High-Pressure Coupling Assembly With Contaminant-Trap Sleeve

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing high pressure coupling assemblies for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light sources face challenges in maintaining a hermetic seal while preventing contamination and corrosion from target materials like molten tin, leading to system failures and reduced performance.

Innovation Solution

A high pressure coupling assembly featuring a polyimide sealing member and a tantalum sleeve, where the polyimide forms a hermetic seal and the tantalum sleeve traps contaminants, ensuring a robust and durable connection between fittings in high-pressure environments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stress or pressure

If a hermetic seal is used to maintain high pressure, then pressure containment is improved, but contamination and corrosion from target materials occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepressure containmentVSAvoidcontamination and corrosion

Core Design Contradiction:

Stress or pressureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The coupling assembly is divided into distinct functional components: a polyimide sealing member for hermetic sealing and a tantalum sleeve for contaminant trapping. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in its function without interfering with the other, resolving the contradiction between maintaining pressure and preventing contamination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tantalum sleeve acts as an intermediary barrier between the molten tin target material and the polyimide sealing member. It traps contaminants and prevents direct contact between the corrosive target material and the seal, allowing the hermetic seal to maintain pressure without suffering from contamination and corrosion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a seal is placed between fittings to prevent leakage, then hermetic sealing is improved, but the seal is exposed to corrosive target materials

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehermetic sealingVSAvoidcorrosion from target material

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The tantalum sleeve serves as a protective intermediary that intercepts corrosive target materials before they can reach the polyimide sealing member. This allows the seal to maintain its hermetic function without being exposed to corrosion, thereby improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The tantalum sleeve creates a protected environment for the polyimide sealing member by trapping contaminants and preventing direct exposure to reactive molten tin. This inert barrier approach allows the seal to function reliably without degradation from corrosive materials.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

3Productivity

If molten tin flows through the conduit, then target material delivery is improved, but oxidation and clogging occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetarget material deliveryVSAvoidoxidation and clogging

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The tantalum sleeve converts the potentially harmful interaction between molten tin and the conduit into a beneficial contaminant trapping mechanism. Oxidation products and other contaminants generated during target material delivery are captured by the sleeve rather than causing clogging downstream, allowing continuous productive operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The tantalum sleeve extracts and removes oxidation products and contaminants from the molten tin flow path. By taking out these harmful substances and trapping them in the sleeve, the system maintains clean target material delivery without oxidation and clogging issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The assembly maintains a hermetic seal under high pressures, effectively traps contaminants, reducing system failures and enhancing the performance and reliability of EUV light sources by preventing material oxidation and clogging.

Implementation Method 1

a polyimide sealing member disposed between the first and second fittings

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

a tantalum sleeve disposed along inner walls of the conduit and disposed between the polyimide sealing member and the conduit

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Data Source

PatentUS20250227834A1High pressure coupling assembly

Publication Date: 2025.07.10 ASML NETHERLANDS BV

AI summary

A target material generator includes a fluid flow path between reservoir system and a nozzle supply system, and a coupling assembly in the fluid flow path. The target material generator is a part of an extreme ultraviolet light source. The coupling assembly includes a first fitting coupled to a second fitting to thereby form a flow conduit along the fluid flow path, wherein a seal is formed between the first fitting and the second fitting, and a sleeve disposed along inner walls of the flow conduit and between the seal and the flow conduit such that a contaminant trap is formed between the sleeve and the seal.