Patents by Inventor John Tom Stewart, IV
John Tom Stewart, IV 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: 12189313Abstract: In some general aspects, a surface of a structure within a chamber of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source is cleaned using a method. The method includes generating a plasma state of a material that is present at a location adjacent to a non-electrically conductive body that is within the chamber. The generation of the plasma state of the material includes electromagnetically inducing an electric current at the location adjacent the non-electrically conductive body to thereby transform the material that is adjacent the non-electrically conductive body from a first state into the plasma state. The plasma state of the material includes plasma particles, at least some of which are free radicals of the material. The method also includes enabling the plasma particles to pass over the structure surface to remove debris from the structure surface without removing the structure from the chamber of the EUV light source.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2022Date of Patent: January 7, 2025Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Chunguang Xia, Jonghoon Baek, John Tom Stewart, IV, Andrew David LaForge, Deniz Van Heijnsbergen, David Robert Evans, Nina Vladimirovna Dziomkina, Yue Ma
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Publication number: 20220179328Abstract: In some general aspects, a surface of a structure within a chamber of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source is cleaned using a method. The method includes generating a plasma state of a material that is present at a location adjacent to a non-electrically conductive body that is within the chamber. The generation of the plasma state of the material includes electromagnetically inducing an electric current at the location adjacent the non-electrically conductive body to thereby transform the material that is adjacent the non-electrically conductive body from a first state into the plasma state. The plasma state of the material includes plasma particles, at least some of which are free radicals of the material. The method also includes enabling the plasma particles to pass over the structure surface to remove debris from the structure surface without removing the structure from the chamber of the EUV light source.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2022Publication date: June 9, 2022Inventors: Chunguang Xia, Jonghoon Baek, John Tom Stewart, IV, Andrew David LaForge, Deniz Van Heijnsbergen, David Robert Evans, Nina Vladimirovna Dziomkina, Yue Ma
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Patent number: 11347154Abstract: In some general aspects, a surface of a structure within a chamber of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source is cleaned using a method. The method includes generating a plasma state of a material that is present at a location adjacent to a non-electrically conductive body that is within the chamber. The generation of the plasma state of the material includes electromagnetically inducing an electric current at the location adjacent the non-electrically conductive body to thereby transform the material that is adjacent the non-electrically conductive body from a first state into the plasma state. The plasma state of the material includes plasma particles, at least some of which are free radicals of the material. The method also includes enabling the plasma particles to pass over the structure surface to remove debris from the structure surface without removing the structure from the chamber of the EUV light source.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2019Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Chunguang Xia, Jonghoon Baek, John Tom Stewart, IV, Andrew David LaForge, Deniz Van Heijnsbergen, David Robert Evans, Nina Vladimirovna Dziomkina, Yue Ma
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Patent number: 10955749Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet radiation (EUV) source, including: a vessel having an inner vessel wall and an intermediate focus (IF) region; an EUV collector disposed inside the vessel, the EUV collector including a reflective surface configured to reflect EUV radiation toward the intermediate focus region, the reflective surface configured to directionally face the IF region of the vessel; a showerhead disposed along at least a portion of the inner vessel wall, the showerhead including a plurality of nozzles configured to introduce gas into the vessel; and one or more exhausts configured to remove gas introduced into the vessel, the one or more exhausts being oriented along at least a portion of the inner vessel wall so that the gas is caused to flow away from the EUV collector.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2018Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Dzmitry Labetski, Christianus Wilhelmus Johannes Berendsen, Rui Miguel Duarte Rodriges Nunes, Alexander Igorevich Ershov, Kornelis Frits Feenstra, Igor Vladimirovich Fomenkov, Klaus Martin Hummler, Arun Johnkadaksham, Matthias Kraushaar, Andrew David Laforge, Marc Guy Langlois, Maksim Loginov, Yue Ma, Seyedmohammad Mojab, Kerim Nadir, Alexander Shatalov, John Tom Stewart, IV, Henricus Gerardus Tegenbosch, Chunguang Xia
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Publication number: 20210063899Abstract: In some general aspects, a surface of a structure within a chamber of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source is cleaned using a method. The method includes generating a plasma state of a material that is present at a location adjacent to a non-electrically conductive body that is within the chamber. The generation of the plasma state of the material includes electromagnetically inducing an electric current at the location adjacent the non-electrically conductive body to thereby transform the material that is adjacent the non-electrically conductive body from a first state into the plasma state. The plasma state of the material includes plasma particles, at least some of which are free radicals of the material. The method also includes enabling the plasma particles to pass over the structure surface to remove debris from the structure surface without removing the structure from the chamber of the EUV light source.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2019Publication date: March 4, 2021Inventors: Chunguang Xia, Jonghoon Baek, John Tom Stewart, IV, Andrew David LaForge, Deniz Van Heijnsbergen, David Robert Evans, Nina Vladimirovna Dziomkina, Yue MA
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Publication number: 20200089124Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet radiation (EUV) source, including: a vessel having an inner vessel wall and an intermediate focus (IF) region; an EUV collector disposed inside the vessel, the EUV collector including a reflective surface configured to reflect EUV radiation toward the intermediate focus region, the reflective surface configured to directionally face the IF region of the vessel; a showerhead disposed along at least a portion of the inner vessel wall, the showerhead including a plurality of nozzles configured to introduce gas into the vessel; and one or more exhausts configured to remove gas introduced into the vessel, the one or more exhausts being oriented along at least a portion of the inner vessel wall so that the gas is caused to flow away from the EUV collector.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2018Publication date: March 19, 2020Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Dzmitry LABETSKI, Christianus Wilhelmus Johanne BERENDSEN, Rui Miguel DUARTE RODRIGES NUNES, Alexander Igorevich ERSHOV, Kornelis Frits FEENSTRA, Igor Vladimirovich FOMENKOV, Klaus Martin HUMMLER, Arun JOHNKADAKSHAM, Matthias KRAUSHAAR, Andrew David LAFORGE, Marc Guy LANGLOIS, Maksim LOGINOV, Yue MA, Seyedmohammad MOJAB, Kerim NADIR, Alexander SHATALOV, John Tom STEWART (IV), Henricus Gerardus TEGENBOSCH, Chunguang XIA
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Patent number: 10490313Abstract: Disclosed is an EUV system in which a source control loop is established to maintain and optimize debris flux while not unduly affecting optimum EUV generation conditions. One or more temperature sensors, e.g., thermocouples may be installed in the vessel to measure respective local gas temperatures. The respective local temperature as measured by the one or more thermocouples can be used as one or more inputs to the source control loop. The source control loop may then adjust the laser targeting to permit optimization of debris generation and deposition while not affecting EUV production, thus extending the lifetime of the source and its collector.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2018Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Alexander I. Ershov, John Tom Stewart, IV, Igor V. Fomenkov, Christianus W. J. Berendsen
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Publication number: 20190080811Abstract: Disclosed is an EUV system in which a source control loop is established to maintain and optimize debris flux while not unduly affecting optimum EUV generation conditions. One or more temperature sensors, e.g., thermocouples may be installed in the vessel to measure respective local gas temperatures. The respective local temperature as measured by the one or more thermocouples can be used as one or more inputs to the source control loop. The source control loop may then adjust the laser targeting to permit optimization of debris generation and deposition while not affecting EUV production, thus extending the lifetime of the source and its collector.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2018Publication date: March 14, 2019Inventors: Alexander I. ERSHOV, John Tom Stewart, IV, Igor V. FOMENKOV, Christianus W.J. BERENDSEN
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Publication number: 20180330841Abstract: Disclosed is an EUV system in which a source control loop is established to maintain and optimize debris flux while not unduly affecting optimum EUV generation conditions. One or more temperature sensors, e.g., thermocouples may be installed in the vessel to measure respective local gas temperatures. The respective local temperature as measured by the one or more thermocouples can be used as one or more inputs to the source control loop. The source control loop may then adjust the laser targeting to permit optimization of debris generation and deposition while not affecting EUV production, thus extending the lifetime of the source and its collector.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2017Publication date: November 15, 2018Inventors: Alexander I. Ershov, John Tom Stewart, IV, Igor V. Fomenkov, Christianus W.J. Berendsen
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Patent number: 10128017Abstract: Disclosed is an EUV system in which a source control loop is established to maintain and optimize debris flux while not unduly affecting optimum EUV generation conditions. One or more temperature sensors, e.g., thermocouples may be installed in the vessel to measure respective local gas temperatures. The respective local temperature as measured by the one or more thermocouples can be used as one or more inputs to the source control loop. The source control loop may then adjust the laser targeting to permit optimization of debris generation and deposition while not affecting EUV production, thus extending the lifetime of the source and its collector.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2017Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Alexander I. Ershov, John Tom Stewart, IV, Igor V. Fomenkov, Christianus W. J. Berendsen
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Patent number: 10064261Abstract: An initial pulse of radiation is generated; a section of the initial pulse of radiation is extracted to form a modified pulse of radiation, the modified pulse of radiation including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being temporally connected to the second portion, and the first portion having a maximum energy that is less than a maximum energy of the second portion; the first portion of the modified pulse of radiation is interacted with a target material to form a modified target; and the second portion of the modified pulse of radiation is interacted with the modified target to generate plasma that emits extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2017Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Yezheng Tao, John Tom Stewart, IV, Jordan Jur, Daniel Brown, Alexander A. Schafgans, Jason M. Arcand, Andrew LaForge
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Publication number: 20180124906Abstract: An initial pulse of radiation is generated; a section of the initial pulse of radiation is extracted to form a modified pulse of radiation, the modified pulse of radiation including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being temporally connected to the second portion, and the first portion having a maximum energy that is less than a maximum energy of the second portion; the first portion of the modified pulse of radiation is interacted with a target material to form a modified target; and the second portion of the modified pulse of radiation is interacted with the modified target to generate plasma that emits extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2017Publication date: May 3, 2018Inventors: Yezheng Tao, John Tom Stewart, IV, Jordan Jur, Daniel Brown
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Patent number: 9826616Abstract: An initial pulse of radiation is generated; a section of the initial pulse of radiation is extracted to form a modified pulse of radiation, the modified pulse of radiation including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being temporally connected to the second portion, and the first portion having a maximum energy that is less than a maximum energy of the second portion; the first portion of the modified pulse of radiation is interacted with a target material to form a modified target; and the second portion of the modified pulse of radiation is interacted with the modified target to generate plasma that emits extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2016Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Yezheng Tao, John Tom Stewart, IV, Jordan Jur, Daniel Brown
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Publication number: 20160255708Abstract: An initial pulse of radiation is generated; a section of the initial pulse of radiation is extracted to form a modified pulse of radiation, the modified pulse of radiation including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being temporally connected to the second portion, and the first portion having a maximum energy that is less than a maximum energy of the second portion; the first portion of the modified pulse of radiation is interacted with a target material to form a modified target; and the second portion of the modified pulse of radiation is interacted with the modified target to generate plasma that emits extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2016Publication date: September 1, 2016Inventors: Yezheng Tao, John Tom Stewart, IV, Jordan Jur, Daniel Brown
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Patent number: 9357625Abstract: An initial pulse of radiation is generated; a section of the initial pulse of radiation is extracted to form a modified pulse of radiation, the modified pulse of radiation including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being temporally connected to the second portion, and the first portion having a maximum energy that is less than a maximum energy of the second portion; the first portion of the modified pulse of radiation is interacted with a target material to form a modified target; and the second portion of the modified pulse of radiation is interacted with the modified target to generate plasma that emits extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2014Date of Patent: May 31, 2016Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Yezheng Tao, John Tom Stewart, IV, Jordan Jur, Andrew LaForge, Daniel Brown, Jason M. Arcand, Alexander A. Schafgans, Michael A. Purvis
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Patent number: 9338870Abstract: A first remaining plasma that at least partially coincides with a target region is formed; a target including target material in a first spatial distribution to the target region is provided, the target material including material that emits EUV light when converted to plasma; the first remaining plasma and the initial target interact, the interaction rearranging the target material from the first spatial distribution to a shaped target distribution to form a shaped target in the target region, the shaped target including the target material arranged in the shaped spatial distribution; an amplified light beam is directed toward the target region to convert at least some of the target material in the shaped target to a plasma that emits EUV light; and a second remaining plasma is formed in the target region.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2014Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Yezheng Tao, John Tom Stewart, IV, Daniel J.W. Brown
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Publication number: 20160007434Abstract: An initial pulse of radiation is generated; a section of the initial pulse of radiation is extracted to form a modified pulse of radiation, the modified pulse of radiation including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being temporally connected to the second portion, and the first portion having a maximum energy that is less than a maximum energy of the second portion; the first portion of the modified pulse of radiation is interacted with a target material to form a modified target; and the second portion of the modified pulse of radiation is interacted with the modified target to generate plasma that emits extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 7, 2014Publication date: January 7, 2016Inventors: Yezheng Tao, John Tom Stewart, IV, Jordan Jur, Andrew LaForge, Daniel Brown, Jason M. Arcand, Alexander A. Schafgans, Michael A. Purvis
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Publication number: 20150189728Abstract: A first remaining plasma that at least partially coincides with a target region is formed; a target including target material in a first spatial distribution to the target region is provided, the target material including material that emits EUV light when converted to plasma; the first remaining plasma and the initial target interact, the interaction rearranging the target material from the first spatial distribution to a shaped target distribution to form a shaped target in the target region, the shaped target including the target material arranged in the shaped spatial distribution; an amplified light beam is directed toward the target region to convert at least some of the target material in the shaped target to a plasma that emits EUV light; and a second remaining plasma is formed in the target region.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2014Publication date: July 2, 2015Inventors: Yezheng Tao, John Tom Stewart, IV, Daniel J.W. Brown