公开(公告)号：EP2140529B1

公开(公告)日：2011-05-18

申请号：EP08744395.8

申请日：2008-03-26

申请人： Photomedex, Inc.

发明人： LEVATTER, Jeffrey I. ,  MORRIS, James, H. ,  BROOKS, David, M.

IPC分类号： H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/225

CPC分类号： H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2253

摘要： Systems and methods for efficiently operating a gas discharge excimer laser (10) are disclosed. The excimer laser (10) may include a chamber (12) containing laser gases, first and second electrodes (34, 38) within the chamber (12), and a plurality of reflective elements (22, 24) defining an optical resonant cavity. The method may include setting the laser gases to a first pressure; after setting the gases to the first pressure, applying a first voltage to the electrodes (34, 38), thereby propagating a laser beam in the optical resonant cavity; measuring energy of the beam; adjusting the first voltage until the energy of the beam is substantially equal to a target pulse energy; operating the laser (10) for an amount of time; after the amount of time, measuring energy of the beam; and changing the pressure of the gases to a second pressure different from the first pressure.

公开(公告)号：EP1867014A4

公开(公告)日：2011-04-06

申请号：EP06748813

申请日：2006-03-27

申请人： CYMER INC

发明人： BESAUCELE HERVE A ,  FOMENKOV IGOR V ,  PARTLO WILLIAM N ,  TRINTICHOUK FEDOR ,  TON-THAT HAO

IPC分类号： H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/134

CPC分类号： H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/09702 ,  H01S3/134

公开(公告)号：EP1060543B1

公开(公告)日：2008-07-16

申请号：EP99938017.3

申请日：1999-02-16

申请人： Cymer, Inc.

发明人： KNOWLES, David, S. ,  AZZOLA, James, H. ,  BESAUCELE, Herve, A. ,  DAS, Palash, P. ,  ERSHOV, Alexander I. ,  JUHASZ, Tibor ,  NESS, Richard, M. ,  OZARSKI, Robert, G. ,  PARTLO, William, N. ,  ROTHWEIL, Daniel, A. ,  SANDSTROM, Richard, L. ,  UJAZDOWSKI, Richard, C. ,  WATSON, Tom, A. ,  FOMENKOV, Igor, V.

IPC分类号： H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/08 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/134

CPC分类号： G03F7/70358 ,  G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70558 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/1392 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2256

摘要： A reliable, modular, production quality narrow-band KrF excimer laser capable of producing 10 mJ laser pulses at 1000 Hz with a bandwith of about 0.6 pm or less. The present invention is especially suited to long-term round-the-clock operation in the lithographic production of integrated circuits. Improvements over prior art lasers include a single upstream preionizer tube (56) and acoustic baffles. A preferred embodiment includes reduced fluorine concentration, an anode support bar shaped to reduce aerodynamic reaction forces on blower bearings, a modified pulse power system providing faster pulse rise time, an output coupler (65) with substantially increased reflectivity, a line narrowing module with CaF prism beam expanders, a more accurate wavemeter, a laser computer controller programmed with new and improved pulse energy control algorithm.

公开(公告)号：EP1876677A2

公开(公告)日：2008-01-09

申请号：EP07380061.7

申请日：2007-03-05

申请人： Macsa ID, S.A.

发明人： Vogler, Sven ,  Boira Plans, Valentí

IPC分类号： H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/223 ,  B41M5/26 ,  B23K26/00

CPC分类号： H01S3/2232 ,  H01S3/0977 ,  H01S3/134

摘要： The equipment comprises means for capturing the values in real time of the parameters that produce irregularity in marking, means for receiving the values of said parameters and comparing them with the optimum values of the laser tickle pulses according to each specific combination of parameters and means for varying the frequency and duration of the tickle pulse so that it takes the optimum value in real time.

摘要翻译： 该设备包括用于实时捕获产生标记不规则性的参数的装置，用于接收所述参数的值的装置，并根据每个特定的参数组合将它们与激光痒le脉冲的最佳值进行比较，以及用于 改变痒痒脉冲的频率和持续时间，使其实时获取最佳值。

公开(公告)号：EP1870971A1

公开(公告)日：2007-12-26

申请号：EP07010181.1

申请日：2007-05-22

申请人： Fanuc Ltd

发明人： Egawa, Akira ,  Kobayashi, Eiji ,  Watanabe, Takeshi

IPC分类号： H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/097

CPC分类号： H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/0407 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/073 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/10069 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/2232

摘要： A gas laser oscillator (2) that excites a laser gas to generate laser light includes a circulation path (9) for the laser gas, a circulation means (14) for circulating the laser gas through the circulation path, a pressure detection means (16) for detecting the pressure of the laser gas in the circulation path, an electric power detection means (11) for detecting electric power to drive the circulation means, a storage means (35) for storing the relationship between the pressure of the laser gas and the electric power of the circulation means during the period of normal operation of the circulation means for each kind of the laser gas, and a laser gas determination means (31). The laser gas determination means determines the kind of the laser gas based on the pressure of the laser gas and the electric power of the circulation means detected during the period of normal operation of the circulation means, and the relationship between the pressure of the laser gas and the electric power of the circulation means stored in the storage means. Due to this, the laser gas is determined without generating a discharge voltage. If the laser gas cannot be determined, it may be possible to judge that the laser oscillator is anomalous.

摘要翻译： 激发激光产生激光的气体激光振荡器（2）包括用于激光气体的循环路径（9），用于使激光气体循环通过循环路径的循环装置（14），压力检测装置（16） ），用于检测循环路径中的激光气体的压力的电力检测装置（11），用于检测驱动循环装置的电力的电力检测装置（11），用于存储激光气体的压力与 在各种激光气体的循环装置正常工作期间，循环装置的电力和激光气体确定装置（31）。 激光气体测定装置基于激光气体的压力和在循环装置的正常运行期间检测到的循环装置的电力来确定激光气体的种类，以及激光气体的压力之间的关系 以及存储在存储装置中的循环装置的电力。 由此，确定激光气体而不产生放电电压。 如果不能确定激光气体，则可以判断激光振荡器是异常的。

公开(公告)号：EP1430573A4

公开(公告)日：2006-07-05

申请号：EP02757140

申请日：2002-08-16

申请人： CYMER INC

发明人： WATSON TOM A ,  UJAZDOWSKI RICHARD C ,  IVASCHENKO ALEX P ,  SHANNON ROBERT A ,  SANDSTROM RICHARD L ,  WEBB ROBERT KYLE ,  PALENSCHAT FREDERICK A ,  HOFMANN THOMAS ,  RETTIG CURTIS L ,  NESS RICHARD L ,  MELCHER PAUL C ,  ERSHOV ALEXANDER I

IPC分类号： H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/225 ,  G03F7/20 ,  H01S3/00 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/04 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/08 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/0975 ,  H01S3/102 ,  H01S3/104 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/11 ,  H01S3/13 ,  H01S3/131 ,  H01S3/137 ,  H01S3/139 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/223 ,  H01S3/23

CPC分类号： H01S3/0385 ,  G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70333 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  G03F7/70933 ,  H01S3/0057 ,  H01S3/0071 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/0387 ,  H01S3/0404 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/08036 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/09702 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/0975 ,  H01S3/1024 ,  H01S3/104 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/1305 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/137 ,  H01S3/139 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/2207 ,  H01S3/223 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2256 ,  H01S3/2258 ,  H01S3/2333 ,  H01S3/2366

摘要： The present invention provides gas discharge laser systems capable of reliable long-term operation in a production line capacity at repetition rates in the range of 6,000 to 10,000 pulses per second. Preferred embodiments are configured as KrF, ArF and F2 lasers used in photolithography. Improvements include a suction fan (555) in the immediate vicinity of the anode (542) to increase gas flow. The intake of the fan (555) is between the anode (542) and the insulating spacer (544B).

摘要翻译： 本发明提供一种气体放电激光系统，其能够以6,000至10,0000次脉冲功率秒的重复频率在生产线容量中可靠地长期运行。 优选实施例被配置为用于集成电路光刻的光源的KrF，ArF和F 2 N 2激光器。 改进包括一种改进的高压电源，其能够将磁压缩脉冲电力系统的初始电容器充电至每秒6,000至10,0000次的精确目标电压，以及用于监测脉冲能量并确定脉冲 - 逐脉冲基础。 公开了用于在放电间隔期间从激光电极之间的放电区域去除产生的碎屑的几种技术。 在一个实施例中，放电区域的宽度从约3mm减小到约1mm，使得设计用于4000Hz操作的气体循环系统可用于10,000Hz操作。 在其他实施例中，电极之间的气流充分增加，以允许10,000Hz的操作，放电区域宽度为3mm。 为了提供这些显着增加的气体流速，申请人已经公开了使用现有技术的切向形式的优选实施例，但是具有改进的和更强大的电动机和新颖的轴承设计。 新的轴承设计包括陶瓷轴承和磁性轴承。 在其他实施例中，一些或全部气体循环动力设置有位于激光室外部的鼓风机。 外部鼓风机可以位于激光柜或分开的位置。

公开(公告)号：EP1540783A4

公开(公告)日：2006-04-19

申请号：EP03772177

申请日：2003-07-30

申请人： CYMER INC

发明人： FALLON JOHN P ,  RULE JOHN A ,  JACQUES ROBERT N ,  LIPCON JACOB P ,  SANDSTROM RICHARD L ,  PARTLO WILLIAM N ,  ERSHOV ALEXANDER I ,  ISHIHARA TOSHIHIKO ,  MEISNER JOHN ,  NESS RICHARD M ,  MELCHER PAUL C

IPC分类号： H01S3/22 ,  H01S20060101 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/23

CPC分类号： H01S3/2333 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2366

摘要： The present invention provides a control system for a modular high repetition rate two discharge chamber ultra violet gas discharge laser. In preferred embodiments, the laser is a production line machine with a master oscillator producing a very narrow band seed beam which is amplified in the second discharge chamber. Novel control features specially adapted for a two-chamber gas discharge laser system include: (1) pulse energy controls, with nanosecond timing precision (2) precision pulse to pulse wavelength controls with high speed and extreme speed wavelength tuning (3) fast response gas temperature control and (4) F2 injection controls with novel learning algorithm.

公开(公告)号：EP1218985A4

公开(公告)日：2006-03-22

申请号：EP00959882

申请日：2000-08-31

申请人： CYMER INC

发明人： CYBULSKI RAYMOND F ,  ERSHOV ALEXANDER I ,  ONKELS ECKEHARD D ,  DAS PALASH P ,  RICHARDSON DANILO D ,  BUCK JESSE D

IPC分类号： H01S3/225 ,  G03F7/20 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/034 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/04 ,  H01S3/08 ,  H01S3/081 ,  H01S3/086 ,  H01S3/13 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/137 ,  H01S3/139 ,  H01S3/22

CPC分类号： G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/034 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/0401 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/08059 ,  H01S3/0812 ,  H01S3/086 ,  H01S3/13 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/1392 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2256

摘要： A grating based line narrowing device for line narrowing lasers producing high energy laser beams. Techniques are provided for minimizing adverse effects of hot gas layers present on the face of the grating. In preferred embodiments the effect of the hot gas layer is reduced with the use of helium as a purge gas. One of the preferred embodiments includes a barrier plate (60) and a barrier cover (62) to force the purge flow across the face of the grating. In further embodiments the purge gas pressure is reduced to reduce the optical effects of the hot gas layer.

摘要翻译： 用于生产高能量激光束的线窄激光器的基于光栅的线窄化装置。 提供了用于最小化存在于光栅表面上的热气层的不利影响的技术。 在优选实施例中，气流被引导穿过光栅的表面。 在其它实施例中，通过使用氦气作为净化气体来减少热气体层的影响，在其它实施例中，减少吹扫气体压力以减少热气体层的光学效应。

公开(公告)号：EP1303892A4

公开(公告)日：2006-01-25

申请号：EP00991859

申请日：2000-11-28

申请人： CYMER INC

发明人： ONKELS ECKEHARD D ,  DAS PALASH P ,  DUFFEY THOMAS P ,  SANDSTROM RICHARD L ,  ERSHOV ALEXANDER I ,  PARTLO WILLIAM N

IPC分类号： G03F7/20 ,  H01L21/027 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/23 ,  H01S3/00 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/22

CPC分类号： G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70483 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2308 ,  H01S3/2333 ,  H01S3/2366

摘要： The claimed invention is a tunable injection seeded very narrow band F2 lithography laser. The laser combines modular design features of prior art long life releasable lithography lasers with special F2 line narrowing and tuning techniques. This techniques are applied to a seed beam which is operated in a first gain medium. This seed beam is then used to stimulate narrow band lasing in a second gain medium. The resulting very narrow band laser beam is useful for integrated circuit lithography. One preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a laser chamber (211), a gas module (202), a control module (205), a line narrowing module (206), and a pulse power supply module (208).

公开(公告)号：EP1258060A4

公开(公告)日：2006-01-18

申请号：EP01906566

申请日：2001-01-16

申请人： CYMER INC

发明人： EVERAGE GEORGE J ,  FOMENKOV IGOR V ,  DAS PALASH P ,  SANDSTROM RICHARD L ,  ERIE FREDERICK G ,  ALGOTS JOHN M

IPC分类号： G03F7/20 ,  H01L21/027 ,  H01S3/034 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/104 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/13 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/137 ,  H01S3/139 ,  H01S3/225

CPC分类号： G03F7/70333 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  G03F7/70933 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/104 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/13 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/139 ,  H01S3/225

摘要： Electric discharge laser with chirp correction. Fast wavelength chirp correction equipment includes at least one piezoelectric drive and a fast wavelength detection means and has a feedback response time of less than 1.0 millisecond. In a preferred embodiment a simple learning algorithm is described to allow advance tuning mirror adjustment in anticipation of the learned chirp pattern. Techniques include a combination of a relatively slow stepper motor (82) and a very fast piezoelectric driver. In another preferred embodiment, chirp correction is made on a pulse-to-pulse basis where the wavelength of one pulse is measured and the wavelength of the next pulse is corrected based on the measurement. This correction technique is able to function at repetition rates as rapid as 2000 Hz and greater.