Patents by Inventor Johannes Cornelis Paulus MELMAN
Johannes Cornelis Paulus MELMAN 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: 20240036477Abstract: An immersion lithography apparatus controller configured to control a positioner to move a support table to follow an exposure route and to control a liquid confinement structure, the controller configured to: predict whether liquid will be lost from an immersion space during at least one motion of the route in which an edge of the object passes under an edge of the immersion space, and if liquid loss from the immersion space is predicted, modify the fluid flow such that a first fluid flow rate into or out of an opening at a leading edge of the liquid confinement structure is different to a second fluid flow rate into or out of an opening at a trailing edge of the liquid confinement structure during the motion of predicted liquid loss or a motion of the route subsequent to the motion of predicted liquid loss.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2023Publication date: February 1, 2024Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Erik Henricus Egidius Catharina EUMMELEN, Frank Debougnoux, Koen Cuypers, Han Henricus Aldegonda Lempens, Theodorus Wilhelmus Polet, Jorge Alberto Vieyra Salas, John Maria Bombeeck, Johannes Cornelis Paulus Melman, Giovanni Luca Gattobigio
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Patent number: 11774857Abstract: An immersion lithography apparatus controller configured to control a positioner to move a support table to follow an exposure route and to control a liquid confinement structure, the controller configured to: predict whether liquid will be lost from an immersion space during at least one motion of the route in which an edge of the object passes under an edge of the immersion space, and if liquid loss from the immersion space is predicted, modify the fluid flow such that a first fluid flow rate into or out of an opening at a leading edge of the liquid confinement structure is different to a second fluid flow rate into or out of an opening at a trailing edge of the liquid confinement structure during the motion of predicted liquid loss or a motion of the route subsequent to the motion of predicted liquid loss.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2022Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Erik Henricus Egidius Catharina Eummelen, Frank Debougnoux, Koen Cuypers, Han Henricus Aldegonda Lempens, Theodorus Wilhelmus Polet, Jorge Alberto Vieyra Salas, John Maria Bombeeck, Johannes Cornelis Paulus Melman, Giovanni Luca Gattobigio
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Patent number: 11614689Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus having a fluid handling structure, the fluid handling structure configured to confine immersion fluid to a region and including: a meniscus controlling feature having an extractor exit on a surface of the fluid handling structure; and a gas knife system outwards of the extractor exit and including passages each having an exit, the passages having a plurality of first passages having a plurality of corresponding first exits on the surface, and a plurality of second passages having a plurality of corresponding second exits outwards of the first exits on the surface, wherein the surface faces and is substantially parallel to a top surface of a substrate during exposure, and the first exits and the second exits are arranged at a greater distance from the substrate than the extractor exit.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2022Date of Patent: March 28, 2023Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Erik Henricus Egidius Catharina Eummelen, Giovanni Luca Gattobigio, Johannes Cornelis Paulus Melman, Han Henricus Aldegonda Lempens, Miao Yu, Cornelius Maria Rops, Ruud Olieslagers, Artunç Ulucan, Theodorus Wilhelmus Polet, Patrick Johannes Wilhelmus Spruytenburg
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Publication number: 20220308459Abstract: An immersion lithography apparatus controller configured to control a positioner to move a support table to follow an exposure route and to control a liquid confinement structure, the controller configured to: predict whether liquid will be lost from an immersion space during at least one motion of the route in which an edge of the object passes under an edge of the immersion space, and if liquid loss from the immersion space is predicted, modify the fluid flow such that a first fluid flow rate into or out of an opening at a leading edge of the liquid confinement structure is different to a second fluid flow rate into or out of an opening at a trailing edge of the liquid confinement structure during the motion of predicted liquid loss or a motion of the route subsequent to the motion of predicted liquid loss.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2022Publication date: September 29, 2022Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Erik Henricus Egidius Catharina EUMMELEN, Frank Debougnoux, Koen Cuypers, Han Henricus Aldegonda Lempens, Theodorus Wilhelmus Polet, Jorge Alberto Vieyra Salas, John Maria Bombeeck, Johannes Cornelis Paulus Melman, Giovanni Luca Gattobigio
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Patent number: 11372336Abstract: An immersion lithography apparatus controller configured to control a positioner to move a support table to follow an exposure route and to control a liquid confinement structure, the controller configured to: predict whether liquid will be lost from an immersion space during at least one motion of the route in which an edge of the object passes under an edge of the immersion space, and if liquid loss from the immersion space is predicted, modify the fluid flow such that a first fluid flow rate into or out of an opening at a leading edge of the liquid confinement structure is different to a second fluid flow rate into or out of an opening at a trailing edge of the liquid confinement structure during the motion of predicted liquid loss or a motion of the route subsequent to the motion of predicted liquid loss.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2017Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Erik Henricus Egidius Catharina Eummelen, Frank Debougnoux, Koen Cuypers, Han Henricus Aldegonda Lempens, Theodorus Wilhelmus Polet, Jorge Alberto Vieyra Salas, John Maria Bombeeck, Johannes Cornelis Paulus Melman, Giovanni Luca Gattobigio
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Publication number: 20220137519Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus having a fluid handling structure, the fluid handling structure configured to confine immersion fluid to a region and including: a meniscus controlling feature having an extractor exit on a surface of the fluid handling structure; and a gas knife system outwards of the extractor exit and including passages each having an exit, the passages having a plurality of first passages having a plurality of corresponding first exits on the surface, and a plurality of second passages having a plurality of corresponding second exits outwards of the first exits on the surface, wherein the surface faces and is substantially parallel to a top surface of a substrate during exposure, and the first exits and the second exits are arranged at a greater distance from the substrate than the extractor exit.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2022Publication date: May 5, 2022Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Erik Henricus Egidius Catharina Eummelen, Giovanni Luca Gattobigio, Johannes Cornelis Paulus Melman, Han Henricus Aldegonda Lempens, Miao Yu, Cornelius Maria Rops, Ruud Olieslagers, Artunç Ulucan, Theodorus Wilhelmus Polet, Patrick Johannes Wilhelmus Spruytenburg
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Patent number: 11231653Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus having a fluid handling structure, the fluid handling structure configured to confine immersion fluid to a region and including: a meniscus controlling feature having an extractor exit on a surface of the fluid handling structure; and a gas knife system outwards of the extractor exit and including passages each having an exit, the passages having a plurality of first passages having a plurality of corresponding first exits on the surface, and a plurality of second passages having a plurality of corresponding second exits outwards of the first exits on the surface, wherein the surface faces and is substantially parallel to a top surface of a substrate during exposure, and the first exits and the second exits are arranged at a greater distance from the substrate than the extractor exit.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2021Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Erik Henricus Egidius Catharina Eummelen, Giovanni Luca Gattobigio, Johannes Cornelis Paulus Melman, Han Henricus Aldegonda Lempens, Miao Yu, Cornelius Maria Rops, Ruud Olieslagers, Artunç Ulucan, Theodorus Wilhelmus Polet, Patrick Johannes Wilhelmus Spruytenburg
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Publication number: 20210181641Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus having a fluid handling structure, the fluid handling structure configured to confine immersion fluid to a region and including: a meniscus controlling feature having an extractor exit on a surface of the fluid handling structure; and a gas knife system outwards of the extractor exit and including passages each having an exit, the passages having a plurality of first passages having a plurality of corresponding first exits on the surface, and a plurality of second passages having a plurality of corresponding second exits outwards of the first exits on the surface, wherein the surface faces and is substantially parallel to a top surface of a substrate during exposure, and the first exits and the second exits are arranged at a greater distance from the substrate than the extractor exit.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2021Publication date: June 17, 2021Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Erik Henricus Egidius Catharina EUMMELEN, Giovanni Luca GATTOBIGIO, Johannes Cornelis Paulus MELMAN, Han Henricus Aldegonda LEMPENS, Miao YU, Cornelius Maria ROPS, Ruud OLIESLAGERS, Artunç ULUCAN, Theodorus Wilhelmus POLET, Patrick Johannes Wilhelmus SPRUYTENBURG
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Patent number: 10969695Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus having a fluid handling structure, the fluid handling structure configured to confine immersion fluid to a region and including: a meniscus controlling feature having an extractor exit on a surface of the fluid handling structure; and a gas knife system outwards of the extractor exit and including passages each having an exit, the passages having a plurality of first passages having a plurality of corresponding first exits on the surface, and a plurality of second passages having a plurality of corresponding second exits outwards of the first exits on the surface, wherein the surface faces and is substantially parallel to a top surface of a substrate during exposure, and the first exits and the second exits are arranged at a greater distance from the substrate than the extractor exit.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2019Date of Patent: April 6, 2021Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Erik Henricus Egidius Catharina Eummelen, Giovanni Luca Gattobigio, Johannes Cornelis Paulus Melman, Han Henricus Aldegonda Lempens, Miao Yu, Cornelius Maria Rops, Ruud Olieslagers, Artunç Ulucan, Theodorus Wilhelmus Polet, Patrick Johannes Wilhelmus Spruytenburg
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Publication number: 20210096471Abstract: An immersion lithography apparatus controller configured to control a positioner to move a support table to follow an exposure route and to control a liquid confinement structure, the controller configured to: predict whether liquid will be lost from an immersion space during at least one motion of the route in which an edge of the object passes under an edge of the immersion space, and if liquid loss from the immersion space is predicted, modify the fluid flow such that a first fluid flow rate into or out of an opening at a leading edge of the liquid confinement structure is different to a second fluid flow rate into or out of an opening at a trailing edge of the liquid confinement structure during the motion of predicted liquid loss or a motion of the route subsequent to the motion of predicted liquid loss.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2017Publication date: April 1, 2021Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Erik Henricus Egidius Catharina EUMMELEN, Frank DEBOUGNOUX, Koen CUYPERS, Han Henricus Aldegonda LEMPENS, Theodoras Wilhelmus POLET, Jorge Alberto VIEYRA SALAS, John Maria BOMBEECK, Johannes Cornelis Paulus MELMAN, Giovanni Luca GATTOBIGIO
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Patent number: 10627721Abstract: A route for a substrate support that supports a substrate in an immersion lithographic apparatus is calculated to satisfy the following constraints: after the edge of the substrate first contacts the immersion space, the substrate remains in contact with the immersion space until all target portions are exposed; exposures of target portions are performed while the substrate moves in a scan direction; and all movements of the substrate between exposures are, in a plane parallel to its upper surface, either curved or only in one of the scan directions or transverse directions. In order to reduce exposure defects at the edge of the substrate the outside portion of the substrate is avoided from being exposed to the immersion liquid. The transfer routes are designed to overly the substrate surface.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2016Date of Patent: April 21, 2020Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Norbertus Josephus Martinus Van Den Nieuwelaar, Victor Manuel Blanco Carballo, Thomas Augustus Mattaar, Johannes Cornelis Paulus Melman, Gerben Pieterse, Johannes Theodorus Guillielmus Maria Van De Ven, Jan-Piet Van De Ven, Petrus Franciscus Van Gils
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Patent number: 10534271Abstract: A device manufacturing method includes: confining a liquid to an immersion space between a projection system and an object; starting application of an underpressure to an extraction unit to remove fluid from a position proximate an edge of the object before the immersion space moves onto the object; moving the support table along a route comprising a series of motions such that a plurality of target positions on the object pass under the projection system; projecting through the immersion space a beam onto the target portions as the target portions pass under the projection system, the projecting performed to account for a certain predetermined thermal profile in the object; and stopping application of the underpressure at a predetermined time after the immersion space moves off the object for the last time during the series of motions to at least partly induce the certain predetermined thermal profile in the object.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2017Date of Patent: January 14, 2020Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Pieter Jeroen Johan Emanuel Hoefnagels, Ronald Frank Kox, John Maria Bombeeck, Johannes Cornelis Paulus Melman, Ruud Hendrikus Martinus Johannes Bloks, Patricius Jacobus Neefs
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Publication number: 20200004162Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus having a fluid handling structure, the fluid handling structure configured to confine immersion fluid to a region and including: a meniscus controlling feature having an extractor exit on a surface of the fluid handling structure; and a gas knife system outwards of the extractor exit and including passages each having an exit, the passages having a plurality of first passages having a plurality of corresponding first exits on the surface, and a plurality of second passages having a plurality of corresponding second exits outwards of the first exits on the surface, wherein the surface faces and is substantially parallel to a top surface of a substrate during exposure, and the first exits and the second exits are arranged at a greater distance from the substrate than the extractor exit.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2019Publication date: January 2, 2020Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS H.V.Inventors: Erik Henricus Egidius Catharina EUMMELEN, Giovanni Luca GATTOBIGIO, Johannes Cornelis Paulus MELMAN, Han Henricus Aldegonda LEMPENS, Miao YU, Cornelius Maria ROPS, Ruud OLIESLAGERS, Arturnç ULUCAN, Theodorus Wilhelmus POLET, Patrick Johannes Wilhelmus SPRUYTENBURG
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Publication number: 20190361357Abstract: A device manufacturing method includes: confining a liquid to an immersion space between a projection system and an object; starting application of an underpressure to an extraction unit to remove fluid from a position proximate an edge of the object before the immersion space moves onto the object; moving the support table along a route comprising a series of motions such that a plurality of target positions on the object pass under the projection system; projecting through the immersion space a beam onto the target portions as the target portions pass under the projection system, the projecting performed to account for a certain predetermined thermal profile in the object; and stopping application of the underpressure at a predetermined time after the immersion space moves off the object for the last time during the series of motions to at least partly induce the certain predetermined thermal profile in the object.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2017Publication date: November 28, 2019Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Pieter Jeroen Johan Emanuel HOEFNAGELS, Ronald Frank KOX, John Maria BOMBEECK, Johannes Cornelis Paulus MELMAN, Ruud Hendrikus Martinus Johannes BLOKS, Patricius Jacobus NEEFS
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Patent number: 10416571Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus having a fluid handling structure, the fluid handling structure configured to confine immersion fluid to a region and including: a meniscus controlling feature having an extractor exit on a surface of the fluid handling structure; and a gas knife system outwards of the extractor exit and including passages each having an exit, the passages having a plurality of first passages having a plurality of corresponding first exits on the surface, and a plurality of second passages having a plurality of corresponding second exits outwards of the first exits on the surface, wherein the surface faces and is substantially parallel to a top surface of a substrate during exposure, and the first exits and the second exits are arranged at a greater distance from the substrate than the extractor exit.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2016Date of Patent: September 17, 2019Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Erik Henricus Egidius Catharina Eummelen, Giovanni Luca Gattobigio, Johannes Cornelis Paulus Melman, Han Henricus Aldegonda Lempens, Miao Yu, Cornelius Maria Rops, Ruud Olieslagers, Artunç Ulucan, Theodorus Wilhelmus Polet, Patrick Johannes Wilhelmus Spruytenburg
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Publication number: 20190265597Abstract: A substrate table configured to support a substrate for exposure in an immersion lithographic apparatus, the substrate table including: a support body having a support surface configured to support the substrate; and a cover ring fixed relative to the support body and configured to surround, in plan view, the substrate supported on the support surface, wherein the cover ring has an upper surface and at least a portion of the upper surface is configured so as to alter the stability of a meniscus of immersion liquid when moving along the upper surface towards the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2019Publication date: August 29, 2019Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Daan Daniel Johannes Antonius VAN SOMMEREN, Coen Hubertus Matheus BALTIS, Harold Sebastiaan BUDDENBERG, Giovanni Luca GATTOBIGIO, Johannes Cornelis Paulus MELMAN, Günes NAKIBOGLU, Theodorus Wilhelmus POLET, Walter Theodorus Matheus STALS, Yuri Johannes Gabriël VAN DE VIJVER, Josephus Peter VAN LIESHOUT, Jorge Alberto VIEYRA SALAS, Aleksandar Nikolov ZDRAVKOV
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Patent number: 10317804Abstract: A substrate table configured to support a substrate for exposure in an immersion lithographic apparatus, the substrate table including: a support body having a support surface configured to support the substrate; and a cover ring fixed relative to the support body and configured to surround, in plan view, the substrate supported on the support surface, wherein the cover ring has an upper surface, wherein at least a portion of the upper surface is configured so as to alter the stability of a meniscus of immersion liquid when moving along the upper surface towards the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2016Date of Patent: June 11, 2019Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Daan Daniel Johannes Antonius Van Sommeren, Coen Hubertus Matheus Baltis, Harold Sebastiaan Buddenberg, Giovanni Luca Gattobigio, Johannes Cornelis Paulus Melman, Günes Nakiboglu, Theodorus Wilhelmus Polet, Walter Theodorus Matheus Stals, Yuri Johannes Gabriël Van De Vijver, Josephus Peter Van Lieshout, Jorge Alberto Vieyra Salas, Aleksandar Nikolov Zdravkov
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Publication number: 20190004434Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus having a fluid handling structure, the fluid handling structure configured to confine immersion fluid to a region and including: a meniscus controlling feature having an extractor exit on a surface of the fluid handling structure; and a gas knife system outwards of the extractor exit and including passages each having an exit, the passages having a plurality of first passages having a plurality of corresponding first exits on the surface, and a plurality of second passages having a plurality of corresponding second exits outwards of the first exits on the surface, wherein the surface faces and is substantially parallel to a top surface of a substrate during exposure, and the first exits and the second exits are arranged at a greater distance from the substrate than the extractor exit.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2016Publication date: January 3, 2019Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Erik Henricus Egidius Catharina EUMMELEN, Giovanni Luca GATTOBIGIO, Johannes Cornelis Paulus MELMAN, Han Henricus Aldegonda LEMPENS, Miao YU, Cornelius Maria ROPS, Ruud OLIESLAGERS, Artunç ULUCAN, Theodorus Wilhelmus POLET, Patrick Johannes Wilhelmus SPRUYTENBURG
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Publication number: 20180364584Abstract: A substrate table configured to support a substrate for exposure in an immersion lithographic apparatus, the substrate table including: a support body having a support surface configured to support the substrate; and a cover ring fixed relative to the support body and configured to surround, in plan view, the substrate supported on the support surface, wherein the cover ring has an upper surface, wherein at least a portion of the upper surface is configured so as to alter the stability of a meniscus of immersion liquid when moving along the upper surface towards the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2016Publication date: December 20, 2018Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Daan Daniel Johannes Antonius VAN SOMMEREN, Coen Hubertus Matheus BALTIS, Harold Sebastiaan BUDDENBERG, Giovanni Luca GATTOBIGIO, Johannes Cornelis Paulus MELMAN, Günes NAKIBOGLU, Theodorus Wilhelmus POLET, Walter Theodorus Matheus STALS, Yuri Johannes Gabriël VAN DE VIJVER, Josephus Peter VAN LIESHOUT, Jorge Alverto VIEYRA SALAS, Aleksandar Nikolov ZDRAVKOV
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Publication number: 20180321592Abstract: A route for a substrate support that supports a substrate in an immersion lithographic apparatus is calculated to satisfy the following constraints: after the edge of the substrate first contacts the immersion space, the substrate remains in contact with the immersion space until all target portions are exposed; exposures of target portions are performed while the substrate moves in a scan direction; and all movements of the substrate between exposures are, in a plane parallel to its upper surface, either curved or only in one of the scan directions or transverse directions. In order to reduce exposure defects at the edge of the substrate the outside portion of the substrate is avoided from being exposed to the immersion liquid. The transfer routes are designed to overly the substrate surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2016Publication date: November 8, 2018Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Norbertus Josephus Martinus VAN DEN NIEUWELAAR, Victor Manuel BLANCO CARBALLO, Thomas Augustus MATTAAR, Johannes Cornelis Paulus MELMAN, Gerben PIETERSE, Johannes Theodorus Guillielmus Maria VAN DE VEN, Jan-Piet VAN DE VEN, Petrus Franciscus VAN GILS