The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 04, 2014
Filed:
Feb. 17, 2011
Kenneth P. Gross, San Carlos, CA (US);
Yung-ho Chuang, Cupertino, CA (US);
John Fielden, Los Altos, CA (US);
Kenneth P. Gross, San Carlos, CA (US);
Yung-Ho Chuang, Cupertino, CA (US);
John Fielden, Los Altos, CA (US);
KLA-Tencor Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
A cell for a vacuum ultraviolet plasma light source, the cell having a closed sapphire tube containing at least one noble gas. Such a cell does not have a metal housing, metal-to-metal seals, or any other metal flanges or components, except for the electrodes (in some embodiments). In this manner, the cell is kept to a relatively small size, and exhibits a more uniform heating of the gas and cell than can be readily achieved with a hybridized metal/window cell design. These designs generally result in higher plasma temperatures (a brighter light source), shorter wavelength output, and lower optical noise due to fewer gas convection currents created between the hotter plasma regions and surrounding colder gases. These cells provide a greater amount of output with wavelengths in the vacuum ultraviolet range than do quartz or fused silica cells. These cells also produce continuous spectral emission well into the infrared range, making them a broadband light source.