Patents by Inventor Fumio Iwamoto

Fumio Iwamoto 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: 10028366
    Abstract: An EUV light generation device generates EUV light stably. The EUV light generation device may include a chamber in which extreme ultraviolet light is generated when a target is irradiated with laser light in a predetermined region inside the chamber, a target supply device configured to output the target to the predetermined region in the chamber to thereby supply the target to the predetermined region, and a target recovery apparatus configured to recover the target output from the target supply device and not irradiated with the laser light. The target recovery apparatus may include a receiver disposed to be inclined with respect to a trajectory of the target output from the target supply device, the receiver being configured to receive the target by allowing the target not irradiated with the laser light to collide with the receiver, and an excitation device configured to vibrate the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Tsukasa Hori, Fumio Iwamoto, Kazukiyo Kamikanna
  • Patent number: 10009991
    Abstract: A target supply device may include: a tank including a cylindrical main body, a first end portion blocking an axial first end of the main body, and a second end portion blocking an axial second end of the main body; a nozzle provided to the first end portion of the tank and configured to output a target material contained inside the tank; and an inert gas supply unit configured to supply inert gas into the tank, in which the inert gas supply unit includes a gas flow path penetrating the second end portion of the tank and configured to guide the inert gas in a direction toward an inner wall of the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Nishisaka, Yoshiaki Kato, Fumio Iwamoto
  • Publication number: 20180160519
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation device may include a chamber in which a target is irradiated with laser light and extreme ultraviolet light is generated, and a target supply unit configured to eject a target into the chamber. The target supply unit may be provided with a nozzle member including an ejection face having an ejection port configured to eject the target into the chamber. An angle ?1 defined by the ejection face and the gravity axis may satisfy a condition of “0 degrees<?1<90 degrees”.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Fumio IWAMOTO, Tsukasa HORI, Toshiyuki HIRASHITA
  • Patent number: 9949354
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus includes a target supplier configured to output a target into a chamber as a droplet, the target generating extreme ultraviolet light when being irradiated with a laser beam in the chamber; a droplet measurement unit configured to measure a parameter for a state of the droplet outputted into the chamber; a pressure regulator configured to regulate a pressure in the target supplier in which the target is accommodated; and a target generation controller configured to control the pressure regulator, based on the parameter measured by the droplet measurement unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi Saito, Fumio Iwamoto, Osamu Wakabayashi, Takayuki Yabu
  • Patent number: 9894744
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus may include: a chamber in which extreme ultraviolet light is generated when a target is irradiated with a laser beam inside the chamber; a target supply part configured to supply the target into the chamber; and a target collector configured to collect the target which is supplied by the target supply part but is not irradiated with the laser beam in a collection container, by receiving the target on a receiving surface having a contact angle of greater than 90 degrees with the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Fumio Iwamoto, Yutaka Shiraishi, Tsukasa Hori, Takuya Ishii
  • Patent number: 9883574
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure may include a gas lock cover secured to a nozzle holder and provided downstream of a nozzle. The gas lock cover may cover a periphery of an exit of the nozzle and be structured to guide gas supplied from a gas supply unit. The gas lock cover may include a hollow cylindrical part provided downstream of the nozzle and having an exit opening for outputting droplets that are outputted from the nozzle and pass through an internal cavity of the cylindrical part. The gas lock cover may include a channel for transmitting the gas supplied from the gas supply unit, the channel being structured to orient a flow of the transmitted gas so as to flow to the exit opening of the cylindrical part through the internal cavity of the cylindrical part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventors: Fumio Iwamoto, Takashi Saito, Tsukasa Hori, Osamu Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 9854658
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus may include: a chamber in which extreme ultraviolet light is generated when a target is irradiated with a laser beam inside the chamber; a target supply part configured to supply the target into the chamber; and a target collector configured to collect the target which is supplied by the target supply part but is not irradiated with the laser beam in a collection container, by receiving the target on a receiving surface having a contact angle of equal to or smaller than 90 degrees with the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Fumio Iwamoto, Masaki Nakano, Tsukasa Hori
  • Publication number: 20170307979
    Abstract: An EUV light generation device generates EUV light stably. The EUV light generation device may include a chamber in which extreme ultraviolet light is generated when a target is irradiated with laser light in a predetermined region inside the chamber, a target supply device configured to output the target to the predetermined region in the chamber to thereby supply the target to the predetermined region, and a target recovery apparatus configured to recover the target output from the target supply device and not irradiated with the laser light. The target recovery apparatus may include a receiver disposed to be inclined with respect to a trajectory of the target output from the target supply device, the receiver being configured to receive the target by allowing the target not irradiated with the laser light to collide with the receiver, and an excitation device configured to vibrate the receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Tsukasa HORI, Fumio IWAMOTO, Kazukiyo KAMIKANNA
  • Publication number: 20170215266
    Abstract: A vibrator unit may be configured to apply vibration to a target material supplied to an inside of a target flow path. The vibrator unit may include a vibration transmission member to be brought into contact with a first member including the target flow path therein, and a piezoelectric member to be brought into contact with the vibration transmission member. The piezoelectric member may be configured to vibrate in response to an electric signal from the outside. The vibration dumping rate of the vibration transmission member may be smaller than the vibration dumping rate of the first member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2017
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki HIRASHITA, Fumio IWAMOTO, Tsukasa HORI, Masaki NAKANO
  • Patent number: 9699877
    Abstract: In an example of the present invention is an extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus including: a droplet supply device configured to successively supply droplets; a charging electrode being configured to control charging of droplets supplied from the droplet supply unit; and a target controller configured to control electric polarities of the droplets supplied from the droplet supply unit by controlling potential of the charging electrode in such a way that successive droplets join together to become a target droplet, wherein the droplets controlled in charging by the charging electrode include a plurality of groups each composed of successive droplets, and, in each of the groups, a droplet at one end is charged positively or negatively, a droplet at the other end is uncharged or charged in a polarity being the same as a polarity of an adjacent droplet in a group adjacent to the droplet at the other end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventors: Tsukasa Hori, Fumio Iwamoto, Hiroshi Umeda
  • Publication number: 20170053780
    Abstract: A target supply device may be provided with a tank configured to contain a metal as a target material, a nozzle having a nozzle hole through which the target material is output from the tank, a filter disposed in a communication portion for conducting the target material from the tank to the nozzle hole, a temperature adjuster configured to change the temperature of the target material in the tank, and a controller controlling the temperature adjuster to change the temperature of the target material in the tank such that oxygen in the target material is precipitated as metal oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Fumio IWAMOTO, Yutaka SHIRAISHI, Tsukasa HORI, Osamu WAKABAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20160270199
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure may include a gas lock cover secured to a nozzle holder and provided downstream of a nozzle. The gas lock cover may cover a periphery of an exit of the nozzle and be structured to guide gas supplied from a gas supply unit. The gas lock cover may include a hollow cylindrical part provided downstream of the nozzle and having an exit opening for outputting droplets that are outputted from the nozzle and pass through an internal cavity of the cylindrical part. The gas lock cover may include a channel for transmitting the gas supplied from the gas supply unit, the channel being structured to orient a flow of the transmitted gas so as to flow to the exit opening of the cylindrical part through the internal cavity of the cylindrical part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventors: Fumio IWAMOTO, Takashi SAITO, Tsukasa HORI, Osamu WAKABAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20160255709
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus may include: a chamber in which extreme ultraviolet light is generated when a target is irradiated with a laser beam inside the chamber; a target supply part configured to supply the target into the chamber; and a target collector configured to collect the target which is supplied by the target supply part but is not irradiated with the laser beam in a collection container, by receiving the target on a receiving surface having a contact angle of equal to or smaller than 90 degrees with the target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Fumio IWAMOTO, Masaki NAKANO, Tsukasa HORI
  • Publication number: 20160227637
    Abstract: A filter may include: a first member having a first surface provided with a channel; and a second member set with a second surface thereof covering the channel. The first member may include a first passable portion that allows a fluid to pass between the first surface and a first space, which is defined beside a surface of the first member opposite to the first surface, through a first area of the channel. The second member may include a second passable portion that allows the fluid to pass between the second surface and a second space, which is defined beside a surface of the second member opposite to the second surface, through a second area of the channel distanced from the first area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventors: Tomohide ICHINOSE, Fumio IWAMOTO, Yutaka SHIRAISHI, Tsukasa HORI, Hideo HOSHINO
  • Publication number: 20160227638
    Abstract: In an example of the present invention is an extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus including: a droplet supply device configured to successively supply droplets; a charging electrode being configured to control charging of droplets supplied from the droplet supply unit; and a target controller configured to control electric polarities of the droplets supplied from the droplet supply unit by controlling potential of the charging electrode in such a way that successive droplets join together to become a target droplet, wherein the droplets controlled in charging by the charging electrode include a plurality of groups each composed of successive droplets, and, in each of the groups, a droplet at one end is charged positively or negatively, a droplet at the other end is uncharged or charged in a polarity being the same as a polarity of an adjacent droplet in a group adjacent to the droplet at the other end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventors: Tsukasa HORI, Fumio IWAMOTO, Hiroshi UMEDA
  • Publication number: 20160192470
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus may include: a chamber in which extreme ultraviolet light is generated when a target is irradiated with a laser beam inside the chamber; a target supply part configured to supply the target into the chamber; and a target collector configured to collect the target which is supplied by the target supply part but is not irradiated with the laser beam in a collection container, by receiving the target on a receiving surface having a contact angle of greater than 90 degrees with the target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Fumio IWAMOTO, Yutaka SHIRAISHI, Tsukasa HORI, Takuya ISHII
  • Publication number: 20160165708
    Abstract: A target supply device may include: a tank including a cylindrical main body, a first end portion blocking an axial first end of the main body, and a second end portion blocking an axial second end of the main body; a nozzle provided to the first end portion of the tank and configured to output a target material contained inside the tank; and an inert gas supply unit configured to supply inert gas into the tank, in which the inert gas supply unit includes a gas flow path penetrating the second end portion of the tank and configured to guide the inert gas in a direction toward an inner wall of the main body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventors: Toshihiro NISHISAKA, Yoshiaki KATO, Fumio IWAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20160037616
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus includes a target supplier configured to output a target into a chamber as a droplet, the target generating extreme ultraviolet light when being irradiated with a laser beam in the chamber; a droplet measurement unit configured to measure a parameter for a state of the droplet outputted into the chamber; a pressure regulator configured to regulate a pressure in the target supplier in which the target is accommodated; and a target generation controller configured to control the pressure regulator, based on the parameter measured by the droplet measurement unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventors: Takashi SAITO, Fumio IWAMOTO, Osamu WAKABAYASHI, Takayuki YABU
  • Patent number: 7692026
    Abstract: Disclosed is a pyrrolotriazole compound represented by the following formula (I) and having an organic compound incorporated into crystals thereof or a pyrrolotriazole compound represented by the following formula (II) and having an alcohol incorporated into crystals thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Keizo Kimura, Fumio Iwamoto, Mitsuo Yoshikane
  • Patent number: 7474382
    Abstract: A plurality of first measurement patterns each including a protruding pattern formed of a resist film and a recessed pattern having a space with a shape corresponding to the protruding pattern are formed on a first substrate such that they have different focus values at a time of exposure, edge inclination amounts of the plurality of first measurement patterns are measured, and a focus dependence (17) of the edge inclination amounts is obtained based on correspondences (7) and (14) between the edge inclination amounts and the focus values. A second measurement pattern including the protruding pattern and the recessed pattern is formed on a second substrate so as to measure edge inclination amounts of the second measurement pattern, and a focus deviation amount deviating from a best focus at the time of exposure of the second measurement pattern is calculated from the edge inclination amounts of the second measurement pattern based on the focus dependence of the edge inclination amounts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hirofumi Fukumoto, Naohiko Ujimaru, Ken-ichi Asahi, Fumio Iwamoto