Patents by Inventor Victor Antonio PEREZ-FALCON
Victor Antonio PEREZ-FALCON 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: 11892779Abstract: An optical element and a lithographic apparatus including the optical element. The optical element includes a first member having a curved optical surface and a heat transfer surface, and a second member that comprises at least one recess, the at least one recess sealed against the heat transfer surface to form at least one closed channel between the first member and the second member to allow fluid to flow therethrough for thermal conditioning of the curved optical surface. In an embodiment, one or more regions of the heat transfer surface exposed to the at least one closed channel are positioned along a curved profile similar to that of the curved optical surface.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2020Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: ASML HOLDING N.V.Inventor: Victor Antonio Perez-Falcon
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Publication number: 20230008474Abstract: Embodiments herein describe methods, devices, and systems for reducing an electric field at a clamp-reticle interface using an enhanced electrostatic clamp. In particular, the electrostatic clamp includes a clamp body, an electrode layer disposed on a top surface of the clamp body, and a plurality of burls that project from a bottom surface of the clamp body, wherein the electrode layer comprises a plurality of cutouts at predetermined locations that vertically correspond to locations of the plurality of burls at the bottom surface of the clamp body.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2020Publication date: January 12, 2023Applicants: ASML Holding N.V., ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Victor Antonio PEREZ-FALCON, Marcus Adrianus VAN DE KERKHOF, Daniel Leslie HALL, Christopher John MASON, Arthur Winfried Eduardus MINNAERT, Johannes Hubertus Josephina MOORS, Samir A. NAYFEH
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Patent number: 11550231Abstract: Methods and systems are described for reducing particulate contaminants on a clamping face of a clamping structure in a lithographic system. A substrate such as a cleaning reticle is pressed against the clamping face. A temperature differential is established between the substrate and the clamping face either before or after clamping occurs to facilitate transfer of particles from the clamping face to the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2019Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: ASML Holding N.V.Inventors: Jeffrey John Lombardo, Ronald Peter Albright, Daniel Leslie Hall, Victor Antonio Perez-Falcon, Andrew Judge
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Publication number: 20220404720Abstract: An optical element and a lithographic apparatus including the optical element. The optical element includes a first member having a curved optical surface and a heat transfer surface, and a second member that comprises at least one recess, the at least one recess sealed against the heat transfer surface to form at least one closed channel between the first member and the second member to allow fluid to flow therethrough for thermal conditioning of the curved optical surface. In an embodiment, one or more regions of the heat transfer surface exposed to the at least one closed channel are positioned along a curved profile similar to that of the curved optical surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2020Publication date: December 22, 2022Applicant: ASML HOLDING N.V.Inventor: Victor Antonio PEREZ-FALCON
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Patent number: 11500298Abstract: An apparatus for reticle sub-field thermal control in a lithography system is disclosed. The apparatus includes a clamp configured to fix an object. The clamp includes a plurality of gas distribution features that are spatially arranged in a pattern. The apparatus further includes a gas pressure controller configured to individually control a gas flow rate through each of the plurality of gas distribution features to spatially modulate a gas pressure distribution in a space between the clamp and the object. The gas distribution features include a plurality of trenches or holes arranged in an array form.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2019Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: ASML Holding N.V.Inventors: Eric Justin Monkman, Michael Andrew Chieda, Stephen Roux, Victor Antonio Perez-Falcon
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Publication number: 20220236649Abstract: An electrostatic clamp and a method for fabricating the same. The electrostatic clamp includes a first stack and a second stack, wherein the first stack is joined with the second stack. Each of the first and second stacks includes a clamp body, one or more electrodes disposed on the clamp body, a dielectric plate disposed on the electrodes, and a plurality of channels inside the clamp body.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2020Publication date: July 28, 2022Applicant: ASML HOLDING N.V.Inventors: Matthew LIPSON, Eric Justin MONKMAN, Victor Antonio PEREZ-FALCON
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Patent number: 11333984Abstract: Methods and systems are described for reducing particles in the vicinity of an electrostatic chuck (300) in which a cleaning reticle or substrate (320) is secured to the chuck, the cleaning reticle or substrate having surfaces partially devoid of conductive material so that an electric field from the chuck can pass through to a volume adjacent the substrate to draw particles (360) in the volume to the surface of the substrate. Voltage supplied to the chuck may have an alternating polarity to enhance the attraction of particles to the surface.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2019Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Assignees: ASML Netherlands B.V., ASML Holding N.V.Inventors: Richard Joseph Bruls, Ronald Peter Albright, Peter Conrad Kochersperger, Victor Antonio Perez-Falcon
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Publication number: 20220146948Abstract: An electrostatic clamp for supporting a substrate includes a substrate region, an electrode region at an edge of the substrate region, a support layer, an electrically conductive layer, a contact layer, and an electrode. The support layer has a body having first and second surfaces that are substantially parallel to each other and disposed on opposite sides of the body. A through-hole is disposed in the electrode region and provides access between the first and second surfaces. The electrically conductive layer is disposed on the second surface of the support layer. The contact layer disposed on the electrically conductive layer. The contact layer is uninterrupted in the electrode region and comprises burls in the substrate region. The burls contact the substrate when the electrostatic clamp is supporting the substrate. The electrode is disposed in the through-hole and is electrically coupled to the electrically conductive layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2020Publication date: May 12, 2022Applicant: ASML Holding N.V.Inventors: Hari KRISHNAN, Joseph Harry LYONS, Eric Justin MONKMAN, Victor Antonio PEREZ-FALCON
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Publication number: 20220075277Abstract: Methods and systems are described for reducing particulate contaminants on a clamping face of a clamping structure in a lithographic system. A substrate such as a cleaning reticle is pressed against the clamping face. A temperature differential is established between the substrate and the clamping face either before or after clamping occurs to facilitate transfer of particles from the clamping face to the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2019Publication date: March 10, 2022Applicant: ASML Holding N.V.Inventors: Jeffrey John LOMBARDO, Ronald Peter ALBRIGHT, Daniel Leslie HALL, Victor Antonio PEREZ-FALCON, Andrew JUDGE
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Publication number: 20220057723Abstract: An apparatus for reticle sub-field thermal control in a lithography system is disclosed. The apparatus includes a clamp configured to fix an object. The clamp includes a plurality of gas distribution features that are spatially arranged in a pattern. The apparatus further includes a gas pressure controller configured to individually control a gas flow rate through each of the plurality of gas distribution features to spatially modulate a gas pressure distribution in a space between the clamp and the object. The gas distribution features include a plurality of trenches or holes arranged in an array form.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2019Publication date: February 24, 2022Applicant: ASML Holding N.V.Inventors: Eric Justin MONKMAN, Michael Andrew CHIEDA, Stephen ROUX, Victor Antonio PEREZ-FALCON
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Patent number: 11048175Abstract: Methods and systems are described for cleaning a support such as a clamp of a chuck that holds a patterning device or a wafer in a lithographic apparatus. The method includes loading a electrostatic cleaning substrate into a lithographic apparatus. The electrostatic cleaning substrate includes at least one electrode. The method further includes bringing the electrostatic cleaning substrate near to the clamping surface to be cleaned and connecting the electrode to a voltage source. Particles present on the support are then transferred to the electrostatic cleaning substrate.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2018Date of Patent: June 29, 2021Assignee: ASML Holding N.V.Inventors: Victor Antonio Perez-Falcon, Michael Andrew Chieda
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Publication number: 20210041795Abstract: Methods and systems are described for reducing particles in the vicinity of an electrostatic chuck (300) in which a cleaning reticle or substrate (320) is secured to the chuck, the cleaning reticle or substrate having surfaces partially devoid of conductive material so that an electric field from the chuck can pass through to a volume adjacent the substrate to draw particles (360) in the volume to the surface of the substrate. Voltage supplied to the chuck may have an alternating polarity to enhance the attraction of particles to the surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 4, 2019Publication date: February 11, 2021Applicants: ASML Netherlands B..V., ASML Holding N.V.Inventors: Richard Joseph BRULS, Ronald Peter ALBRIGHT, Peter Conrad KOCHERSPERGER, Victor Antonio PEREZ-FALCON
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Publication number: 20200348606Abstract: Methods and systems are described for cleaning a support such as a clamp of a chuck that holds a patterning device or a wafer in a lithographic apparatus. The method includes loading a electrostatic cleaning substrate into a lithographic apparatus. The electrostatic cleaning substrate includes at least one electrode. The method further includes bringing the electrostatic cleaning substrate near to the clamping surface to be cleaned and connecting the electrode to a voltage source. Particles present on the support are then transferred to the electrostatic cleaning substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2018Publication date: November 5, 2020Applicant: ASML Holding N.V.Inventors: Victor Antonio PEREZ-FALCON, Michael Andrew CHIEDA