Patents by Inventor Gota Niimi
Gota Niimi 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).
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Patent number: 11940736Abstract: A tin trap device for collecting tin in a chamber device which causes tin to be turned into plasma with laser light in an internal space thereof may include a housing provided with a gas inlet port through which exhaust gas in the chamber device flows and a gas exhaust port through which the exhaust gas is exhausted; and a main heater arranged in the housing, configured to have a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of tin and lower than the boiling point thereof, and having a projection surface projected toward a direction in which the exhaust gas flows in the gas inlet port cover the gas inlet port.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2021Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Gota Niimi, Yoshifumi Ueno, Shinji Nagai
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Publication number: 20210364928Abstract: A tin trap device for collecting tin in a chamber device which causes tin to be turned into plasma with laser light in an internal space thereof may include a housing provided with a gas inlet port through which exhaust gas in the chamber device flows and a gas exhaust port through which the exhaust gas is exhausted; and a main heater arranged in the housing, configured to have a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of tin and lower than the boiling point thereof, and having a projection surface projected toward a direction in which the exhaust gas flows in the gas inlet port cover the gas inlet port.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2021Publication date: November 25, 2021Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Gota NIIMI, Yoshifumi UENO, Shinji NAGAI
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Patent number: 11145429Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet chamber apparatus includes: a chamber; an EUV condensing mirror arranged in the chamber; a first nozzle arranged in an outer peripheral portion of the EUV condensing mirror and configured to feed a gas in a first direction along a reflective surface of the EUV condensing mirror; a second nozzle arranged in the outer peripheral portion of the EUV condensing mirror and configured to feed a gas in a second direction away from the EUV condensing mirror; and an exhaust port arranged in the chamber.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2020Date of Patent: October 12, 2021Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Atsushi Ueda, Gota Niimi, Georg Soumagne
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Publication number: 20200312479Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet chamber apparatus includes: a chamber; an EUV condensing mirror arranged in the chamber; a first nozzle arranged in an outer peripheral portion of the EUV condensing mirror and configured to feed a gas in a first direction along a reflective surface of the EUV condensing mirror; a second nozzle arranged in the outer peripheral portion of the EUV condensing mirror and configured to feed a gas in a second direction away from the EUV condensing mirror; and an exhaust port arranged in the chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2020Publication date: October 1, 2020Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Atsushi UEDA, Gota NIIMI, Georg SOUMAGNE
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Patent number: 10591342Abstract: Disclosed herein a liquid level detection device capable of appropriately detecting a liquid level of a high temperature plasma raw material in a reservoir for storing the high temperature plasma raw material. The liquid level detection device includes: an upper limit level sensor configured to detect that the liquid level of the tin is elevated from downward to reach an upper limit level; and a refilling level sensor configured to detect that the liquid level of the tin is lowered from upward to reach a refilling level or a lower limit level. A detection responsiveness of the liquid level of the upper limit level sensor is higher than the refilling level sensor or the lower limit level sensor, and a detectability of the liquid level of the refilling level sensor or the lower limit level sensor is higher than the upper limit level sensor.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2015Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Akihisa Nagano, Gota Niimi
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Publication number: 20170350745Abstract: Disclosed herein a liquid level detection device capable of appropriately detecting a liquid level of a high temperature plasma raw material in a reservoir for storing the high temperature plasma raw material. The liquid level detection device includes: an upper limit level sensor configured to detect that the liquid level of the tin is elevated from downward to reach an upper limit level; and a refilling level sensor configured to detect that the liquid level of the tin is lowered from upward to reach a refilling level or a lower limit level. A detection responsiveness of the liquid level of the upper limit level sensor is higher than the refilling level sensor or the lower limit level sensor, and a detectability of the liquid level of the refilling level sensor or the lower limit level sensor is higher than the upper limit level sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2015Publication date: December 7, 2017Applicant: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Akihisa NAGANO, Gota NIIMI
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Patent number: 9686846Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light source device includes a raw material supplying mechanism. The raw material supplying mechanism includes a disk-shaped rotor, a motor for causing the rotor to rotate, a cover-shaped structure surrounding the rotor via a gap, and a first reservoir provided inside the cover-shaped structure for reserving a liquid high temperature plasma raw material. When the rotor rotates, a portion of the surface on the rotor becomes coated with the liquid high temperature plasma raw material. A portion of the cover-shaped structure has an aperture exposing that surface of the rotor which coated with the high temperature plasma raw material. The high temperature plasma raw material is irradiated with an energy beam from an energy beam supply device through the aperture, and generates EUV radiation.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2016Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignee: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yusuke Teramoto, Gota Niimi, Takahiro Hiraoka, Pieter Goldhoorn
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Patent number: 9581392Abstract: An arrangement for cooling a plasma-based radiation source with a metal cooling liquid and a method for starting up a cooling arrangement of this type has a pump unit for conveying the metal cooling liquid from a reservoir to an immersion bath in a pipe portion that is connected to the reservoir in the conveying direction of the cooling circuit has at least one pump for conveying the metal cooling liquid through an external field effect of the at least one pump. A control unit for controlling the at least one pump controls the at least one pump at least temporarily in a pumping direction opposite to the conveying direction of the cooling circuit in order to generate a heating effect through external field effect on metal cooling liquid located in the pipe portion.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2015Date of Patent: February 28, 2017Assignee: USHIO Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Gota Niimi, Dominik Marcel Vaudrevange, Ralf Gordon Conrads, Maghiel Jan Kole
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Patent number: 9572240Abstract: Disclosed herein a light source apparatus that is capable of suppressing a light transmission rate of a debris trap to be lowered and a reflection rate in a light condenser mirror to be lowered. In the light source apparatus, a shielding member is provided having an aperture is provided in front of a stationary type foil trap to limit a solid angle of light emitted from a high temperature plasma. Furthermore, the stationary type foil trap is provided with a driving mechanism to allow the foil trap to be revolved such that an adhesion part of the debris of the foil trap is deviated from a position of the foil trap facing the aperture.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2014Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Gota Niimi, Hironobu Yabuta
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Publication number: 20160345419Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light source device includes a raw material supplying mechanism. The raw material supplying mechanism includes a disk-shaped rotor, a motor for causing the rotor to rotate, a cover-shaped structure surrounding the rotor via a gap, and a first reservoir provided inside the cover-shaped structure for reserving a liquid high temperature plasma raw material. When the rotor rotates, a portion of the surface on the rotor becomes coated with the liquid high temperature plasma raw material. A portion of the cover-shaped structure has an aperture exposing that surface of the rotor which coated with the high temperature plasma raw material. The high temperature plasma raw material is irradiated with an energy beam from an energy beam supply device through the aperture, and generates EUV radiation.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2016Publication date: November 24, 2016Applicant: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yusuke TERAMOTO, Gota NIIMI, Takahiro HIRAOKA, Pieter GOLDHOORN
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Publication number: 20160330826Abstract: Disclosed herein a light source apparatus that is capable of suppressing a light transmission rate of a debris trap to be lowered and a reflection rate in a light condenser mirror to be lowered. In the light source apparatus, a shielding member is provided having an aperture is provided in front of a stationary type foil trap to limit a solid angle of light emitted from a high temperature plasma. Furthermore, the stationary type foil trap is provided with a driving mechanism to allow the foil trap to be revolved such that an adhesion part of the debris of the foil trap is deviated from a position of the foil trap facing the aperture.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2014Publication date: November 10, 2016Applicant: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Gota NIIMI, Hironobu YABUTA
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Patent number: 9480136Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light source device includes a raw material supplying mechanism. The raw material supplying mechanism includes a disk-shaped rotor, a motor for causing the rotor to rotate, a cover-shaped structure surrounding the rotor via a gap, and a first reservoir provided inside the cover-shaped structure for reserving a liquid high temperature plasma raw material. When the rotor rotates, a portion of the surface on the rotor becomes coated with the liquid high temperature plasma raw material. A portion of the cover-shaped structure has an aperture exposing that surface of the rotor which coated with the high temperature plasma raw material. The high temperature plasma raw material is irradiated with an energy beam from an energy beam supply device through the aperture, and generates EUV radiation.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2014Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yusuke Teramoto, Gota Niimi, Takahiro Hiraoka, Pieter Goldhoorn
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Publication number: 20160073486Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light source device includes a raw material supplying mechanism. The raw material supplying mechanism includes a disk-shaped rotor, a motor for causing the rotor to rotate, a cover-shaped structure surrounding the rotor via a gap, and a first reservoir provided inside the cover-shaped structure for reserving a liquid high temperature plasma raw material. When the rotor rotates, a portion of the surface on the rotor becomes coated with the liquid high temperature plasma raw material. A portion of the cover-shaped structure has an aperture exposing that surface of the rotor which coated with the high temperature plasma raw material. The high temperature plasma raw material is irradiated with an energy beam from an energy beam supply device through the aperture, and generates EUV radiation.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2014Publication date: March 10, 2016Applicant: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yusuke TERAMOTO, Gota NIIMI, Takahiro HIRAOKA, Pieter GOLDHOORN
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Patent number: 9202659Abstract: An arrangements and methods for cooling a plasma-based radiation source having a revolving element which is to be cooled, particularly for application in EUV radiation sources, is disclosed. The revolving element is immersed in the metal coolant in a first vessel of a primary cooling circuit, and a secondary cooling circuit with a cooling liquid evaporating at the desired operating temperature of the metal coolant has a control unit for controlling at least one atomizing arrangement in a differentiated manner and for selectively controlling a heater in case the determined temperature falls below a minimum operating temperature of the metal coolant. The at least one atomizing arrangement in a cooling section selectively sprays individual wall regions of the first vessel with the cooling liquid depending on the determined temperature of the metal coolant.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2014Date of Patent: December 1, 2015Assignee: USHIO Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Gota Niimi, Dominik Marcel Vaudrevange, Ralf Gordon Conrads, Maghiel Jan Kole, Wilhelmus V. J. Van Nunspeet, Johannes W. J. L. Cuijpers, Andre Matthias Prinz
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Publication number: 20150247679Abstract: An arrangement for cooling a plasma-based radiation source with a metal cooling liquid and a method for starting up a cooling arrangement of this type has a pump unit for conveying the metal cooling liquid from a reservoir to an immersion bath in a pipe portion that is connected to the reservoir in the conveying direction of the cooling circuit has at least one pump for conveying the metal cooling liquid through an external field effect of the at least one pump. A control unit for controlling the at least one pump controls the at least one pump at least temporarily in a pumping direction opposite to the conveying direction of the cooling circuit in order to generate a heating effect through external field effect on metal cooling liquid located in the pipe portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2015Publication date: September 3, 2015Inventors: Gota NIIMI, Dominik Marcel VAUDREVANGE, Ralf Gordon CONRADS, Maghiel Jan KOLE
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Publication number: 20150108365Abstract: An arrangements and methods for cooling a plasma-based radiation source having a revolving element which is to be cooled, particularly for application in EUV radiation sources, is disclosed. The revolving element is immersed in the metal coolant in a first vessel of a primary cooling circuit, and a secondary cooling circuit with a cooling liquid evaporating at the desired operating temperature of the metal coolant has a control unit for controlling at least one atomizing arrangement in a differentiated manner and for selectively controlling a heater in case the determined temperature falls below a minimum operating temperature of the metal coolant. The at least one atomizing arrangement in a cooling section selectively sprays individual wall regions of the first vessel with the cooling liquid depending on the determined temperature of the metal coolant.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2014Publication date: April 23, 2015Inventors: Gota NIIMI, Dominik Marcel VAUDREVANGE, Ralf Gordon CONRADS, Maghiel Jan KOLE, Wilhelmus V. J. VAN NUNSPEET, Johannes W. J. L. CUIJPERS, Andre Matthias PRINZ
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Publication number: 20140307857Abstract: An arrangement for handling a liquid metal for cooling revolving components of a radiation source based on a radiation-emitting plasma has the handling arrangement for the liquid metal comprises a reservoir of liquid metal in a vessel, a tempering device for adjusting the temperature moderately above the melting point of the metal, a pump unit for moving the liquid metal in circulation. The handling unit containing the reservoir and the pump unit is provided for transporting the metal into a separated source module via a feed pipe and a return pipe for guiding highly heated metal back from the source module into the reservoir. The return pipe is formed as a straight pipe slightly inclined to the reservoir to guide the heated metal back by action of gravity in a substantially laminar flow.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2014Publication date: October 16, 2014Applicant: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Gota Niimi, Paulus P. M. Blom, Wilhelmus V. J. Van Nunspeet
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Patent number: 7482740Abstract: An electrode unit of an extreme ultraviolet radiation generator comprise a breakdown voltage impression electrode, a ground electrode, an insulator provided in contact with the breakdown voltage impression electrode and the ground electrode in which plasma is generated between the discharge electrodes thereby emitting extreme ultraviolet radiation from the generated plasma, wherein at least one of the breakdown voltage impression electrode and the ground electrode includes a cooling portion which is made of copper, aluminum, or a material which contains copper, aluminum, or combination thereof as a main component and in which a passage through which a coolant passes is formed, and a discharge portion which is provided in close contact with a surface of the cooling portion, and which is made of any one of tungsten, tantalum, rhenium, molybdenum, and an alloy thereof as the a main component.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2006Date of Patent: January 27, 2009Assignee: Ushio Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Gota Niimi
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Publication number: 20060261721Abstract: An electrode unit of an extreme ultraviolet radiation generator comprise a breakdown voltage impression electrode, a ground electrode, an insulator provided in contact with the breakdown voltage impression electrode and the ground electrode in which plasma is generated between the discharge electrodes thereby emitting extreme ultraviolet radiation from the generated plasma, wherein at least one of the breakdown voltage impression electrode and the ground electrode includes a cooling portion which is made of copper, aluminum, or a material which contains copper, aluminum, or combination thereof as a main component and in which a passage through which a coolant passes is formed, and a discharge portion which is provided in close contact with a surface of the cooling portion, and which is made of any one of tungsten, tantalum, rhenium, molybdenum, and an alloy thereof as the a main component.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2006Publication date: November 23, 2006Applicant: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Gota Niimi