Patents by Inventor Hironobu Yabuta
Hironobu Yabuta 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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Publication number: 20240004317Abstract: Disclosed herein is a rotary foil trap capable of having a relatively long-term operating life without causing any short-term defects such as foil rupture, and also a light source apparatus equipped with the rotary foil trap. The rotary foil trap is arranged in a vicinity of plasma P generated by a plasma generation unit and configured to rotationally operate to transmit light emitted from the plasma P and to trap debris dispersed from the plasma P. The rotary foil trap includes a plurality of foils and a support member configured to support the plurality of foils. Each of the foils is made of a rolled thin plate that is tensile processed by rolling, and a direction of centrifugal force applied to the foils by rotational operation coinciding or approximately coinciding with a rolling direction, which is a direction in which the foils are tensile processed.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2021Publication date: January 4, 2024Inventor: Hironobu YABUTA
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Publication number: 20230418171Abstract: A foil trap cover device surrounds the outer periphery of a rotary foil trap and collects debris scattered from the rotary foil trap. The rotary foil trap has a plurality of rotating foils and is arranged near a plasma, which is generated by a plasma generation unit. The rotary foil trap passes light emitted from the plasma and captures debris generated from the plasma. The foil trap cover device includes a cover body that surrounds the outer periphery of the rotary foil trap, and a cover heating unit that is provided to at least a part of a second surface of the cover body to heat the cover body. The second surface faces the plasma and is opposite to a first surface facing the foils. The foil trap cover device also includes a heating unit protection member that covers the cover heating unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2021Publication date: December 28, 2023Applicant: Ushio Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hironobu YABUTA
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Publication number: 20230418170Abstract: A debris mitigation device includes a static foil trap. The static foil trap includes an enclosure section, a plurality of foils, an inlet hole, and a pressure-increasing mechanism. The enclosure section includes an incident opening where light emitted from the light source enters, an emission opening where the light is emitted, and an internal space where the light travels. The foils are fixed in an area of the internal space. The inlet hole is configured to be communicated with the internal space, and allow a transparent gas transparent to the light to flow into the internal space. The pressure-increasing mechanism includes at least one of an incident-side member and an emission-side member disposed at the incident opening and the emission opening, respectively, in a manner that opening areas thereof are reduced without blocking a traveling of the light, and increases a pressure of the internal space.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2023Publication date: December 28, 2023Applicant: Ushio Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Noritaka Ashizawa, Hironobu Yabuta
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Patent number: 11822258Abstract: A foil trap that captures debris released from a plasma includes a hub structure, a plurality of foils, and a shield member. The hub structure has a circumferential surface portion and a front surface portion facing the plasma. The foils are arranged radially around the hub structure and are supported by brazing on the circumferential surface portion. The shield member is disposed on the front surface portion, has a circumferential edge portion that shields the circumferential surface portion from the plasma, and forms a thermal resistance section between the shield member and the hub structure.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2022Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: Ushio Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hironobu Yabuta
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Publication number: 20230324815Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus includes a light source part for generating a plasma that emits extreme ultraviolet light with use of excitation of a raw material for emitting extreme ultraviolet light; a storage vessel for storing a melt of a waste material including the raw material and a melt of particles of debris that are emitted from the plasma; a receiving plate member having a receiving surface; and a corrosion-resistant member disposed on the receiving surface of the receiving plate member, the corrosion-resistant member being more corrosion-resistant to the melt of the waste material and the melt of the debris than the receiving plate member, the corrosion-resistant member receiving the melt of the waste material and the melt of the debris and guiding the melt of the waste material and the melt of the debris into the storage vessel.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2021Publication date: October 12, 2023Inventors: Hironobu YABUTA, Nobuaki MIYAGAWA
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Patent number: 11774856Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light (EUV) source apparatus includes a light source part for generating a plasma that emits EUV light; a first vacuum housing in which the light source part is located; a second vacuum housing arranged between the first vacuum housing and a utilizing apparatus in which the EUV light is utilized; and a debris trap located inside the second vacuum housing for deflecting debris particles emitted from the plasma, whereby the debris particles do not ingress into the utilizing apparatus. Between the first and second vacuum housings, there is provided a window through which the EUV light emitted from the light source part passes from the first vacuum housing to the second vacuum housing. A wall of the second vacuum housing has a through-hole and a window that is configured to allow the EUV light to pass from the second vacuum housing to the utilizing apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2021Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Inventors: Hajime Kikuiri, Hironobu Yabuta
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Publication number: 20230288821Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source apparatus includes a light source part for generating a plasma that emits EUV light; a vacuum housing located between the light source part and a utilizing apparatus in which the EUV light is utilized; a debris trap located inside the vacuum housing for deflecting traveling directions of debris particles emitted from the plasma, whereby the debris particles do not ingress into the utilizing apparatus; a heat shield panel structure located inside the vacuum housing and located between the plasma and the debris trap; and a cooling mechanism for cooling the heat shield panel structure. The heat shield panel structure has a first heat shield panel and a second heat shield panel. The second heat shield panel is disposed between the first heat shield panel and the plasma. The first heat shield panel is cooled by the cooling mechanism.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2021Publication date: September 14, 2023Inventors: Noritaka ASHIZAWA, Hironobu YABUTA
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Publication number: 20230213865Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light (EUV) source apparatus includes a light source part for generating a plasma that emits EUV light; a first vacuum housing in which the light source part is located; a second vacuum housing arranged between the first vacuum housing and a utilizing apparatus in which the EUV light is utilized; and a debris trap located inside the second vacuum housing for deflecting debris particles emitted from the plasma, whereby the debris particles do not ingress into the utilizing apparatus. Between the first and second vacuum housings, there is provided a window through which the EUV light emitted from the light source part passes from the first vacuum housing to the second vacuum housing. A wall of the second vacuum housing has a through-hole and a window that is configured to allow the EUV light to pass from the second vacuum housing to the utilizing apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2021Publication date: July 6, 2023Inventors: Hajime KIKUIRI, Hironobu YABUTA
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Publication number: 20220291597Abstract: A foil trap that captures debris released from a plasma includes a hub structure, a plurality of foils, and a shield member. The hub structure has a circumferential surface portion and a front surface portion facing the plasma. The foils are arranged radially around the hub structure and are supported by brazing on the circumferential surface portion. The shield member is disposed on the front surface portion, has a circumferential edge portion that shields the circumferential surface portion from the plasma, and forms a thermal resistance section between the shield member and the hub structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2022Publication date: September 15, 2022Applicant: Ushio Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hironobu Yabuta
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Patent number: 9599812Abstract: Disclosed herein a rotational type foil trap that is capable of avoiding the transmission rate of the EUV light to be lowered even when the EUV light source operates with the high input power and also suppressing the temperature increase of the foil to attain a sufficient life duration. In the rotational type foil trap, one end of each of foils is inserted into each of a plurality of grooves provided on a side face of a center support, and the center support and the each of the foils are fixed together by brazing.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2014Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Christof Metzmacher, Hermann Giese, Achim Weber, Hironobu Yabuta, Rolf Theo Anton Apetz, Tatsushi Igarashi, Hiroto Sato, Noritaka Ashizawa
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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: 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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Publication number: 20160195714Abstract: Disclosed herein a rotational type foil trap that is capable of avoiding the transmission rate of the EUV light to be lowered even when the EUV light source operates with the high input power and also suppressing the temperature increase of the foil to attain a sufficient life duration. In the rotational type foil trap, one end of each of foils is inserted into each of a plurality of grooves provided on a side face of a center support, and the center support and the each of the foils are fixed together by brazing.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2014Publication date: July 7, 2016Applicant: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Christof METZMACHER, Hermann GIESE, Achim WEBER, Hironobu YABUTA, Rolf Theo Anton APETZ, Tatsushi IGARASHI, Hiroto SATO, Noritaka ASHIZAWA
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Patent number: 7705334Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet radiation source device comprises a vessel; an electric discharge section including a pair of main discharge electrodes; a material supply unit which supplies an extreme ultraviolet radiating species to the electric discharge section; a high voltage generating section which impress high voltage to the pair of main discharge electrodes; a grazing incidence type collector unit which condenses extreme ultraviolet light emitted from high temperature plasma; a light extraction section formed in the vessel; a gas supply unit which supplies gas into the vessel from a light emitting side of the collector unit, an exhaust unit which discharges the gas from a light incidence side of the collector unit; wherein a flow path through which the gas supplied from the light emitting side of the collector unit passes is formed only inside the collector unit.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2007Date of Patent: April 27, 2010Assignee: Ushio Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hironobu Yabuta, Takahiro Shirai
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Patent number: 7479645Abstract: An extreme UV radiation producing device in which adhesion of solid tin in the vacuum pump of an evacuation device is restricted, so that the maintenance period and the replacement period of the pump is prolonged is achieved by the provision of a treatment unit between a radiation source chamber and the evacuation device. The treatment device has a hydrogen radical producing part in which tin and/or a tin compound in the evacuated gas from the radiation source chamber is/are made into a tin hydride; and a heat treatment part in which the tin hydride is thermally decomposed and in which the tin produced liquefied and separated from the evacuated gas. The liquid tin is fed into a collecting/storage vessel and the evacuated gas from which the tin and/or a tin compound has been removed fed to the evacuation device.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2006Date of Patent: January 20, 2009Assignee: Ushiodenki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hironobu Yabuta, Taku Sumitomo
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Patent number: 7459708Abstract: To suppress the adherence of debris as a result of a radiating fuel, such as tin or the like, within a vessel for forming high density and high temperature plasma of an extreme UV radiation source device, and to eliminate deposited tin and/or tin compounds with high efficiency, hydrogen radical producing parts are provided in the vessel; and hydrogen radicals are produced in the vessel so that deposition of tin and/or a tin compound is suppressed in the area with a low temperature of the device, such as a focusing mirror or the like, and the deposited tin and/or tin compound is eliminated.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2006Date of Patent: December 2, 2008Assignee: Ushiodenki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masaki Inoue, Hironobu Yabuta, Taku Sumitomo, Kyohei Seki, Masaki Yoshioka
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Publication number: 20080099699Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet radiation source device comprises a vessel; an electric discharge section including a pair of main discharge electrodes; a material supply unit which supplies an extreme ultraviolet radiating species to the electric discharge section; a high voltage generating section which impress high voltage to the pair of main discharge electrodes; a grazing incidence type collector unit which condenses extreme ultraviolet light emitted from high temperature plasma; a light extraction section formed in the vessel; a gas supply unit which supplies gas into the vessel from a light emitting side of the collector unit, an exhaust unit which discharges the gas from a light incidence side of the collector unit; wherein a flow path through which the gas supplied from the light emitting side of the collector unit passes is formed only inside the collector unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 25, 2007Publication date: May 1, 2008Applicant: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hironobu Yabuta, Takahiro Shirai
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Publication number: 20070018119Abstract: An extreme UV radiation producing device in which adhesion of solid tin in the vacuum pump of an evacuation device is restricted, so that the maintenance period and the replacement period of the pump is prolonged is achieved by the provision of a treatment unit between a radiation source chamber and the evacuation device. The treatment device has a hydrogen radical producing part in which tin and/or a tin compound in the evacuated gas from the radiation source chamber is/are made into a tin hydride; and a heat treatment part in which the tin hydride is thermally decomposed and in which the tin produced liquefied and separated from the evacuated gas. The liquid tin is fed into a collecting/storage vessel and the evacuated gas from which the tin and/or a tin compound has been removed fed to the evacuation device.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2006Publication date: January 25, 2007Applicant: Ushiodenki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hironobu Yabuta, Taku Sumitomo
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Publication number: 20060163500Abstract: To suppress the adherence of debris as a result of a radiating fuel, such as tin or the like, within a vessel for forming high density and high temperature plasma of an extreme UV radiation source device, and to eliminate deposited tin and/or tin compounds with high efficiency, hydrogen radical producing parts are provided in the vessel; and hydrogen radicals are produced in the vessel so that deposition of tin and/or a tin compound is suppressed in the area with a low temperature of the device, such as a focusing mirror or the like, and the deposited tin and/or tin compound is eliminated.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2006Publication date: July 27, 2006Applicant: Ushiodenki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masaki Inoue, Hironobu Yabuta, Taku Sumitomo, Kyohei Seki, Masaki Yoshioka