Patents by Inventor Jeffrey Erxmeyer
Jeffrey Erxmeyer 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: 20230384687Abstract: An optical component comprises a first layer system exhibiting a first wavelength-dependent reflectivity curve when electromagnetic radiation impinges thereon, and at least one second layer system exhibiting a second wavelength-dependent reflectivity curve when electromagnetic radiation impinges thereon. The first layer system and the second layer system are arranged on different optical surfaces. The wavelength dependencies of the first and the second reflectivity curve at least partially compensate one another so that the relative deviation from a desired reflectivity curve which is linear or constant with respect to the wavelength is no more than 5% within the specified wavelength range for a resultant summated reflectivity for the first layer system and the at least one second layer system. An optical system, such as a microlithography projection exposure apparatus, can include such an optical component.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2023Publication date: November 30, 2023Inventors: Jeffrey Erxmeyer, Martin Hermann, Nils Lundt, Conrad Wolke
-
Publication number: 20230367226Abstract: A method of forming a layer (3) on a substrate (2) made of a fluoridic material includes: depositing a coating material (9) on the substrate to form the layer and generating a plasma (12) to assist the deposition of the coating material. The plasma is formed from a gas mixture (14) containing a first gas (G) and a second gas (H), wherein the second gas has an ionization energy less than an ionization energy of the first gas, the first gas is a noble gas and the second gas is a further noble gas. An associated optical element includes: a substrate (2) composed of a fluoridic material, in particular a metal fluoride, wherein the substrate has a coating (18) having a layer (3) formed by the above method. An associated optical system, in particular for the DUV wavelength range, includes at least one such optical element.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2023Publication date: November 16, 2023Inventors: Vitaliy SHKLOVER, Jeffrey ERXMEYER, Dirk ISFORT, Nils LUNDT, Barbara MOSER
-
Patent number: 11681236Abstract: In situ dynamic protection of an optical element surface against degradation includes disposing the optical element in an interior of an optical assembly for the FUV/VUV wavelength range and supplying at least one volatile fluorine-containing compound (A, B) to the interior for dynamic deposition of a fluorine-containing protective layer on the surface. The protective layer (7) is deposited on the surface layer by layer via a molecular layer deposition process. The compound includes a fluorine-containing reactant (A) supplied to the interior in a pulsed manner. A further reactant (B) is supplied to the interior also in a pulsed manner. An associated optical assembly includes an interior in which a surface is disposed, and at least one metering apparatus (123) that supplies a reactant to the interior. The metering apparatus provides a pulsed supply of the compound as a reactant (A, B) for layer by layer molecular layer deposition.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2021Date of Patent: June 20, 2023Assignee: CARL ZEISS SMT GMBHInventors: Vitaliy Shklover, Jeffrey Erxmeyer
-
Publication number: 20210341848Abstract: In situ dynamic protection of an optical element surface against degradation includes disposing the optical element in an interior of an optical assembly for the FUV/VUV wavelength range and supplying at least one volatile fluorine-containing compound (A, B) to the interior for dynamic deposition of a fluorine-containing protective layer on the surface. The protective layer (7) is deposited on the surface layer by layer via a molecular layer deposition process. The compound includes a fluorine-containing reactant (A) supplied to the interior in a pulsed manner. A further reactant (B) is supplied to the interior also in a pulsed manner. An associated optical assembly includes an interior in which a surface is disposed, and at least one metering apparatus (123) that supplies a reactant to the interior. The metering apparatus provides a pulsed supply of the compound as a reactant (A, B) for layer by layer molecular layer deposition.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2021Publication date: November 4, 2021Inventors: Vitaliy SHKLOVER, Jeffrey ERXMEYER
-
Patent number: 10777958Abstract: A beam reverser module for an optical power amplifier of a laser arrangement comprises at least one reflecting surface for receiving an incoming laser beam propagating in a first direction and reflecting the incoming laser beam into a second direction different from the first direction, wherein the at least one reflecting surface is a highly reflecting surface of at least one mirror.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2017Date of Patent: September 15, 2020Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbHInventors: Michael Schall, Johannes Kraus, Holger Muenz, Ingrid Schuster, Willi Anderl, Ulrich Weber, Markus Bauer, Jeffrey Erxmeyer, Michel Le Maire
-
Patent number: 10642167Abstract: In order to make possible both good laser resistance and good antireflection properties, an optical element, in particular for UV lithography, comprising a substrate and a coating on the substrate having at least four layers, is proposed, wherein a first layer comprising a low refractive index inorganic fluoride compound is arranged on the substrate, a layer comprising an inorganic oxide-containing compound is arranged as a layer the most distant from the substrate, and at least two further layers each comprising an inorganic fluoride compound or an inorganic oxide-containing compound are arranged alternately between the first and the most distant layers.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2018Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbHInventors: Vitaliy Shklover, Michael Schall, Johannes Kraus, Oliver Gloeckl, Jeffrey Erxmeyer, Horst Feldermann, Konstantin Forcht, Ute Heinemeyer
-
Publication number: 20180196362Abstract: In order to make possible both good laser resistance and good antireflection properties, an optical element, in particular for UV lithography, comprising a substrate and a coating on the substrate having at least four layers, is proposed, wherein a first layer comprising a low refractive index inorganic fluoride compound is arranged on the substrate, a layer comprising an inorganic oxide-containing compound is arranged as a layer the most distant from the substrate, and at least two further layers each comprising an inorganic fluoride compound or an inorganic oxide-containing compound are arranged alternately between the first and the most distant layers.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2018Publication date: July 12, 2018Inventors: Vitaliy Shklover, Michael Schall, Johannes Kraus, Oliver Gloeckl, Jeffrey Erxmeyer, Horst Feldermann, Konstantin Forcht, Ute Heinemeyer
-
Publication number: 20180102620Abstract: A beam reverser module for an optical power amplifier of a laser arrangement comprises at least one reflecting surface for receiving an incoming laser beam propagating in a first direction and reflecting the incoming laser beam into a second direction different from the first direction, wherein the at least one reflecting surface is a highly reflecting surface of at least one mirror.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2017Publication date: April 12, 2018Inventors: Michael Schall, Johannes Kraus, Holger Muenz, Ingrid Schuster, Willi Anderl, Ulrich Weber, Markus Bauer, Jeffrey Erxmeyer, Michel Le Maire
-
Patent number: 9933711Abstract: In order to make possible both good laser resistance and good antireflection properties, an optical element, in particular for UV lithography, comprising a substrate and a coating on the substrate having at least four layers, is proposed, wherein a first layer comprising a low refractive index inorganic fluoride compound is arranged on the substrate, a layer comprising an inorganic oxide-containing compound is arranged as a layer the most distant from the substrate, and at least two further layers each comprising an inorganic fluoride compound or an inorganic oxide-containing compound are arranged alternately between the first and the most distant layers.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2014Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbHInventors: Vitaliy Shklover, Michael Schall, Johannes Kraus, Oliver Gloeckl, Jeffrey Erxmeyer, Horst Feldermann, Konstantin Forcht, Ute Heinemeyer
-
Patent number: 9843153Abstract: A beam reverser module for an optical power amplifier of a laser arrangement comprises at least one reflecting surface for receiving an incoming laser beam propagating in a first direction and reflecting the incoming laser beam into a second direction different from the first direction, wherein the at least one reflecting surface is a highly reflecting surface of at least one mirror.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2015Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbHInventors: Michael Schall, Johannes Kraus, Holger Muenz, Ingrid Schuster, Willi Anderl, Ulrich Weber, Markus Bauer, Jeffrey Erxmeyer, Michel Le Maire
-
Patent number: 9297936Abstract: A mirror with a dielectric coating (2) on a substrate (3), wherein the dielectric coating (2) has exactly two layer stacks (4, 5), a first layer stack (4), on the substrate, of layers (41, 42) of high refractive index and low refractive index oxides in alternating arrangement and a second layer stack (5), arranged thereon, of layers of fluorides (52) and oxides (51) in alternating arrangement, and wherein the number of fluoride layers (52) as a proportion of the total number of layers of the dielectric coating (2) is less than 0.45.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2012Date of Patent: March 29, 2016Assignee: Carl Zeiss Laser Optics GmbHInventors: Jeffrey Erxmeyer, Alexandra Pazidis, Horst Feldermann
-
Publication number: 20150340829Abstract: A beam reverser module for an optical power amplifier of a laser arrangement comprises at least one reflecting surface for receiving an incoming laser beam propagating in a first direction and reflecting the incoming laser beam into a second direction different from the first direction, wherein the at least one reflecting surface is a highly reflecting surface of at least one mirror.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2015Publication date: November 26, 2015Inventors: Michael Schall, Johannes Kraus, Holger Muenz, Ingrid Schuster, Willi Anderl, Ulrich Weber, Markus Bauer, Jeffrey Erxmeyer, Michel Le Maire
-
Publication number: 20140211181Abstract: In order to make possible both good laser resistance and good antireflection properties, an optical element, in particular for UV lithography, comprising a substrate and a coating on the substrate having at least four layers, is proposed, wherein a first layer comprising a low refractive index inorganic fluoride compound is arranged on the substrate, a layer comprising an inorganic oxide-containing compound is arranged as a layer the most distant from the substrate, and at least two further layers each comprising an inorganic fluoride compound or an inorganic oxide-containing compound are arranged alternately between the first and the most distant layers.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2014Publication date: July 31, 2014Inventors: Vitaliy Shklover, Michael Schall, Johannes Kraus, Oliver Gloeckl, Jeffrey Erxmeyer, Horst Feldermann, Konstantin Forcht, Ute Heinemeyer
-
Publication number: 20100182710Abstract: A method for producing an optical element or part of an optical element having a base body, including:—providing a mold body (21, 1000, 2000) which has a surface corresponding to the geometry of the optical element;—depositing a layer system (7) including at least one separation layer system (15, 1010, 2010) on the surface of the mold body (21, 1000, 2000);—electroforming a base body (4, 1030, 2030) on the layer system (7); and—detaching at least the base body from the mold body (21, 1000, 2000) at the separation layer system (15, 1010, 2010).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 25, 2009Publication date: July 22, 2010Applicant: Carl Zeiss SMT AGInventors: Udo DINGER, Ulrich Bingel, Jeffrey Erxmeyer, Eral Erzin, Bernhard Weigl, Stephane Bruynooghe
-
Publication number: 20090027776Abstract: A method for coating an optical component comprises providing the optical component. The optical component has a surface formed with parallel, periodically structured surface sections each having a first flank and a second flank. The first flank and the second flank of each surface section are furthermore inclined with respect to one another, and the first flank is formed such that it is smaller than the second flank. The method furthermore comprises at least partly applying a coating to at least the first flank of each surface section. The surface coating has a metal layer and a dielectric multilayer and the metal layer is applied before the dielectric multilayer. The second flank is not coated or is coated with a layer thickness that is formed such that it is smaller than a layer thickness of the surface coating of the first flank.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2008Publication date: January 29, 2009Applicant: CARL ZEISS LASER OPTICS GMBHInventors: Michael Schall, Bernhard Weigl, Eral Erzin, Jeffrey Erxmeyer
-
Patent number: 7187499Abstract: An optical grating has a multiplicity of parallel diffraction structures, which are arranged on a support defining a base face. Each structure has a blaze flank that is inclined substantially at the Littrow angle with respect to the base face, and a back flank. Both flanks together form a reflection layer which comprises a reflective base layer and a transparent protective layer that is connected to the base layer and covers it. The protective layer on the blaze flank and the protective layer on the back flank are made of the same material. The thicknesses of the protective layers on the blaze flank and on the back flank, however, are different.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2006Date of Patent: March 6, 2007Assignee: Carl Zeiss Laser Optics GmbHInventors: Bernd Kleemann, Stefan Weissenrieder, Jeffrey Erxmeyer, Ralf Kuschnereit
-
Publication number: 20060227425Abstract: An optical grating has a multiplicity of parallel diffraction structures, which are arranged on a support defining a base face. Each structure has a blaze flank that is inclined substantially at the Littrow angle with respect to the base face, and a back flank. Both flanks together form a reflection layer which comprises a reflective base layer and a transparent protective layer that is connected to the base layer and covers it. The protective layer on the blaze flank and the protective layer on the back flank are made of the same material. The thicknesses of the protective layers on the blaze flank and on the back flank, however, are different.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2006Publication date: October 12, 2006Inventors: Bernd Kleemann, Stefan Weissenrieder, Jeffrey Erxmeyer, Ralf Kuschnereit
-
Patent number: 7092161Abstract: An optical grating has a multiplicity of parallel diffraction structures, which are arranged on a support defining a base face. Each structure has a blaze flank that is inclined substantially at the Littrow angle with respect to the base face, and a back flank. Both flanks together form a reflection layer which comprises a reflective base layer and a transparent protective layer that is connected to the base layer and covers it. The protective layer on the blaze flank and the protective layer on the back flank are made of the same material. The thicknesses of the protective layers on the blaze flank and on the back flank, however, are different.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2004Date of Patent: August 15, 2006Assignee: Carl Zeiss Laser Optics GmbHInventors: Bernd Kleemann, Stefan Weissenrieder, Jeffrey Erxmeyer, Ralf Kuschnereit
-
Publication number: 20060050371Abstract: Antireflection multilayer coatings with only three or four layers are proposed for the production of laser resistant optical components with minimal residual reflection and high transparency for UV light in a wavelength range approx. 150 nm to approx. 250 nm at large angles of incidence in the range of approx. 70° to approx. 80°, particularly in the range between approx. 72° and approx. 76°. For incident p-polarized UV light three-layer systems can be used, in which a layer of low refractive material, in particular magnesium fluoride is arranged between two layers of high refractive material and, in the case of the specified wavelength, of minimally absorbent material, in particular of hafnium oxide or aluminum oxide. For example, this allows a residual reflection of perceptibly less than 1% to be achieved in the case of a wavelength of 248 nm at angles of incidence in the range between approx. 72° and approx. 76°.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2005Publication date: March 9, 2006Inventors: Ralf Kuschnereit, Hans-Jochen Paul, Jeffrey Erxmeyer
-
Publication number: 20050030627Abstract: An optical grating has a multiplicity of parallel diffraction structures, which are arranged on a support defining a base face. Each structure has a blaze flank that is inclined substantially at the Littrow angle with respect to the base face, and a back flank. Both flanks together form a reflection layer which comprises a reflective base layer and a transparent protective layer that is connected to the base layer and covers it. The protective layer on the blaze flank and the protective layer on the back flank are made of the same material. The thicknesses of the protective layers on the blaze flank and on the back flank, however, are different.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 7, 2004Publication date: February 10, 2005Inventors: Bernd Kleemann, Stefan Weissenrieder, Jeffrey Erxmeyer, Ralf Kuschnereit