Patents by Inventor GIGAPHOTON INC.

GIGAPHOTON INC. 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).

  • Publication number: 20130221246
    Abstract: A target supply device is provided that may include a pair of rails arranged to face each other, the rails having electrically conductive properties, a target transport mechanism configured to supply a target material into a space between the rails and in contact with the rails, and a power supply connected to the rails and configured to supply a current to the target material through the rails. Methods and systems using the target supply device are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventor: GIGAPHOTON INC.
  • Publication number: 20130221587
    Abstract: A target material refinement device may include a refinement tank to accommodate a target material, a heating section to heat the interior of the refinement tank, and an oxygen-atom removing section to remove oxygen atoms present in the target material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventor: GIGAPHOTON INC.
  • Publication number: 20130221247
    Abstract: A collector mirror exchanging apparatus capable of safely and easily exchanging a collector mirror for collecting extreme ultra violet light emitted from plasma generated within a chamber of an extreme ultra violet light source apparatus. The collector mirror exchanging apparatus includes: a supporting base for supporting a collector mirror or a collector mirror structure; and a guiding rail disposed on the supporting base and regulating a moving direction of the collector mirror or the collector mirror structure; wherein at least the collector mirror is taken out of the chamber by moving the collector mirror or the collector mirror structure along the guiding rail on the supporting base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventor: GIGAPHOTON INC.
  • Publication number: 20130209077
    Abstract: A target supply apparatus used in an extreme ultraviolet light apparatus that generates extreme ultraviolet light by irradiating a target with a laser beam may include a tank, a nozzle that includes a through-hole and is disposed so that the through-hole communicates with the interior of the tank, a first heater disposed along a wall of the tank, a second heater disposed along a wall of the tank in a position that is further from the nozzle than the first heater, and a control unit configured to control the first heater and the second heater so that a temperature of the first heater is greater than a temperature of the second heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventor: Gigaphoton Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130208744
    Abstract: An excimer laser may include a frame, a base plate on which the frame is disposed, an excimer laser configured to oscillate and output laser light by discharge-pumping within a chamber containing a laser gas, an optical element that is mounted upon the frame and that is disposed in the optical path of the outputted laser light and a heat removal mechanism connected to both the frame and the base plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventor: Gigaphoton Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130206863
    Abstract: A target supply device includes a target supply device body including a nozzle having a through-hole through which a target material is discharged, a piezoelectric member having first and second surfaces and connected to the target supply device body at the first surface, the piezoelectric member being configured such that a distance between the first and second surfaces changes in according with an externally supplied electric signal, an elastic member having first and second ends and connected to the second surface of the piezoelectric member at the first end, the elastic member being configured such that a distance between the first and second ends extends or contract in accordance with an externally applied force, and a regulating member configured to regulate a distance between the second end of the elastic member and the target supply device body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventor: GIGAPHOTON INC.
  • Publication number: 20130202003
    Abstract: A wavelength converter may include a non-linear optical crystal, and an optical member bonded to a region of a contact surface of the non-linear optical crystal, located a predetermined distance or more on an inner side from an outer periphery of the contact surface. The wavelength converter may receive laser light and stably output light having a wavelength different from that of the laser light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventor: Gigaphoton Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130186976
    Abstract: A device for determining a target generation condition for a target generator which is driven by a pulse voltage to generate a droplet of a target material may include a detector configured to detect a target generated by the target generator and output a detection signal of the target, and a controller configured to control a pulse duration of the pulse voltage for driving the target generator. The controller can determine whether or not a target is generated by the target generator based on the detection signal, and determine whether or not the generated target includes a plurality of droplets based on the detection signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventor: Gigaphoton Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130186567
    Abstract: A target supply device includes a nozzle portion, a cover, a first electrode, and a potential controller. The nozzle portion has a through-hole defined therein to allow a target material to be discharged therethrough. The cover includes an electrically conductive material and is disposed to cover the nozzle portion. The cover has a through-hole defined therein to allow the target material to pass therethrough. The first electrode is disposed on the cover. The first electrode has a through-hole to allow the target material to pass therethrough. The potential controller is configured to control the first electrode to have a first potential that is lower than a second potential of the cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventor: GIGAPHOTON INC.
  • Publication number: 20130187065
    Abstract: A guide laser beam that has an optical axis and a beam diameter substantially equivalent to those of a driver pulsed laser beam is introduced into an amplification system that amplifies a laser beam that is output from a driver laser oscillator. The guide laser beam is output from a laser device as a continuous light, and is introduced into a light path of the driver pulsed laser beam via a guide laser beam introduction mirror. A sensor detects an angle (a direction) of a laser beam and a variation of a curvature of a wave front. A wave front correction controller outputs a signal to a wave front correction part based on a measured result of a sensor. The wave front correction part corrects a wave front of a laser beam to be a predetermined wave front according to an instruction from the wave front correction controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventor: GIGAPHOTON INC.
  • Publication number: 20130163073
    Abstract: A solid-state laser amplifier may include a first amplifying module including a first optical system having two focusing optical systems disposed so that the focal points of the two focusing optical systems essentially match at a first position, and a first solid-state laser element, disposed so that a surface into which laser light enters is tilted at essentially a Brewster's angle relative to an optical path of the laser light and a second amplifying module including a second optical system having two focusing optical systems disposed so that the focal points of the two focusing optical systems essentially match at a second position, and a second solid-state laser element, disposed so that a surface into which laser light that has passed through the first amplifying module enters is tilted at essentially a Brewster's angle relative to an optical path of the laser light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventor: Gigaphoton Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130146682
    Abstract: A target supply device may include a reservoir configured to store a target material, the reservoir having a first channel through which the target material passes, a nozzle plate having a second channel through which the target material passes after passing through the first channel, and a filter having a first surface and a second surface and provided between the reservoir and the nozzle plate such that the first surface and the reservoir are face-sealed and the second surface and the nozzle plate are face-sealed, the filter having a plurality of through-holes through which the target material passes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventor: GIGAPHOTON INC.
  • Publication number: 20130148677
    Abstract: An EUV light source device properly compensates the wave front of laser beam which is changed by heat. A wave front compensator and a sensor are provided in an amplification system which amplifies laser beam. The sensor detects and outputs changes in the angle (direction) of laser beam and the curvature of the wave front thereof. A wave front compensation controller outputs a signal to the wave front compensator based on the measurement results from the sensor. The wave front compensator corrects the wave front of the laser beam to a predetermined wave front according to an instruction from the wave front compensation controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventor: Gigaphoton Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130135601
    Abstract: A two-beam interference apparatus may include a wafer stage on which a wafer may be set, a beam splitter to split first laser light into second and third laser light having a beam intensity distribution elongated in a first direction within a surface of the wafer, and an optical system to guide the second and third laser light onto the wafer. The wafer is irradiated with the second laser light from a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the third laser light from a third direction perpendicular to the first direction but different from the second direction, to thereby cause interference of the second and third laser light on the wafer. This apparatus increases the accuracy of the two-beam interference exposure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventor: Gigaphoton Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130126762
    Abstract: An extreme ultra violet light source apparatus in which debris moving within a chamber are prevented from reducing reflectance or transmittance of optical elements of an EUV collector mirror, etc, and extreme ultra violet light can stably be generated in a long period. The apparatus includes: a target supply unit for supplying a target to a predetermined position within a chamber; a driver laser for applying a laser beam to the target to generate first plasma; a collector mirror provided within the chamber, for collecting extreme ultra violet light radiated from the first plasma; a gas supply unit for supplying a gas into the chamber; an excitation unit for exciting the gas to generate second plasma around a region where the first plasma is generated; and an exhaust unit for exhausting the chamber and ejecting debris emitted from the first plasma to outside of the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventor: GIGAPHOTON INC.
  • Publication number: 20130119232
    Abstract: A system for generating extreme ultraviolet light may include a chamber, a target supply device configured to supply a target material into the chamber, a laser apparatus configured to output a laser beam to irradiate the target material, a wavefront adjuster configured to adjust a wavefront of the laser beam, an imaging optical system configured to focus the laser beam reflected by the target material, an image detector configured to capture an image of the laser beam focused by the imaging optical system, and a controller configured to control the wavefront adjuster based on the captured image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventor: Gigaphoton Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130107899
    Abstract: A laser apparatus may include a laser oscillator capable of tuning a spectral bandwidth of a laser beam to be outputted therefrom, a spectrum detecting unit that detects a spectrum of the laser beam outputted from the laser oscillator and an attenuation unit capable of regulating light intensity of the laser beam that enters the spectrum detecting unit. The attenuation unit may include a variable attenuator whose transmittance varies depending on an incident position of the laser beam and a movement mechanism that moves the variable attenuator so that the incident position of the laser beam is changed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventor: Gigaphoton Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130100980
    Abstract: An excimer laser apparatus includes a gas supply unit, connected to a first receptacle that holds a first laser gas containing halogen gas and a second receptacle that holds a second laser gas having a lower halogen gas concentration than the first laser gas, that supplies the first laser gas and the second laser gas to the interior of the laser chamber. Gas pressure control in which the gas supply unit supplies the second laser gas to the interior of the laser chamber or a gas exhaust unit partially exhausts gas from within the laser chamber, and partial gas replacement control in which the gas supply unit supplies the first laser gas and the second laser gas to the interior of the laser chamber and the gas exhaust unit partially exhausts gas from within the laser chamber sequentially, may be selectively performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventor: Gigaphoton Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130062539
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring and controlling a target trajectory within a chamber apparatus for generating extreme ultraviolet light from plasma generated by irradiating a droplet target supplied from a target injection nozzle with a driver laser beam from an external driver laser. The apparatus includes: a nozzle adjustment mechanism for adjusting at least one of a position and an angle of the target injection nozzle; a target trajectory measuring unit for measuring a target trajectory to obtain trajectory information on the target trajectory; a target trajectory angle detecting unit for obtaining a value related to an angle deviation between the target trajectory represented by the trajectory information and a predetermined target trajectory; and a nozzle adjustment controller for controlling the nozzle adjustment mechanism based on the value related to the angle deviation such that the droplet target passes through a predetermined laser beam irradiation position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventor: GIGAPHOTON INC.
  • Publication number: 20130064259
    Abstract: A solid-state laser apparatus may include: a master oscillator configured to output laser light having at least one longitudinal mode, the master oscillator being capable of changing the spectral linewidth of the laser light output therefrom; at least one amplifier located downstream of the master oscillator on an optical path; a wavelength converter located downstream of the amplifier on the optical path; a detector configured to detect the spectrum of the laser light; and a controller configured to control the spectral linewidth of the laser light output from the master oscillator based on a detection result of the detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventor: Gigaphoton Inc.