Patents by Inventor Tamotsu Abe
Tamotsu Abe 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: 8173984Abstract: An EUV light source apparatus can reliably detect and accurately judge deterioration of an optical element in a laser beam focusing optics disposed within an EUV light generation chamber. This EUV light source apparatus includes: the EUV light generation chamber; a target material supply unit; an EUV light collector mirror; a driver laser; a window; a parabolic mirror which focuses collimated laser beam by reflection and is disposed within the EUV light generation chamber; an energy detector detecting energy of the laser beam diffused without being applied to a target material after being focused by the laser beam focusing optics when the EUV light is not generated; and a processing unit for judging the deterioration of the window and the parabolic mirror according to the laser beam energy detected by the energy detector.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2009Date of Patent: May 8, 2012Assignees: Komatsu Ltd., Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Masato Moriya, Tamotsu Abe, Takashi Suganuma, Hiroshi Someya, Takayuki Yabu, Akira Sumitani, Osamu Wakabayashi
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Publication number: 20120091893Abstract: In an EUV light source apparatus, a collector mirror is protected from debris damaging a mirror coating. The EUV light source apparatus includes: a chamber in which extreme ultraviolet light is generated; a target supply unit for supplying a target material into the chamber; a plasma generation laser unit for irradiating the target material within the chamber with a plasma generation laser beam to generate plasma; an ionization laser unit for irradiating neutral particles produced at plasma generation with an ionization laser beam to convert the neutral particles into ions; a collector mirror for collecting the extreme ultraviolet light radiated from the plasma; and a magnetic field or electric field forming unit for forming a magnetic field or an electric field within the chamber so as to trap the ions.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2011Publication date: April 19, 2012Applicant: Gigaphoton, Inc.Inventors: Tatsuya YANAGIDA, Akira Endo, Hiroshi Komori, Shinji Nagai, Kouji Kakizaki, Tamotsu Abe, Hideo Hoshino
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Publication number: 20110309260Abstract: A chamber apparatus used with an external apparatus having an obscuration region may include: a chamber in which extreme ultraviolet light is generated; a collector mirror provided in the chamber for collecting the extreme ultraviolet light; a support for securing the collector mirror to the chamber; and an output port provided to the chamber for allowing the extreme ultraviolet light collected by the collector mirror to be introduced therethrough into the external apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2011Publication date: December 22, 2011Inventors: Toshihiro Nishisaka, Yukio Watanabe, Tamotsu Abe, Osamu Wakabayashi
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Publication number: 20110266467Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus has a magnetic field generator which generates a magnetic field region around a direction of the magnetic field passing through a plasma region in which a plasma is to be generated and converges charged particles including ion emitted from the plasma region toward the direction of the magnetic field, a first charged particle collector (receiver) mounted at both sides of an axis of the magnetic field in the magnetic field region in order to collect (receive) the charged particles converged by the magnetic field, a target supply unit supplying a target from a nozzle located outside a converging region in which the charged particles are to be converged inside the magnetic field region in an extreme ultraviolet light generating chamber, and a target collector located at a position opposite to the nozzle, the target retrieval portion retrieving a residual target which does not contribute to generation of the plasma.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2011Publication date: November 3, 2011Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Shinji NAGAI, Takanobu Ishihara, Kouji Kakizaki, Tamotsu Abe
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Publication number: 20110261844Abstract: The higher efficiency and lower power consumption are realized in a laser system for generating a high-power short-pulse laser beam. The laser system includes a laser oscillator for generating a pulse laser beam by laser oscillation, plural amplifiers for sequentially inputting the pulse laser beam generated by the laser oscillator and amplifying the pulse laser beam, and a control unit for controlling the laser oscillator to perform burst oscillation and halting an amplification operation of at least one of the plural amplifiers in a burst halt period between burst oscillation periods.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2011Publication date: October 27, 2011Applicants: Gigaphoton Inc., Komatsu Ltd.Inventors: Tamotsu ABE, Hideo Hoshino, Akira Endo, Osamu Wakabayashi, Kouji Kakizaki
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Publication number: 20110226745Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation system is an extreme ultraviolet light generation system which is used with a laser apparatus and is connected to an external device so as to supply extreme ultraviolet light thereto, and the extreme ultraviolet light generation system may include: a chamber provided with at least one inlet through which a laser beam is introduced thereinto; a target supply unit provided to the chamber for supplying a target material to a predetermined region inside the chamber; a discharge pump connected to the chamber; at least one optical element disposed inside the chamber; an etching gas introduction unit provided to the chamber through which etching gas passes, the etching gas being introduced to etch debris of the target material which is emitted when the target material is irradiated with the laser beam inside the chamber and adheres to the at least one optical element; and at least one temperature control mechanism for controlling a temperature of the at least one optical elemeType: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2011Publication date: September 22, 2011Inventors: Shinji Nagai, Tamotsu Abe, Hitoshi Nagano, Osamu Wakabayashi
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Publication number: 20110204249Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus used in combination with a laser system, the apparatus may include: a chamber provided with at least one inlet port for introducing a laser beam outputted from the laser system into the chamber; a target supply unit provided to the chamber for supplying a target material to a predetermined region inside the chamber, where the target material is irradiated with the laser beam; at least one optical element disposed inside the chamber; a magnetic field generation unit for generating a magnetic field around the predetermined region; an ion collection unit disposed in a direction of a line of magnetic force of the magnetic field for collection an ion which is generated when the target material is irradiated with the laser beam and is flowing along the line of magnetic force; and a gas introduction unit for introducing an etching gas into the chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2011Publication date: August 25, 2011Inventors: Shinji NAGAI, Tamotsu Abe, Takanobu Ishihara, Osamu Wakabayashi
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Patent number: 8003962Abstract: A nozzle protection device capable of protecting a target nozzle from heat of plasma without disturbing formation of a stable flow of a target material in an LPP type EUV light source apparatus. This nozzle protection device includes a cooling unit which is formed with an opening for passing the target material therethrough, and which is formed with a flow path for circulating a cooling medium inside, and an actuator which changes a position or a shape of the cooling unit between a first state of evacuating the cooling unit from a trajectory of the target material and a second state of blocking heat radiation from the plasma to the nozzle by the cooling unit while securing a path of the target material in the cooling unit.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2009Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Hiroshi Someya, Tamotsu Abe, Hideo Hoshino
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Patent number: 8000361Abstract: The higher efficiency and lower power consumption are realized in a laser system for generating a high-power short-pulse laser beam. The laser system includes a laser oscillator for generating a pulse laser beam by laser oscillation, plural amplifiers for sequentially inputting the pulse laser beam generated by the laser oscillator and amplifying the pulse laser beam, and a control unit for controlling the laser oscillator to perform burst oscillation and halting an amplification operation of at least one of the plural amplifiers in a burst halt period between burst oscillation periods.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2009Date of Patent: August 16, 2011Assignees: Komatsu Ltd., Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Tamotsu Abe, Hideo Hoshino, Akira Endo, Osamu Wakabayashi, Kouji Kakizaki
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Patent number: 7999241Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus has a magnetic field generator which generates a magnetic field region around a direction of the magnetic field passing through a plasma region in which a plasma is to be generated and converges charged particles including ion emitted from the plasma region toward the direction of the magnetic field, a first charged particle collector (receiver) mounted at both sides of an axis of the magnetic field in the magnetic field region in order to collect (receive) the charged particles converged by the magnetic field, a target supply unit supplying a target from a nozzle located outside a converging region in which the charged particles are to be converged inside the magnetic field region in an extreme ultraviolet light generating chamber, and a target collector located at a position opposite to the nozzle, the target retrieval portion retrieving a residual target which does not contribute to generation of the plasma.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2009Date of Patent: August 16, 2011Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Shinji Nagai, Takanobu Ishihara, Kouji Kakizaki, Tamotsu Abe
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Publication number: 20110180734Abstract: An EUV light source apparatus can reliably detect and accurately judge deterioration of an optical element in a laser beam focusing optics disposed within an EUV light generation chamber. This EUV light source apparatus includes: the EUV light generation chamber; a target material supply unit; an EUV light collector mirror; a driver laser; a window; a parabolic mirror which focuses collimated laser beam by reflection and is disposed within the EUV light generation chamber; an energy detector detecting energy of the laser beam diffused without being applied to a target material after being focused by the laser beam focusing optics when the EUV light is not generated; and a processing unit for judging the deterioration of the window and the parabolic mirror according to the laser beam energy detected by the energy detector.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2011Publication date: July 28, 2011Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.Inventors: Masato MORIYA, Tamotsu ABE, Takashi SUGANUMA, Hiroshi SOMEYA, Takayuki YABU, Akira SUMITANI, Osamu WAKABAYASHI
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Publication number: 20110174996Abstract: A nozzle protection device capable of protecting a target nozzle from heat of plasma without disturbing formation of a stable flow of a target material in an LPP type EUV light source apparatus. This nozzle protection device includes a cooling unit which is formed with an opening for passing the target material therethrough, and which is formed with a flow path for circulating a cooling medium inside, and an actuator which changes a position or a shape of the cooling unit between a first state of evacuating the cooling unit from a trajectory of the target material and a second state of blocking heat radiation from the plasma to the nozzle by the cooling unit while securing a path of the target material in the cooling unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2011Publication date: July 21, 2011Applicant: GIGAPHOTON, INC.Inventors: Hiroshi SOMEYA, Tamotsu ABE, Hideo HOSHINO
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Patent number: 7923705Abstract: An EUV light source apparatus capable of easily detecting deterioration etc. of a window of an EUV light generating chamber. The EUV light source apparatus includes a driver laser, an EUV light generating chamber, a window which passes the laser beam into the EUV light generating chamber, an EUV light collector mirror, laser beam focusing optics which focuses a laser beam onto a trajectory of a target material, a temperature sensor which detects a temperature of the window, and a laser beam optics deterioration determination processing unit which determines deterioration of the window based on the temperature of the window detected by the temperature sensor when extreme ultra violet light is generated.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2009Date of Patent: April 12, 2011Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Masato Moriya, Tamotsu Abe, Takashi Suganuma, Hiroshi Someya, Takayuki Yabu, Akira Sumitani, Osamu Wakabayashi
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Publication number: 20110057126Abstract: An extreme ultra violet light source apparatus by which EUV light can be efficiently obtained uses a driver laser which can realize a desired pulse width with substantially homogeneous intensity. The apparatus generates extreme ultra violet light by applying a laser beam to a target, and includes a chamber in which extreme ultra violet light is generated; a target supply unit which supplies a liquid or solid metal target to a predetermined position within the chamber; a laser beam generating unit which synthesizes pulse laser beams having delays different from one another to generate a single pulse laser beam or a pulse train laser beam having substantially homogeneous intensity, and applies the laser beam to the target supplied by the target supply unit to generate plasma; and a collector mirror which collects the extreme ultra violet light radiated from the plasma and outputs it.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2010Publication date: March 10, 2011Inventors: HIDEO HOSHINO, Tamotsu Abe, Akira Endo
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Patent number: 7880153Abstract: An EUV light source apparatus capable of preventing deterioration and/or breakage of a filter for filtering EUV light. The EUV light source apparatus includes an EUV generation chamber in which EUV light is generated; a target material supply unit for supplying a target material into the EUV light generation chamber; a laser source for applying a laser beam to the target material supplied into the EUV light generation chamber to generate plasma; collection optics for collecting EUV light radiated from the plasma; a filter for filtering the EUV light collected by the collection optics; and a filter protecting member provided between the plasma and the filter, for protecting the filter by blocking flying matter flying from the plasma toward the filter.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2008Date of Patent: February 1, 2011Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.Inventors: Takashi Suganuma, Tamotsu Abe, Hiroshi Someya, Akira Sumitani
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Patent number: 7842937Abstract: An extreme ultra violet light source apparatus by which EUV light can be efficiently obtained uses a driver laser which can realize a desired pulse width with substantially homogeneous intensity. The apparatus generates extreme ultra violet light by applying a laser beam to a target, and includes a chamber in which extreme ultra violet light is generated; a target supply unit which supplies a liquid or solid metal target to a predetermined position within the chamber; a laser beam generating unit which synthesizes pulse laser beams having delays different from one another to generate a single pulse laser beam or a pulse train laser beam having substantially homogeneous intensity, and applies the laser beam to the target supplied by the target supply unit to generate plasma; and a collector mirror which collects the extreme ultra violet light radiated from the plasma and outputs it.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2008Date of Patent: November 30, 2010Assignees: Komatsu Ltd., GigaphotonInventors: Hideo Hoshino, Tamotsu Abe, Akira Endo
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Publication number: 20100181503Abstract: In an EUV light source apparatus, a collector mirror is protected from debris damaging a mirror coating. The EUV light source apparatus includes: a chamber in which extreme ultraviolet light is generated; a target supply unit for supplying a target material into the chamber; a plasma generation laser unit for irradiating the target material within the chamber with a plasma generation laser beam to generate plasma; an ionization laser unit for irradiating neutral particles produced at plasma generation with an ionization laser beam to convert the neutral particles into ions; a collector mirror for collecting the extreme ultraviolet light radiated from the plasma; and a magnetic field or electric field forming unit for forming a magnetic field or an electric field within the chamber so as to trap the ions.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2009Publication date: July 22, 2010Inventors: Tatsuya Yanagida, Akira Endo, Hiroshi Komori, Shinji Nagai, Kouji Kakizaki, Tamotsu Abe, Hideo Hoshino
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Publication number: 20100176310Abstract: An EUV light source apparatus capable of easily detecting deterioration etc. of a window of an EUV light generating chamber. The EUV light source apparatus includes a driver laser, an EUV light generating chamber, a window which passes the laser beam into the EUV light generating chamber, an EUV light collector mirror, laser beam focusing optics which focuses a laser beam onto a trajectory of a target material, a temperature sensor which detects a temperature of the window, and a laser beam optics deterioration determination processing unit which determines deterioration of the window based on the temperature of the window detected by the temperature sensor when extreme ultra violet light is generated.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2009Publication date: July 15, 2010Inventors: Masato Moriya, Tamotsu Abe, Takashi Suganuma, Hiroshi Someya, Takayuki Yabu, Akira Sumitani, Osamu Wakabayashi
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Publication number: 20100171049Abstract: An EUV light source apparatus can reliably detect and accurately judge deterioration of an optical element in a laser beam focusing optics disposed within an EUV light generation chamber. This EUV light source apparatus includes: the EUV light generation chamber; a target material supply unit; an EUV light collector mirror; a driver laser; a window; a parabolic mirror which focuses collimated laser beam by reflection and is disposed within the EUV light generation chamber; an energy detector detecting energy of the laser beam diffused without being applied to a target material after being focused by the laser beam focusing optics when the EUV light is not generated; and a processing unit for judging the deterioration of the window and the parabolic mirror according to the laser beam energy detected by the energy detector.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2009Publication date: July 8, 2010Inventors: Masato Moriya, Tamotsu Abe, Takashi Suganuma, Hiroshi Someya, Takayuki Yabu, Akira Sumitani, Osamu Wakabayashi
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Publication number: 20100140512Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source apparatus in which a location or posture shift of an EUV collector mirror can be detected. The apparatus includes: a chamber; a target supply mechanism for supplying a target material into the chamber; a driver laser for irradiating the target material with a laser beam to generate plasma; a collector mirror having a first focal point and a second focal point, for reflecting light, which is generated at the first focal point, toward the second focal point; a splitter optical element provided in an optical path of the light reflected by the collector mirror, for splitting a part of the light reflected by the collector mirror; and an image sensor provided in an optical path of the light split by the splitter optical element, for detecting a profile of the light split by the splitter optical element.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2009Publication date: June 10, 2010Inventors: Takashi SUGANUMA, Masato MORIYA, Tamotsu ABE, Kouji KAKIZAKI, Osamu WAKABAYASHI