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Ookouchi, JP

Atsushi Ookouchi, Kumamoto JP

Patent application numberDescriptionPublished
20110014379DEVELOPING APPARATUS, RESIST PATTERN FORMING METHOD AND STORAGE MEDIUM - Provided is a developing apparatus configured to slim the resist pattern while reducing the number of developing modules. A room temperature developing liquid and a high temperature developing liquid to modify the surface layer of a resist pattern can be supplied from a common nozzle to a substrate disposed on a mount table. Although both developing liquids may be sequentially discharged by switching between the supply line for the room temperature developing liquid and the supply line for the high temperature developing liquid, it is also possible to join these supply lines for supplying the room temperature developing liquid from the former supply line, and then adjust the ratio of the flow rates between both supply lines, and then supply the mixed liquid of the developing liquids as a high temperature developing liquid.01-20-2011

Atsushi Ookouchi, Koshi-Shi JP

Patent application numberDescriptionPublished
20090035021DEVELOPING METHOD, DEVELOPING APPARATUS AND STORAGE MEDIUM - The present invention provides a method of supplying a developing solution, stably, onto a substrate, upon providing a developing process to the substrate which has been coated with a resist and subjected to an exposure process. In this method, the developing solution is supplied onto the substrate from a first developing solution nozzle, so as to form a ribbon-like region on the surface of the substrate, while rotating the substrate about a vertical axis via a substrate holding part, wherein one end of the ribbon-like region is oriented toward a central portion of the substrate. At this time, by shifting a position of the ribbon-like region in which the developing solution is supplied, a liquid film of the developing solution can be formed on the surface of the substrate. Subsequently, in order to prevent the liquid film of the developing solution from being dried up, the developing solution is supplied from a second developing solution nozzle, so as to form a circular region on the central portion of the substrate or form a ribbon-like region shorter in length than the ribbon-like region of the developing solution supplied from the first developing nozzle. Simultaneously, the substrate is rotated about the vertical axis via the substrate holding part, thereby spreading the developing solution toward a peripheral portion of the substrate by centrifugal force. In this manner, the developing nozzles are selected, corresponding to the process to be performed.02-05-2009
20100330508DEVELOPING APPARATUS AND DEVELOPING METHOD - A developer nozzle is moved from a periphery of a wafer toward the central portion while an exposed substrate held at a spin chuck is being rotated about a vertical axis and while a developing solution is being discharged from the developer nozzle, and this way the developing solution is supplied to the surface of the wafer, the developer nozzle having a slit-like ejection port whose longitudinal direction is oriented to the direction perpendicular to the radial direction of the wafer. The movement speed of the nozzle is higher than a case where a nozzle with a small-diameter circular nozzle is used, and this enables a development time to be reduced. Further, the thickness of a developing solution on a substrate can be reduced, so that the developing solution can be saved.12-30-2010
20110127236DEVELOPING DEVICE AND DEVELOPING METHOD - The temperature of a developing solution is varied depending on the type of resist or the resist pattern. The developing solution is applied while scanning a developer nozzle having a slit-shaped ejection port that has a length matching the width of the effective area of the substrate. After leaving the substrate with the developing solution being coated thereon for a predetermined period of time, a diluent is supplied while scanning a diluent nozzle, thereby substantially stopping the development reaction and causing the dissolved resist components to diffuse. A desired amount of resist can be quickly dissolved through the control of the developing solution temperature, while the development can be stopped before the dissolved resist components exhibit adverse effect through the supply of the diluent a predetermined timing, whereby achieving a pattern having a uniform line width and improved throughput.06-02-2011

Patent applications by Atsushi Ookouchi, Koshi-Shi JP

Atsushi Ookouchi, Kikuchi-Gun JP

Patent application numberDescriptionPublished
20100323307DEVELOPING APPARATUS AND METHOD - A developing apparatus for developing a substrate whose surface is coated with a coating solution and then exposed includes a substrate supporting unit for horizontally supporting the substrate, a rotation driving mechanism for rotating the substrate supporting unit forwardly or backwardly with respect to a vertical axis, a developer nozzle, disposed to face a surface of the substrate supported by the substrate supporting unit, having a strip-shaped injection opening extended along a direction extending from a periphery of the substrate toward a central portion thereof, a moving unit for moving the developer nozzle from an outer portion of the substrate toward the central portion thereof, and a controller for controlling operations such that while the substrate is rotated forwardly by the rotation driving mechanism, a developer is supplied through the injection opening to the surface of the substrate by moving the developer nozzle and, then, the substrate is rotated backwardly by the rotation driving mechanism.12-23-2010

Patent applications by Atsushi Ookouchi, Kikuchi-Gun JP

Atsushi Ookouchi, Koshi City JP

Patent application numberDescriptionPublished
20100291490Resist pattern slimming treatment method - A resist pattern slimming treatment method includes: a slimming treatment step of performing a slimming treatment on a resist pattern by applying a solution containing an acid onto a substrate having the resist pattern formed thereon, then performing a heat treatment, and then performing a developing treatment. A database storing kinds of resist material for the resist pattern, concentrations of acid contained in a solution to be applied onto the substrate having the resist pattern formed thereon, and line widths of the resist pattern corresponding to the kinds of resist material and the concentrations of acid is prepared in advance. The concentration of the acid contained in the solution used in the slimming treatment step is based on a concentration of the acid obtained from the database, using, as search keys, the kind of resist material and a target value of the line width of the resist pattern.11-18-2010
20100291491Resist pattern slimming treatment method - A resist pattern slimming treatment method of performing a slimming treatment on a resist pattern formed on a substrate includes: a slimming treatment step of performing a slimming treatment on the resist pattern by applying a reactant solubilizing the resist pattern onto the resist pattern, then performing a heat treatment on the resist pattern under a heat treatment condition determined in advance, and then performing a developing treatment on the resist pattern; and a first line width measurement step of measuring a line width of the resist pattern before the slimming treatment step. The heat treatment condition is determined based on a measurement value of the line width measured in the first line width measurement step.11-18-2010

Atsushi Ookouchi, Kumamoto-Ken JP

Patent application numberDescriptionPublished
20090130614Development device and development method - A developer nozzle is moved from a periphery of a wafer toward the central portion while an exposed substrate held at a spin chuck is being rotated about a vertical axis and while a developing solution is being discharged from the developer nozzle, and this way the developing solution is supplied to the surface of the wafer, the developer nozzle having a slit-like ejection port whose longitudinal direction is oriented to the direction perpendicular to the radial direction of the wafer. The movement speed of the nozzle is higher than a case where a nozzle with a small-diameter circular nozzle is used, and this enables a development time to be reduced. Further, the thickness of a developing solution on a substrate can be reduced, so that the developing solution can be saved.05-21-2009

Kakeru Ookouchi, Nihonmatsu JP

Patent application numberDescriptionPublished
20100181733ROLLBACK SEAL - A rollback seal, which is used in a space between a piston and a housing of a hydraulic brake configured to brake a wheel by clamping a disc rotor fixedly attached to the wheel, is arranged in an annular groove of the housing, has a substantially rectangular sectional shape, has an annular recess formed in one end face thereof at the side where hydraulic pressure acts on the piston, and has a chamfered section formed at a piston side corner of the other end face thereof at the opposite side to that where the recess is formed, thereby to reduce total weight of brake system, secure sufficient amount of rollback at low temperature, and reliably return a piston from brake position to release position with improved sealing characteristics over a longer service life.07-22-2010