Patents by Inventor Takayuki Yabu
Takayuki Yabu 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).
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Patent number: 10057972Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation system may include a laser system and a controller. The laser system may irradiate the first target with a first pulse laser beam to disperse the first target and produce a mist target, and irradiate the mist target with a second pulse laser beam. The controller may measure a mist diameter of the mist target and control, based on the mist diameter, at least one of time to emit the second pulse laser beam and energy of a first pulse laser beam to be used to irradiate the second target.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2017Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: GIGAPHOTON INC.Inventors: Yoshifumi Ueno, Hirokazu Hosoda, Takayuki Yabu
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Publication number: 20180235064Abstract: The extreme ultraviolet light generating apparatus includes a target supply unit to output a target, a driver laser to output a driver laser beam with which the target is irradiated, a guide laser to output a guide laser beam, a beam combiner to have optical paths of the driver laser beam and the guide laser beam substantially coincide with each other and output these beams, a first optical element including a first actuator to adjust an optical path of the driver laser beam to be incident on the beam combiner, a second optical element including a second actuator to adjust an optical path of the guide laser beam to be incident on the beam combiner, a sensor to detect the guide laser beam outputted from the beam combiner to output detected data, and a controller to receive the detected data, control the second actuator based on the detected data, and control the first actuator based on an amount of controlling of the second actuator.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2018Publication date: August 16, 2018Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Takayuki YABU, Yuichi NISHIMURA
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Publication number: 20180224746Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generating device may include a chamber in which extreme ultraviolet light is generated from a target supplied to a generation region, a focusing mirror configured to reflect the extreme ultraviolet light by a reflection surface and focus the light at a focal point, a light source unit configured to output illumination light, and a light receiving unit configured to receive reflected light from the target. The reflection surface may be formed in a spheroidal face that defines a first focus at the generation region and a second focus at the focal point.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2018Publication date: August 9, 2018Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventor: Takayuki YABU
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Publication number: 20180199422Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generating system repetitively outputs extreme ultraviolet light emitted by a target that turns into plasma by being irradiated with a pulsed laser beam. The extreme ultraviolet light generating system may include: a target supply unit that sequentially supplies the target to a plasma generating region set within a chamber, an actuator connected to a laser beam focusing system that focuses the pulsed laser beam output from a laser apparatus that adjusts the focusing position of the pulsed laser beam, an extreme ultraviolet light generation controller that controls the extreme ultraviolet light generating system to output extreme ultraviolet light based on a burst pattern, and an actuator controller that controls the actuator to compensate for shifts of the focusing position of the pulsed laser beam during a burst operation by feedforward control.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2018Publication date: July 12, 2018Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventor: Takayuki YABU
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Publication number: 20180173102Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation device may include: a chamber in which extreme ultraviolet light is generated from plasma generated by irradiating a target with laser light output by a laser device, in a generation region therein; a target supply unit configured to output the target as a droplet toward the generation region; a droplet detector configured to detect the droplet in a detection region; and a controller. The droplet detector may transmit, to the controller, a pass timing signal indicating a timing when the droplet passes through the detection region. The controller may include a noise compensation unit configured to compensate for noise of the pass timing signal caused by an electromagnetic wave from the plasma, and transmit a trigger signal that gives a trigger to output the laser light to the laser device based on the pass timing signal in which the noise is compensated for.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2018Publication date: June 21, 2018Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventor: Takayuki YABU
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Patent number: 9949354Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus includes a target supplier configured to output a target into a chamber as a droplet, the target generating extreme ultraviolet light when being irradiated with a laser beam in the chamber; a droplet measurement unit configured to measure a parameter for a state of the droplet outputted into the chamber; a pressure regulator configured to regulate a pressure in the target supplier in which the target is accommodated; and a target generation controller configured to control the pressure regulator, based on the parameter measured by the droplet measurement unit.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2015Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Takashi Saito, Fumio Iwamoto, Osamu Wakabayashi, Takayuki Yabu
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Publication number: 20180007771Abstract: The stability of operations of an EUV light generating apparatus is improved. A droplet detector may include: a light source unit configured to emit illuminating light onto a droplet, which is output into a chamber and generate extreme ultraviolet light when irradiated with a laser beam; a light receiving unit configured to receive the illuminating light and to detect changes in light intensities; and a timing determining circuit configured to output a droplet detection signal that indicates that the droplet has been detected at a predetermined position within the chamber, based on a first timing at which the light intensity of the illuminating light decreases due to the droplet being irradiated therewith and a second timing at which the light intensity of the illuminating light increases.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2017Publication date: January 4, 2018Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Kouichi SATOU, Takayuki YABU, Yoshifumi UENO, Hirokazu HOSODA
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Publication number: 20170358442Abstract: A target image-capture device may be configured to capture an image of a target that is made into plasma when irradiated with laser light and generates extreme-ultraviolet-light. The target image-capture device may include a droplet detector configured to detect passage of a droplet output as the target, and output a detection signal, an illumination light source, an image capturing element, a shutter device, and a controller configured to output, to the image capturing element, an exposure signal allowing the image capturing element to perform image capturing, and output, to the shutter device, a shutter open/close signal allowing a shutter to perform an open and close operation upon input of the detection signal. The controller may output the shutter open/close signal to the shutter device to make the shutter closed during when the droplet is irradiated with the laser light so that the plasma is generated.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2017Publication date: December 14, 2017Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Hirokazu HOSODA, Takayuki YABU, Hideo HOSHINO
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Publication number: 20170205713Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generating apparatus may include: a chamber, in which extreme ultraviolet light is generated; a target supply unit that outputs a target into the chamber as droplets to supply the target to a plasma generating region; a stage that moves the target supply unit in a direction substantially perpendicular to the trajectory of droplets output from the target supply unit; a droplet detector provided between the target supply unit and the plasma generating region at an inclination of a predetermined angle with respect to a substantially vertical direction, that detects the droplets from a direction inclined at the predetermined angle; and a calculation control unit that controls the irradiation timings of the laser beam at which the laser beam is irradiated onto the droplets within the plasm generating region, by adding delay times to the timings at which the droplets are detected by the droplet detector.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2017Publication date: July 20, 2017Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventor: Takayuki YABU
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Patent number: 9686845Abstract: A target sensor may include: a plurality of sensor elements, each of the plurality of sensor elements being configured to output a sensor signal that varies in accordance with an amount of light received on a light-receiving surface; and a signal generator configured to process the sensor signals from the plurality of sensor elements. The light-receiving surfaces of the plurality of sensor elements may be disposed at different positions in a second direction different from a first direction along which an image of the target illuminated by the illumination light may move. The signal generator may be configured to compare each of the sensor signals from the plurality of sensor elements with a threshold and output the signal indicating detection of a target to the controller in a case where at least one of the sensor signals from the plurality of sensor elements may exceed the threshold.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2016Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignee: GIGAPHOTON INC.Inventors: Toru Suzuki, Takayuki Yabu
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Publication number: 20170171955Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation system may include a laser system and a controller. The laser system may irradiate the first target with a first pulse laser beam to disperse the first target and produce a mist target, and irradiate the mist target with a second pulse laser beam. The controller may measure a mist diameter of the mist target and control, based on the mist diameter, at least one of time to emit the second pulse laser beam and energy of a first pulse laser beam to be used to irradiate the second target.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2017Publication date: June 15, 2017Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.Inventors: Yoshifumi UENO, Hirokazu HOSODA, Takayuki YABU
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Patent number: 9661730Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus may include: a chamber; a target supply unit configured to output a target toward a predetermined region inside the chamber; a first gas supply unit configured to blow out gas in a first direction toward a trajectory of the target between the target supply unit and the predetermined region; and a focusing optical system configured to concentrate a pulse laser beam to the predetermined region.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2016Date of Patent: May 23, 2017Assignee: Gigaphoton, Inc.Inventors: Atsushi Ueda, Takayuki Yabu, Osamu Wakabayashi, Georg Soumagne, Takashi Saito
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Patent number: 9647406Abstract: There is provided a laser unit that may include a master oscillator, a laser amplifier, and an adjuster. The master oscillator may be configured to output a laser light beam. The laser amplifier may be disposed in a light path of the laser light beam outputted from the master oscillator. The adjuster may be disposed in the light path of the laser light beam, and may be configured to adjust a beam cross-sectional shape of the laser light beam amplified by the laser amplifier to be a substantially circular shape. The beam cross-sectional shape may be at a beam waist of the laser light beam or in the vicinity of the beam waist of the laser light beam, and may be in a plane orthogonal to a light path axis.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2016Date of Patent: May 9, 2017Assignee: GIGAPHOTON INC.Inventors: Takashi Suganuma, Takayuki Yabu, Osamu Wakabayashi, Seiji Nogiwa
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Publication number: 20170079126Abstract: A target sensor may include: a plurality of sensor elements, each of the plurality of sensor elements being configured to output a sensor signal that varies in accordance with an amount of light received on a light-receiving surface; and a signal generator configured to process the sensor signals from the plurality of sensor elements. The light-receiving surfaces of the plurality of sensor elements may be disposed at different positions in a second direction different from a first direction along which an image of the target illuminated by the illumination light may move. The signal generator may be configured to compare each of the sensor signals from the plurality of sensor elements with a threshold and output the signal indicating detection of a target to the controller in a case where at least one of the sensor signals from the plurality of sensor elements may exceed the threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 25, 2016Publication date: March 16, 2017Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.Inventors: Toru SUZUKI, Takayuki YABU
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Publication number: 20170064799Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus may include: a chamber in which extreme ultraviolet light is generated from plasma generated by irradiating a target supplied into the chamber with a laser beam; a target generator that supplies the target into the chamber as a droplet; a droplet measurement unit that measures the droplet supplied from the target generator into the chamber; and a shielding member that shields the droplet measurement unit from electromagnetic waves emitted from the plasma, the droplet measurement unit including: a light source that emits continuous light to the droplet; a window provided in the chamber to allow the continuous light to transmit therethrough; and an optical sensor that receives the continuous light via the window. The shielding member includes a shielding body provided on the chamber side with respect to the window and configured to cover an optical path of the continuous light.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2016Publication date: March 2, 2017Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Takayuki YABU, Hirokazu HOSODA, Takuya ISHII
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Publication number: 20160285222Abstract: There is provided a laser unit that may include a master oscillator, a laser amplifier, and an adjuster. The master oscillator may be configured to output a laser light beam. The laser amplifier may be disposed in a light path of the laser light beam outputted from the master oscillator. The adjuster may be disposed in the light path of the laser light beam, and may be configured to adjust a beam cross-sectional shape of the laser light beam amplified by the laser amplifier to be a substantially circular shape. The beam cross-sectional shape may be at a beam waist of the laser light beam or in the vicinity of the beam waist of the laser light beam, and may be in a plane orthogonal to a light path axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2016Publication date: September 29, 2016Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.Inventors: Takashi SUGANUMA, Takayuki YABU, Osamu WAKABAYASHI, Seiji NOGIWA
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Patent number: 9439276Abstract: There is provided an extreme ultraviolet light generating system. The extreme ultraviolet light generating system may include: a laser apparatus configured to provide pulsed laser light inside a chamber in which EUV light is generated; an optical shutter disposed on an optical path of the pulsed laser light; and a controller configured to open or close the optical shutter, based on a generation signal supplied from an external unit, the generation signal instructing generation of the EUV light.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2015Date of Patent: September 6, 2016Assignee: GIGAPHOTON INC.Inventors: Takayuki Yabu, Takashi Saito, Osamu Wakabayashi
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Publication number: 20160255707Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus may include: a chamber; a target supply unit configured to output a target toward a predetermined region inside the chamber; a first gas supply unit configured to blow out gas in a first direction toward a trajectory of the target between the target supply unit and the predetermined region; and a focusing optical system configured to concentrate a pulse laser beam to the predetermined region.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2016Publication date: September 1, 2016Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Atsushi UEDA, Takayuki YABU, Osamu WAKABAYASHI, Georg SOUMAGNE, Takashi SAITO
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Patent number: 9310686Abstract: A target supply method uses a target supply device that includes a target generation unit having a nozzle, a pressure control unit having a pressure sensor and an actuator, an electrode, a potential application unit, and a timer; further, the method include raising the pressure inside the target generation unit to a setting pressure by the actuator, applying different potentials to the electrode and a target material from each other by the potential application unit in the case where it is detected that the pressure inside the target generation unit is halfway raised to the setting pressure, and applying a constant first potential to the target material and a first pulse voltage to the electrode by the potential application unit to extract the target material with electrostatic force in the case where it is detected that the pressure inside the target generation unit has been raised to the setting pressure.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2013Date of Patent: April 12, 2016Assignee: GIGAPHOTON INC.Inventors: Takayuki Yabu, Tamotsu Abe
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Publication number: 20160066401Abstract: There is provided an extreme ultraviolet light generating system. The extreme ultraviolet light generating system may include: a laser apparatus configured to provide pulsed laser light inside a chamber in which EUV light is generated; an optical shutter disposed on an optical path of the pulsed laser light; and a controller configured to open or close the optical shutter, based on a generation signal supplied from an external unit, the generation signal instructing generation of the EUV light.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2015Publication date: March 3, 2016Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.Inventors: Takayuki YABU, Takashi SAITO, Osamu WAKABAYASHI