| Gigaphoton Inc. Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 20120119118 | EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE SYSTEM - An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source system in which parts of an EUV light source apparatus can easily be replaced. The system includes: (i) an extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus having a chamber in which extreme ultraviolet light is generated, a target supply unit for supplying a target material into the chamber, a driver laser for irradiating the target material supplied by the target supply unit with a laser beam to generate plasma, and a collector mirror for collecting the extreme ultraviolet light radiated from the plasma to allow the extreme ultraviolet light to enter projection optics of exposure equipment; and (ii) a lifting apparatus provided to lift and move a replacement part which is a part of the extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120119116 | EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE APPARATUS - An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus in which a target material is irradiated with a laser beam and turned into plasma and extreme ultraviolet light is emitted from the plasma may include: a chamber in which the extreme ultraviolet light is generated; an electromagnetic field generation unit for generating at least one of an electric field and a magnetic field inside the chamber; and a cleaning unit for charging and separating debris adhered to an optical element inside the chamber. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120097869 | EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE APPARATUS - In an extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus generating an extreme ultraviolet light from a plasma generated by irradiating a target, which is a droplet D of molten Sn, with a laser light, and controlling the flow direction of ion generated at the generation of the extreme ultraviolet light by a magnetic field or an electric field, an ion collection cylinder | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120091893 | EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE APPARATUS - In an EUV light source apparatus, a collector mirror is protected from debris damaging a mirror coating. The EUV light source apparatus includes: a chamber in which extreme ultraviolet light is generated; a target supply unit for supplying a target material into the chamber; a plasma generation laser unit for irradiating the target material within the chamber with a plasma generation laser beam to generate plasma; an ionization laser unit for irradiating neutral particles produced at plasma generation with an ionization laser beam to convert the neutral particles into ions; a collector mirror for collecting the extreme ultraviolet light radiated from the plasma; and a magnetic field or electric field forming unit for forming a magnetic field or an electric field within the chamber so as to trap the ions. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120068091 | EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE, LASER LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE FOR EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING SATURABLE ABSORBER USED IN EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE - An EUV light source of the present invention is capable of using a saturable absorber stably and continuously in a high heat load state. A saturable absorber (SA) device is disposed on a laser beam line to absorb feeble light, such as self-excited oscillation light, parasitic oscillation light or return light. SA gas from an SA gas cylinder and buffer gas from a buffer gas cylinder are mixed to be a mixed gas. The mixed gas is supplied to an SA gas cell via a supply pipeline, and absorbs the feeble light included in the laser beam. The mixed gas is exhausted via an exhaust pipeline, and is sent to a heat exchanger. The mixed gas, cooled down by a heat exchanger, is sent back to the SA gas cell by a circulation pump. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20110284774 | TARGET OUTPUT DEVICE AND EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE APPARATUS - A target output device may include: a main body for storing a target material; a nozzle unit, connected to the main body, for outputting the target material as a target; an electrode unit provided so as to face the nozzle unit; a voltage control unit that applies predetermined voltage between the electrode unit and the target material to generate electrostatic force therebetween for pulling out the target material through the nozzle unit; a pressure control unit that applies predetermined pressure to the target material; and an output control unit that causes the target to be outputted through the nozzle unit by controlling signal output timing of each of a first timing signal and a second timing signal, the first timing signal causing the voltage control unit to apply the predetermined voltage between the target material and the electrode unit at first timing, and the second timing signal causing the pressure control unit to apply the predetermined pressure to the target material at second timing. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110266468 | EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE APPARATUS - An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus comprises a target supply unit supplying a target into a vacuum chamber, a laser oscillator outputting a laser light into the vacuum chamber, a collector mirror outputting an extreme ultraviolet light outside by reflecting the extreme ultraviolet light emitted from the target being ionized as a plasma by irradiation with the laser light at a plasma luminescence point in the vacuum chamber, and an ion debris removal unit at least a part of which is located in an obscuration region including the plasma luminescence point. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110266467 | EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE APPARATUS - An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus has a magnetic field generator which generates a magnetic field region around a direction of the magnetic field passing through a plasma region in which a plasma is to be generated and converges charged particles including ion emitted from the plasma region toward the direction of the magnetic field, a first charged particle collector (receiver) mounted at both sides of an axis of the magnetic field in the magnetic field region in order to collect (receive) the charged particles converged by the magnetic field, a target supply unit supplying a target from a nozzle located outside a converging region in which the charged particles are to be converged inside the magnetic field region in an extreme ultraviolet light generating chamber, and a target collector located at a position opposite to the nozzle, the target retrieval portion retrieving a residual target which does not contribute to generation of the plasma. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110261844 | LASER SYSTEM - The higher efficiency and lower power consumption are realized in a laser system for generating a high-power short-pulse laser beam. The laser system includes a laser oscillator for generating a pulse laser beam by laser oscillation, plural amplifiers for sequentially inputting the pulse laser beam generated by the laser oscillator and amplifying the pulse laser beam, and a control unit for controlling the laser oscillator to perform burst oscillation and halting an amplification operation of at least one of the plural amplifiers in a burst halt period between burst oscillation periods. | 10-27-2011 |
| 20110180734 | EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE APPARATUS - An EUV light source apparatus can reliably detect and accurately judge deterioration of an optical element in a laser beam focusing optics disposed within an EUV light generation chamber. This EUV light source apparatus includes: the EUV light generation chamber; a target material supply unit; an EUV light collector mirror; a driver laser; a window; a parabolic mirror which focuses collimated laser beam by reflection and is disposed within the EUV light generation chamber; an energy detector detecting energy of the laser beam diffused without being applied to a target material after being focused by the laser beam focusing optics when the EUV light is not generated; and a processing unit for judging the deterioration of the window and the parabolic mirror according to the laser beam energy detected by the energy detector. | 07-28-2011 |
| 20110174996 | EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE APPARATUS AND NOZZLE PROTECTION DEVICE - A nozzle protection device capable of protecting a target nozzle from heat of plasma without disturbing formation of a stable flow of a target material in an LPP type EUV light source apparatus. This nozzle protection device includes a cooling unit which is formed with an opening for passing the target material therethrough, and which is formed with a flow path for circulating a cooling medium inside, and an actuator which changes a position or a shape of the cooling unit between a first state of evacuating the cooling unit from a trajectory of the target material and a second state of blocking heat radiation from the plasma to the nozzle by the cooling unit while securing a path of the target material in the cooling unit. | 07-21-2011 |
| 20110158281 | GAS DISCHARGE CHAMBER - A gas discharge chamber that uses a calcium fluoride crystal which reduces a breakage due to mechanical stress (window holder and laser gas pressure), thermal stress from light absorption, and the like, increases the degree of linear polarization of output laser, and suppresses degradation due to strong ultraviolet (ArF, in particular) laser light irradiation. A first window ( | 06-30-2011 |
| 20110101863 | EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT - An EUV (Extreme Ultra Violet) light source device ionizes a target material in an ionizer, and supplies the ionized target material to a point of generating a plasma. This reduces the generation of debris. The ionizer simultaneously irradiates laser beams of plural wavelengths corresponding to the excited level of tin on a target material to ionize the target material. The ionized target material is extracted from the ionizer with a high voltage applied from an ion beam extractor, and accelerated and supplied to a plasma generation chamber. When driver laser beam is irradiated on the ionized target material, a plasma is generated, thereby emitting EUV radiation. | 05-05-2011 |
| 20100200776 | EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE - [Problem] An extreme ultraviolet light source device in accordance with the present invention suppresses a surface that comes into contact with a target material in a molten state from being eroded by the target material, being reacted with the target material, and being cut by the target material. | 08-12-2010 |
| 20100181498 | Differential evacuation system - [Technical Problem] To provide a differential evacuation system capable of easily maintaining, at a low cost, a large differential pressure between a light generation chamber and an illumination optical chamber in which optical processing, e.g. exposure, is performed by using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light generated in the light generation chamber, and yet capable of sufficiently ensuring a desired optical path. | 07-22-2010 |
| 20100128747 | POLARIZATION PURITY CONTROL DEVICE AND GAS LASER APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH THE SAME - A degree of polarization control device includes:
| 05-27-2010 |
| 20100117009 | EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD FOR EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100078580 | Extreme ultraviolet light source device, laser light source device for extreme ultraviolet light source device and method for controlling saturable absorber used in extreme ultraviolet light source device - An EUV light source of the present invention is capable of using a saturable absorber stably and continuously in a high heat load state. A saturable absorber (SA) device is disposed on a laser beam line to absorb feeble light, such as self-excited oscillation light, parasitic oscillation light or return light. SA gas from an SA gas cylinder and buffer gas from a buffer gas cylinder are mixed to be a mixed gas. The mixed gas is supplied to an SA gas cell via a supply pipeline, and absorbs the feeble light included in the laser beam. The mixed gas is exhausted via an exhaust pipeline, and is sent to a heat exchanger. The mixed gas, cooled down by a heat exchanger, is sent back to the SA gas cell by a circulation pump. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100078577 | Extreme ultraviolet light source device, laser light source device for extreme ultraviolet light source device, and method of adjusting laser light source device for extreme ultraviolet light source device - An EUV light source device properly compensates the wave front of laser beam which is changed by heat. A wave front compensator and a sensor are provided in an amplification system which amplifies laser beam. The sensor detects and outputs changes in the angle (direction) of laser beam and the curvature of the wave front thereof. A wave front compensation controller outputs a signal to the wave front compensator based on the measurement results from the sensor. The wave front compensator corrects the wave front of the laser beam to a predetermined wave front according to an instruction from the wave front compensation controller. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100054297 | OPTICAL ELEMENT FOR GAS LASER AND GAS LASER APPARATUS USING THE SAME - At least either of the light entering plane or the light exiting plane is parallel to the (111) crystal face of the CaF | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100025223 | Extreme Ultraviolet Light Source Device - Offset in the ejection direction of target material droplets is corrected in order to stabilize EUV output in an EUV light source device. An extreme ultraviolet light source device includes a droplet generation device | 02-04-2010 |
| 20090289205 | MIRROR FOR EXTREME ULTRA VIOLET, MANUFACTURING METHOD FOR MIRROR FOR EXTREME ULTRA VIOLET, AND FAR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE - The EUV light source device eliminates radiation other than EUV radiation from the light which it emits, and supplies only the EUV radiation to an exposure device. A composite layer consisting of a plurality of Mo/Si pair layers is provided upon the front surface of an EUV collector mirror, and blazed grooves are formed in this composite layer. Radiation emitted from a plasma is incident upon this EUV collector mirror, and is reflected or diffracted. The reflected EUV radiation (including diffracted EUV) proceeds towards an intermediate focal point IF. The radiation of other wavelengths proceeds towards some position other than this focal point IF, because its reflection angle or diffraction angle is different. A SPF shield having an aperture portion is provided at the focal point IF. Accordingly, only the EUV radiation passes through the aperture portion and is supplied to the exposure device, while the other radiation is intercepted by the shield. | 11-26-2009 |
| 20090267003 | SEMICONDUCTOR EXPOSURE DEVICE USING EXTREME ULTRA VIOLET RADIATION - The exposure device is able to supply only EUV radiation to a mask, while eliminating radiation other than the EUV radiation. A multi layer made from a plurality of Mo/Si pair layers is provided upon the front surface of a mirror, and blazed grooves are formed in this multi layer. Radiation which is incident from a light source device is incident upon this mirror, and is reflected or diffracted. Since the reflected EUV radiation (including diffracted EUV radiation) and the radiation of other wavelengths are reflected or diffracted at different angles, accordingly their directions of progression are different. By eliminating the radiation of other wavelengths with an aperture and/or a dumper, it is possible to irradiate a mask only with EUV radiation of high purity. | 10-29-2009 |
| 20090261242 | APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF WITHDRAWING IONS IN EUV LIGHT PRODUCTION APPARATUS - An ion withdrawal apparatus that withdraws ions emitted from a plasma in an EUV light production apparatus in which a target at an EUV light production point is irradiated with laser light to be made in a plasma state and the target emits EUV light, the ion withdrawal apparatus which includes: a collector mirror that is disposed in a direction opposite to a laser light incidence direction to collect the EUV light and has a hole for the ions to pass therethrough; magnetic line of force production means that produces a magnetic line of force that is parallel or approximately parallel to the laser light incidence direction at or in the vicinity of the EUV light production point; and ion withdrawal means that is disposed on the opposite side of the collector mirror from the EUV light production point and withdraws the ions. | 10-22-2009 |
