Patents by Inventor John A. Rule

John A. Rule 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: 20030031216
    Abstract: The present invention provides a control system for a modular high repetition rate two discharge chamber ultraviolet gas discharge laser. In preferred embodiments, the laser is a production line machine with a master oscillator producing a very narrow band seed beam which is amplified in the second discharge chamber. Feedback timing control techniques are provided for controlling the relative timing of the discharges in the two chambers with an accuracy in the range of about 2 to 5 billionths of a second even in burst mode operation. This MOPA system is capable of output pulse energies approximately double the comparable single chamber laser system with greatly improved beam quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2002
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Inventors: John P. Fallon, Richard L. Sandstrom, William N. Partlo, Alexander I. Ershov, Toshihiko Ishihara, John Meisner, Richard M. Ness, Paul C. Melcher, John A. Rule, Robert N. Jacques
  • Publication number: 20020167975
    Abstract: An integrated circuit lithography technique called spectral engineering by Applicants, for bandwidth control of an electric discharge laser. In a preferred process, a computer model is used to model lithographic parameters to determine a desired laser spectrum needed to produce a desired lithographic result. A fast responding tuning mechanism is then used to adjust center wavelength of laser pulses in a burst of pulses to achieve an integrated spectrum for the burst of pulses approximating the desired laser spectrum. The laser beam bandwidth is controlled to produce an effective beam spectrum having at least two spectral peaks in order to produce improved pattern resolution in photo resist film. Line narrowing equipment is provided having at least one piezoelectric drive and a fast bandwidth detection control system having a time response of less than about 2.0 millisecond.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Publication date: November 14, 2002
    Inventors: Ronald L. Spangler, Jacob P. Lipcon, John A. Rule, Robert N. Jacques, Armen Kroyan, Ivan Lalovic, Igor V. Fomenkov, John M. Algots
  • Publication number: 20020154669
    Abstract: An electric discharge laser with fast wavelength correction. Fast wavelength correction equipment includes at least one piezoelectric drive and a fast wavelength measurement system and fast feedback response times. In a preferred embodiment, equipment is provided to control wavelength on a slow time frame of several milliseconds, on a intermediate time from of about one to five milliseconds and on a very fast time frame of a few microseconds. Preferred techniques include a combination of a relatively slow stepper motor and a very fast piezoelectric driver for tuning the laser wavelength using a tuning mirror. A preferred control technique is described (utilizing a very fast wavelength monitor) to provide the slow and intermediate wavelength control with the combination of a stepper motor and a piezoelectric driver. Very fast wavelength control is provided with a piezoelectric load cell in combination with the piezoelectric driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Inventors: Ronald L. Spangler, Robert N. Jacques, John A. Rule, Frederick A. Palenschat, Igor V. Fomenkov, John M. Algots, Jacob P. Lipcon, Richard L. Sandstrom