Patents by Inventor Akira Endo

Akira Endo 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).

  • Patent number: 8492738
    Abstract: An ion withdrawal apparatus that withdraws ions emitted from a plasma in an EUV light production apparatus in which a target at an EUV light production point is irradiated with laser light to be made in a plasma state and the target emits EUV light, the ion withdrawal apparatus which includes: a collector mirror that is disposed in a direction opposite to a laser light incidence direction to collect the EUV light and has a hole for the ions to pass therethrough; magnetic line of force production means that produces a magnetic line of force that is parallel or approximately parallel to the laser light incidence direction at or in the vicinity of the EUV light production point; and ion withdrawal means that is disposed on the opposite side of the collector mirror from the EUV light production point and withdraws the ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Gigaphoton, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Ueno, Osamu Wakabayashi, Tamotsu Abe, Akira Sumitani, Hideo Hoshino, Akira Endo, Georg Soumagne
  • Patent number: 8481984
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus using a spectrum purity filter capable of obtaining EUV light with high spectrum purity. The apparatus includes a chamber; a target supply unit for supplying a target material; a driver laser using a laser gas containing a carbon dioxide gas as a laser medium, for applying a laser beam to the target material to generate plasma; a collector mirror for collecting and outputting the extreme ultraviolet light radiated from the plasma; and a spectrum purity filter provided in an optical path of the extreme ultraviolet light, for transmitting the extreme ultraviolet light and reflecting the laser beam, the spectrum purity filter including a mesh having electrical conductivity and formed with an arrangement of apertures having a pitch not larger than a half of a shortest wavelength of the laser beam applied by the driver laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Masato Moriya, Osamu Wakabayashi, Tamotsu Abe, Takashi Suganuma, Akira Endo, Akira Sumitani
  • Patent number: 8476609
    Abstract: An EUV light source of the present invention is capable of using a saturable absorber stably and continuously in a high heat load state. A saturable absorber (SA) device is disposed on a laser beam line to absorb feeble light, such as self-excited oscillation light, parasitic oscillation light or return light. SA gas from an SA gas cylinder and buffer gas from a buffer gas cylinder are mixed to be a mixed gas. The mixed gas is supplied to an SA gas cell via a supply pipeline, and absorbs the feeble light included in the laser beam. The mixed gas is exhausted via an exhaust pipeline, and is sent to a heat exchanger. The mixed gas, cooled down by a heat exchanger, is sent back to the SA gas cell by a circulation pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Endo, Krzysztof Nowak, Hideo Hoshino, Tatsuya Ariga, Masato Moriya, Osamu Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 8471226
    Abstract: An EUV (Extreme Ultra Violet) light source device ionizes a target material in an ionizer, and supplies the ionized target material to a point of generating a plasma. This reduces the generation of debris. The ionizer simultaneously irradiates laser beams of plural wavelengths corresponding to the excited level of tin on a target material to ionize the target material. The ionized target material is extracted from the ionizer with a high voltage applied from an ion beam extractor, and accelerated and supplied to a plasma generation chamber. When driver laser beam is irradiated on the ionized target material, a plasma is generated, thereby emitting EUV radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Komori, Tatsuya Yanagida, Yoshifumi Ueno, Akira Sumitani, Akira Endo, Tsukasa Hori
  • Patent number: 8455850
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus, which is to generate an extreme ultraviolet light by irradiating a target with a main pulse laser light after irradiating the target with a prepulse laser light, the extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus comprises: a prepulse laser light source generating a pre-plasma by irradiating the target with the prepulse laser light while a part of the target remains, the pre-plasma being generated at a different region from a target region, the different region being located on an incident side of the prepulse laser light; and a main pulse laser light source generating the extreme ultraviolet light by irradiating the pre-plasma with the main pulse laser light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Endo, Yoshifumi Ueno, Youichi Sasaki, Osamu Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 8436328
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Yanagida, Akira Endo, Hiroshi Komori, Shinji Nagai, Kouji Kakizaki, Tamotsu Abe, Hideo Hoshino
  • Patent number: 8399867
    Abstract: An EUV light source apparatus in which contamination or damage of optical elements and other component elements by debris can be suppressed to realize longer lives of them. The EUV light source apparatus is an apparatus for radiating extreme ultraviolet light by generating plasma of a target material within a chamber, and includes: a first laser unit for applying a first laser beam to the target material to generate pre-plasma; a second laser unit for applying a second laser beam to the pre-plasma to generate a main plasma for radiating the extreme ultraviolet light; and a magnetic field generating unit for generating a magnetic field within the chamber to control a state of at least one of the pre-plasma and the main plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Endo, Shinji Nagai, Kouji Kakizaki, Osamu Wakabayashi, Yoshifumi Ueno
  • Publication number: 20120310071
    Abstract: A measurement apparatus according to the present disclosure including a plurality of transparent electrodes provided on a surface of a display, an acquisition part acquiring an imaging signal obtained by imaging the surface of the display from an inside of the display, a configuring part configuring electrode pair candidates from the plurality of transparent electrodes based on the imaging signal acquired in a state that a subject touches the surface of the display, an electrocardiographic waveform signal measurement part measuring electrocardiographic waveform signals of the subject using respective electrode pair candidates configured, and a determination part determining a measurement electrode pair from the electrode pair candidates based on the electrocardiographic waveform signals measured using respective electrode pair candidates. This measurement apparatus is applicable to, for example, performing a personal authentication process of the subject based on the electrocardiographic waveform signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Isamu Nakao, Hirotaka Muramatsu, Takayuki Ogiso, Akira Endo
  • Patent number: 8324601
    Abstract: An extreme ultra violet light source apparatus by which EUV light can be efficiently obtained uses a driver laser which can realize a desired pulse width with substantially homogeneous intensity. The apparatus generates extreme ultra violet light by applying a laser beam to a target, and includes a chamber in which extreme ultra violet light is generated; a target supply unit which supplies a liquid or solid metal target to a predetermined position within the chamber; a laser beam generating unit which synthesizes pulse laser beams having delays different from one another to generate a single pulse laser beam or a pulse train laser beam having substantially homogeneous intensity, and applies the laser beam to the target supplied by the target supply unit to generate plasma; and a collector mirror which collects the extreme ultra violet light radiated from the plasma and outputs it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Hideo Hoshino, Tamotsu Abe, Akira Endo
  • Patent number: 8288743
    Abstract: An ion withdrawal apparatus that withdraws ions emitted from a plasma in an EUV light production apparatus in which a target at an EUV light production point is irradiated with laser light to be made in a plasma state and the target emits EUV light, the ion withdrawal apparatus which includes: a collector mirror that is disposed in a direction opposite to a laser light incidence direction to collect the EUV light and has a hole for the ions to pass therethrough; magnetic line of force production means that produces a magnetic line of force that is parallel or approximately parallel to the laser light incidence direction at or in the vicinity of the EUV light production point; and ion withdrawal means that is disposed on the opposite side of the collector mirror from the EUV light production point and withdraws the ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Gigaphoton, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Ueno, Osamu Wakabayashi, Tamotsu Abe, Akira Sumitani, Hideo Hoshino, Akira Endo, Georg Soumagne
  • Publication number: 20120253206
    Abstract: A measurement apparatus includes a signal generation unit generating a measurement signal for measuring a bioelectrical impedance, a first electrode pair making contact with the left and right sides of a body of a person under measurement to supply the measurement signal generated to the body, a second electrode pair placed adjacent to the first electrode pair and making contact with the left and right sides of the body, a bioelectrical impedance measurement unit measuring the bioelectrical impedance of the person under measurement based on an electrical signal obtained from the second electrode pair in response to supplying of the measurement signal, and an electrocardiogram signal measurement unit measuring an electrocardiogram signal of the person under measurement based on the electrical signal obtained from the second electrode pair. The bioelectrical impedance measurement unit and the electrocardiogram signal measurement unit concurrently operate in parallel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventors: Shinichi FUKUDA, Takayuki OGISO, Hideyuki KOGURE, Hiroaki NAKANO, Hirotaka MURAMATSU, Akira ENDO, Hiroyuki INO
  • Patent number: 8273919
    Abstract: Problem: To provide a novel compound capable of preventing pyrolysis of fluorinated oils when it is used as an additive for the fluorinated oils. Solution Means: A compound represented by Formula (1): wherein Y represents an oxygen atom (O), a sulfur atom (S), a CO group, a SO group, or a SO2 group; k is an integer from 1 to 5; m is an integer from 1 to 10; and n is an integer of 1 or more; and wherein two substituents on each phenyl group may be in any of ortho-, meta-, and para-positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Unimatec Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Endo, Kimihiko Urata
  • Publication number: 20120217414
    Abstract: An ion withdrawal apparatus that withdraws ions emitted from a plasma in an EUV light production apparatus in which a target at an EUV light production point is irradiated with laser light to be made in a plasma state and the target emits EUV light, the ion withdrawal apparatus which includes: a collector mirror that is disposed in a direction opposite to a laser light incidence direction to collect the EUV light and has a hole for the ions to pass therethrough; magnetic line of force production means that produces a magnetic line of force that is parallel or approximately parallel to the laser light incidence direction at or in the vicinity of the EUV light production point; and ion withdrawal means that is disposed on the opposite side of the collector mirror from the EUV light production point and withdraws the ions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicants: GIGAPHOTON INC., KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshifumi UENO, Osamu WAKABAYASHI, Tamotsu ABE, Akira SUMITANI, Hideo HOSHINO, Akira ENDO, Georg SOUMAGNE
  • Publication number: 20120176036
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Takeshi ASAYAMA, Kouji Kakizaki, Akira Endo, Shinji Nagai
  • Publication number: 20120161040
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus, which is to generate an extreme ultraviolet light by irradiating a target with a main pulse laser light after irradiating the target with a prepulse laser light, the extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus comprises: a prepulse laser light source generating a pre-plasma by irradiating the target with the prepulse laser light while a part of the target remains, the pre-plasma being generated at a different region from a target region, the different region being located on an incident side of the prepulse laser light; and a main pulse laser light source generating the extreme ultraviolet light by irradiating the pre-plasma with the main pulse laser light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Endo, Yoshifumi Ueno, Youichi Sasaki, Osamu Wakabayashi
  • Publication number: 20120121411
    Abstract: A labyrinth seal is provided that can suppress the occurrence of an unequal pressure pattern in the seal, suppress unstable vibration of a rotating shaft and ensure sealing performance. The labyrinth seal includes a seal ring 13 and a plurality of seal fins 11. Ring-like cavities 12 are defined on the outer circumference of the rotating shaft 2 with the seal ring 13 and the seal fins 11. The ring-like cavities 12 suppress a leakage flow LS moving along the outer circumference of the rotating shaft 2. Void portions 14 are each provided on the outer circumferential side of the cavity 12 in the seal ring 13 so as to extend in the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft 2 and communicate with the cavity 12 at circumferential intervals to temporarily relieve a leakage flow from inside the cavity in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira ENDO, Kazuyuki YAMAGUCHI, Yohei MAGARA, Toyomi YOSHIDA, Michiyuki TAKAGI, Kenichi MURATA, Takeshi KUDO
  • Publication number: 20120097869
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: Gigaphoton, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Ueno, Georg Soumagne, Shiniji Nagai, Akira Endo, Tatsuya Yanagida
  • Patent number: 8164076
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus, which is to generate an extreme ultraviolet light by irradiating a target with a main pulse laser light after irradiating the target with a prepulse laser light, the extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus comprises: a prepulse laser light source generating a pre-plasma by irradiating the target with the prepulse laser light while a part of the target remains, the pre-plasma being generated at a different region from a target region, the different region being located on an incident side of the prepulse laser light; and a main pulse laser light source generating the extreme ultraviolet light by irradiating the pre-plasma with the main pulse laser light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Endo, Yoshifumi Ueno, Youichi Sasaki, Osamu Wakabayashi
  • Publication number: 20120091893
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: Gigaphoton, Inc.
    Inventors: Tatsuya YANAGIDA, Akira Endo, Hiroshi Komori, Shinji Nagai, Kouji Kakizaki, Tamotsu Abe, Hideo Hoshino
  • Patent number: 8158959
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Takeshi Asayama, Kouji Kakizaki, Akira Endo, Shinji Nagai