More Than 90 Percent By Weight Silica Patents (Class 501/54)
  • Patent number: 8263511
    Abstract: A fused silica glass article having a low absolute refractive index and low concentrations of hydroxyl groups, halogens, and metal having a low absolute refractive index. The glass article contains less than about 10 ppm protium-containing and deuterium-containing hydroxyl groups by weight and less than about 20 ppm halogens by weight. The silica glass article also has an absolute refractive index (ARI) less than or equal to 1.560820. In one embodiment, the ARI of the fused silica article is achieved by lowering the fictive temperature of the fused silica. A method of lowering the fictive temperature is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Carlos Duran, Richard Michael Fiacco, Kenneth Edward Hrdina, Daniel Raymond Sempolinski
  • Patent number: 8257675
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an artificial quartz member inhibited from suffering the decrease in transmittance in a laser light wavelength region which is caused by long-term irradiation with a laser light having a wavelength of 200 nm or shorter; and a process for producing the artificial quartz member. The invention provides an artificial quartz member for use as an optical element to be irradiated with a laser light having a wavelength of 200 nm or shorter, having an aluminum content of 200 ppb or lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignees: Tokyo Denpa Co., Ltd., Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Noriyuki Agata, Shinya Kikugawa, Yutaka Shimizu, Kazumi Yoshida, Masatoshi Nishimoto
  • Patent number: 8218593
    Abstract: Optical devices include a doped glass material in which the dopant facilitates the transmission of energy out from the glass material. The doped glass may not significantly absorb a selected wavelength of laser radiation to be manipulated by the optical devices. The dopant may comprise one or more of a transition metal element, an actinide element, and a lanthanide element. Laser systems include at least one such optical device and a laser device configured to emit a beam to be manipulated by the optical device. Methods for forming optical devices and laser systems including such optical devices include dispersing a dopant within a glass material to form, and forming the glass material into a body having a size and shape configured to manipulate a beam of radiation emitted by a laser device. The dopant is selected to comprise a material that facilitates the transmission of energy out from the glass material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Inc.
    Inventor: John S. Canham
  • Patent number: 8209999
    Abstract: Silica glass granule having the following features: Area: 100 to 5000 ?m2, ECD: 5 to 100 ?m, Circumference: 20 to 400 ?m, Maximum diameter: 10 to 140 ?m, Minimum diameter: 5 to 80 ?m, where all values are medium values, Specific BET surface area: <1 m2/g Impurities: <50 ppm It is prepared by a) compacting pyrogenic silicon dioxide powder with a tamped density of 15 to 190 g/l to slugs, b) subsequently crushing them and removing slug fragments with a diameter of <100 ?m and >800 ?m, c) the slug fragments having a tamped density of 300 to 600 g/l, and d) subsequently treating them at 600 to 1100° C. in an atmosphere which comprises one or more compounds which are suitable for removing hydroxyl groups, and e) then sintering them at 1200° C. to 1400° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Evonik Degussa GmbH
    Inventors: Kai Schumacher, Christian Schulze-Isfort, Paul Brandl, Mitsuru Ochiai
  • Patent number: 8211817
    Abstract: Fused silica glass having an internal transmittance of UV with 245 nm wavelength, being at least 95% at 10 mm thickness, a OH content of not larger than 5 ppm, and a content of Li, Na, K, Mg, Ca and Cu each being smaller than 0.1 ppm. Preferably the glass has a viscosity coefficient at 1215° C. of at least 1011.5 Pa·s; and a Cu ion diffusion coefficient of not larger than 1×10?10 cm2/sec in a depth range of greater than 20 ?m up to 100 ?m, from the surface, when leaving to stand at 1050° C. in air for 24 hours. The glass is made by cristobalitizing powdery silica raw material; then, fusing the cristobalitized silica material in a non-reducing atmosphere. The glass exhibits a high transmittance of ultraviolet, visible and infrared rays, has high purity and heat resistance, and exhibits a reduced diffusion rate of metal impurities, therefore, it is suitable for various optical goods, semiconductor-production apparatus members, and liquid crystal display production apparatus members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignees: Tosoh Corporation, Tosoh SGM Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Arai, Tsutomu Takahata, Shinkichi Hasimoto, Masahito Uchida, Nobusuke Yamada, Yoshinori Harada, Hideharu Horikoshi
  • Publication number: 20120149543
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a TiO2-containing silica glass having a TiO2 content of 7.5 to 12% by mass, a fictive temperature of 1,000° C. or higher, and a temperature at which a coefficient of linear thermal expansion is 0 ppb/° C. being within the range of 40 to 110° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Akio KOIKE, Yasutomi Iwahashi, Shinya Kikugawa
  • Publication number: 20120148770
    Abstract: A high silica glass composition comprising about 82 to about 99.9999 wt. % SiO2 and from about 0.0001 to about 18 wt. % of at least one dopant selected from Al2O3, CeO2, TiO2, La2O3, Y2O3, Nd2O3, other rare earth oxides, and mixtures of two or more thereof. The glass composition has a working point temperature ranging from 600 to 2,000° C. These compositions exhibit stability similar to pure fused quartz, but have a moderate working temperature to enable cost effective fabrication of pharmaceutical packages. The glass is particularly useful as a packaging material for pharmaceutical applications, such as, for example pre-filled syringes, ampoules and vials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Tianjun Rong, Samuel Conzone, Martin Lawrence Panchula
  • Patent number: 8178450
    Abstract: The present invention provides a TiO2—SiO2 glass whose coefficient of linear thermal expansion in the range of the time of irradiation with EUV light is substantially zero when used as an optical member of an exposure tool for EUVL and which has extremely high surface smoothness. The present invention relates to a TiO2-containing silica glass having a TiO2 content of from 7.5 to 12% by mass, a temperature at which a coefficient of linear thermal expansion is 0 ppb/° C., falling within the range of from 40 to 110° C., and a standard deviation (?) of a stress level of striae of 0.03 MPa or lower within an area of 30 mm×30 mm in at least one plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Akio Koike, Kenta Saito, Long Shao, Yasutomi Iwahashi, Shinya Kikugawa
  • Patent number: 8176752
    Abstract: A silica glass article, such as a lens in a stepper/scanner system, having saturated induced absorption at wavelengths of less than about 250 nm. Saturated induced absorption is achieved by first removing Si—O defects in the silica glass by forming silicon hydride (SiH) at such defects, and loading the silica glass with hydrogen to react with E? centers formed by photolysis of SiH in the silica glass article. The silicon hydride is formed by loading the silica glass with molecular hydrogen at temperatures of at least 475° C. After formation of SiH, the silica glass is loaded with additional molecular hydrogen at temperatures of less than 475° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Susan Lee Schiefelbein, Charlene Marie Smith
  • Patent number: 8156761
    Abstract: A mixed quartz powder contains quartz powder and two or more types of doping element in an amount of from 0.1 to 20 mass %. The aforementioned doped elements include a first dope element selected from the group consisting of N, C and F, and a second dope element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, Ti, Zr, Hf, the lanthanides and the actinides. The “quartz powder” is a powder of crystalline quartz or it is a powder of glassy SiO2 particles. It is made form natural occurring quartz or it is fabricated synthetically. The “quartz powder” may be doped. The compounding ratio of the total amount (M1) of the aforementioned first elements and the total amount (M2) of the aforementioned second elements as the ratio of the number of atoms (M1)/(M2) is preferably from 0.1 to 20. Al as well as the aforementioned doped elements is preferably included in a mixed quartz powder of this invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignees: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG, Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuhiro Sato
  • Patent number: 8136372
    Abstract: A method of making a fused silica article having a combined concentration of protium and deuterium in a range from about 1×1016 molecules/cm3 up to about 6×1019 molecules/cm3. In some embodiments, deuterium is present in an amount greater than its natural isotopic abundance. The method includes the steps of providing a fused silica boule, diffusing at least one of protium and deuterium into the boule, and annealing the boule to form the fused silica article. A method of diffusing hydrogen into fused silica and a fused silica article loaded with hydrogen formed by the method are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael A Mueller, Michael Thomas Murtagh
  • Publication number: 20120056106
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optical filter material made of doped quartz glass, which at a low dopant concentration exhibits spectral transmission as high as possible of at least 80% cm?1 for operating radiation of 254 nm, transmission as low as possible in the wave range below approximately 250 nm, and an edge wavelength ?c within the wave range of 230 to 250 nm. It was found that this aim is achieved by doping comprising a gallium compound, which in the wave range below 250 nm has a maximum of an absorption band and thus determines the edge wave range ?c.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: HERAEUS QUARZGLAS GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Christian Neumann
  • Patent number: 8093165
    Abstract: The present invention provides a TiO2—SiO2 glass in which when used as an optical member for an exposure tool for EUVL, a thermal expansion coefficient is substantially zero at the time of irradiation with high-EUV energy light, and physical properties of a multilayer can be kept over a long period of time by releasing hydrogen from the glass. The present invention relates to a TiO2-containing silica glass having a fictive temperature of 1,100° C. or lower, a hydrogen molecule concentration of 1×1016 molecules/cm3 or more, and a temperature, at which a linear thermal expansion coefficient is 0 ppb/° C., falling within the range of from 40 to 110° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Akio Koike, Yasutomi Iwahashi, Shinya Kikugawa, Yuko Tachibana
  • Patent number: 8062986
    Abstract: A fused silica article having a combined concentration of hydroxyl (OH) and deuteroxyl (OD) concentration of less than 10 parts per million (ppm) and, in one embodiment, less than 1 ppm. The fused silica article is formed by drying a soot blank in a halogen-free atmosphere comprising carbon monoxide. The dried soot blank may optionally be doped to reach target levels of OH and OD concentrations and improve homogeneity within the fused silica article. The dried soot blank is then oxidized and, sintered to form the article. A method of reducing the combined concentration of OH and OD to less than 10 ppm is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Rostislav Radievich Khrapko, Nicolas LeBlond, James Edward Tingley
  • Patent number: 8062733
    Abstract: A high-silica glass sheet has an average thickness of less than 150 microns and an average surface roughness over one or both of its two major surfaces of less than 1 nm. The glass sheet is formed using a roll-to-roll glass soot deposition and sintering process. The glass sheet may comprise a plurality of substantially parallel surface protrusions, which are visible only when a major surface of the glass sheet is viewed at an angle sufficiently removed from normal incidence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Daniel Warren Hawtof, Douglas Miles Noni, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8048817
    Abstract: To provide an amorphous silica powder suitable for a sealing material for semiconductors having improved HTSL properties and HTOL properties, and a process for its production. An amorphous silica powder containing Al in an amount of from 0.03 to 20 mass % as calculated as Al2O3 measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, wherein the average particle size is at most 50 ?m, and when the amorphous silica powder is divided according to the average particle size into two powders, a powder having a particle size smaller than the average particle size has a higher content as calculated as Al2O3 than a powder having a particle size larger than the average particle size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Denki Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Nishi, Tohru Umezaki
  • Patent number: 8039409
    Abstract: The present invention provides a TiO2-containing silica glass from which a transparent extremely low thermal expansion glass having excellent transparency and having a temperature region in which the coefficient of thermal expansion is substantially zero can be obtained. The present invention relates to a TiO2-containing silica glass for optical member for EUV lithography, having a TiO2 concentration of from 3 to 14% by mass; an internal transmittance per 1-mm thickness in a wavelength region of from 400 to 700 nm, T400-700, of 97% or more; and an internal transmittance per 1-mm thickness in a wavelength region of from 400 to 3,000 nm, T400-3,000, of 70% or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kenta Saitou, Akio Koike, Mitsuhiro Kawata
  • Patent number: 8034731
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a TiO2—SiO2 glass whose coefficient of linear thermal expansion at the time of irradiating with high EUV energy light becomes substantially zero when used as an optical member of an exposure tool for EUVL. The present invention relates to a TiO2-containing silica glass, having a fictive temperature of 1,000° C. or lower, a OH concentration of 600 ppm or higher, a temperature at which the coefficient of linear thermal expansion becomes 0 ppb/° C. of from 40 to 110° C., and an average coefficient of linear thermal expansion in the temperature range of 20 to 100° C., of 50 ppb/° C. or lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Akio Koike, Yasutomi Iwahashi, Shinya Kikugawa
  • Patent number: 8017536
    Abstract: The invention starts from a known component of quartz glass for use in semiconductor manufacture, which component at least in a near-surface region shows a co-doping of a first dopant and of a second oxidic dopant, said second dopant containing one or more rare-earth metals in a concentration of 0.1-3% by wt. each (based on the total mass of SiO2 and dopant). Starting from this, to provide a quartz glass component for use in semiconductor manufacture in an environment with etching action, which component is distinguished by both high purity and high resistance to dry etching and avoids known drawbacks caused by co-doping with aluminum oxide, it is suggested according to the invention that the first dopant should be nitrogen and that the mean content of metastable hydroxyl groups of the quartz glass is less than 30 wtppm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignees: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG, Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co.
    Inventors: Juergen Weber, Tatsuhiro Sato, Ralf Schneider, Achim Hofmann, Christian Gebauer
  • Patent number: 8012894
    Abstract: A fused silica glass and a fused silica article having a combined concentration of at least one of OH and OD of up to about 50 ppm. The fused silica glass is formed by drying a fused silica soot blank or preform in an inert atmosphere containing a drying agent, followed by removal of residual drying agent from the dried soot blank by heating the dried soot blank in an atmosphere comprising an inert gas and of oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Dana Craig Bookbinder, Richard Michael Fiacco, Kenneth Edward Hrdina, Rostislav Radievich Khrapko
  • Publication number: 20110207592
    Abstract: In one embodiment the present disclosure is directed to a silica-titania glass with an internal transmission of >90%/cm at wavelengths from 340 nm to 840 nm. In another embodiment the internal transmission is >93%/cm at wavelengths from 340 nm to 840 nm. In a further embodiment the internal transmission is >95%/cm at wavelengths from 340 nm to 840 nm. In another embodiment the disclosure is directed to a silica-titania glass with an overall transmission through an optic made of the glass is >84% at wavelengths from 340 nm to 840 nm. In another embodiment overall transmission through an optic made of the glass is >86% at wavelengths from 340 nm to 840 nm. In a further embodiment the overall transmission through an optic made of the glass is >88% at wavelengths from 330 nm to 840 nm. In a further embodiment the silica-titania glass has a Ti+3 concentration level [Ti3+] less than 3 ppm by weight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Inventors: Carlos Duran, Kenneth Edward Hrdina, Michael A. Mueller
  • Publication number: 20110207593
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to tailoring and improving the expansivity of low thermal expansion silica-titania glass through changes in the [OH] content and fictive temperature of the glasses. The [OH] concentration in the glass can be in the range of 600-2500 ppm. The fictive temperature, TF is less than 900° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Inventors: Carlos Duran, Kenneth Edward Hrdina, John Edward Maxon
  • Patent number: 7998892
    Abstract: The present invention provides a TiO2—SiO2 glass whose coefficient of linear thermal expansion upon irradiation with high EUV energy light is substantially zero, which is suitable as an optical member of an exposure tool for EUVL. The present invention relates to a TiO2-containing silica glass having a halogen content of 100 ppm or more; a fictive temperature of 1,100° C. or lower; an average coefficient of linear thermal expansion in the range of from 20 to 100° C. of 30 ppb/° C. or lower; a temperature width ?T, in which a coefficient of linear thermal expansion is 0±5 ppb/° C., of 5° C. or greater; and a temperature, at which a coefficient of linear thermal expansion is 0 ppb/° C., falling within the range of from 30 to 150° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Akio Koike, Yasutomi Iwahashi, Shinya Kikugawa
  • Patent number: 7994083
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods for hydrogen loading silica glass and silica glass comprising loaded H2. The methods can lead to H2 gradient in the glass material. Alternatively, the method may involve the use of varying H2 partial pressure of H2 in the atmosphere. Both can result in expedited hydrogen loading process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Brian Lee Harper, Kenneth Edward Hrdina, John Edward LaSala
  • Patent number: 7989378
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a TiO2—SiO2 glass having suitable thermal expansion properties as an optical member of an exposure tool for EUVL. The present invention relates to a TiO2-containing silica glass having a temperature, at which a coefficient of thermal expansion is 0 ppb/° C., falling within the range of 23±4° C. and a temperature width, in which a coefficient of thermal expansion is 0±5 ppb/° C., of 5° C. or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Akio Koike, Yasutomi Iwahashi, Shinya Kikugawa
  • Patent number: 7989379
    Abstract: The present invention provides a glass having a refractive index and a coefficient of thermal expansion close to those of quartz glass, respectively, and also having anti-devitrification properties excellent enough to avoid the development of defects such as devitrification on the glass surface even when it is molded by drawing process or reheat forming, more specifically an optical glass for use in optical communication devices, particularly an optical glass for use in a stub. The optical glass of the invention is composed of a borosilicate glass having a refractive index of from 1.44 to 1.46, a coefficient of thermal expansion of from 10×10?7 to 50×10?7/° C., and a liquidus viscosity of 105.5 dPa·s or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Syunsuke Fujita, Koichi Yabuuchi
  • Patent number: 7981824
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a quartz glass blank for an optical component for transmitting radiation of a wavelength of 15 nm and shorter, the blank consisting of highly pure quartz glass, doped with titanium and/or fluorine, which is distinguished by an extremely high homogeneity. The homogeneity relates to the following features: a) micro-inhomogeneities caused by a local variance of the TiO2 distribution (<0.05% TiO2, averaged over a volume element of (5 ?m)3 in relation to the mean value of the TiO2 content), b) an absolute maximum inhomogeneity in the thermal expansion coefficient ?? in the main functional direction (<5 ppb/K), c) a radial variance of the thermal expansion coefficient over the usable surface of the quartz glass blank of not more than 0.4 ppb/(K.cm); d) a maximum stress birefringence (SDB) at 633 nm in the main functional direction of 2 nm/cm with a specific progression; and e) a specific progression of the ??, averaged according to (b) on the optical surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Englisch, Ralf Takke, Bodo Kuehn, Bruno Uebbing, Rainer Koeppler
  • Patent number: 7975507
    Abstract: The invention provides a process for producing a synthetic quartz glass, comprising: (a) depositing fine quartz glass particles synthesized by flame hydrolysis of a glass-forming material, on a substrate, to form a porous quartz glass base; (b) presintering the porous quartz glass base; (c) heat-treating the presintered porous quartz glass base by holding it under vacuum at a temperature in the range of from 1,100° C. to below the vitrification temperature for a certain time period; and (d) heating the thus heat-treated porous quartz glass base to a temperature not lower than the vitrification temperature to obtain a synthetic quartz glass. According to the process for synthetic quartz glass production of the invention, a synthetic quartz glass having a reduced OH group amount and a uniform OH group concentration can be obtained. From the synthetic quartz glass, an optical member having excellent optical properties can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventor: Keigo Hino
  • Publication number: 20110159219
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a silicate glass article, such as a glass container, with a modified surface region. The modified surface has, among other advantageous properties, an improved chemical durability, an increased hardness, and/or an increased thermal stability, such as thermal shock resistance. In particular the present invention relates to a process for modifying a surface region of a silicate glass article by heat-treatment at Tg in a reducing gas atmosphere such as H2/N2 (1/99). The concentration of network-modifying cations (NMC) in the surface region of the silicate glass article is lower than in the bulk part, and the composition in the surface region of the network-modifying cations is a consequence of an inward diffusion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: AALBORG UNIVERSITET
    Inventors: Yuanzheng Yue, Morten Mattrup Smedskjaer
  • Patent number: 7964522
    Abstract: An F-doped silica glass, a process for making the glass, an optical member comprising the glass, and an optical system comprising such optical member. The glass material comprises 0.1-5000 ppm by weight of fluorine. The glass material according to certain embodiments of the present invention has low polarization-induced birefringence, low LIWFD and low induced absorption at 193 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Lisa Anne Moore, Charlene Marie Smith
  • Patent number: 7954341
    Abstract: The invention is concerned with a material which shows low absorption for UV radiation having a wavelength below 250 nm, low birefringence, high chemical resistance and high radiation resistance and which is therefore particularly usable for making optical components for microlithography. According to the invention the material consists of synthetically produced quartz crystallites which form a polycrystalline structure and have a mean grain size in the range between 500 nm and 30 ?m. The method according to the invention for making a blank from the material comprises providing granules consisting of synthetically produced quartz crystals having a mean grain size in the range between 500 nm and 30 ?m, and sintering the granules to obtain a blank of polycrystalline quartz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Bodo Kuehn, Stefan Ochs
  • Patent number: 7939457
    Abstract: A low expansion glass substrate includes titania and silica and has a thermal expansivity with an average gradient less than 1 ppb/° C./° C. in a temperature range of 19° C. to 25° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Kenneth Edward Hrdina, Robert Sabia
  • Patent number: 7938551
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing a luminescent glass, comprising the steps of adsorbing, to a porous high silica glass, at least one metal component selected from the group consisting of elements of Groups IIIA, IVA, VA, VIA, VIIA, VIII, IB, IIB and IVB of the Periodic Table; and thereafter heating the porous glass in a reducing atmosphere. The luminescent glass obtained by the process is excellent in heat resistance, chemical durability, mechanical strength and other properties, and exhibits strong luminescence when irradiated with UV light or the like. The glass can be effectively used as a luminous body for lighting systems, display devices, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignees: Japan Science and Technology Agency, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventors: Danping Chen, Tomoko Akai
  • Patent number: 7935648
    Abstract: In the nanoimprint lithography, a titania-doped quartz glass having a CTE of ?300 to 300 ppb/° C. between 0° C. and 250° C. and a CTE distribution of up to 100 ppb/° C. at 25° C. is suited for use as nanoimprint molds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeru Maida, Hisatoshi Otsuka
  • Patent number: 7928026
    Abstract: Disclosed in the application are a synthetic silica glass having low fluence-dependent transmission, particularly at about 193 nm, and a process for making the same. The glass may desirably exhibit a low level of fluorescence at 290 and 390 nm when activated at about 248 nm. The glass may desirably exhibit low level of LIWFD, [SiH*] and/or [ODC].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Dana Craig Bookbinder, Kenneth Edward Hrdina, Glenn Eric Kohnke, Lisa Anne Moore, Susan Lee Schiefelbein, Charlene Marie Smith, Ulrich W H Neukirch
  • Patent number: 7923394
    Abstract: In the nanoimprint lithography, titania-doped quartz glass having an internal transmittance distribution of up to 10% at wavelength 365 nm is suited for use as nanoimprint molds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeru Maida, Hisatoshi Otsuka
  • Patent number: 7905932
    Abstract: A mixed quartz powder contains quartz powder and two or more types of doping element in an amount of from 0.1 to 20 mass %. The aforementioned doped elements include a first dope element selected from the group consisting of N, C and F, and a second dope element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, Ti, Zr, Hf, the lanthanides and the actinides. The “quartz powder” is a powder of crystalline quartz or it is a powder of glassy SiO2 particles. It is made form natural occurring quartz or it is fabricated synthetically. The “quartz powder” may be doped. The compounding ratio of the total amount (M1) of the aforementioned first elements and the total amount (M2) of the aforementioned second elements as the ratio of the number of atoms (M1)/(M2) is preferably from 0.1 to 20. Al as well as the aforementioned doped elements is preferably included in a mixed quartz powder of this invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignees: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG, Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuhiro Sato
  • Patent number: 7906446
    Abstract: Disclosed are synthetic silica glass having a low polarization-induced birefringence, process for making the glass and lithography system comprising optical element made of the glass. The silica glass has a polarization-induced birefringence measured at 633 nm of less than about 0.1 nm/cm when subjected to excimer laser pulses at about 193 nm having a fluence of about 40 ?J·cm?2·pulse?1 and a pulse length of about 25 ns for 5×109 pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Douglas Clippinger Allan, Dana Craig Bookbinder, Ulrich W H Neukirch, Charlene Marie Smith
  • Publication number: 20110048075
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a method by which the Tzc of a silica-titania glass article, for example, a EUVL mirror substrate, can be tuned to within a specification range by means of a selected final anneal that shifts Tzc of the article or substrate to the desired Tzc value. In addition, since different mirrors in a set can be specified at different values of Tzc, this process can be on used glass samples or pieces from a single glass boule to make parts with different Tzc values, thus reducing the number of separate boules required to fill an order.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Carlos Duran, Kenneth Edward Hrdina
  • Publication number: 20100317505
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a TiO2—SiO2 glass whose coefficient of linear thermal expansion at the time of irradiating with high EUV energy light becomes substantially zero when used as an optical member of an exposure tool for EUVL. The present invention relates to a TiO2-containing silica glass, having a fictive temperature of 1,000° C. or lower, a OH concentration of 600 ppm or higher, a temperature at which the coefficient of linear thermal expansion becomes 0 ppb/° C. of from 40 to 110° C., and an average coefficient of linear thermal expansion in the temperature range of 20 to 100° C., of 50 ppb/° C. or lower.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: ASAHI GLASS COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Akio KOIKE, Yasutomi Iwahashi, Shinya Kikugawa
  • Patent number: 7827824
    Abstract: A synthetic quartz glass substrate having (i) an OH concentration of 1-100 ppm and a hydrogen molecule concentration of 1×1016-1×1019 molecules/cm3, (ii) an in-plane variation of its internal transmission at wavelength 193.4 nm which is up to 0.2%, and (iii) an internal transmission of at least 99.6% at wavelength 193.4 nm is suited for use with excimer lasers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisatoshi Otsuka, Kazuo Shirota, Osamu Sekizawa
  • Patent number: 7784307
    Abstract: To reduce the change in the refractive index of an irradiated portion of synthetic quartz glass, caused by the irradiation with a high energy light emitted from a light source such as a KrF excimer laser or an ArF excimer laser. A process for producing an optical member made of synthetic quartz glass, wherein the OH group concentration of the optical member is set depending upon the energy density of the laser beam employed, to adjust the ratio R (KJ/cm.sup.2-ppb).sup.-1 of the change in the refractive index of the optical member to the cumulative irradiation energy (KJ/cm.sup.2) by the laser, to be 0.Itoreq.R.Itoreq.0.2, thereby to control the change in the refractive index of the optical member made of synthetic quartz glass by the irradiation with a laser beam to be within a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Tomonori Ogawa, Yoshiaki Ikuta, Shinya Kikugawa
  • Patent number: 7758774
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing a luminescent glass, comprising the steps of adsorbing, to a porous high silica glass, at least one metal component selected from the group consisting of elements of Groups IIIA, IVA, VA, VIA, VIIA, VIII, IB, IIB and IVB of the Periodic Table; and thereafter heating the porous glass in a reducing atmosphere. The luminescent glass obtained by the process is excellent in heat resistance, chemical durability, mechanical strength and other properties, and exhibits strong luminescence when irradiated with UV light or the like. The glass can be effectively used as a luminous body for lighting systems, display devices, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignees: Japan Science and Technology Agency, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventors: Danping Chen, Tomoko Akai
  • Publication number: 20100179047
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical member including a TiO2-containing silica glass having: a TiO2 concentration of from 3 to 10% by mass; a Ti3+ concentration of 100 wt ppm or less; a thermal expansion coefficient at from 0 to 100° C., CTE0-100, of 0±150 ppb/° C.; and an internal transmittance in the wavelength range of 400 to 700 nm per a thickness of 1 mm, T400-700, of 80% or more, in which the optical member has a ratio of variation of Ti3+ concentration to an average value of the Ti3+ concentration, ?Ti3+/Ti3+, on an optical use surface, is 0.2 or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: ASAHI GLASS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akio KOIKE, Chikaya Tamitsuji, Kunio Watanabe, Tomonori Ogawa
  • Patent number: 7749930
    Abstract: An ideal quartz glass for a wafer jig for use in an environment having an etching effect is distinguished by both high purity and high resistance to dry etching. To indicate a quartz glass that substantially fulfills these requirements, it is suggested according to the invention that the quartz glass is doped with nitrogen at least in a near-surface area, has a mean content of metastable hydroxyl groups of less than 30 wt ppm and that its fictive temperature is below 1250° C. and its viscosity is at least 1013 dPa·s at a temperature of 1200° C. An economic method for producing such a quartz glass comprises the following method steps: melting an SiO2 raw material to obtain a quartz glass blank, the SiO2 raw material or the quartz glass blank being subjected to a dehydration measure, heating the SiO2 raw material or the quartz glass blank to a nitriding temperature in the range between 1050° C. and 1850° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Juergen Weber, Tobias Pogge, Martin Trommer, Bodo Kuehn, Ulrich Kirst, Waltraud Werdecker
  • Patent number: 7732359
    Abstract: An optical member comprising OD-doped silica glass, optionally doped with fluorine. The optical member is particularly advantageous for use in connection with radiation having a wavelength shorter than about 248 nm. In certain embodiments the optical member can be advantageously used for wavelength as short as about 157 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Dana Craig Bookbinder, Michael Lucien Genier, Lisa Anne Moore
  • Patent number: 7718559
    Abstract: A method of fabricating doped quartz component is provided herein. In one embodiment, the doped quartz component is a yttrium doped quartz ring configured to support a substrate. In another embodiment, the doped quartz component is a yttrium and aluminum doped cover ring. In yet another embodiment, the doped quartz component is a yttrium, aluminum and nitrogen containing cover ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jie Yuan, Jennifer Y. Sun, Renguan Duan
  • Publication number: 20100105537
    Abstract: Methods for preparing glass structures include extruding a glass precursor, the glass precursor having a composition in the range of 55%-75% SiO2, 5%-10% Na2O, 20%-35% B2O3 and 0%-5% Al2O3, and heat treating and leaching the glass precursor to yield a glass article comprising at least about 90% SiO2 by weight. Glass articles can be used to manufacture a variety of geometrically complex structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2008
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Inventors: Nicholas Francis Borrelli, David John McEnroe, Elizabeth Marie Vileno
  • Patent number: 7704315
    Abstract: Aqueous dispersion containing a metal oxide powder with a fine fraction and a coarse fraction, in which—the metal oxide powder is silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, titanium dioxide, zirconium dioxide, cerium oxide or a mixed oxide of two or more of the aforementioned metal oxides,—the fine fraction is present in aggregated form and has a mean aggregate diameter in the dispersion of less than 200 nm,—the coarse fraction consists of particles with a mean diameter of 1 to 20 ?m, —the ratio of fine fraction to coarse fraction is 2:98 to 30:70, and—the content of metal oxide powder is 50 to 85 wt. %, referred to the total amount of the dispersion. The aqueous dispersion is produced by a process comprising the steps:—production of a fine fraction dispersion by dispersing the pulverulent fine fraction in water by means of an energy input of at least 200 KJ/m3?, and—introducing the coarse fraction in the form of a powder into the fine fraction dispersion under dispersing conditions at a low energy input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Degussa AG
    Inventors: Monika Oswald, Corinna Kissner, Roland Weiss, Andreas Lauer
  • Patent number: 7687418
    Abstract: The X-ray opaque glass is characterized by a composition, in mol %, of SiO2, 75-98; Yb2O3, 0.1 to 40; and ZrO2, 0 to 40. Preferred embodiments of the glass are free of Al2O3 and B2O3. The glass is produced from the glass batch by melting at a temperature of at least 1500° C. in an iridium or iridium alloy vessel with the assistance of high-frequency radiation. In preferred embodiments of the glass production process at least one raw material ingredient is present in the batch as a nanoscale powder. The glass is useful in dental applications, optical applications, and biomedical applications, or for photovoltaics, or as a target material in PVD processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Schott AG
    Inventors: Ulrich Peuchert, Uwe Kolberg, Joern Besinger