Patents by Inventor Miwa Igarashi

Miwa Igarashi 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: 11411364
    Abstract: A line narrowing module includes a prism including an entrance side surface that light enters, an exit side surface from which the light is emitted, and a bottom surface, and configured to wavelength-disperse the light having entered the entrance side surface and to emit the light from the exit side surface; a holder portion having a stationary surface on which the bottom surface of the prism is secured; a rotary mechanism portion including a rotary stage on which the holder portion is secured, the rotary stage being configured to rotate the prism around an axis perpendicular to a dispersion plane of the light emitted from the prism; a drive unit configured to rotate the rotary stage; and a grating configured to reflect the light emitted from the prism, centroids of the prism, the holder portion, and the rotary stage being located on the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Miwa Igarashi, Shinichi Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20210367390
    Abstract: A gas laser apparatus may include a chamber filled with a laser gas; a window provided in the chamber and through which a laser beam passes; an optical path tube connected to the chamber to surround a position of the window in the chamber; a heated gas supply port configured to supply a heated purge gas into a closed space including a space in the optical path tube; and an exhaust port configured to exhaust a gas in the closed space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Daisuke TEI, Osamu WAKABAYASHI, Makoto TANAKA, Miwa IGARASHI
  • Publication number: 20210367396
    Abstract: A laser apparatus includes an output coupling mirror; a grating that constitutes an optical resonator together with the output coupling mirror; a laser chamber in an optical path of the optical resonator; at least one prism in an optical path between the laser chamber and the grating; a rotary stage including an actuator that rotates the prism to change an incident angle of a laser beam from the laser chamber on the grating; a wavelength measuring unit that measures a central wavelength of the laser beam from the laser chamber through the output coupling mirror; an angle sensor that detects a rotation angle of the prism; a first control unit that controls the actuator at a first operation frequency; and a second control unit that controls the actuator at a second operation frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Hirotaka MIYAMOTO, Takuma YAMANAKA, Miwa IGARASHI
  • Publication number: 20210336407
    Abstract: A line narrowing module includes a prism including an entrance side surface that light enters, an exit side surface from which the light is emitted, and a bottom surface, and configured to wavelength-disperse the light having entered the entrance side surface and to emit the light from the exit side surface; a holder portion having a stationary surface on which the bottom surface of the prism is secured; a rotary mechanism portion including a rotary stage on which the holder portion is secured, the rotary stage being configured to rotate the prism around an axis perpendicular to a dispersion plane of the light emitted from the prism; a drive unit configured to rotate the rotary stage; and a grating configured to reflect the light emitted from the prism, centroids of the prism, the holder portion, and the rotary stage being located on the axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Miwa IGARASHI, Shinichi MATSUMOTO
  • Patent number: 10916910
    Abstract: A line narrowing module includes a prism that refracts laser light in a first plane, a grating that disperses the laser light in the first plane, first to fourth elements, and a rotation mechanism and narrows the linewidth of the laser light. The second element is supported between the first and fourth elements by the first element. The rotation mechanism rotates the second element relative to the first element around an axis intersecting the first plane. The prism is located between the second and fourth elements and so supported by the second element that the rotation mechanism rotates the prism and the second element. The third element has elasticity and is compressed and located between the prism and the fourth element. The fourth element receives reaction force from the compressed third element. The second element is mechanically independent of the fourth element in the rotational direction of the rotation mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Shinichi Matsumoto, Miwa Igarashi
  • Publication number: 20200014168
    Abstract: A line narrowing module includes a prism that refracts laser light in a first plane, a grating that disperses the laser light in the first plane, first to fourth elements, and a rotation mechanism and narrows the linewidth of the laser light. The second element is supported between the first and fourth elements by the first element. The rotation mechanism rotates the second element relative to the first element around an axis intersecting the first plane. The prism is located between the second and fourth elements and so supported by the second element that the rotation mechanism rotates the prism and the second element. The third element has elasticity and is compressed and located between the prism and the fourth element. The fourth element receives reaction force from the compressed third element. The second element is mechanically independent of the fourth element in the rotational direction of the rotation mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Shinichi MATSUMOTO, Miwa IGARASHI
  • Patent number: 9894743
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating extreme ultraviolet light may include: a chamber having an opening through which a laser beam is introduced into the chamber; a reference member on which the chamber is mounted; a target supply unit for supplying a target material to be irradiated by the laser beam to a predetermined region inside the chamber; a laser beam focusing optical system for focusing the laser beam in the predetermined region inside the chamber to turn the target material into plasma; and a collector mirror for collecting the extreme ultraviolet light emitted from the plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventors: Yukio Watanabe, Miwa Igarashi, Masato Moriya, Hiroaki Nakarai
  • Patent number: 9882334
    Abstract: A mirror device may include: an optical element configured to reflect part of a laser beam and transmit the other part of the laser beam therethrough; and a holder in surface contact with the optical element to hold the optical element. A flatness of a contact surface of the holder in contact with the optical element may be equal to or smaller than a flatness of the optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Suzuki, Yukio Watanabe, Miwa Igarashi, Osamu Wakabayashi
  • Publication number: 20170205631
    Abstract: A narrow band laser apparatus may include: a laser chamber; a line narrow module configured to narrow a band width of a laser beam outputted from the laser chamber and return the laser beam to the laser chamber, the line narrow module including a grating; a housing accommodating the line narrow module; three mounts fixed to the housing; and a housing moving device configured to support the housing and the line narrow module by supporting each of the three mounts and move the line narrow module by moving the housing with respect to the laser chamber in a direction substantially perpendicular to a dispersion plane of the grating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2017
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshinobu WATABE, Miwa IGARASHI, Koji ASHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20160315439
    Abstract: A mirror device may include: an optical element configured to reflect part of a laser beam and transmit the other part of the laser beam therethrough; and a holder in surface contact with the optical element to hold the optical element. A flatness of a contact surface of the holder in contact with the optical element may be equal to or smaller than a flatness of the optical element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Toru SUZUKI, Yukio WATANABE, Miwa IGARASHI, Osamu WAKABAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20160192469
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating extreme ultraviolet light may include: a chamber having an opening through which a laser beam is introduced into the chamber; a reference member on which the chamber is mounted; a target supply unit for supplying a target material to be irradiated by the laser beam to a predetermined region inside the chamber; a laser beam focusing optical system for focusing the laser beam in the predetermined region inside the chamber to turn the target material into plasma; and a collector mirror for collecting the extreme ultraviolet light emitted from the plasma.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventors: Yukio WATANABE, Miwa IGARASHI, Masato MORIYA, Hiroaki NAKARAI
  • Patent number: 9301379
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating extreme ultraviolet light may include: a chamber having an opening through which a laser beam is introduced into the chamber; a reference member on which the chamber is mounted; a target supply unit for supplying a target material to be irradiated by the laser beam to a predetermined region inside the chamber; a laser beam focusing optical system for focusing the laser beam in the predetermined region inside the chamber to turn the target material into plasma; and a collector mirror for collecting the extreme ultraviolet light emitted from the plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventors: Yukio Watanabe, Miwa Igarashi, Masato Moriya, Hiroaki Nakarai
  • Patent number: 9198273
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating extreme ultraviolet light may include a reference member, a chamber fixed to the reference member, the chamber including at least one window, a laser beam introduction optical system configured to introduce an externally supplied laser beam into the chamber through the at least one window, and a positioning mechanism configured to position the laser beam introduction optical system to the reference member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventors: Miwa Igarashi, Yukio Watanabe, Kouji Ashikawa, Norio Iwai, Osamu Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 9179534
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus for supplying extreme ultraviolet light to a processing unit for performing processing by using the extreme ultraviolet light. The extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus includes: a chamber in which the extreme ultraviolet light to be supplied to the processing unit is generated; a collector mirror for collecting the extreme ultraviolet light generated in the chamber to output the extreme ultraviolet light to the processing unit; and an optical path connection module for defining a route of the extreme ultraviolet light between the chamber and the processing unit and isolating the route of the extreme ultraviolet light from outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Yukio Watanabe, Osamu Wakabayashi, Miwa Igarashi
  • Publication number: 20140332700
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating extreme ultraviolet light may include a reference member, a chamber fixed to the reference member, the chamber including at least one window, a laser beam introduction optical system configured to introduce an externally supplied laser beam into the chamber through the at least one window, and a positioning mechanism configured to position the laser beam introduction optical system to the reference member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Miwa IGARASHI, Yukio WATANABE, Kouji ASHIKAWA, Norio IWAI, Osamu WAKABAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20140131587
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus for supplying extreme ultraviolet light to a processing unit for performing processing by using the extreme ultraviolet light. The extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus includes: a chamber in which the extreme ultraviolet light to be supplied to the processing unit is generated; a collector mirror for collecting the extreme ultraviolet light generated in the chamber to output the extreme ultraviolet light to the processing unit; and an optical path connection module for defining a route of the extreme ultraviolet light between the chamber and the processing unit and isolating the route of the extreme ultraviolet light from outside.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventors: Yukio WATANABE, Osamu WAKABAYASHI, Miwa IGARASHI
  • Patent number: 8669542
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus for supplying extreme ultraviolet light to a processing unit for performing processing by using the extreme ultraviolet light. The extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus includes: a chamber in which the extreme ultraviolet light to be supplied to the processing unit is generated; a collector mirror for collecting the extreme ultraviolet light generated in the chamber to output the extreme ultraviolet light to the processing unit; and an optical path connection module for defining a route of the extreme ultraviolet light between the chamber and the processing unit and isolating the route of the extreme ultraviolet light from outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Yukio Watanabe, Osamu Wakabayashi, Miwa Igarashi
  • Publication number: 20130105713
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating extreme ultraviolet light may include: a chamber having an opening through which a laser beam is introduced into the chamber; a reference member on which the chamber is mounted; a target supply unit for supplying a target material to be irradiated by the laser beam to a predetermined region inside the chamber; a laser beam focusing optical system for focusing the laser beam in the predetermined region inside the chamber to turn the target material into plasma; and a collector mirror for collecting the extreme ultraviolet light emitted from the plasma.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventors: Yukio Watanabe, Miwa Igarashi, Masato Moriya, Hiroaki Nakarai
  • Publication number: 20130037693
    Abstract: An optical system used with a laser apparatus may include a focusing optical system, a beam splitter, and an optical sensor. The focusing optical system has one or more focus, for focusing a laser beam outputted from the laser apparatus. The beam splitter is disposed between the focusing optical system and the one or more focus of the focusing optical system. The optical sensor is disposed on a beam path of a laser beam split by the beam splitter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventors: Masato Moriya, Miwa Igarashi, Osamu Wakabayashi
  • Publication number: 20100288937
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus for supplying extreme ultraviolet light to a processing unit for performing processing by using the extreme ultraviolet light. The extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus includes: a chamber in which the extreme ultraviolet light to be supplied to the processing unit is generated; a collector mirror for collecting the extreme ultraviolet light generated in the chamber to output the extreme ultraviolet light to the processing unit; and an optical path connection module for defining a route of the extreme ultraviolet light between the chamber and the processing unit and isolating the route of the extreme ultraviolet light from outside.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Inventors: Yukio WATANABE, Osamu Wakabayashi, Miwa Igarashi