Mitigating long-term energy decay of laser devices
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsChih-Ping YEN, Yen-Shuo SU, Jui-Pin WU, Chun-Lin CHANG, Han-Lung CHANG, Heng-Hsin LIU
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Abstract
An apparatus for manufacturing semiconductors includes a power amplifier to power a laser, a catalyst disposed in the power amplifier, an inlet port, and an exhaust port. The inlet port introduces a mixing gas to an interior of the power amplifier during a cleaning operation so that the mixing gas contacts a surface of the catalyst having a build-up thereon. The mixing gas reacts with and removes the build-up by generating gaseous by-products. The exhaust port removes the gaseous by-products from the power amplifier.
Claims20
An apparatus for manufacturing semiconductors, comprising
- a power amplifier to power a laser;
- a catalyst disposed in the power amplifier;
- an inlet port coupled to a supply and configured to introduce a mixing gas to an interior of the power amplifier during a 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;
- and
- an exhaust port configured to remove the gaseous by-products from the power amplifier at an end of the cleaning operation.
A method for preserving power of a laser, comprising:
- introducing a mixing gas from an inlet port to an interior of a power amplifier for a laser during a maintenance of the laser, the power amplifier having a catalyst;
- allowing the mixing gas to react with and remove a contamination built upon a surface of the catalyst so that gaseous by-products are generated;
- and
- removing the gaseous by-products from the power amplifier through an exhaust port.
A method for cleaning a power amplifier of a laser, comprising:
- introducing a mixing gas into the power amplifier through an inlet port during an operation of the laser, the power amplifier having a catalyst;
- allowing the mixing gas to react with and remove a contamination built upon a surface of the catalyst so that gaseous by-products are generated;
- and
- removing the mixing gas and the gaseous by-products from the power amplifier through an exhaust thereof after the cleaning of the power amplifier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.