Patents by Inventor Hirokazu HOSODA

Hirokazu HOSODA has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230126340
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation method includes a target supply step of outputting a droplet target into a chamber, a prepulse laser light irradiation step of irradiating the droplet target with prepulse laser light to generate a diffusion target, and a main pulse laser light irradiation step of irradiating the diffusion target with main pulse laser light to generate extreme ultraviolet light. Here, the main pulse laser light includes first main pulse laser light and second main pulse laser light, and in the main pulse laser light irradiation step, the diffusion target is irradiated with the first main pulse laser light having higher energy density at a central portion than at an outer peripheral portion and the second main pulse laser light having higher energy density at the outer peripheral portion than at the central portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki HONDA, Hirokazu HOSODA, Kouichiro KOUGE
  • Patent number: 11366390
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation system may include a laser system emitting first prepulse laser light, second prepulse laser light, and main pulse laser light in this order; a chamber including at least one window for introducing, into the chamber, the first prepulse laser light, the second prepulse laser light, and the main pulse laser light; a target supply unit supplying a target to a predetermined region in the chamber; and a processor controlling the laser system to irradiate the target with the first prepulse laser light, irradiate the target, having been irradiated with the first prepulse laser light, with the second prepulse laser light having a pulse time width longer than a pulse time width of the main pulse laser light, and irradiate the target, having been irradiated with the second prepulse laser light, with the main pulse laser light temporally separated from the second prepulse laser light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Takanari Kobayashi, Hirokazu Hosoda, Yoshiyuki Honda
  • Patent number: 11333981
    Abstract: A target image capturing device according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a delay circuit configured to receive a timing signal from outside and output a first trigger signal at a timing delayed by a first delay time from the reception of the timing signal; an illumination light source configured to emit light based on the first trigger signal; an image capturing unit including a light amplification unit and disposed to capture an image of a shadow of a target to be observed, which is generated when the target is irradiated with the light emitted from the illumination light source; a processing unit configured to perform image processing including processing of measuring a background luminance from the image captured by the image capturing unit; and a control unit configured to perform control to adjust a gain of the light amplification unit based on the background luminance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Hosoda
  • Patent number: 11337293
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation system includes: a chamber; a target generation unit; a laser system configured to output a first pre-pulse laser beam, a second pre-pulse laser beam, and a main pulse laser beam so that fluence of the first pre-pulse laser beam is 1.5 J/cm2 to 16 J/cm2 inclusive at a position where a target is irradiated with the first pre-pulse laser beam; and a control unit configured to control the laser system so that a first delay time from a timing of irradiation of the target with the first pre-pulse laser beam to a timing of irradiation with the second pre-pulse laser beam and a second delay time from the timing of irradiation of the target with the second pre-pulse laser beam to a timing of irradiation with the main pulse laser beam have a following relation: the first delay time<the second delay time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Takanari Kobayashi, Hirokazu Hosoda
  • Publication number: 20220035249
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation system may include a laser system emitting first prepulse laser light, second prepulse laser light, and main pulse laser light in this order; a chamber including at least one window for introducing, into the chamber, the first prepulse laser light, the second prepulse laser light, and the main pulse laser light; a target supply unit supplying a target to a predetermined region in the chamber; and a processor controlling the laser system to irradiate the target with the first prepulse laser light, irradiate the target, having been irradiated with the first prepulse laser light, with the second prepulse laser light having a pulse time width longer than a pulse time width of the main pulse laser light, and irradiate the target, having been irradiated with the second prepulse laser light, with the main pulse laser light temporally separated from the second prepulse laser light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Takanari KOBAYASHI, Hirokazu HOSODA, Yoshiyuki HONDA
  • Patent number: 10976664
    Abstract: A target image capturing device according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: a delay circuit configured to receive a timing signal from outside and output a first trigger signal at a timing delayed by a first delay time from the reception of the timing signal; an illumination light source configured to emit light based on the first trigger signal; an image capturing unit disposed to capture an image of a shadow of a target to be observed, which is generated when the target is irradiated with the light emitted from the illumination light source; a processing unit configured to perform image processing including processing of measuring a background luminance from the image captured by the image capturing unit; and a control unit configured to perform control to adjust the first delay time based on the background luminance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Hosoda
  • Publication number: 20210048752
    Abstract: A target image capturing device according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a delay circuit configured to receive a timing signal from outside and output a first trigger signal at a timing delayed by a first delay time from the reception of the timing signal; an illumination light source configured to emit light based on the first trigger signal; an image capturing unit including a light amplification unit and disposed to capture an image of a shadow of a target to be observed, which is generated when the target is irradiated with the light emitted from the illumination light source; a processing unit configured to perform image processing including processing of measuring a background luminance from the image captured by the image capturing unit; and a control unit configured to perform control to adjust a gain of the light amplification unit based on the background luminance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventor: Hirokazu HOSODA
  • Publication number: 20210026254
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation system includes: a chamber; a target generation unit; a laser system configured to output a first pre-pulse laser beam, a second pre-pulse laser beam, and a main pulse laser beam so that fluence of the first pre-pulse laser beam is 1.5 J/cm2 to 16 J/cm2 inclusive at a position where a target is irradiated with the first pre-pulse laser beam; and a control unit configured to control the laser system so that a first delay time from a timing of irradiation of the target with the first pre-pulse laser beam to a timing of irradiation with the second pre-pulse laser beam and a second delay time from the timing of irradiation of the target with the second pre-pulse laser beam to a timing of irradiation with the main pulse laser beam have a following relation: the first delay time<the second delay time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Takanari KOBAYASHI, Hirokazu HOSODA
  • Publication number: 20200033739
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation device according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: a chamber in which tin is irradiated with a laser beam to generate extreme ultraviolet light; a hydrogen gas supply path that connects the chamber and a hydrogen-gas output unit of a hydrogen gas supply device as a supply source of hydrogen gas to be supplied into the chamber, receives supply of the hydrogen gas from the hydrogen gas supply device, and supplies, to the chamber, the hydrogen gas supplied from the hydrogen gas supply device; a temperature adjustment unit connected with the hydrogen gas supply path and configured to adjust the temperature of the hydrogen gas to be equal to or lower than 16° C.; and a gas discharge unit connected with the chamber and configured to discharge gas including at least hydrogen gas inside the chamber to outside of the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Tsukasa HORI, Hirokazu HOSODA
  • Patent number: 10420198
    Abstract: The extreme ultraviolet light generating apparatus may include a chamber having a window through which a pulse laser beam enters, a target supply unit configured to output at least one target toward a predetermined region in the chamber, a target image capturing device configured to capture an image of the at least one target, a first actuator configured to move a focused area focused by the target image capturing device, and a controller configured to control the first actuator based on a signal from an external device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Hosoda, Toru Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20190250517
    Abstract: A target image capturing device according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: a delay circuit configured to receive a timing signal from outside and output a first trigger signal at a timing delayed by a first delay time from the reception of the timing signal; an illumination light source configured to emit light based on the first trigger signal; an image capturing unit disposed to capture an image of a shadow of a target to be observed, which is generated when the target is irradiated with the light emitted from the illumination light source; a processing unit configured to perform image processing including processing of measuring a background luminance from the image captured by the image capturing unit; and a control unit configured to perform control to adjust the first delay time based on the background luminance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventor: Hirokazu HOSODA
  • Patent number: 10271414
    Abstract: The stability of operations of an EUV light generating apparatus is improved. A droplet detector may include: a light source unit configured to emit illuminating light onto a droplet, which is output into a chamber and generate extreme ultraviolet light when irradiated with a laser beam; a light receiving unit configured to receive the illuminating light and to detect changes in light intensities; and a timing determining circuit configured to output a droplet detection signal that indicates that the droplet has been detected at a predetermined position within the chamber, based on a first timing at which the light intensity of the illuminating light decreases due to the droplet being irradiated therewith and a second timing at which the light intensity of the illuminating light increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Kouichi Satou, Takayuki Yabu, Yoshifumi Ueno, Hirokazu Hosoda
  • Patent number: 10209625
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generating apparatus may include: a chamber, within which extreme ultraviolet light is generated from a droplet which is supplied to a predetermined region therein; an image forming optical system that forms an image of the droplet supplied to the predetermined region; an imaging element that captures an image of the formed image; a stage that moves the image forming optical system and/or the imaging element in an optical axis direction of the image forming optical system; a light energy measuring unit that measures light energy which is generated when the extreme ultraviolet light is generated; and a control unit that controls the stage based on a measured value of the light energy measured by the light energy measuring unit such that an image formation plane of the image of the droplet formed by the image forming optical system matches an imaging surface of the imaging element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Hosoda
  • Patent number: 10172224
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus may include: a chamber in which extreme ultraviolet light is generated from plasma generated by irradiating a target supplied into the chamber with a laser beam; a target generator that supplies the target into the chamber as a droplet; a droplet measurement unit that measures the droplet supplied from the target generator into the chamber; and a shielding member that shields the droplet measurement unit from electromagnetic waves emitted from the plasma, the droplet measurement unit including: a light source that emits continuous light to the droplet; a window provided in the chamber to allow the continuous light to transmit therethrough; and an optical sensor that receives the continuous light via the window. The shielding member includes a shielding body provided on the chamber side with respect to the window and configured to cover an optical path of the continuous light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Takayuki Yabu, Hirokazu Hosoda, Takuya Ishii
  • Patent number: 10141186
    Abstract: A target image-capture device may be configured to capture an image of a target that is made into plasma when irradiated with laser light and generates extreme-ultraviolet-light. The target image-capture device may include a droplet detector configured to detect passage of a droplet output as the target, and output a detection signal, an illumination light source, an image capturing element, a shutter device, and a controller configured to output, to the image capturing element, an exposure signal allowing the image capturing element to perform image capturing, and output, to the shutter device, a shutter open/close signal allowing a shutter to perform an open and close operation upon input of the detection signal. The controller may output the shutter open/close signal to the shutter device to make the shutter closed during when the droplet is irradiated with the laser light so that the plasma is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Hosoda, Takayuki Yabu, Hideo Hoshino
  • Patent number: 10126657
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generating apparatus, may include: a chamber, in which extreme ultraviolet light is generated by plasma being generated in the interior thereof; a window provided in a wall of the chamber; a light source provided at the exterior of the chamber, configured to output illuminating light to the interior of the chamber via the window; a light sensor, configured to detect the illuminating light which is output to the interior of the chamber via the window; a shielding member having an opening that the illuminating light may pass through, that shields the window from emissions from the plasma, provided in the interior of the chamber; and a mirror provided along an optical path of the illuminating light in the interior of the chamber between the window and the shielding member, having a reflective surface that reflects the illuminating light, constituted by a surface of a metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Hosoda, Tamotsu Abe
  • Publication number: 20180284618
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generating apparatus may include: a chamber, within which extreme ultraviolet light is generated from a droplet which is supplied to a predetermined region therein; an image forming optical system that forms an image of the droplet supplied to the predetermined region; an imaging element that captures an image of the formed image; a stage that moves the image forming optical system and/or the imaging element in an optical axis direction of the image forming optical system; a light energy measuring unit that measures light energy which is generated when the extreme ultraviolet light is generated; and a control unit that controls the stage based on a measured value of the light energy measured by the light energy measuring unit such that an image formation plane of the image of the droplet formed by the image forming optical system matches an imaging surface of the imaging element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventor: Hirokazu HOSODA
  • Publication number: 20180253010
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generating apparatus, may include: a chamber, in which extreme ultraviolet light is generated by plasma being generated in the interior thereof; a window provided in a wall of the chamber; a light source provided at the exterior of the chamber, configured to output illuminating light to the interior of the chamber via the window; a light sensor, configured to detect the illuminating light which is output to the interior of the chamber via the window; a shielding member having an opening that the illuminating light may pass through, that shields the window from emissions from the plasma, provided in the interior of the chamber; and a mirror provided along an optical path of the illuminating light in the interior of the chamber between the window and the shielding member, having a reflective surface that reflects the illuminating light, constituted by a surface of a metal layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Hirokazu HOSODA, Tamotsu ABE
  • Patent number: 10057972
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation system may include a laser system and a controller. The laser system may irradiate the first target with a first pulse laser beam to disperse the first target and produce a mist target, and irradiate the mist target with a second pulse laser beam. The controller may measure a mist diameter of the mist target and control, based on the mist diameter, at least one of time to emit the second pulse laser beam and energy of a first pulse laser beam to be used to irradiate the second target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Ueno, Hirokazu Hosoda, Takayuki Yabu
  • Publication number: 20180177036
    Abstract: The extreme ultraviolet light generating apparatus may include a chamber having a window through which a pulse laser beam enters, a target supply unit configured to output at least one target toward a predetermined region in the chamber, a target image capturing device configured to capture an image of the at least one target, a first actuator configured to move a focused area focused by the target image capturing device, and a controller configured to control the first actuator based on a signal from an external device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Hirokazu HOSODA, Toru SUZUKI