Patents by Inventor Shinji Nagai
Shinji Nagai 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).
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Patent number: 8841641Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2013Date of Patent: September 23, 2014Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Kouji Kakizaki, Shinji Nagai, Tatsuya Yanagida
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Patent number: 8748853Abstract: A chamber apparatus for operating with a laser apparatus includes a chamber, a target supply unit, a collection unit and a collection container. The chamber includes an inlet through which a laser beam from the laser apparatus enters the chamber. The target supply unit is configured to supply a target material to a predetermined region inside the chamber. The collection unit includes a debris entering surface so that debris generated when the target material is irradiated with the laser beam enters the debris entering surface. The debris entering surface is inclined with respect to a direction in which the debris enters the debris entering surface. The collection container collects the debris flowing out of the collection unit.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2012Date of Patent: June 10, 2014Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Shinji Nagai, Osamu Wakabayashi, Yutaka Shiraishi, Junichi Fujimoto
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Publication number: 20140050239Abstract: A degree of polarization control device includes: a calcium fluoride crystal substrate for transmitting a laser beam; a polarization monitor for measuring the degree of polarization of a laser beam transmitted through the calcium fluoride crystal substrate; and a controller for controlling the rotation angle of the calcium fluoride crystal substrate according to the degree of polarization measured by the polarization monitor; the calcium fluoride crystal substrate being formed by a flat plate having a laser beam entering surface and a laser beam exiting surface running in parallel with the (111) crystal face, the Brewster angle being selected for the incident angle, the rotation angle around the [111] axis operating as a central axis being controlled by the controller.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2013Publication date: February 20, 2014Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.Inventors: Shinji NAGAI, Fumika YOSHIDA, Osamu WAKABAYASHI, Kouji KAKIZAKI
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Patent number: 8629417Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus used in combination with a laser system, the apparatus may include: a chamber provided with at least one inlet port for introducing a laser beam outputted from the laser system into the chamber; a target supply unit provided to the chamber for supplying a target material to a predetermined region inside the chamber, where the target material is irradiated with the laser beam; at least one optical element disposed inside the chamber; a magnetic field generation unit for generating a magnetic field around the predetermined region; an ion collection unit disposed in a direction of a line of magnetic force of the magnetic field for collection an ion which is generated when the target material is irradiated with the laser beam and is flowing along the line of magnetic force; and a gas introduction unit for introducing an etching gas into the chamber.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2012Date of Patent: January 14, 2014Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Shinji Nagai, Tamotsu Abe, Takanobu Ishihara, Osamu Wakabayashi
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Publication number: 20140008554Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus generating an extreme ultraviolet light from plasma generated by irradiating a target material with a laser light within a chamber, and controlling a flow of ions generated together with the extreme ultraviolet light using a magnetic field or an electric field, the extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus comprises an ion collector device collecting the ion via an aperture arranged at a side of the chamber, and an interrupting mechanism interrupting movement of a sputtered particle in a direction toward the aperture, the sputtered particle generated at an ion collision surface collided with the ion in the ion collector device.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2013Publication date: January 9, 2014Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INCInventors: Takeshi ASAYAMA, Kouji KAKIZAKI, Akira ENDO, Shinji NAGAI
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Patent number: 8624208Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation system is an extreme ultraviolet light generation system which is used with a laser apparatus and is connected to an external device so as to supply extreme ultraviolet light thereto, and the extreme ultraviolet light generation system may include: a chamber provided with at least one inlet through which a laser beam is introduced thereinto; a target supply unit provided to the chamber for supplying a target material to a predetermined region inside the chamber; a discharge pump connected to the chamber; at least one optical element disposed inside the chamber; an etching gas introduction unit provided to the chamber through which etching gas passes, the etching gas being introduced to etch debris of the target material which is emitted when the target material is irradiated with the laser beam inside the chamber and adheres to the at least one optical element; and at least one temperature control mechanism for controlling a temperature of the at least one optical elemeType: GrantFiled: March 15, 2011Date of Patent: January 7, 2014Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Shinji Nagai, Tamotsu Abe, Hitoshi Nagano, Osamu Wakabayashi
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Publication number: 20130322483Abstract: 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 (2) and a second window (3) of the gas discharge chamber have an incident plane and an emitting plane in parallel with a (111) crystal plane of their calcium fluoride crystal. With respect to an arrangement where laser light entering the calcium fluoride crystal passes through a plane including a <111> axis and a <001> axis of each of the first window (2) and the second window (3) as seen from inside the chamber (1), the first window (2) and the second window (3) are arranged in positions rotated in the same direction by the same angle about their <111> axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2013Publication date: December 5, 2013Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.Inventors: Shinji NAGAI, Fumika YOSHIDA, Osamu WAKABAYASHI, Kouji KAKIZAKI
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Publication number: 20130319466Abstract: A cleaning method for an EUV light generation apparatus may include closing a connection portion so that a chamber interior and the interior of an exposure apparatus do not communicate when EUV light is not being generated, supplying an etchant gas for etching debris that has accumulated on a reflective surface of an optical element to the chamber interior in a state where the connection portion is closed, and exhausting the chamber interior using an exhaust apparatus while supplying the etchant gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2013Publication date: December 5, 2013Inventors: Hakaru MIZOGUCHI, Shinji NAGAI
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Patent number: 8586954Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus generating an extreme ultraviolet light from plasma generated by irradiating a target material with a laser light within a chamber, and controlling a flow of ions generated together with the extreme ultraviolet light using a magnetic field or an electric field, the extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus comprises an ion collector device collecting the ion via an aperture arranged at a side of the chamber, and an interrupting mechanism interrupting movement of a sputtered particle in a direction toward the aperture, the sputtered particle generated at an ion collision surface collided with the ion in the ion collector device.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2012Date of Patent: November 19, 2013Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Takeshi Asayama, Kouji Kakizaki, Akira Endo, Shinji Nagai
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Patent number: 8569723Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2011Date of Patent: October 29, 2013Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Shinji Nagai, Takanobu Ishihara, Kouji Kakizaki, Tamotsu Abe
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Patent number: 8558202Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2011Date of Patent: October 15, 2013Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Tatsuya Yanagida, Akira Endo, Hiroshi Komori, Shinji Nagai, Kouji Kakizaki, Tamotsu Abe, Hideo Hoshino
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Publication number: 20130256567Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2013Publication date: October 3, 2013Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.Inventors: Kouji KAKIZAKI, Shinji NAGAI, Tatsuya YANAGIDA
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Patent number: 8530869Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2011Date of Patent: September 10, 2013Assignees: Gigaphoton Inc., Ebara Corporation, Kabushiki Kaisha TopconInventors: Shinji Nagai, Takanobu Ishihara, Kouji Kakizaki, Hiroshi Sobukawa, Takeshi Murakami, Masahiro Inoue
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Patent number: 8530870Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2011Date of Patent: September 10, 2013Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Kouji Kakizaki, Shinji Nagai, Tatsuya Yanagida
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Patent number: 8513630Abstract: 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 20 is arranged for collecting the ion, and ion collision surfaces Sa and Sb of the ion collection cylinder 20 are provided with or coated with Si, which is a metal whose sputtering rate with respect to the ion is less than one atom/ion.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2011Date of Patent: August 20, 2013Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Yoshifumi Ueno, Georg Soumagne, Shinji Nagai, Akira Endo, Tatsuya Yanagida
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Patent number: 8507883Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus provided with a magnetic field forming unit having sufficient capability of protection against ions radiated from plasma while using a relatively small magnetic source. The apparatus includes: a target nozzle for injecting a target material; a driver laser for applying a laser beam to the target material to generate plasma; a collector mirror for collecting extreme ultraviolet light radiated from the plasma; and a magnetic field forming unit including at least one magnetic source and at least one magnetic material having two leading end parts projecting from the at least one magnetic source to face each other with a plasma emission point in between, and forming a magnetic field between a trajectory of the target material and the collector mirror.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2009Date of Patent: August 13, 2013Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Akira Endo, Hideo Hoshino, Kouji Kakizaki, Tamotsu Abe, Akira Sumitani, Takanobu Ishihara, Shinji Nagai, Osamu Wakabayashi, Hakaru Mizoguchi
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Patent number: 8503499Abstract: 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 (2) and a second window (3) of the gas discharge chamber have an incident plane and an emitting plane in parallel with a (111) crystal plane of their calcium fluoride crystal. With respect to an arrangement where laser light entering the calcium fluoride crystal passes through a plane including a <111> axis and a <001> axis of each of the first window (2) and the second window (3) as seen from inside the chamber (1), the first window (2) and the second window (3) are arranged in positions rotated in the same direction by the same angle about their <111> axis.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2010Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Shinji Nagai, Fumika Yoshida, Osamu Wakabayashi, Kouji Kakizaki
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Publication number: 20130161540Abstract: An apparatus for generating extreme ultraviolet light (EUV) includes a chamber, a target supply unit, a collector mirror, an exhaust device, a gas supply device and an ultraviolet light source. The target supply unit supplies a target material to a predetermined region inside the chamber. The collector mirror collects EUV light generated from the target material. The exhaust device is connected to the chamber. The gas supply device is connected to the chamber to supply an etchant gas into the chamber. The ultraviolet light source irradiates a reflective surface of the collector mirror with ultraviolet light.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2012Publication date: June 27, 2013Inventors: Shinji NAGAI, Osamu WAKABAYASHI
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Patent number: 8471227Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2011Date of Patent: June 25, 2013Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Kouji Kakizaki, Shinji Nagai, Tatsuya Yanagida
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Publication number: 20130154681Abstract: A substrate inspection jig for use in inspection of an electrical property of a printed board to be inspected on which an electronic component is mounted includes a spacer which is mounted on the printed board to be inspected, a conductive plate which is connected to the spacer, and is disposed along an arrangement direction of electrode terminals of the electronic component to be inspected, and a fastener which fastens the spacer on the printed board to be inspected, wherein the plate is disposed above the printed board to be inspected so as to avoid contact with the printed board to be inspected, and a predetermined potential of the printed board to be inspected is set to the plate through the spacer or/and the fastener.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2012Publication date: June 20, 2013Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Keishi Miyanishi, Yuji Miura, Shinji Nagai, Tomohiko Shiki, Tadayoshi Shibasaki, Hideo Watanabe, Katsuhiro Tanabe, Hiroyuki Inakazu, Yasukazu Sadakane, Tomoko Kawakami