US 11,720,035 B2
Mitigating long-term energy decay of laser devices
Chih-Ping Yen, Hsinchu (TW); Yen-Shuo Su, Hsinchu (TW); Jui-Pin Wu, Hsinchu (TW); Chun-Lin Chang, Zhubei (TW); Han-Lung Chang, Kaohsiung (TW); and Heng-Hsin Liu, New Taipei (TW)
Assigned to TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on Aug. 27, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/459,749.
Prior Publication US 2023/0069707 A1, Mar. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. G03F 7/20 (2006.01); G03F 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC G03F 7/70925 (2013.01) [G03F 7/70025 (2013.01); G03F 7/70033 (2013.01); G03F 7/70916 (2013.01); G03F 7/70975 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for manufacturing semiconductors, comprising
a power amplifier to power a laser;
a catalyst disposed in the power amplifier;
a supply of mixing gas;
circuitry configured to control a cleaning operation on the power amplifier;
an inlet port controlled by the circuitry, the inlet port coupled to the supply to introduce a mixing gas to an interior of the power amplifier during the cleaning operation so that the mixing gas contacts a surface of the catalyst having a build-up thereon, whereby the mixing gas reacts with and removes the build-up by generating gaseous by-products;
an exhaust port controlled by the circuitry and configured to remove the gaseous by-products from the power amplifier at an end of the cleaning operation; and
a filter having a water supply and configured to receive the gaseous by-products from the exhaust port, whereby the water supply removes and recovers the mixing gas from the gaseous by-products.