portion of a time interval that includes the second time duration and the third time duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Hsien Hsu, Hong-Hsing Chou, Hu-Wei Lin, Chi-Jen Hsieh, Jr-Wei Ye, Yuan-Ting Huang, Ching-Hsing Chiang, Hua-Kuang Teng, Yen-Chen Lin, Carolina Poe, Tsung-Cheng Huang, Chia-Hung Chu
  • Patent number: 9630296
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus capable of preventing corrosion of metal interconnects of a substrate formed thereon is disclosed. The substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate horizontally and rotate the substrate, and a slit nozzle configured to supply a processing liquid onto a surface of the substrate. The slit nozzle is adjacent to the surface of the substrate and extends in approximately a radial direction of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventor: Tomoatsu Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 9553007
    Abstract: A coating method includes a step of forming a film of a coating solution having a larger thickness in a central region of a substrate than in an edge region of the substrate by discharging droplets of the coating solution from a plurality of nozzles formed on an inkjet head to the substrate, and a step of moving the coating solution in the film from the central region toward the edge region of the substrate by rotating the substrate. This reduces a difference in thickness of the film between the central region and the edge region of the substrate, thereby to make the film thickness substantially uniform. At the same time, the movement of the coating solution in the film can make the surface of the film smoother.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: SCREEN Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukihiko Inagaki, Tomohiro Goto
  • Patent number: 9541830
    Abstract: Block copolymers and methods of making patterns of organic thin films using the block copolymers. The block copolymers comprise a fluorinated block. Thin films of the block copolymers have microdomains that can be aligned. As a result the patterns of organic thin films having smaller dimensions than the pattern of incident deep-UV or e-beam radiation can be formed. For example, the block copolymers can be used in lithography, filtration, and templating applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Cornell University
    Inventors: Christopher K. Ober, Rina Maeda, Nam-ho You, Teruaki Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 9539589
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding unit, an injection unit that injects droplets of a processing liquid from a plurality of injection ports respectively toward a plurality of collision positions on the substrate, and a liquid film forming unit. The liquid film forming unit discharges a protective liquid from a plurality of discharge ports toward a plurality of liquid contact positions that respectively cover different collision positions. The plurality of injection ports and the plurality of discharge ports may be formed in a nozzle. A nozzle moving unit may be provided, to move the nozzle along the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Araki
  • Patent number: 9478445
    Abstract: A substrate liquid processing apparatus includes a substrate holding unit configured to hold and rotate a substrate; a processing liquid nozzle configured to supply a processing liquid to the substrate; a cylindrical liquid receiving cup configured to receive and recover the processing liquid scattered from the substrate; a housing configured to accommodate the substrate holding unit and the liquid receiving cup; a cup exhaust path connected to the liquid receiving cup to exhaust atmosphere inside the liquid receiving cup; a cup exhaust path pressure sensor configured to detect pressure in the cup exhaust path; a housing pressure sensor configured to detect pressure in the housing outside the liquid receiving cup; and a control unit configured to alert when a difference between a value detected by the housing pressure sensor and a value detected by the cup exhaust path pressure sensor is a predetermined determination reference value or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Norihiro Ito
  • Patent number: 9475220
    Abstract: The invention relates to an improved process for producing composite elements comprising at least one outer layer and at least one isocyanate-based rigid foam layer by means of a fixed applicator apparatus and in which the flowable starting material comprises the following components: A) at least one polyisocyanate, B) at least one compound which reacts with isocyanate groups to form urethane, C) at least one blowing agent, D) catalysts comprising at least one compound D1) which catalyzes isocyanurate formation and at least one compound D2) which catalyzes polyurethane formation, comprising at least one amino group, and E) optionally auxiliaries and additives, where the manner of use of component A) and of component B) is such that the isocyanate index is at least 180, and where the ratio by weight of the compound D2) to the compound D1) is from 0.75 to 8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Olaf Jacobmeier, Gunnar Kampf
  • Patent number: 9449807
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding part, a substrate rotating mechanism, and a chamber. The substrate rotating mechanism incudes an annular rotor part disposed in an internal space of the chamber and a stator part disposed around the rotor part outside the chamber. The substrate holding part is attached to the rotor part in the internal space of the chamber. In the substrate rotating mechanism, a rotating force is generated about a central axis between the stator part and the rotor part. The rotor part is thereby rotated about the central axis, being in a floating state, together with a substrate and the substrate holding part. In the substrate processing apparatus, the substrate can be easily rotated in the internal space having excellent sealability. As a result, it is possible to easily perform single-substrate processing in a sealed internal space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshimitsu Namba
  • Patent number: 9438681
    Abstract: Interfacing a wireless device with web services, including social networking web services, is described. For example, a system for interfacing a wireless device with a plurality of web services comprises a web service proxy having an API to allow other modules to interface with the web service proxy; a plurality of web services adapters interfaced with the web services proxy through the API, each one of the web services adapters configured to communicate with a particular web service using the specific communication formats for the web service; where the web services adapters and the web services proxy convert between the communication formats employed to communicate with each of the web services and a wireless communication format, the wireless communication format being a different format than the communication formats for each of the web services, thereby enabling bi-directional communication between the wireless device and the plurality of web services.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Justin Middleton, Alex Ranous
  • Patent number: 9390904
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding part, a substrate rotating mechanism, and a chamber. The substrate rotating mechanism incudes an annular rotor part disposed in an internal space of the chamber and a stator part disposed around the rotor part outside the chamber. The substrate holding part is attached to the rotor part in the internal space of the chamber. In the substrate rotating mechanism, a rotating force is generated about a central axis between the stator part and the rotor part. The rotor part is thereby rotated about the central axis, being in a floating state, together with a substrate and the substrate holding part. In the substrate processing apparatus, the substrate can be easily rotated in the internal space having excellent sealability. As a result, it is possible to easily perform single-substrate processing in a sealed internal space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshimitsu Namba
  • Patent number: 9360755
    Abstract: Among other things, one or more techniques and systems for performing a spin coating process associated with a wafer and for controlling thickness of a photoresist during the spin coating process are provided. In particular, a thickening phase is performed during the spin coating process in order to increase a thickness of the photoresist. For example, air temperature of down flow air, flow speed of the down flow air, and heat temperature of heat supplied towards the wafer are increased during the thickening phase. The increase in down flow air and heat increase a vaporization factor of the photoresist, which results in an increase in viscosity and thickness of the photoresist. In this way, the wafer can be rotated at relatively lower speeds, while still attaining a desired thickness. Lowering rotational speed of wafers allows for relatively larger wafers to be stably rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Chun-Wei Chang, Chia-Chieh Lin, Chih-Chien Wang, Wang-Pen Mo, Hung-Chang Hsieh
  • Patent number: 9355872
    Abstract: A substrate treatment apparatus includes: a substrate holding unit which horizontally holds a substrate; a liquid droplet nozzle which generates droplets of a treatment liquid which are sprayed on a spouting region on an upper surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit; and a protective liquid nozzle which spouts a protective liquid obliquely onto the upper surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit for protection of the substrate to cause the protective liquid to flow toward the spouting region on the upper surface of the substrate, whereby the spouting region is covered with a film of the protective liquid and, in this state, the treatment liquid droplets are caused to impinge on the spouting region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayoshi Tanaka, Mai Yamakawa, Takahiro Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 9308559
    Abstract: Provided is a substrate processing apparatus including a substrate holding unit configured to hold a wafer W horizontally, a rotation driving unit configured to rotate the substrate holding unit, a first chemical liquid nozzle configured to discharge a first chemical liquid to a first chemical liquid supplying position on the peripheral portion of the wafer W, and a second chemical liquid nozzle configured to discharge a second chemical liquid to a second chemical liquid supplying position on the peripheral portion of the wafer W. The rotation driving unit rotates the substrate holding unit in a first rotation direction when the first chemical liquid nozzle discharges the first chemical liquid, and rotates the substrate holding unit in a second rotation direction when the second chemical liquid nozzle discharges the second chemical liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Amano
  • Patent number: 9272306
    Abstract: Provided are methods and systems for distributing coating materials using simultaneous vibration and rotation. Inertial forces generated during vibration and centrifugal forces generated during rotation redistribute the coating materials previously deposited on the surface resulting in uniform and/or conformal layers. The coated surfaces may have various shapes and degrees of roughness and may be referred to as complex surfaces. An initial layer of the coating material may be deposited on a complex surface of the part using dipping, spraying, spin coating, or other like techniques. The coating material is redistributed by simultaneous rotation and vibration of the part using specifically selected process conditions, such as orientation of vibrational and rotational axes relative to the part, rotational speeds, and vibrational frequencies and amplitudes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Advenira Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Elmira Ryabova, Valentin Ryabov
  • Patent number: 9259767
    Abstract: In a device to clean a component of deposits, at least one first nozzle unit is positioned to spray a fluid at an angle onto a surface of the component that is to be cleaned, the first nozzle unit being provided opposite a border region of the surface of the component that is to be cleaned. At least one second nozzle unit generates a flow of a gaseous medium over the surface to be cleaned and is provided adjacent to edge of the border region of the surface of the component that is to be cleaned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Oce Printing Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Mueller, Stefan Buschmann, Robert Sigismund, Rainer Schroeder
  • Patent number: 9230834
    Abstract: A substrate treating method for treating substrates with a substrate treating apparatus having an indexer section, a treating section and an interface section includes performing resist film forming treatment in parallel on a plurality of stories provided in the treating section and performing developing treatment in parallel on a plurality of stories provided in the treating section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: SCREEN Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiteru Fukutomi, Tsuyoshi Mitsuhashi, Hiroyuki Ogura, Kenya Morinishi, Yasuo Kawamatsu, Hiromichi Nagashima
  • Patent number: 9170496
    Abstract: A method for pre-treating a wafer surface before applying a material thereon. The method includes positioning the wafer on a rotating apparatus. The wafer is rotated at a first rotational speed between about 50 revolutions per minute (rpm) and about 300 rpm and for a period of about 1 second to about 10 seconds while dispensing a cleaning solvent on the wafer surface. The wafer is rotated at a second rotational speed between about 500 rpm and about 1,500 rpm for a period of about 1 second to about 10 seconds. The wafer is then rotated at a third rotational speed between about 50 rpm and about 300 rpm for a period of about 1 second to about 5 seconds. With the wafer rotating at the third rotational speed, a solvent-containing material is thereafter deposited on the surface of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chi-Hua Fu, Chung-Cheng Wang
  • Patent number: 9165763
    Abstract: A substrate is rotated at a first rotation number (first step). The rotation of the substrate is decelerated to 1500 rpm that is a second rotation number and the substrate is rotated at the second rotation number for 0.5 seconds (second step). The rotation of the substrate is further decelerated to a third rotation number and the substrate is rotated at the third rotation number (third step). The rotation of the substrate is accelerated to a fourth rotation number and the substrate is rotated at the fourth rotation number (fourth step). A resist solution is continuously supplied to a center portion of the substrate from a middle of the first step to a middle of the third step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Katsunori Ichino, Koji Takayanagi, Tomohiro Noda
  • Patent number: 9107454
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the inclusion of additives in a filter element comprising a non-woven sheet material or paper as the filter material to increase the selective removal of semi-volatile compounds and to improve the taste characteristics of the smoke drawn through the filter element. The increased selective removal of semi-volatile compounds from the smoke being drawn through the filter element is provided by polyethylene glycol. TEC and/or triacetin are additives which have been found to improve the taste characteristics of smoke drawn through the filter element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO (INVESTMENTS) LIMITED
    Inventors: David Rushforth, John Sampson
  • Patent number: 9108231
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid processing apparatus including first and second cups installed so as to surround a rotation holding unit of a substrate and guide a processing liquid scattered from the rotating substrate downwards. A first driving unit and a second driving unit elevate the first cup and the second cup between a position receiving the processing liquid and the lower position thereof. A controller controls that the first cup and the second cup are ascended at the same time by transferring the driving force of the first driving unit while the first cup or a first elevating member thereof is overlapped with the second cup or a second elevating member thereof from the lower side by setting the ascending speed of the first cup to be higher than the ascending speed of the second cup when the first and second cups are ascended at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Ogata, Terufumi Wakiyama
  • Patent number: 9034426
    Abstract: Structured films containing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (“MWCNTs”) have enhanced mechanical performance in terms of strength, fracture resistance, and creep recovery of polyimide (“PI”) films. Preferably, the loadings of MWCNTs can be in the range of 0.1 wt % to 0.5 wt %. The strength of the new PI films dried at 60° C. increased by 55% and 72% for 0.1 wt % MWCNT and 0.5 wt % MWCNT loadings, respectively, while the fracture resistance increased by 23% for the 0.1 wt % MWCNTs and then decreases at a loading of 0.5 wt % MWCNTs. The films can be advantageously be created by managing a corresponding shift in the annealing temperature at which the maximum strength occurs as the MWCNT loadings increase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Tuskegee University
    Inventor: Heshmat Aglan
  • Patent number: 9028915
    Abstract: A method for forming a photoresist layer on a semiconductor device is disclosed. An exemplary includes providing a wafer. The method further includes spinning the wafer during a first cycle at a first speed, while a pre-wet material is dispensed over the wafer and spinning the wafer during the first cycle at a second speed, while the pre-wet material continues to be dispensed over the wafer. The method further includes spinning the wafer during a second cycle at the first speed, while the pre-wet material continues to be dispensed over the wafer and spinning the wafer during the second cycle at the second speed, while the pre-wet material continues to be dispensed over the wafer. The method further includes spinning the wafer at a third speed, while a photoresist material is dispensed over the wafer including the pre-wet material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun-Wei Chang, Chih-Chien Wang, Wang-Pen Mo, Hung-Chang Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20150119238
    Abstract: A method for marking an item including a shape memory polymer (SMP) having a visual readable and/or machine readable graphic element on the surface of the item. The method includes pretreating the surface of the item; colouring the surface of the item with a dye solution containing an organic dye and an organic solvent; cleaning and drying the surface of the item; and engraving by at least partially ablating the surface of the item. The dyeing process is suitable for colouring the surface of a shape memory polymer (SMP), wherein the information is engraved in a form of a code or other label on the coloured surface. The colouring causes an increased contrast and thus facilitates machine readability of marking and coding without affecting the other properties of the SMP.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Thorsten Pretsch, Melanie Ecker, Markus Schildhauer
  • Publication number: 20150111045
    Abstract: A graphene oxide-ceramic hybrid coating layer formed from a graphene oxide-ceramic hybrid sol solution that includes graphene oxide (GO) and a ceramic sol and a method of preparing the coating layer are provided. A content of graphene oxide in the graphene oxide-ceramic hybrid coating layer is about 0.002 to about 3.0 wt % based on the total weight of the graphene oxide-ceramic hybrid coating layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicants: Korea Institute of Ceramic Engineering and Technology, HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Kwang Il Chang, Chul Kyu Song, Dha Hae Kim, Seung Hun Hur
  • Publication number: 20150110972
    Abstract: Disclosed are a graphene-ceramic hybrid coating layer formed from a graphene-ceramic hybrid sol solution including graphene (RGO: reduced graphene oxide) and a ceramic sol, wherein the graphene content in the graphene-ceramic hybrid coating layer is about 0.001 wt % to about 1.8 wt % based on the total weight of the graphene-ceramic hybrid coating layer, and a method for preparing the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicants: Korea Institute of Ceramic Engineering and Technology, HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Kwang Il Chang, Chul Kyu Song, Dha Hae Kim, Seung Hun Hur
  • Patent number: 8999446
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for adjusting adhesion strength between materials during semiconductor sensor processing. One or more embodiments are directed to using various surface treatments to a substrate to adjust adhesion strength between the substrate and a polymer. In one embodiment, the surface of the substrate is roughened to decrease the adhesive strength between the substrate and the polymer. In another embodiment, the surface of the substrate is smoothed to increase the adhesive strength between the substrate and the polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics Pte Ltd.
    Inventors: Ying Yu, TienChoy Loh, ShianYeu Kam
  • Publication number: 20150086460
    Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a high-quality boron nitride film grown by using a borazine oligomer as a precursor through a metal catalyst effect. The method solves the problems, such as control of a gaseous precursor and vapor pressure control, occurring in CVD(Chemical vapor deposition) according to the related art, and a high-quality hexagonal boron nitride film is obtained through a simple process at low cost. In addition, the hexagonal boron nitride film may be coated onto various structures and materials. Further, selective coating is allowed so as to carry out coating in a predetermined area and scale-up is also allowed. Therefore, the method may be useful for coating applications of composite materials and various materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: KOREA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Myung Jong KIM, Sungchan PARK, Hyunjin CHO, Sukang BAE, Jin-Hyung PARK, Jung Ho KANG, Sang Ook KANG, Changhyup LEE
  • Publication number: 20150079281
    Abstract: A method is provided for preparing an etching mask on a substrate. The method includes dispersing a plurality of particles in an aprotic suspending medium to form a suspension and spin-coating the suspension on a substrate to form an etching mask on the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Jeayoung Choi, Christiana Honsberg