Patents by Inventor Takanobu Ishihara

Takanobu Ishihara 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: 10548209
    Abstract: In a chamber apparatus that includes a chamber and a target generation device configured to supply tin as a target material to a certain region in the chamber, oxidation of molten tin is prevented. A chamber apparatus includes: a chamber (1); a target generation device including a tank part (32) configured to store tin T, a variable temperature device (33, 38) configured to change a temperature of the tin T in the tank part (32), a pressure regulator (31) configured to change a pressure in the tank part (32), and a nozzle part (34) configured to eject liquefied tin T; a gas source (40) configured to supply gas containing hydrogen gas into the chamber (1); an evacuation device (46) configured to evacuate gaseous body in the chamber (1); and a controller (2) configured to control generation of a target, in which the controller (2) controls the evacuation device (46) to maintain an oxygen partial pressure in the chamber (1) at 4×10?5 Pa or lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventor: Takanobu Ishihara
  • Patent number: 10524343
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus includes: a chamber; a target supply unit that supplies a droplet of a target substance to a plasma generation region in the chamber; a first pipe at least partly covering a trajectory of the droplet and having a first opened end part as an upstream end part and a second opened end part as a downstream end part in a trajectory direction; a second pipe at least partly covering the first pipe with a gap between the second pipe and the first pipe, and having a third end part, opened and extending downstream of the second end part of the first pipe in the trajectory direction, as a downstream end part in the trajectory direction; and a gas supply unit that supplies gas flowing through the gap and causes the gas to flow in the trajectory direction out of a gas exit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Takanobu Ishihara, Toshihiro Nishisaka, Yutaka Shiraishi
  • Publication number: 20190289705
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus includes: a chamber; a target supply unit that supplies a droplet of a target substance to a plasma generation region in the chamber; a first pipe at least partly covering a trajectory of the droplet and having a first opened end part as an upstream end part and a second opened end part as a downstream end part in a trajectory direction; a second pipe at least partly covering the first pipe with a gap between the second pipe and the first pipe, and having a third end part, opened and extending downstream of the second end part of the first pipe in the trajectory direction, as a downstream end part in the trajectory direction; and a gas supply unit that supplies gas flowing through the gap and causes the gas to flow in the trajectory direction out of a gas exit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Takanobu ISHIHARA, Toshihiro NISHISAKA, Yutaka SHIRAISHI
  • Publication number: 20190159328
    Abstract: In a chamber apparatus that includes a chamber and a target generation device configured to supply tin as a target material to a certain region in the chamber, oxidation of molten tin is prevented. A chamber apparatus includes: a chamber (1); a target generation device including a tank part (32) configured to store tin T, a variable temperature device (33, 38) configured to change a temperature of the tin T in the tank part (32), a pressure regulator (31) configured to change a pressure in the tank part (32), and a nozzle part (34) configured to eject liquefied tin T; a gas source (40) configured to supply gas containing hydrogen gas into the chamber (1); an evacuation device (46) configured to evacuate gaseous body in the chamber (1); and a controller (2) configured to control generation of a target, in which the controller (2) controls the evacuation device (46) to maintain an oxygen partial pressure in the chamber (1) at 4×10?5 Pa or lower.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventor: Takanobu ISHIHARA
  • Patent number: 10237961
    Abstract: A target supply device according to a first aspect of the present disclosure is configured to supply a metal target in a plasma generation region and may include a tank configured to house the metal target, a filter having been subjected to a dehydration process, the filter being configured to suppress passage of particles in the metal target housed in the tank, and a nozzle provided with a nozzle hole configured to eject the metal target that has passed through the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Tsukasa Hori, Yutaka Shiraishi, Shinya Ikesaka, Takanobu Ishihara, Toshiro Umeki
  • Publication number: 20190045614
    Abstract: A target supply device according to a first aspect of the present disclosure is configured to supply a metal target in a plasma generation region and may include a tank configured to house the metal target, a filter having been subjected to a dehydration process, the filter being configured to suppress passage of particles in the metal target housed in the tank, and a nozzle provided with a nozzle hole configured to eject the metal target that has passed through the filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Tsukasa HORI, Yutaka SHIRAISHI, Shinya IKESAKA, Takanobu ISHIHARA, Toshiro UMEKI
  • Patent number: 10136509
    Abstract: A target supply device according to a first aspect of the present disclosure is configured to supply a metal target in a plasma generation region and may include a tank configured to house the metal target, a filter having been subjected to a dehydration process, the filter being configured to suppress passage of particles in the metal target housed in the tank, and a nozzle provided with a nozzle hole configured to eject the metal target that has passed through the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Tsukasa Hori, Yutaka Shiraishi, Shinya Ikesaka, Takanobu Ishihara, Toshiro Umeki
  • Publication number: 20180263101
    Abstract: A target generation device includes a nozzle including a nozzle hole for discharging a target formed of molten metal in a chamber and a cylindrical member which is attached to the nozzle to surround the nozzle hole and has a substance, with standard free energy of formation of oxide smaller than that of the molten metal, exposed on at
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventor: Takanobu ISHIHARA
  • Patent number: 10028365
    Abstract: A chamber device may include a chamber, and a target generation device assembled into the chamber and configured to supply a target material into the chamber, the target generation device including a tank configured to store the target material, a temperature variable device configured to vary temperature of the target material in the tank, and a nozzle section in which a nozzle hole configured to output the target material in a liquid form is formed, and the chamber device may further include a gas nozzle having an inlet port facing the nozzle section and configured to introduce gas into the chamber, a gas supply source configured to supply gas containing hydrogen to the gas nozzle to supply the gas containing the hydrogen to at least periphery of the nozzle section, and a moisture remover configured to remove moisture at least in the periphery of the nozzle section in the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Takanobu Ishihara, Tsukasa Hori, Takashi Saito, Yutaka Shiraishi
  • Publication number: 20180007770
    Abstract: A chamber device may include a chamber, and a target generation device assembled into the chamber and configured to supply a target material into the chamber, the target generation device including a tank configured to store the target material, a temperature variable device configured to vary temperature of the target material in the tank, and a nozzle section in which a nozzle hole configured to output the target material in a liquid form is formed, and the chamber device may further include a gas nozzle having an inlet port facing the nozzle section and configured to introduce gas into the chamber, a gas supply source configured to supply gas containing hydrogen to the gas nozzle to supply the gas containing the hydrogen to at least periphery of the nozzle section, and a moisture remover configured to remove moisture at least in the periphery of the nozzle section in the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Takanobu ISHIHARA, Tsukasa HORI, Takashi SAITO, Yutaka SHIRAISHI
  • Publication number: 20170280543
    Abstract: A target supply device according to a first aspect of the present disclosure is configured to supply a metal target in a plasma generation region and may include a tank configured to house the metal target, a filter having been subjected to a dehydration process, the filter being configured to suppress passage of particles in the metal target housed in the tank, and a nozzle provided with a nozzle hole configured to eject the metal target that has passed through the filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Tsukasa HORI, Yutaka SHIRAISHI, Shinya IKESAKA, Takanobu ISHIHARA, Toshiro UMEKI
  • Publication number: 20170203238
    Abstract: A target generation device may include a filter structure, a flange, a tank unit, and a nozzle section. The flange may accommodate the filter structure and contain a flow path passing through the filter structure. The tank unit may contain a space in communication with the flow path in the flange and store a predetermined target material. The nozzle section may be provided to the flange and in communication with the space in the tank unit through the flow path in the flange. The filter structure according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a filter of a porous material and a socket integrally formed with the filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Takanobu ISHIHARA, Hakaru MIZOGUCHI
  • Patent number: 9338869
    Abstract: A target supply apparatus includes a tank for storing a liquid target material, a nozzle for outputting the liquid target material in the tank, and a gas supply source for supplying gas into the tank, and controls a gas pressure inside the tank with a pressure of the gas supplied from the gas supply source which is provided with a pressure regulator. The target supply apparatus also includes a pressure-decrease gas passage of which one end is connected to the tank and the other end forms an exhaust port, a pressure-decrease valve provided on the pressure-decrease gas passage, and a controller for controlling open/close of the pressure-decrease valve. The controller, when the target material is caused not to output from the nozzle, opens the pressure-decrease valve and decreases the pressure inside the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignees: GIGAPHOTON INC., CKD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takanobu Ishihara, Hiroshi Itafuji
  • Publication number: 20160029470
    Abstract: A target supply apparatus includes a tank for storing a liquid target material, a nozzle for outputting the liquid target material in the tank, and a gas supply source for supplying gas into the tank, and controls a gas pressure inside the tank with a pressure of the gas supplied from the gas supply source which is provided with a pressure regulator. The target supply apparatus also includes a pressure-decrease gas passage of which one end is connected to the tank and the other end forms an exhaust port, a pressure-decrease valve provided on the pressure-decrease gas passage, and a controller for controlling open/close of the pressure-decrease valve. The controller, when the target material is caused not to output from the nozzle, opens the pressure-decrease valve and decreases the pressure inside the tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Applicants: CKD CORPORATION, GIGAPHOTON, INC.
    Inventors: Takanobu ISHIHARA, Hiroshi ITAFUJI
  • Patent number: 9233782
    Abstract: A target supply device may include a tank formed cylindrically with a first material, a cylindrical portion for covering the tank, the cylindrical portion being formed of a second material having higher tensile strength than the first material, a first lid formed of the second material and having a through-hole, the first lid being provided at one end in an axial direction of the cylindrical portion, a second lid formed of the second material and provided at another end opposite the one end in the axial direction of the cylindrical portion, and a nozzle provided to be in fluid communication with the interior of the tank and to pass through the through-hole, the nozzle being formed of the first material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventors: Takanobu Ishihara, Toshihiro Nishisaka, Hiroshi Someya, Osamu Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 9192038
    Abstract: A target supply apparatus includes a tank for storing a liquid target material, a nozzle for outputting the liquid target material in the tank, and a gas supply source for supplying gas into the tank, and controls a gas pressure inside the tank with a pressure of the gas supplied from the gas supply source which is provided with a pressure regulator. The target supply apparatus also includes a pressure-decrease gas passage of which one end is connected to the tank and the other end forms an exhaust port, a pressure-decrease valve provided on the pressure-decrease gas passage, and a controller for controlling open/close of the pressure-decrease valve. The controller, when the target material is caused not to output from the nozzle, opens the pressure-decrease valve and decreases the pressure inside the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Takanobu Ishihara, Hiroshi Itafuji
  • Publication number: 20150144809
    Abstract: A target supply device may include: a tank including a storage portion that stores a target material and a supply portion that is in communication with the storage portion, the target material flowing into the supply portion; a nozzle including a nozzle hole that is in communication with the supply portion to be fed with the target material; and a coating portion that covers a wall surface of the nozzle hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Shinji OKAZAKI, Takanobu ISHIHARA, Yutaka SHIRAISHI
  • Patent number: 8710472
    Abstract: A target output device may include: a main body for storing a target material; a nozzle unit, connected to the main body, for outputting the target material as a target; an electrode unit provided so as to face the nozzle unit; a voltage control unit that applies predetermined voltage between the electrode unit and the target material to generate electrostatic force therebetween for pulling out the target material through the nozzle unit; a pressure control unit that applies predetermined pressure to the target material; and an output control unit that causes the target to be outputted through the nozzle unit by controlling signal output timing of each of a first timing signal and a second timing signal, the first timing signal causing the voltage control unit to apply the predetermined voltage between the target material and the electrode unit at first timing, and the second timing signal causing the pressure control unit to apply the predetermined pressure to the target material at second timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Takanobu Ishihara, Youichi Sasaki, Kouji Kakizaki, Masahiro Inoue, Takayuki Yabu, Hideo Hoshino
  • Patent number: 8705035
    Abstract: A device for determining a target generation condition for a target generator which is driven by a pulse voltage to generate a droplet of a target material may include a detector configured to detect a target generated by the target generator and output a detection signal of the target, and a controller configured to control a pulse duration of the pulse voltage for driving the target generator. The controller can determine whether or not a target is generated by the target generator based on the detection signal, and determine whether or not the generated target includes a plurality of droplets based on the detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Takanobu Ishihara, Tamotsu Abe, Osamu Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 8698112
    Abstract: An apparatus, configured to generate extreme ultraviolet light by irradiating a target material by a laser beam from a laser apparatus to turn the target material into plasma, includes a chamber with an inlet for introducing the laser beam into the chamber, the chamber including an electrically conductive structural member; and a target generator including an electrode having a first through-hole through which a charged target passes, an electrical insulator for holding the electrode, and a shielding member having a second through-hole, through which the charged target passes, the shielding member being positioned between a plasma generation region and at least the electrical insulator. The target generator generates the charged target of a liquid target material and output the charged target toward the plasma generation region inside the chamber, and the shielding member has electrically conductive properties and is connected electrically to the electrically conductive structural member of the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Takayuki Yabu, Kouji Kakizaki, Takanobu Ishihara, Tamotsu Abe, Osamu Wakabayashi