Richard C Ujazdowski

US Patent:

6414979, Jul 2, 2002

Filed:

Jan 23, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/768753

Inventors:

Richard C. Ujazdowski - San Diego CA
Michael C. Cates - Escondido CA
Richard G. Morton - San Diego CA
Jean-Marc Hueber - La Jolla CA
Ross H. Winnick - San Diego CA

Assignee:

Cymer, Inc. - San Diego CA

International Classification:

H01S 3097

US Classification:

372 87, 372 58, 372 57

Abstract:

A gas discharge laser having a laser chamber with two elongated erodable electrode elements, at least one of said electrode element having a generally blunt blade-shaped portion comprised of a material having high electrical conductivity with a flow shaping dielectric fairing positioned on each of two sides of said blunt blade-shaped portion. A pulse power system provides electrical pulses at rates of at least 1 KHz. A blower circulates laser gas between the electrodes at speeds of at least 10 m/s and a heat exchanger is provided to remove heat produced by the blower and the discharges.

US Patent:

6567450, May 20, 2003

Filed:

Aug 29, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/943343

Inventors:

David W. Myers - Poway CA
Herve A. Besaucele - San Diego CA
Alexander I. Ershov - San Diego CA
William N. Partlo - Poway CA
Richard L. Sandstrom - Encinitas CA
Palash P. Das - Vista CA
Stuart L. Anderson - San Diego CA
Igor V. Fomenkov - San Diego CA
Richard C. Ujazdowski - San Diego CA
Xiaojiang J. Pan - San Diego CA
Eckehard D. Onkels - San Diego CA
Richard M. Ness - San Diego CA
Daniel J. W. Brown - San Diego CA

Assignee:

Cymer, Inc. - San Diego CA

International Classification:

H01S 322

US Classification:

372 55, 372 57, 372 58, 372 59, 372 25

Abstract:

An injection seeded modular gas discharge laser system capable of producing high quality pulsed laser beams at pulse rates of about 4,000 Hz or greater and at pulse energies of about 5 mJ or greater. Two separate discharge chambers are provided, one of which is a part of a master oscillator producing a very narrow band seed beam which is amplified in the second discharge chamber. The chambers can be controlled separately permitting separate optimization of wavelength parameters in the master oscillator and optimization of pulse energy parameters in the amplifying chamber. A preferred embodiment in an ArF excimer laser system configured as a MOPA and specifically designed for use as a light source for integrated circuit lithography. In the preferred MOPA embodiment, each chamber comprises a single tangential fan providing sufficient gas flow to permit operation at pulse rates of 4000 Hz or greater by clearing debris from the discharge region in less time than the approximately 0. 25 milliseconds between pulses.

US Patent:

6625191, Sep 23, 2003

Filed:

Nov 30, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/012002

Inventors:

David S. Knowles - San Diego CA
Daniel J. W. Brown - San Diego CA
Herve A. Besaucele - San Diego CA
David W. Myers - Poway CA
Alexander I. Ershov - San Diego CA
William N. Partlo - Poway CA
Richard L. Sandstrom - Encinitas CA
Palash P. Das - Vista CA
Stuart L. Anderson - San Diego CA
Igor V. Fomenkov - San Diego CA
Richard C. Ujazdowski - San Diego CA
Eckehard D. Onkels - San Diego CA
Richard M. Ness - San Diego CA
Scott T. Smith - San Diego CA
William G. Hulburd - San Diego CA
Jeffrey Oicles - San Diego CA

Assignee:

Cymer, Inc. - San Diego CA

International Classification:

H01S 322

US Classification:

372 55

Abstract:

An injection seeded modular gas discharge laser system capable of producing high quality pulsed laser beams at pulse rates of about 4,000 Hz or greater and at pulse energies of about 5 mJ or greater. Two separate discharge chambers are provided, one of which is a part of a master oscillator producing a very narrow band seed beam which is amplified in the second discharge chamber. The chambers can be controlled separately permitting separate optimization of wavelength parameters in the master oscillator and optimization of pulse energy parameters in the amplifying chamber. A preferred embodiment in an ArF excimer laser system configured as a MOPA and specifically designed for use as a light source for integrated circuit lithography. In the preferred MOPA embodiment, each chamber comprises a single tangential fan providing sufficient gas flow to permit operation at pulse rates of 4000 Hz or greater by clearing debris from the discharge region in less time than the approximately 0. 25 milliseconds between pulses.

US Patent:

6654403, Nov 25, 2003

Filed:

Dec 22, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/748317

Inventors:

Richard C. Ujazdowski - San Diego CA
Michael C. Cates - Escondido CA
Richard G. Morton - San Diego CA

Assignee:

Cymer, Inc. - San Diego CA

International Classification:

H01S 3097

US Classification:

372 87, 372 58

Abstract:

An excimer laser with a laser chamber containing a circulating laser gas containing fluorine and a set of long life electrode structures. At least one of the electrode structures has an erosion pad and a cross section shape designed to provide in conjunction with other chamber structure a gradual increasing flow cross section between the discharge region and the circulating tangential fan blade. In a preferred embodiment, electrode lifetime is increased by annealing the erosion rod after it is are machined. This annealing relieves the surface stress caused by the machining operation and reduces the exposed metallic grain boundary length per unit area on the surface of the electrodes, which provides substantial reduction in erosion caused by fluorine chemical attack. Annealing after machining also reduces the stress throughout the bulk of the electrode material. In preferred embodiments the anode is a copper-aluminum alloy and the cathode is a copper-zinc alloy.

US Patent:

6661826, Dec 9, 2003

Filed:

Jun 7, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/164885

Inventors:

Richard C. Ujazdowski - San Diego CA
Timothy S. Dyer - Oceanside CA
William N. Partlo - Poway CA
Michael Altheim - Temecula CA
Brian Strate - San Diego CA
Thomas Hofmann - San Diego CA

Assignee:

Cymer, Inc. - San Diego CA

International Classification:

H01S 3223

US Classification:

372 55, 372 57

Abstract:

A feedthrough structure of a gas discharge laser chamber conducts electric power through the wall of a sealed gas enclosure to a single piece elongated electrode inside the enclosure. The feedthrough structure includes a single piece integrated main insulator larger than the electrode. The main insulator is compressed between the electrode and the wall of the enclosure. The surfaces forming interfaces between the electrode and the single piece insulator are the insulator and the wall are all very smooth to permit the parts to expand and contract as the chamber temperature varies. The feedthrough structure also provides mechanical support and alignment for the electrode and includes seals to prevent gas leakage around the feedthrough structure.

US Patent:

6690706, Feb 10, 2004

Filed:

Mar 22, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/104502

Inventors:

Richard G. Morton - San Diego CA
Timothy S. Dyer - Oceanside CA
Thomas D. Steiger - San Diego CA
Richard C. Ujazdowski - San Diego CA
Tom A. Watson - Carlsbad CA
Bryan Moosman - San Diego CA
Alex P. Ivaschenko - La Jolla CA

Assignee:

Cymer, Inc. - San Diego CA

International Classification:

H01S 3097

US Classification:

372 87, 372 57

Abstract:

The present invention provides a gas discharge laser having at least one long-life elongated electrode for producing at least 12 billion high voltage electric discharges in a fluorine containing laser gas. In a preferred embodiment at least one of the electrodes is comprised of a first material having a relatively low anode erosion rate and a second anode material having a relatively higher anode erosion rate. The first anode material is positioned at a desired anode discharge region of the electrode. The second anode material is located adjacent to the first anode material along at least two long sides of the first material. During operation of the laser erosion occurs on both materials but the higher erosion rate of the second material assures that any tendency of the discharge to spread onto the second material will quickly erode away the second material enough to stop the spread of the discharge. In a preferred embodiment the anode is as described above and the cathode is also a two-material electrode with the first material at the discharge region being C26000 brass and the second material being C36000 brass. A pulse power system provides electrical pulses at rates of at least 1 KHz.

US Patent:

6757316, Jun 29, 2004

Filed:

May 11, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/854097

Inventors:

Peter C. Newman - San Diego CA
Thomas P. Duffey - San Diego CA
William N. Partlo - Poway CA
Richard L. Sandstrom - Encinitas CA
Paul C. Melcher - El Cajon CA
David M. Johns - Lakeside CA
Robert B. Saethre - San Diego CA
Vladimir B. Fleurov - Escondido CA
Richard M. Ness - San Diego CA
Curtis L. Rettig - Vista CA
Robert A. Shannon - Ramona CA
Richard C. Ujazdowski - San Diego CA
Shahryar Rokni - Carlsbad CA
Xiaojiang J. Pan - San Diego CA
Vladimir Kulgeyko - San Diego CA
Scott T. Smith - San Diego CA
Stuart L. Anderson - San Diego CA
John M. Algots - San Diego CA
Ronald L. Spangler - Arlington MA
Igor V. Fomenkov - San Diego CA

Assignee:

Cymer, Inc. - San Diego CA

International Classification:

H01S 322

US Classification:

372 57, 372 25, 372 3802, 372 3804, 372 3807, 372 58, 372 59

Abstract:

The present invention provides an excimer laser capable of producing a high quality pulsed laser beam at pulse rates of about 4,000 Hz at pulse energies of about 5 mJ or greater. A preferred embodiment is an ArF excimer laser specifically designed as a light source for integrated circuit lithography. An improved wavemeter with special software monitors output beam parameters and controls a very fast PZT driven tuning mirror and the pulse power charging voltage to maintain wavelength and pulse energy within desired limits. In a preferred embodiment two fan motors drive a single tangential fan which provides sufficient gas flow to clear discharge debris from the discharge region during the approximately 0. 25 milliseconds between pulses.

US Patent:

6801560, Oct 5, 2004

Filed:

Jan 23, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/056619

Inventors:

David S. Knowles - San Diego CA
Daniel J. W. Brown - San Diego CA
Richard L. Sandstrom - Encinitas CA
German E. Rylov - Murrieta CA
Eckehard D. Onkels - San Diego CA
Herve A. Besaucele - San Diego CA
David W. Myers - Poway CA
Alexander I. Ershov - San Diego CA
William N. Partlo - Poway CA
Igor V. Fomenkov - San Diego CA
Richard C. Ujazdowski - San Diego CA
Richard M. Ness - San Diego CA
Scott T. Smith - San Diego CA
William G. Hulburd - San Diego CA

Assignee:

Cymer, Inc. - San Diego CA

International Classification:

H01S 322

US Classification:

372 55

Abstract:

An injection seeded modular gas discharge laser system capable of producing high quality pulsed laser beams at pulse rates of about 4,000 Hz or greater and at pulse energies of about 5 mJ or greater. Two separate discharge chambers are provided, one of which is a part of a master oscillator producing a very narrow band seed beam which is amplified in the second discharge chamber. The chambers can be controlled separately permitting separate optimization of wavelength parameters in the master oscillator and optimization of pulse energy parameters in the amplifying chamber. A preferred embodiment in a F laser system configured as a MOPA and specifically designed for use as a light source for integrated circuit lithography. In the preferred MOPA embodiment, each chamber comprises a single tangential fan providing sufficient gas flow to permit operation at pulse rates of 4000 Hz or greater by clearing debris from the discharge region in less time than the approximately 0. 25 milliseconds between pulses.