Patents by Inventor Tom Stewart

Tom Stewart 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).

  • Publication number: 20250085643
    Abstract: In some general aspects, a surface of a structure within a chamber of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source is cleaned using a method. The method includes generating a plasma state of a material that is present at a location adjacent to a non-electrically conductive body that is within the chamber. The generation of the plasma state of the material includes electromagnetically inducing an electric current at the location adjacent the non-electrically conductive body to thereby transform the material that is adjacent the non-electrically conductive body from a first state into the plasma state. The plasma state of the material includes plasma particles, at least some of which are free radicals of the material. The method also includes enabling the plasma particles to pass over the structure surface to remove debris from the structure surface without removing the structure from the chamber of the EUV light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2024
    Publication date: March 13, 2025
    Inventors: Chunguang Xia, Jonghoon Baek, John Tom Stewart, IV, Andrew David LaForge, Deniz Van Heijnsbergen, David Robert Evans, Nina Vladimirovna Dziomkina, Yue Ma
  • Patent number: 12189313
    Abstract: In some general aspects, a surface of a structure within a chamber of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source is cleaned using a method. The method includes generating a plasma state of a material that is present at a location adjacent to a non-electrically conductive body that is within the chamber. The generation of the plasma state of the material includes electromagnetically inducing an electric current at the location adjacent the non-electrically conductive body to thereby transform the material that is adjacent the non-electrically conductive body from a first state into the plasma state. The plasma state of the material includes plasma particles, at least some of which are free radicals of the material. The method also includes enabling the plasma particles to pass over the structure surface to remove debris from the structure surface without removing the structure from the chamber of the EUV light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Chunguang Xia, Jonghoon Baek, John Tom Stewart, IV, Andrew David LaForge, Deniz Van Heijnsbergen, David Robert Evans, Nina Vladimirovna Dziomkina, Yue Ma
  • Publication number: 20240109082
    Abstract: Systems and methods for containing fluid splash include using a fluid flow spaced from a vessel and/or fluid surface to effectively trap materials from a fluid stream flowing through the fluid flow. The fluid flow creates a spray envelope in connection with the fluid surface and/or vessel and substantially prevents droplets of the fluid stream from exiting the vessel. The fluid flow is created by allowing a supply fluid to flow through a nozzle oriented to cast a spray pattern into the vessel and/or into contact with the fluid surface. The fluid flow may be selectively activated and deactivated and/or be automatically (e.g., light or motion) activated and deactivated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: TRENT R. NELSON, GARET K. GALSTER, TOM STEWART
  • Publication number: 20240085796
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet radiation (EUV) source, including: a vessel having an inner vessel wall and an intermediate focus (IF) region; an EUV collector disposed inside the vessel, the EUV collector including a reflective surface configured to reflect EUV radiation toward the intermediate focus region, the reflective surface configured to directionally face the IF region of the vessel; a showerhead disposed along at least a portion of the inner vessel wall, the showerhead including a plurality of nozzles configured to introduce gas into the vessel; and one or more exhausts configured to remove gas introduced into the vessel, the one or more exhausts being oriented along at least a portion of the inner vessel wall so that the gas is caused to flow away from the EUV collector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Dzmitry LABETSKI, Christianus Wilhelmus Johannes BERENDSEN, Rui Miguel DUARTE RODRIGUES NUNES, Alexander Igorevich ERSHOV, Kornelis Frits FEENSTRA, Igor Vladimirovich FOMENKOV, Klaus Martin HUMMLER, Arun JOHNKADAKSHAM, Matthias KRAUSHAAR, Andrew David LAFORGE, Marc Guy LANGLOIS, Maksim LOGINOV, Yue MA, Seyedmohammad MOJAB, Kerim NADIR, Alexander SHATALOV, John Tom STEWART, Henricus Gerardus TEGENBOSCH, Chunguang XIA
  • Patent number: 11822252
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet radiation (EUV) source, including: a vessel having an inner vessel wall and an intermediate focus (IF) region; an EUV collector disposed inside the vessel, the EUV collector including a reflective surface configured to reflect EUV radiation toward the intermediate focus region, the reflective surface configured to directionally face the IF region of the vessel; a showerhead disposed along at least a portion of the inner vessel wall, the showerhead including a plurality of nozzles configured to introduce gas into the vessel; and one or more exhausts configured to remove gas introduced into the vessel, the one or more exhausts being oriented along at least a portion of the inner vessel wall so that the gas is caused to flow away from the EUV collector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Dzmitry Labetski, Christianus Wilhelmus Johannes Berendsen, Rui Miguel Duarte Rodreigues Nunes, Alexander Igorevich Ershov, Kornelis Frits Feenstra, Igor Vladimirovich Fomenkov, Klaus Martin Hummler, Arun Johnkadaksham, Matthias Kraushaar, Andrew David Laforge, Marc Guy Langlois, Maksim Loginov, Yue Ma, Seyedmohammad Mojab, Kerim Nadir, Alexander Shatalov, John Tom Stewart, Henricus Gerardus Tegenbosch, Chunguang Xia
  • Patent number: 11806732
    Abstract: Systems and methods for containing fluid splash include using a fluid flow spaced from a vessel and/or fluid surface to effectively trap materials from a fluid stream flowing through the fluid flow. The fluid flow creates a spray envelope in connection with the fluid surface and/or vessel and substantially prevents droplets of the fluid stream from exiting the vessel. The fluid flow is created by allowing a supply fluid to flow through a nozzle oriented to cast a spray pattern into the vessel and/or into contact with the fluid surface. The fluid flow may be selectively activated and deactivated and/or be automatically (e.g., light or motion) activated and deactivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Inventors: Trent R. Nelson, Garet K. Galster, Tom Stewart
  • Publication number: 20220280956
    Abstract: Systems and methods for containing fluid splash include using a fluid flow spaced from a vessel and/or fluid surface to effectively trap materials from a fluid stream flowing through the fluid flow. The fluid flow creates a spray envelope in connection with the fluid surface and/or vessel and substantially prevents droplets of the fluid stream from exiting the vessel. The fluid flow is created by allowing a supply fluid to flow through a nozzle oriented to cast a spray pattern into the vessel and/or into contact with the fluid surface. The fluid flow may be selectively activated and deactivated and/or be automatically (e.g., light or motion) activated and deactivated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: Trent R. Nelson, Garet K. Galster, Tom Stewart
  • Publication number: 20220179328
    Abstract: In some general aspects, a surface of a structure within a chamber of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source is cleaned using a method. The method includes generating a plasma state of a material that is present at a location adjacent to a non-electrically conductive body that is within the chamber. The generation of the plasma state of the material includes electromagnetically inducing an electric current at the location adjacent the non-electrically conductive body to thereby transform the material that is adjacent the non-electrically conductive body from a first state into the plasma state. The plasma state of the material includes plasma particles, at least some of which are free radicals of the material. The method also includes enabling the plasma particles to pass over the structure surface to remove debris from the structure surface without removing the structure from the chamber of the EUV light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Chunguang Xia, Jonghoon Baek, John Tom Stewart, IV, Andrew David LaForge, Deniz Van Heijnsbergen, David Robert Evans, Nina Vladimirovna Dziomkina, Yue Ma
  • Patent number: 11347154
    Abstract: In some general aspects, a surface of a structure within a chamber of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source is cleaned using a method. The method includes generating a plasma state of a material that is present at a location adjacent to a non-electrically conductive body that is within the chamber. The generation of the plasma state of the material includes electromagnetically inducing an electric current at the location adjacent the non-electrically conductive body to thereby transform the material that is adjacent the non-electrically conductive body from a first state into the plasma state. The plasma state of the material includes plasma particles, at least some of which are free radicals of the material. The method also includes enabling the plasma particles to pass over the structure surface to remove debris from the structure surface without removing the structure from the chamber of the EUV light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Chunguang Xia, Jonghoon Baek, John Tom Stewart, IV, Andrew David LaForge, Deniz Van Heijnsbergen, David Robert Evans, Nina Vladimirovna Dziomkina, Yue Ma
  • Publication number: 20210141311
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet radiation (EUV) source, including: a vessel having an inner vessel wall and an intermediate focus (IF) region; an EUV collector disposed inside the vessel, the EUV collector including a reflective surface configured to reflect EUV radiation toward the intermediate focus region, the reflective surface configured to directionally face the IF region of the vessel; a showerhead disposed along at least a portion of the inner vessel wall, the showerhead including a plurality of nozzles configured to introduce gas into the vessel; and one or more exhausts configured to remove gas introduced into the vessel, the one or more exhausts being oriented along at least a portion of the inner vessel wall so that the gas is caused to flow away from the EUV collector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Dzmitry LABETSKI, Christianus Wilhelmus Johannes BERENDSEN, Rui Miguel DUARTE RODRIGUES NUNES, Alexander Igorevich ERSHOV, Kornelis Frits FEENSTRA, Igor Vladimirovich FOMENKOV, Klaus Martin HUMMLER, Arun JOHNKADAKSHAM, Matthias KRAUSHAAR, Andrew David LAFORGE, Marc Guy LANGLOIS, Maksim LOGINOV, Yue MA, Seyedmohammad MOJAB, Kerim NADIR, Alexander SHATALOV, John Tom STEWART, Henricus Gerardus TEGENBOSCH, Chunguang XIA
  • Patent number: 10955749
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet radiation (EUV) source, including: a vessel having an inner vessel wall and an intermediate focus (IF) region; an EUV collector disposed inside the vessel, the EUV collector including a reflective surface configured to reflect EUV radiation toward the intermediate focus region, the reflective surface configured to directionally face the IF region of the vessel; a showerhead disposed along at least a portion of the inner vessel wall, the showerhead including a plurality of nozzles configured to introduce gas into the vessel; and one or more exhausts configured to remove gas introduced into the vessel, the one or more exhausts being oriented along at least a portion of the inner vessel wall so that the gas is caused to flow away from the EUV collector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Dzmitry Labetski, Christianus Wilhelmus Johannes Berendsen, Rui Miguel Duarte Rodriges Nunes, Alexander Igorevich Ershov, Kornelis Frits Feenstra, Igor Vladimirovich Fomenkov, Klaus Martin Hummler, Arun Johnkadaksham, Matthias Kraushaar, Andrew David Laforge, Marc Guy Langlois, Maksim Loginov, Yue Ma, Seyedmohammad Mojab, Kerim Nadir, Alexander Shatalov, John Tom Stewart, IV, Henricus Gerardus Tegenbosch, Chunguang Xia
  • Publication number: 20210063899
    Abstract: In some general aspects, a surface of a structure within a chamber of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source is cleaned using a method. The method includes generating a plasma state of a material that is present at a location adjacent to a non-electrically conductive body that is within the chamber. The generation of the plasma state of the material includes electromagnetically inducing an electric current at the location adjacent the non-electrically conductive body to thereby transform the material that is adjacent the non-electrically conductive body from a first state into the plasma state. The plasma state of the material includes plasma particles, at least some of which are free radicals of the material. The method also includes enabling the plasma particles to pass over the structure surface to remove debris from the structure surface without removing the structure from the chamber of the EUV light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: Chunguang Xia, Jonghoon Baek, John Tom Stewart, IV, Andrew David LaForge, Deniz Van Heijnsbergen, David Robert Evans, Nina Vladimirovna Dziomkina, Yue MA
  • Patent number: 10904993
    Abstract: A first target is provided to an interior of a vacuum chamber, a first light beam is directed toward the first target to form a first plasma from target material of the first target, the first plasma being associated with a directional flux of particles and radiation emitted from the first target along a first emission direction, the first emission direction being determined by a position of the first target; a second target is provided to the interior of the vacuum chamber; and a second light beam is directed toward the second target to form a second plasma from target material of the second target, the second plasma being associated with a directional flux of particles and radiation emitted from the second target along a second emission direction, the second emission direction being determined by a position of the second target, the first and second emission directions being different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Robert Jay Rafac, John Tom Stewart, Andrew David LaForge
  • Publication number: 20200089124
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet radiation (EUV) source, including: a vessel having an inner vessel wall and an intermediate focus (IF) region; an EUV collector disposed inside the vessel, the EUV collector including a reflective surface configured to reflect EUV radiation toward the intermediate focus region, the reflective surface configured to directionally face the IF region of the vessel; a showerhead disposed along at least a portion of the inner vessel wall, the showerhead including a plurality of nozzles configured to introduce gas into the vessel; and one or more exhausts configured to remove gas introduced into the vessel, the one or more exhausts being oriented along at least a portion of the inner vessel wall so that the gas is caused to flow away from the EUV collector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Dzmitry LABETSKI, Christianus Wilhelmus Johanne BERENDSEN, Rui Miguel DUARTE RODRIGES NUNES, Alexander Igorevich ERSHOV, Kornelis Frits FEENSTRA, Igor Vladimirovich FOMENKOV, Klaus Martin HUMMLER, Arun JOHNKADAKSHAM, Matthias KRAUSHAAR, Andrew David LAFORGE, Marc Guy LANGLOIS, Maksim LOGINOV, Yue MA, Seyedmohammad MOJAB, Kerim NADIR, Alexander SHATALOV, John Tom STEWART (IV), Henricus Gerardus TEGENBOSCH, Chunguang XIA
  • Patent number: 10490313
    Abstract: Disclosed is an EUV system in which a source control loop is established to maintain and optimize debris flux while not unduly affecting optimum EUV generation conditions. One or more temperature sensors, e.g., thermocouples may be installed in the vessel to measure respective local gas temperatures. The respective local temperature as measured by the one or more thermocouples can be used as one or more inputs to the source control loop. The source control loop may then adjust the laser targeting to permit optimization of debris generation and deposition while not affecting EUV production, thus extending the lifetime of the source and its collector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Alexander I. Ershov, John Tom Stewart, IV, Igor V. Fomenkov, Christianus W. J. Berendsen
  • Publication number: 20190274210
    Abstract: A first target is provided to an interior of a vacuum chamber, a first light beam is directed toward the first target to form a first plasma from target material of the first target, the first plasma being associated with a directional flux of particles and radiation emitted from the first target along a first emission direction, the first emission direction being determined by a position of the first target; a second target is provided to the interior of the vacuum chamber; and a second light beam is directed toward the second target to form a second plasma from target material of the second target, the second plasma being associated with a directional flux of particles and radiation emitted from the second target along a second emission direction, the second emission direction being determined by a position of the second target, the first and second emission directions being different.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Inventors: Robert Jay Rafac, John Tom Stewart, Andrew David LaForge
  • Patent number: 10349509
    Abstract: A first target is provided to an interior of a vacuum chamber, a first light beam is directed toward the first target to form a first plasma from target material of the first target, the first plasma being associated with a directional flux of particles and radiation emitted from the first target along a first emission direction, the first emission direction being determined by a position of the first target; a second target is provided to the interior of the vacuum chamber; and a second light beam is directed toward the second target to form a second plasma from target material of the second target, the second plasma being associated with a directional flux of particles and radiation emitted from the second target along a second emission direction, the second emission direction being determined by a position of the second target, the first and second emission directions being different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Robert Jay Rafac, John Tom Stewart, Andrew David LaForge
  • Publication number: 20190080811
    Abstract: Disclosed is an EUV system in which a source control loop is established to maintain and optimize debris flux while not unduly affecting optimum EUV generation conditions. One or more temperature sensors, e.g., thermocouples may be installed in the vessel to measure respective local gas temperatures. The respective local temperature as measured by the one or more thermocouples can be used as one or more inputs to the source control loop. The source control loop may then adjust the laser targeting to permit optimization of debris generation and deposition while not affecting EUV production, thus extending the lifetime of the source and its collector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Inventors: Alexander I. ERSHOV, John Tom Stewart, IV, Igor V. FOMENKOV, Christianus W.J. BERENDSEN
  • Patent number: D910868
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Inventors: Tom Stewart, Chaney Cox, Karina Figueroa
  • Patent number: D994759
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: STEWART CHARLEY VENTURES, LLC
    Inventors: Sindre Klepp, Tom Stewart