Patents by Inventor Alexander Schafgans

Alexander Schafgans 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: 10064261
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Yezheng Tao, John Tom Stewart, IV, Jordan Jur, Daniel Brown, Alexander A. Schafgans, Jason M. Arcand, Andrew LaForge
  • Patent number: 9516729
    Abstract: A laser produced plasma extreme ultraviolet laser source comprising at least one variable radius mirror. The at least one variable radius mirror to adjust a beam diameter of a main pulse at a specified distance from a pre-pulse focal plane, where the pre-pulse radiates droplets into target droplets and the main pulse radiates the target droplets into a plasma state to generate the extreme ultraviolet radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Kevin W Zhang, Michael Purvis, Robert J Rafac, Alexander Schafgans
  • Patent number: 9380691
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Yezheng Tao, Daniel J. W. Brown, Alexander Schafgans, Michael David Caudill, Daniel J. Golich, Richard L. Sandstrom, Yoshiho Amada
  • Publication number: 20160174351
    Abstract: A laser produced plasma extreme ultraviolet laser source comprising at least one variable radius mirror. The at least one variable radius mirror to adjust a beam diameter of a main pulse at a specified distance from a pre-pulse focal plane, where the pre-pulse radiates droplets into target droplets and the main pulse radiates the target droplets into a plasma state to generate the extreme ultraviolet radiation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: Kevin W. Zhang, Michael Purvis, Robert J. Rafac, Alexander Schafgans
  • Patent number: 9357625
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: 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
  • Publication number: 20160007434
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: Yezheng Tao, John Tom Stewart, IV, Jordan Jur, Andrew LaForge, Daniel Brown, Jason M. Arcand, Alexander A. Schafgans, Michael A. Purvis
  • Patent number: 9209595
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light system includes an optical amplifier system and a catalytic conversion system. Each optical amplifier of the optical amplifier system includes a gain medium in the form of a gas mixture that produces an amplified light beam. The optical amplifier system includes a fluid input and a fluid output through which the gas mixture flows. The catalytic conversion system is fluidly connected to the fluid output of the optical amplifier system and to the fluid input of the optical amplifier system. The catalytic conversion system includes a catalytic converter that includes a housing; a substrate within the housing including openings through which the gas mixture can flow; and a catalyst applied as a coating to the interior surfaces of the openings of the substrate, the catalyst including particles of metal. The particles of metal can be nanoparticles of precious metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Kevin Zhang, Christo Liebenberg, Alexander Schafgans
  • Publication number: 20150250045
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Inventors: Yezheng Tao, Daniel J.W. Brown, Alexander Schafgans, Michael David Caudill, Daniel J. Golich, Richard L. Sandstrom, Yoshiho Amada
  • Publication number: 20150222083
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light system includes an optical amplifier system and a catalytic conversion system. Each optical amplifier of the optical amplifier system includes a gain medium in the form of a gas mixture that produces an amplified light beam. The optical amplifier system includes a fluid input and a fluid output through which the gas mixture flows. The catalytic conversion system is fluidly connected to the fluid output of the optical amplifier system and to the fluid input of the optical amplifier system. The catalytic conversion system includes a catalytic converter that includes a housing; a substrate within the housing including openings through which the gas mixture can flow; and a catalyst applied as a coating to the interior surfaces of the openings of the substrate, the catalyst including particles of metal. The particles of metal can be nanoparticles of precious metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: Kevin Zhang, Christo Liebenberg, Alexander Schafgans
  • Patent number: 8872122
    Abstract: Described herein are embodiments of a method to control energy dose output from a laser-produced plasma extreme ultraviolet light system by adjusting timing of fired laser beam pulses. During stroboscopic firing, pulses are timed to lase droplets until a dose target of EUV has been achieved. Once accumulated EUV reaches the dose target, pulses are timed so as to not lase droplets during the remainder of the packet, and thereby prevent additional EUV light generation during those portions of the packet. In a continuous burst mode, pulses are timed to irradiate droplets until accumulated burst error meets or exceeds a threshold burst error. If accumulated burst error meets or exceeds the threshold burst error, a next pulse is timed to not irradiate a next droplet. Thus, the embodiments described herein manipulate pulse timing to obtain a constant desired dose target that can more precisely match downstream dosing requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Alexander Schafgans, James Crouch, Matthew R. Graham, Steven Chang, Paul Frihauf, Andrew Liu, Wayne Dunstan
  • Publication number: 20140191132
    Abstract: Described herein are embodiments of a method to control energy dose output from a laser-produced plasma extreme ultraviolet light system by adjusting timing of fired laser beam pulses. During stroboscopic firing, pulses are timed to lase droplets until a dose target of EUV has been achieved. Once accumulated EUV reaches the dose target, pulses are timed so as to not lase droplets during the remainder of the packet, and thereby prevent additional EUV light generation during those portions of the packet. In a continuous burst mode, pulses are timed to irradiate droplets until accumulated burst error meets or exceeds a threshold burst error. If accumulated burst error meets or exceeds the threshold burst error, a next pulse is timed to not irradiate a next droplet. Thus, the embodiments described herein manipulate pulse timing to obtain a constant desired dose target that can more precisely match downstream dosing requirements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: Cymer, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Schafgans, James Crouch, Matthew R. Graham, Steven Chang, Paul Frihauf, Andrew Liu, Wayne Dunstan