Patents by Inventor Yezheng Tao
Yezheng Tao 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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Publication number: 20230139746Abstract: An optical source for a photolithography tool includes a source configured to emit a first beam of light and a second beam of light, the first beam of light having a first wavelength, and the second beam of light having a second wavelength, the first and second wavelengths being different; an amplifier configured to amplify the first beam of light and the second beam of light to produce, respectively, a first amplified light beam and a second amplified light beam; and an optical isolator between the source and the amplifier, the optical isolator including: a plurality of dichroic optical elements, and an optical modulator between two of the dichroic optical elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2022Publication date: May 4, 2023Inventors: Yezheng Tao, Daniel John William Brown, Alexander Anthony Schafgans, Palash Parijat Das
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Patent number: 11553582Abstract: An optical source for a photolithography tool includes a source configured to emit a first beam of light and a second beam of light, the first beam of light having a first wavelength, and the second beam of light having a second wavelength, the first and second wavelengths being different; an amplifier configured to amplify the first beam of light and the second beam of light to produce, respectively, a first amplified light beam and a second amplified light beam; and an optical isolator between the source and the amplifier, the optical isolator including: a plurality of dichroic optical elements, and an optical modulator between two of the dichroic optical elements.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2020Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: ASML Netherlands, B.V.Inventors: Yezheng Tao, Daniel John William Brown, Alexander Anthony Schafgans, Palash Parijat Das
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Publication number: 20220192000Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and a method in which multiple, e.g., two or more pulses from a single laser source are applied to source material prior to application of a main ionizing pulse in which the multiple pulses are generated by a common laser source. The first pulse is directed towards the source material when the source material is at a first position and the second pulse is directed towards the source material when the source material is at a second position.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2020Publication date: June 16, 2022Inventors: Igor Vladimirovich Fomenkov, Yezheng Tao, Robert Jay Rafac
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Publication number: 20200305263Abstract: An optical source for a photolithography tool includes a source configured to emit a first beam of light and a second beam of light, the first beam of light having a first wavelength, and the second beam of light having a second wavelength, the first and second wavelengths being different; an amplifier configured to amplify the first beam of light and the second beam of light to produce, respectively, a first amplified light beam and a second amplified light beam; and an optical isolator between the source and the amplifier, the optical isolator including: a plurality of dichroic optical elements, and an optical modulator between two of the dichroic optical elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2020Publication date: September 24, 2020Inventors: Yezheng Tao, Daniel John William Brown, Alexander Anthony Schafgans, Palash Parijat Das
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Patent number: 10663866Abstract: An optical source for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photolithography tool includes a light-generation system including a light-generation module; an optical amplifier including a gain medium associated with a gain band, the gain medium configured to amplify light having a wavelength in the gain band; and a wavelength-based optical filter system on a beam path between the light-generation module and the optical amplifier, the wavelength-based optical filter system including at least one optical element configured to allow light having a wavelength in a first set of wavelengths to propagate on the beam path and to remove light having a wavelength in a second set of wavelengths from the beam path, the first set of wavelengths and the second set of wavelengths including different wavelengths in the gain band of the optical amplifier.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2016Date of Patent: May 26, 2020Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Alexander Anthony Schafgans, Igor Vladimirovich Fomenkov, Yezheng Tao, Rostislav Rokitski, Robert Jay Rafac, Daniel John William Brown, Cory Alan Stinson
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Patent number: 10645789Abstract: An optical source for a photolithography tool includes a source configured to emit a first beam of light and a second beam of light, the first beam of light having a first wavelength, and the second beam of light having a second wavelength, the first and second wavelengths being different; an amplifier configured to amplify the first beam of light and the second beam of light to produce, respectively, a first amplified light beam and a second amplified light beam; and an optical isolator between the source and the amplifier, the optical isolator including: a plurality of dichroic optical elements, and an optical modulator between two of the dichroic optical elements.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2017Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Yezheng Tao, Daniel John William Brown, Alexander Anthony Schafgans, Palash Parijat Das
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Patent number: 10064261Abstract: An initial pulse of radiation is generated; a section of the initial pulse of radiation is extracted to form a modified pulse of radiation, the modified pulse of radiation including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being temporally connected to the second portion, and the first portion having a maximum energy that is less than a maximum energy of the second portion; the first portion of the modified pulse of radiation is interacted with a target material to form a modified target; and the second portion of the modified pulse of radiation is interacted with the modified target to generate plasma that emits extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2017Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Yezheng Tao, John Tom Stewart, IV, Jordan Jur, Daniel Brown, Alexander A. Schafgans, Jason M. Arcand, Andrew LaForge
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Publication number: 20180124906Abstract: An initial pulse of radiation is generated; a section of the initial pulse of radiation is extracted to form a modified pulse of radiation, the modified pulse of radiation including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being temporally connected to the second portion, and the first portion having a maximum energy that is less than a maximum energy of the second portion; the first portion of the modified pulse of radiation is interacted with a target material to form a modified target; and the second portion of the modified pulse of radiation is interacted with the modified target to generate plasma that emits extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2017Publication date: May 3, 2018Inventors: Yezheng Tao, John Tom Stewart, IV, Jordan Jur, Daniel Brown
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Publication number: 20180081280Abstract: An optical source for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photolithography tool includes a light-generation system including a light-generation module; an optical amplifier including a gain medium associated with a gain band, the gain medium configured to amplify light having a wavelength in the gain band; and a wavelength-based optical filter system on a beam path between the light-generation module and the optical amplifier, the wavelength-based optical filter system including at least one optical element configured to allow light having a wavelength in a first set of wavelengths to propagate on the beam path and to remove light having a wavelength in a second set of wavelengths from the beam path, the first set of wavelengths and the second set of wavelengths including different wavelengths in the gain band of the optical amplifier.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2016Publication date: March 22, 2018Inventors: Alexander Anthony Schafgans, Igor Vladimirovich Fomenkov, Yezheng Tao, Rostislav Rokitski, Robert Jay Rafac, Daniel John William Brown, Cory Alan Stinson
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Publication number: 20180063935Abstract: An optical source for a photolithography tool includes a source configured to emit a first beam of light and a second beam of light, the first beam of light having a first wavelength, and the second beam of light having a second wavelength, the first and second wavelengths being different; an amplifier configured to amplify the first beam of light and the second beam of light to produce, respectively, a first amplified light beam and a second amplified light beam; and an optical isolator between the source and the amplifier, the optical isolator including: a plurality of dichroic optical elements, and an optical modulator between two of the dichroic optical elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2017Publication date: March 1, 2018Inventors: Yezheng Tao, Daniel John William Brown, Alexander Anthony Schafgans, Palash Parijat Das
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Patent number: 9832855Abstract: An optical source for a photolithography tool includes a source configured to emit a first beam of light and a second beam of light, the first beam of light having a first wavelength, and the second beam of light having a second wavelength, the first and second wavelengths being different; an amplifier configured to amplify the first beam of light and the second beam of light to produce, respectively, a first amplified light beam and a second amplified light beam; and an optical isolator between the source and the amplifier, the optical isolator including: a plurality of dichroic optical elements, and an optical modulator between two of the dichroic optical elements.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2015Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Yezheng Tao, Daniel John William Brown, Alexander Anthony Schafgans, Palash Parijat Das
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Patent number: 9826616Abstract: An initial pulse of radiation is generated; a section of the initial pulse of radiation is extracted to form a modified pulse of radiation, the modified pulse of radiation including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being temporally connected to the second portion, and the first portion having a maximum energy that is less than a maximum energy of the second portion; the first portion of the modified pulse of radiation is interacted with a target material to form a modified target; and the second portion of the modified pulse of radiation is interacted with the modified target to generate plasma that emits extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2016Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Yezheng Tao, John Tom Stewart, IV, Jordan Jur, Daniel Brown
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Publication number: 20170099721Abstract: An optical source for a photolithography tool includes a source configured to emit a first beam of light and a second beam of light, the first beam of light having a first wavelength, and the second beam of light having a second wavelength, the first and second wavelengths being different; an amplifier configured to amplify the first beam of light and the second beam of light to produce, respectively, a first amplified light beam and a second amplified light beam; and an optical isolator between the source and the amplifier, the optical isolator including: a plurality of dichroic optical elements, and an optical modulator between two of the dichroic optical elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2015Publication date: April 6, 2017Inventors: Yezheng Tao, Daniel John William Brown, Alexander Anthony Schafgans, Palash Parijat Das
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Patent number: 9462668Abstract: Techniques for forming a target and for producing extreme ultraviolet light include releasing an initial target material toward a target location, the target material including a material that emits extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light when converted to plasma; directing a first amplified light beam toward the initial target material, the first amplified light beam having an energy sufficient to form a collection of pieces of target material from the initial target material, each of the pieces being smaller than the initial target material and being spatially distributed throughout a hemisphere shaped volume; and directing a second amplified light beam toward the collection of pieces to convert the pieces of target material to plasma that emits EUV light.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2015Date of Patent: October 4, 2016Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Yezheng Tao, Robert Jay Rafac, Igor Vladimirovich Fomenkov, Daniel John William Brown, Daniel James Golich
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Publication number: 20160255708Abstract: An initial pulse of radiation is generated; a section of the initial pulse of radiation is extracted to form a modified pulse of radiation, the modified pulse of radiation including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being temporally connected to the second portion, and the first portion having a maximum energy that is less than a maximum energy of the second portion; the first portion of the modified pulse of radiation is interacted with a target material to form a modified target; and the second portion of the modified pulse of radiation is interacted with the modified target to generate plasma that emits extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2016Publication date: September 1, 2016Inventors: Yezheng Tao, John Tom Stewart, IV, Jordan Jur, Daniel Brown
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Patent number: 9380691Abstract: A system for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source includes an optical amplifier including a gain medium positioned on a beam path, the optical amplifier configured to receive a light beam at an input and to emit an output light beam for an EUV light source at an output; a feedback system that measures a property of the output light beam and produces a feedback signal based on the measured property; and an adaptive optic positioned in the beam path and configured to receive the feedback signal and to adjust a property of the output light beam in response to the feedback signal.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2014Date of Patent: June 28, 2016Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Yezheng Tao, Daniel J. W. Brown, Alexander Schafgans, Michael David Caudill, Daniel J. Golich, Richard L. Sandstrom, Yoshiho Amada
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Publication number: 20160165709Abstract: A method and apparatus for protecting the seed laser a laser produced plasma (LPP) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light system are disclosed. An isolation stage positioned on an optical path diverts light reflected from further components in the LPP EUV light system from reaching the seed laser. The isolation stage comprises two AOMs that are separated by a delay line. The AOMs, when open, direct light onto the optical path and, when closed, direct light away from the optical path. The delay introduced by the delay line is determined so that the opening and the closing of the AOMs can be timed to direct a forward-moving pulse onto the optical path and to divert reflected light at other times. The isolation stage can be positioned between gain elements to prevent amplified reflected light from reaching the seed laser and other potentially harmful effects.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2014Publication date: June 9, 2016Inventors: Yezheng Tao, Daniel John William Brown, Daniel J. Golich, Michael Kats, John T. Stewart, Rostislav Rokitski
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Patent number: 9357625Abstract: An initial pulse of radiation is generated; a section of the initial pulse of radiation is extracted to form a modified pulse of radiation, the modified pulse of radiation including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being temporally connected to the second portion, and the first portion having a maximum energy that is less than a maximum energy of the second portion; the first portion of the modified pulse of radiation is interacted with a target material to form a modified target; and the second portion of the modified pulse of radiation is interacted with the modified target to generate plasma that emits extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2014Date of Patent: May 31, 2016Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Yezheng Tao, John Tom Stewart, IV, Jordan Jur, Andrew LaForge, Daniel Brown, Jason M. Arcand, Alexander A. Schafgans, Michael A. Purvis
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Patent number: 9338870Abstract: A first remaining plasma that at least partially coincides with a target region is formed; a target including target material in a first spatial distribution to the target region is provided, the target material including material that emits EUV light when converted to plasma; the first remaining plasma and the initial target interact, the interaction rearranging the target material from the first spatial distribution to a shaped target distribution to form a shaped target in the target region, the shaped target including the target material arranged in the shaped spatial distribution; an amplified light beam is directed toward the target region to convert at least some of the target material in the shaped target to a plasma that emits EUV light; and a second remaining plasma is formed in the target region.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2014Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Yezheng Tao, John Tom Stewart, IV, Daniel J.W. Brown
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Publication number: 20160029471Abstract: Techniques for forming a target and for producing extreme ultraviolet light include releasing an initial target material toward a target location, the target material including a material that emits extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light when converted to plasma; directing a first amplified light beam toward the initial target material, the first amplified light beam having an energy sufficient to form a collection of pieces of target material from the initial target material, each of the pieces being smaller than the initial target material and being spatially distributed throughout a hemisphere shaped volume; and directing a second amplified light beam toward the collection of pieces to convert the pieces of target material to plasma that emits EUV light.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2015Publication date: January 28, 2016Inventors: Yezheng Tao, Robert Jay Rafac, Igor Vladimirovich Fomenkov, Daniel John William Brown, Daniel James Golich