Patents by Inventor Kouji Kakizaki

Kouji Kakizaki 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: 20230071592
    Abstract: A laser processing method according to a viewpoint of the present disclosure includes radiating ultraviolet pulse laser light onto a workpiece having a stacked structure in which a conductor layer, an insulating layer, and a sacrificial layer are stacked on each other in the presented order, the pulse laser light radiated from the side facing the sacrificial layer, to change a laser ablation processing mode in the sacrificial layer and form a through hole in the sacrificial layer, radiating the pulse laser light onto the insulating layer through the through hole to form an opening in the insulating layer, and removing the sacrificial layer after the formation of the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2022
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Akira SUWA, Kouji KAKIZAKI, Masakazu KOBAYASHI, Junichi FUJIMOTO, Yasufumi KAWASUJI
  • Publication number: 20220376455
    Abstract: A laser device according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a chamber into which laser gas is introduced; a pair of electrodes arranged in the chamber; a power source configured to apply a voltage between the electrodes; a nozzle structure which includes an internal passage for receiving the laser gas and a slit connected to the internal passage and is configured to generate flow of the laser gas between the electrodes due to the laser gas blowing out from the slit; a gas flow path which has a suction port through which the laser gas in the chamber is suctioned and introduces, to the nozzle structure, the laser gas suctioned through the suction port; and a blower device configured to cause the laser gas to blow toward the internal passage of the nozzle structure through the gas flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Yoichi SASAKI, Kouji KAKIZAKI, Hakaru MIZOGUCHI
  • Patent number: 11469568
    Abstract: A laser apparatus includes: (A) a solid-state laser apparatus that outputs burst seed pulsed light containing a plurality of pulses; (B) an excimer amplifier that amplifies the burst seed pulsed light in a discharge space in a single occurrence of discharge and outputs the amplified light as amplified burst pulsed light; (C) an energy sensor that measures the energy of the amplified burst pulsed light; and (D) a laser controller that corrects the timing at which the solid-state laser apparatus is caused to output the burst seed pulsed light based on the relationship of the difference between the timing at which the solid-state laser apparatus outputs the burst seed pulsed light and the timing at which the discharge occurs in the discharge space with a measured value of the energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Kouji Kakizaki, Osamu Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 11465233
    Abstract: A laser processing system includes: a wavelength-variable laser device configured to output each of a laser beam at an absorption line as a wavelength at which light is absorbed by oxygen and a laser beam at a non-absorption line as a wavelength at which the amount of light absorption by oxygen is smaller than at the absorption line; an optical system configured to irradiate a workpiece with the laser beam; and a laser control unit configured to control the wavelength-variable laser device, set the wavelength of the laser beam output from the wavelength-variable laser device to be the non-absorption line when laser processing is performed on the surface of the workpiece in gas containing oxygen, and set the wavelength of the laser beam output from the wavelength-variable laser device to be the absorption line when ozone cleaning is performed on the surface of the workpiece in gas containing oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Kouji Kakizaki, Osamu Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 11350515
    Abstract: A laser system includes A. a laser apparatus configured to output pulsed laser light; B. a rare gas chamber; C. a light focusing optical system configured to focus the pulsed laser light in the rare gas chamber to excite the rare gas; D. a filter chamber configured to selectively transmit EUV light contained in harmonic light produced in the rare gas chamber; E. an exhauster connected to the filter chamber; F. at least one through hole disposed in the optical path between the rare gas chamber and the filter chamber; G. a rare gas supplier; H. a flow rate control valve configured to control the flow rate of the rare gas flowing from the rare gas supplier into the rare gas chamber; I. a first pressure sensor configured to detect the pressure of the rare gas in the rare gas chamber; J. a first controller configured to control the flow rate control valve in such a way that the pressure detected with the first pressure sensor falls within a reference range; and K.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignees: Gigaphoton Inc., The University of Tokyo
    Inventors: Hironori Igarashi, Kouji Kakizaki, Yohei Kobayashi, Shuntaro Tani
  • Publication number: 20200337145
    Abstract: A laser system includes A. a laser apparatus configured to output pulsed laser light; B. a rare gas chamber; C. a light focusing optical system configured to focus the pulsed laser light in the rare gas chamber to excite the rare gas; D. a filter chamber configured to selectively transmit EUV light contained in harmonic light produced in the rare gas chamber; E. an exhauster connected to the filter chamber; F. at least one through hole disposed in the optical path between the rare gas chamber and the filter chamber; G. a rare gas supplier; H. a flow rate control valve configured to control the flow rate of the rare gas flowing from the rare gas supplier into the rare gas chamber; I. a first pressure sensor configured to detect the pressure of the rare gas in the rare gas chamber; J. a first controller configured to control the flow rate control valve in such a way that the pressure detected with the first pressure sensor falls within a reference range; and K.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Applicants: Gigaphoton Inc., The University of Tokyo
    Inventors: Hironori IGARASHI, Kouji KAKIZAKI, Yohei KOBAYASHI, Shuntaro TANI
  • Publication number: 20200290156
    Abstract: A laser processing method of performing laser processing on a transparent material that is transparent to ultraviolet light includes: A. a positioning step of performing positioning so that a transfer position of a transfer image is set at a position inside the transparent material at a predetermined depth ?Zsf from a surface of the transparent material in an optical axis direction; B. an irradiation condition acquisition step; C. a determination step of determining whether a maximum fluence of a pulse laser beam at the surface of the transparent material is within a predetermined range based on irradiation conditions; and D. a control step of allowing irradiation with the pulse laser beam when the maximum fluence is determined to be in the predetermined range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Akira SUWA, Kouji KAKIZAKI, Masakazu KOBAYASHI, Osamu WAKABAYASHI
  • Patent number: 10710194
    Abstract: A laser processing system includes a wavelength tunable laser apparatus capable of changing the wavelength of pulsed laser light to be outputted, an optical system irradiating a workpiece with the pulsed laser light, a reference wavelength acquisition section acquiring a reference wavelength corresponding to photon absorption according to the material of the workpiece, a laser processing controller controlling the wavelength tunable laser apparatus to perform preprocessing before final processing performed on the workpiece, changes the wavelength of the pulsed laser light over a predetermined range containing the reference wavelength, and performs wavelength search preprocessing at a plurality of wavelengths, a processed state measurer measuring a processed state on a wavelength basis achieved by the wavelength search preprocessing performed at the plurality of wavelengths, and an optimum wavelength determination section assessing the processed state on a wavelength basis to determine an optimum wavelength us
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Kouji Kakizaki, Osamu Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 10495890
    Abstract: A laser exposure system may include a plurality of laser devices configured to output laser beams with which an irradiated subject is irradiated, and at least one beam property adjustment unit disposed on optical paths of the laser beams outputted from the plurality of laser devices, and configured to allow beam properties of the laser beams to be approximately a same as each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Osamu Wakabayashi, Kouji Kakizaki, Junichi Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20190283179
    Abstract: A laser processing system includes: a wavelength-variable laser device configured to output each of a laser beam at an absorption line as a wavelength at which light is absorbed by oxygen and a laser beam at a non-absorption line as a wavelength at which the amount of light absorption by oxygen is smaller than at the absorption line; an optical system configured to irradiate a workpiece with the laser beam; and a laser control unit configured to control the wavelength-variable laser device, set the wavelength of the laser beam output from the wavelength-variable laser device to be the non-absorption line when laser processing is performed on the surface of the workpiece in gas containing oxygen, and set the wavelength of the laser beam output from the wavelength-variable laser device to be the absorption line when ozone cleaning is performed on the surface of the workpiece in gas containing oxygen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Kouji KAKIZAKI, Osamu WAKABAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20190283177
    Abstract: A laser processing system includes a wavelength tunable laser apparatus capable of changing the wavelength of pulsed laser light to be outputted, an optical system irradiating a workpiece with the pulsed laser light, a reference wavelength acquisition section acquiring a reference wavelength corresponding to photon absorption according to the material of the workpiece, a laser processing controller controlling the wavelength tunable laser apparatus to perform preprocessing before final processing performed on the workpiece, changes the wavelength of the pulsed laser light over a predetermined range containing the reference wavelength, and performs wavelength search preprocessing at a plurality of wavelengths, a processed state measurer measuring a processed state on a wavelength basis achieved by the wavelength search preprocessing performed at the plurality of wavelengths, and an optimum wavelength determination section assessing the processed state on a wavelength basis to determine an optimum wavelength us
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Kouji KAKIZAKI, Osamu WAKABAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20190245321
    Abstract: A laser apparatus includes: (A) a solid-state laser apparatus that outputs burst seed pulsed light containing a plurality of pulses; (B) an excimer amplifier that amplifies the burst seed pulsed light in a discharge space in a single occurrence of discharge and outputs the amplified light as amplified burst pulsed light; (C) an energy sensor that measures the energy of the amplified burst pulsed light; and (D) a laser controller that corrects the timing at which the solid-state laser apparatus is caused to output the burst seed pulsed light based on the relationship of the difference between the timing at which the solid-state laser apparatus outputs the burst seed pulsed light and the timing at which the discharge occurs in the discharge space with a measured value of the energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Kouji KAKIZAKI, Osamu WAKABAYASHI
  • Patent number: 10306743
    Abstract: A system includes a chamber, a laser beam apparatus configured to generate a laser beam to be introduced into the chamber, a laser controller for the laser beam apparatus to control at least a beam intensity and an output timing of the laser beam, and a target supply unit configured to supply a target material into the chamber, the target material being irradiated with the laser beam for generating extreme ultraviolet light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Tsukasa Hori, Kouji Kakizaki, Tatsuya Yanagida, Osamu Wakabayashi, Hakaru Mizoguchi
  • Publication number: 20190141826
    Abstract: A system includes a chamber, a laser beam apparatus configured to generate a laser beam to be introduced into the chamber, a laser controller for the laser beam apparatus to control at least a beam intensity and an output timing of the laser beam, and a target supply unit configured to supply a target material into the chamber, the target material being irradiated with the laser beam for generating extreme ultraviolet light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Tsukasa HORI, Kouji KAKIZAKI, Tatsuya YANAGIDA, Osamu WAKABAYASHI, Hakaru MIZOGUCHI
  • Patent number: 10251255
    Abstract: A system includes a chamber, a laser beam apparatus configured to generate a laser beam to be introduced into the chamber, a laser controller for the laser beam apparatus to control at least a beam intensity and an output timing of the laser beam, and a target supply unit configured to supply a target material into the chamber, the target material being irradiated with the laser beam for generating extreme ultraviolet light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Tsukasa Hori, Kouji Kakizaki, Tatsuya Yanagida, Osamu Wakabayashi, Hakaru Mizoguchi
  • Publication number: 20190037677
    Abstract: A system includes a chamber, a laser beam apparatus configured to generate a laser beam to be introduced into the chamber, a laser controller for the laser beam apparatus to control at least a beam intensity and an output timing of the laser beam, and a target supply unit configured to supply a target material into the chamber, the target material being irradiated with the laser beam for generating extreme ultraviolet light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Tsukasa HORI, Kouji KAKIZAKI, Tatsuya YANAGIDA, Osamu WAKABAYASHI, Hakaru MIZOGUCHI
  • Patent number: 10177520
    Abstract: The excimer laser apparatus may include a laser chamber configured to contain gas, a pair of electrodes provided in the laser chamber, a power source unit configured to supply a pulse voltage between the pair of electrodes, a gas supply unit configured to supply gas into the laser chamber, a gas exhaust unit configured to partially exhaust gas from within the laser chamber, and a gas control unit configured to control the gas supply unit and the gas exhaust unit, where a replacement ratio of gas to be replaced from within the laser chamber increases as deterioration of the pair of electrodes progresses, the deterioration being represented by a deterioration parameter of the pair of electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Takeshi Asayama, Osamu Wakabayashi, Kouji Kakizaki
  • Patent number: 10117317
    Abstract: A system includes a chamber, a laser beam apparatus configured to generate a laser beam to be introduced into the chamber, a laser controller for the laser beam apparatus to control at least a beam intensity and an output timing of the laser beam, and a target supply unit configured to supply a target material into the chamber, the target material being irradiated with the laser beam for generating extreme ultraviolet light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Tsukasa Hori, Kouji Kakizaki, Tatsuya Yanagida, Osamu Wakabayashi, Hakaru Mizoguchi
  • Patent number: 10103509
    Abstract: The excimer laser device receives data on a target value of pulse energy from an external device and outputs a pulse laser beam. The excimer laser device includes a master oscillator, at least one power amplifier including a chamber provided in an optical path of the pulse laser beam outputted from the master oscillator, a pair of electrodes provided in the chamber, and an electric power source configured to apply voltage to the pair of electrodes, and a controller configured to control the electric power source of one power amplifier of the at least one power amplifier to stop applying the voltage to the pair of electrodes based on the target value of the pulse energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Kouji Kakizaki, Akira Suwa, Osamu Wakabayashi, Hiroshi Umeda
  • Patent number: 10096966
    Abstract: A gas laser device may include: a laser chamber containing laser gas; a first discharge electrode disposed in the laser chamber; a second discharge electrode disposed to face the first discharge electrode in the laser chamber; and a condenser including a polyimide dielectric and configured to supply power to between the first discharge electrode and the second discharge electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Suwa, Kouji Kakizaki, Hiroaki Tsushima, Tomoyuki Ohkubo, Hiroshi Umeda, Hisakazu Katsuumi