Patents by Inventor Yuichi Nishimura

Yuichi Nishimura 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: 20240023223
    Abstract: An EUV light generation system includes a prepulse laser device outputting prepulse laser light to be radiated to a target supplied into a chamber; a main pulse laser device outputting main pulse laser light to be radiated to a diffusion target generated by the radiation of the prepulse laser light; a first actuator adjusting an irradiation position of the prepulse laser light; a second actuator adjusting an irradiation position of the main pulse laser light; an EUV sensor detecting EUV energy; a laser energy sensor detecting laser energy of the main pulse laser light; a target sensor imaging the diffusion target; and a controller controlling, after controlling the first actuator based on a characteristic value of the diffusion target calculated from an image of the diffusion target, the second actuator so that a ratio of the EUV energy to the laser energy detected by the laser energy sensor becomes large.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Yuichi NISHIMURA, Yoshifumi UENO
  • Publication number: 20230413411
    Abstract: An EUV light generation system includes a chamber, a target supply device supplying a target to a plasma generation region in the chamber, a laser device outputting pulse laser light, a beam sensor measuring one of a position and an angle of an optical axis of the pulse laser light as a first optical characteristic, a first reflection control mirror whose angle is controlled, and a processor controlling the laser device. The processor calculates a first corrected angle based on a first attenuation curve defined by the angle of the first reflection control mirror at an end of an immediately preceding irradiation period, the angle of the first reflection control mirror at a cold state, an elapsed time from a start of the pause period, and a first time constant, and to change the angle of the first reflection control mirror to the first corrected angle, during a pause period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventors: Shogo KITASAKA, Yuichi NISHIMURA, Takayuki YABU
  • Patent number: 11778721
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation system includes a target supply unit configured to supply a target substance to a first predetermined region, a laser system configured to output pulse laser light to be radiated to the target substance in the first predetermined region, a first sensor configured to detect an arrival timing at which the target substance has reached a second predetermined region between the target supply unit and the first predetermined region, an optical adjuster arranged on an optical path of the pulse laser light between the laser system and the first predetermined region, and a processor configured to control transmittance of the pulse laser light through the optical adjuster based on the arrival timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Yuichi Nishimura, Takayuki Yabu, Hiroaki Nakarai
  • Publication number: 20230284365
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation system configured to generate extreme ultraviolet light by irradiating a target substance with laser light includes a nozzle configured to output the target substance, a vibration element that is driven by an input of an electric signal of a rectangular wave and applies vibration to the target substance to be output from the nozzle to generate droplets of the target substance, a first sensor configured to detect energy of the generated extreme ultraviolet light, a second sensor configured to detect energy of the laser light to be radiated to the target substance, and a processor configured to control a duty value of the electric signal for vibrating the vibration element so as to reduce a variation of an energy conversion efficiency calculated based on an output of the first sensor and an output of the second sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Yuichi NISHIMURA, Shogo KITASAKA
  • Publication number: 20230101779
    Abstract: An EUV light generation apparatus includes a chamber; a prepulse laser outputting prepulse laser light; a main pulse laser outputting main pulse laser light; a combiner combining optical paths of the prepulse laser light and the main pulse laser light; a light concentrating unit concentrating, on the target, the prepulse laser light and the main pulse laser light having the optical paths combined; a stage changing a position of the light concentrating unit; a first actuator changing a travel direction of the main pulse laser light; an EUV light sensor detecting EUV energy; a laser energy sensor detecting pulse energy of the main pulse laser light; and an EUV light generation control unit controlling the stage so that temporal variation of the EUV energy decreases and controlling the first actuator so that a ratio of the EUV energy to the pulse energy increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Applicant: GIGAPHOTON INC.
    Inventors: Yuichi NISHIMURA, Yoshifumi UENO
  • Publication number: 20220232690
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation system includes a target supply unit configured to supply a target substance to a first predetermined region, a laser system configured to output pulse laser light to be radiated to the target substance in the first predetermined region, a first sensor configured to detect an arrival timing at which the target substance has reached a second predetermined region between the target supply unit and the first predetermined region, an optical adjuster arranged on an optical path of the pulse laser light between the laser system and the first predetermined region, and a processor configured to control transmittance of the pulse laser light through the optical adjuster based on the arrival timing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Yuichi NISHIMURA, Takayuki YABU, Hiroaki NAKARAI
  • Patent number: 11274089
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (5-HMF) suitable for industrial-scale production and a novel catalyst composition for use in synthesizing 5-HMF. The present invention provides a method for producing 5-HMF comprising performing a dehydration reaction of a carbohydrate comprising a hexose as a constituent sugar or a derivative thereof by using activated carbon as a catalyst; and a catalyst composition for use in the reaction for producing 5-HMF from a carbohydrate comprising a hexose as a constituent sugar through a dehydration reaction, the catalyst composition comprising activated carbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: NIHON SHOKUHIN KAKO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi Nishimura, Norihisa Hamaguchi, Hitoshi Takaguchi
  • Patent number: 11219116
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation system may include an irradiation position adjustment mechanism adjusting an irradiation position of the laser light; an extreme ultraviolet light sensor measuring energy of extreme ultraviolet light; a return light sensor measuring energy of return light traveling backward on the laser light path; and a processor controlling the irradiation position adjustment mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Yuta Takashima, Yuichi Nishimura, Takayuki Yabu, Yoshifumi Ueno
  • Publication number: 20210410262
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation system may include an irradiation position adjustment mechanism adjusting an irradiation position of the laser light; an extreme ultraviolet light sensor measuring energy of extreme ultraviolet light; a return light sensor measuring energy of return light traveling backward on the laser light path; and a processor controlling the irradiation position adjustment mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Yuta TAKASHIMA, Yuichi NISHIMURA, Takayuki YABU, Yoshifumi UENO
  • Publication number: 20210333718
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation system according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a first actuator that changes a travel direction of prepulse laser light to be output from a first optical element arranged on an optical path of the prepulse laser light between a prepulse laser device and a beam combiner, and a second actuator that changes irradiation positions of the prepulse laser light and main pulse laser light to be output from a light concentrating optical system, a plurality of sensors that detect light radiated from a predetermined region by a target being irradiated with the main pulse laser light, and a controller. Here, the controller controls the first actuator so that an evaluation value calculated from output of the plurality of sensors approaches a target value, and thereafter, controls the second actuator so that the evaluation value approaches the target value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Yuichi NISHIMURA, Takayuki YABU, Tsukasa HORI
  • Patent number: 10988452
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (5-HMF) with suppressed production of byproducts. The present invention provides a method for producing 5-HMF, comprising the step of performing a dehydration reaction of a carbohydrate comprising a hexose as a constituent sugar or a derivative thereof to produce 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural, wherein the dehydration reaction is performed in the presence of activated carbon. The present invention also provides a method for producing a carbohydrate composition comprising 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural, comprising the step of heating a carbohydrate composition comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of a carbohydrate comprising a hexose as a constituent sugar and a derivative thereof, in the presence of an acid catalyst and activated carbon at a temperature of 90 to 400° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Nihon Shokuhin Kako Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Nishimura, Hitoshi Takaguchi, Norihisa Hamaguchi
  • Patent number: 10908429
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: a pulse laser apparatus configured to output a pulse laser beam, the pulse laser beam being supplied to a predetermined region in a chamber in which plasma containing extreme ultraviolet light is to be generated; a sensor configured to detect a beam size of the pulse laser beam; an actuator configured to change the beam size; and a controller. The controller performs, based on a first algorithm, first control that controls the actuator by a first control amount in a beam size minifying direction when the beam size has exceeded a first upper limit threshold in one burst duration, and then performs, based on a second algorithm, second control that controls the actuator by a second control amount smaller than the first control amount so that the beam size becomes closer to a target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Takayuki Yabu, Yuichi Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20200399237
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (5-HMF) with suppressed production of byproducts. The present invention provides a method for producing 5-HMF, comprising the step of performing a dehydration reaction of a carbohydrate comprising a hexose as a constituent sugar or a derivative thereof to produce 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural, wherein the dehydration reaction is performed in the presence of activated carbon. The present invention also provides a method for producing a carbohydrate composition comprising 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural, comprising the step of heating a carbohydrate composition comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of a carbohydrate comprising a hexose as a constituent sugar and a derivative thereof, in the presence of an acid catalyst and activated carbon at a temperature of 90 to 400° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Yuichi Nishimura, Hitoshi Takaguchi, Norihisa Hamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20200393687
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: a pulse laser apparatus configured to output a pulse laser beam, the pulse laser beam being supplied to a predetermined region in a chamber in which plasma containing extreme ultraviolet light is to be generated; a sensor configured to detect a beam size of the pulse laser beam; an actuator configured to change the beam size; and a controller. The controller performs, based on a first algorithm, first control that controls the actuator by a first control amount in a beam size minifying direction when the beam size has exceeded a first upper limit threshold in one burst duration, and then performs, based on a second algorithm, second control that controls the actuator by a second control amount smaller than the first control amount so that the beam size becomes closer to a target value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Takayuki YABU, Yuichi NISHIMURA
  • Patent number: 10692474
    Abstract: A keyboard instrument includes a plurality of key blocks, each including key main bodies, connecting sections, and a supporting section. Each key main body has a top surface that can be pressed by a user to play the keyboard instrument. Each connecting section extends from a key main body and deforms in response to pressing at the top surface of the key main body. The supporting section supports the key main bodies as one key block through the connecting sections. The key blocks are stacked at the supporting section in an instrument case so that a plurality of connecting sections of one key block and a plurality of connecting sections of another key block overlap each other. In at least one key block, each connecting section extends from a top surface side of the corresponding key main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiya Kuno, Hirokazu Taniguchi, Yuichi Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20200168749
    Abstract: An edge-incident light receiving element is equipped with a light receiving portion formed near a first surface of a semiconductor substrate, a concave reflective portion formed at a second surface of the semiconductor substrate that opposes the first surface, and a planar reflective portion formed between the first surface and the second surface, and the planar reflective portion reflects incident light on an edge surface of the semiconductor substrate that is perpendicular to the first surface and to the second surface toward the concave reflective portion, and the concave reflective portion reflects the incident light reflected by the planar reflective portion so as to condense on the light receiving portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Publication date: May 28, 2020
    Inventors: Yuichi NISHIMURA, Etsuji OMURA
  • Patent number: 10609803
    Abstract: An EUV light generating apparatus includes: EUV light sensors configured to measure energy of EUV light from mutually different directions, the EUV light being generated by applying laser light to a target supplied to a predetermined region in a chamber; an application position adjusting unit configured to adjust an application position of the laser light to the target supplied to the predetermined region; and a controller configured to control the application position adjusting unit such that a centroid of the EUV light becomes a target desired centroid, the centroid of the EUV light being specified from measurement results of the EUV light sensors. The controller calibrates the target desired centroid based on EUV light centroids obtained from the energy of the EUV light measured by the EUV light sensors, and a parameter related to the measured energy of the EUV light corresponding to the EUV light centroids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Yuichi Nishimura, Yoshifumi Ueno, Takayuki Yabu
  • Publication number: 20200043445
    Abstract: A keyboard instrument includes a plurality of key blocks, each including key main bodies, connecting sections, and a supporting section. Each key main body has a top surface that can be pressed by a user to play the keyboard instrument. Each connecting section extends from a key main body and deforms in response to pressing at the top surface of the key main body. The supporting section supports the key main bodies as one key block through the connecting sections. The key blocks are stacked at the supporting section in an instrument case so that a plurality of connecting sections of one key block and a plurality of connecting sections of another key block overlap each other. In at least one key block, each connecting section extends from a top surface side of the corresponding key main body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Applicant: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiya KUNO, Hirokazu TANIGUCHI, Yuichi NISHIMURA
  • Patent number: 10531551
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Takayuki Yabu, Yuichi Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20190361361
    Abstract: An EUV light generating apparatus includes: EUV light sensors configured to measure energy of EUV light from mutually different directions, the EUV light being generated by applying laser light to a target supplied to a predetermined region in a chamber; an application position adjusting unit configured to adjust an application position of the laser light to the target supplied to the predetermined region; and a controller configured to control the application position adjusting unit such that a centroid of the EUV light becomes a target centroid, the centroid of the EUV light being specified from measurement results of the EUV light sensors. The controller calibrates the target centroid based on EUV light centroids obtained from the energy of the EUV light measured by the EUV light sensors, and a parameter related to the measured energy of the EUV light corresponding to the EUV light centroids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Yuichi NISHIMURA, Yoshifumi UENO, Takayuki YABU