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).

  • Publication number: 20220179328
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Chunguang Xia, Jonghoon Baek, John Tom Stewart, IV, Andrew David LaForge, Deniz Van Heijnsbergen, David Robert Evans, Nina Vladimirovna Dziomkina, Yue Ma
  • Patent number: 11347154
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: 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
  • Patent number: 10955749
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: 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
  • Publication number: 20210063899
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: Chunguang Xia, Jonghoon Baek, John Tom Stewart, IV, Andrew David LaForge, Deniz Van Heijnsbergen, David Robert Evans, Nina Vladimirovna Dziomkina, Yue MA
  • Publication number: 20200089124
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Applicant: 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
  • Patent number: 10490313
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Alexander I. Ershov, John Tom Stewart, IV, Igor V. Fomenkov, Christianus W. J. Berendsen
  • Publication number: 20190080811
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Inventors: Alexander I. ERSHOV, John Tom Stewart, IV, Igor V. FOMENKOV, Christianus W.J. BERENDSEN
  • Publication number: 20180330841
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Alexander I. Ershov, John Tom Stewart, IV, Igor V. Fomenkov, Christianus W.J. Berendsen
  • Patent number: 10128017
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Alexander I. Ershov, John Tom Stewart, IV, Igor V. Fomenkov, Christianus W. J. Berendsen
  • Patent number: 10064261
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Yezheng Tao, John Tom Stewart, IV, Jordan Jur, Daniel Brown, Alexander A. Schafgans, Jason M. Arcand, Andrew LaForge
  • Publication number: 20180124906
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Yezheng Tao, John Tom Stewart, IV, Jordan Jur, Daniel Brown
  • Patent number: 9826616
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Yezheng Tao, John Tom Stewart, IV, Jordan Jur, Daniel Brown
  • Publication number: 20160255708
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventors: Yezheng Tao, John Tom Stewart, IV, Jordan Jur, Daniel Brown
  • Patent number: 9357625
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: 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
  • Patent number: 9338870
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Yezheng Tao, John Tom Stewart, IV, Daniel J.W. Brown
  • Publication number: 20160007434
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: Yezheng Tao, John Tom Stewart, IV, Jordan Jur, Andrew LaForge, Daniel Brown, Jason M. Arcand, Alexander A. Schafgans, Michael A. Purvis
  • Publication number: 20150189728
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Yezheng Tao, John Tom Stewart, IV, Daniel J.W. Brown