Patents by Inventor Michael A. Purvis

Michael A. Purvis 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).

  • Patent number: 10210963
    Abstract: A method includes generating light in a light generating chamber, causing a portion of the generated light to pass through a tube having a roughened inner surface, and detecting the portion of the generated light that has passed through the tube using a photodetector. The roughened inner surface of the tube has a surface roughness sufficient to cause grazing incidences of light to be eliminated rather than to be reflected off the roughened inner surface. In one example, the method includes outputting a signal from the photodetector to a controller, with the signal corresponding to the detected portion of the generated light. The light generated in the light generating chamber can be extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light. In tests using roughened and non-roughened protection tubes, the roughened tube was found to minimize or essentially eliminate the contribution to EUV energy from grazing incidence reflections off the inner surface of the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Vahan A. Senekerimyan, Michael A. Purvis, Jie L. Ding
  • Publication number: 20170084360
    Abstract: A method includes generating light in a light generating chamber, causing a portion of the generated light to pass through a tube having a roughened inner surface, and detecting the portion of the generated light that has passed through the tube using a photodetector. The roughened inner surface of the tube has a surface roughness sufficient to cause grazing incidences of light to be eliminated rather than to be reflected off the roughened inner surface. In one example, the method includes outputting a signal from the photodetector to a controller, with the signal corresponding to the detected portion of the generated light. The light generated in the light generating chamber can be extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light. In tests using roughened and non-roughened protection tubes, the roughened tube was found to minimize or essentially eliminate the contribution to EUV energy from grazing incidence reflections off the inner surface of the tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: Vahan A. Senekerimyan, Michael A. Purvis, Jie L. Ding
  • Patent number: 9546901
    Abstract: A light source includes a light generating chamber and a collector disposed in the light generating chamber. A target material generator configured to propel a quantity of target material toward an irradiation region is disposed in front of a reflective surface of the collector. A plurality of photodetector modules is disposed external to the light generating chamber, with each of the photodetector modules being directed toward the irradiation region. A plurality of tubes is disposed between a corresponding photodetector module and the irradiation region. Each tube has a centerline directed toward the irradiation region, and each tube has a roughened inner surface. The surface roughness of the roughened inner surface is sufficient to cause grazing incidences of light to be eliminated rather than to be reflected off the roughened inner surface. A method of generating light and a method of measuring light energy also are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Vahan A. Senekerimyan, Michael A. Purvis, Jie L. Ding
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20160054174
    Abstract: A light source includes a light generating chamber and a collector disposed in the light generating chamber. A target material generator configured to propel a quantity of target material toward an irradiation region is disposed in front of a reflective surface of the collector. A plurality of photodetector modules is disposed external to the light generating chamber, with each of the photodetector modules being directed toward the irradiation region. A plurality of tubes is disposed between a corresponding photodetector module and the irradiation region. Each tube has a centerline directed toward the irradiation region, and each tube has a roughened inner surface. The surface roughness of the roughened inner surface is sufficient to cause grazing incidences of light to be eliminated rather than to be reflected off the roughened inner surface. A method of generating light and a method of measuring light energy also are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventors: Vahan A. Senekerimyan, Michael A. Purvis, Jie L. Ding
  • 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