公开(公告)号：US07087914B2

公开(公告)日：2006-08-08

申请号：US10803526

申请日：2004-03-17

申请人： Robert P. Akins ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  William N. Partlo ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  John Martin Algots ,  Robert N. Jacques ,  Frederick Palenschat ,  Jun Song

发明人： Robert P. Akins ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  William N. Partlo ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  John Martin Algots ,  Robert N. Jacques ,  Frederick Palenschat ,  Jun Song

IPC分类号： H01J35/20

CPC分类号： B82Y10/00 ,  G03F7/70033 ,  H05G2/003 ,  H05G2/008

摘要： An EUV light source apparatus and method are disclosed, which may comprise a pulsed laser providing laser pulses at a selected pulse repetition rate focused at a desired target ignition site; a target formation system providing discrete targets at a selected interval coordinated with the laser pulse repetition rate; a target steering system intermediate the target formation system and the desired target ignition site; and a target tracking system providing information about the movement of target between the target formation system and the target steering system, enabling the target steering system to direct the target to the desired target ignition site. The target tracking system may provide information enabling the creation of a laser firing control signal, and may comprise a droplet detector comprising a collimated light source directed to intersect a point on a projected delivery path of the target, having a respective oppositely disposed light detector detecting the passage of the target through the respective point, or a detector comprising a linear array of a plurality of photo-sensitive elements aligned to a coordinate axis, the light from the light source intersecting a projected delivery path of the target, at least one of the which may comprise a plane-intercept detection device. The droplet detectors may comprise a plurality of droplet detectors each operating at a different light frequency, or a camera having a field of view and a two dimensional array of pixels imaging the field of view. The apparatus and method may comprise an electrostatic plasma containment apparatus providing an electric plasma confinement field at or near a target ignition site at the time of ignition, with the target tracking system providing a signal enabling control of the electrostatic plasma containment apparatus. The apparatus and method may comprise a vessel having and intermediate wall with a low pressure trap allowing passage of EUV light and maintaining a differential pressure across the low pressure trap. The apparatus and method may comprise a magnetic plasma confinement mechanism creating a magnetic field in the vicinity of the target ignition site to confine the plasma to the target ignition site, which may be pulsed and may be controlled using outputs from the target tracking system.

公开(公告)号：US20080197297A1

公开(公告)日：2008-08-21

申请号：US11471434

申请日：2006-06-20

申请人： Robert P. Akins ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  William N. Partlo ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Thomas D. Steiger ,  John Martin Algots ,  Norbert Bowering ,  Robert N. Jacques ,  Frederick Palenschat ,  Jun Song

发明人： Robert P. Akins ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  William N. Partlo ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Thomas D. Steiger ,  John Martin Algots ,  Norbert Bowering ,  Robert N. Jacques ,  Frederick Palenschat ,  Jun Song

IPC分类号： G01J3/10

CPC分类号： B82Y10/00 ,  G03F7/70033 ,  H05G2/003 ,  H05G2/008

摘要： An EUV light source apparatus and method are disclosed, which may comprise a pulsed laser providing laser pulses at a selected pulse repetition rate focused at a desired target ignition site; a target formation system providing discrete targets at a selected interval coordinated with the laser pulse repetition rate; a target steering system intermediate the target formation system and the desired target ignition site; and a target tracking system providing information about the movement of target between the target formation system and the target steering system, enabling the target steering system to direct the target to the desired target ignition site. The target tracking system may provide information enabling the creation of a laser firing control signal, and may comprise a droplet detector comprising a collimated light source directed to intersect a point on a projected delivery path of the target, having a respective oppositely disposed light detector detecting the passage of the target through the respective point, or a detector comprising a linear array of a plurality of photo-sensitive elements aligned to a coordinate axis, the light from the light source intersecting a projected delivery path of the target, at least one of the which may comprise a plane-intercept detection device. The droplet detectors may comprise a plurality of droplet detectors each operating at a different light frequency, or a camera having a field of view and a two dimensional array of pixels imaging the field of view. The apparatus and method may comprise an electrostatic plasma containment apparatus providing an electric plasma confinement field at or near a target ignition site at the time of ignition, with the target tracking system providing a signal enabling control of the electrostatic plasma containment apparatus. The apparatus and method may comprise a vessel having and intermediate wall with a low pressure trap allowing passage of EUV light and maintaining a differential pressure across the low pressure trap. The apparatus and method may comprise a magnetic plasma confinement mechanism creating a magnetic field in the vicinity of the target ignition site to confine the plasma to the target ignition site, which may be pulsed and may be controlled using outputs from the target tracking system.

公开(公告)号：US07361918B2

公开(公告)日：2008-04-22

申请号：US11471258

申请日：2006-06-20

申请人： Robert P. Akins ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  William N. Partlo ,  Igor V. Fomenkov

发明人： Robert P. Akins ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  William N. Partlo ,  Igor V. Fomenkov

IPC分类号： H01J35/20

CPC分类号： B82Y10/00 ,  G03F7/70033 ,  H05G2/003 ,  H05G2/008

摘要： An EUV light source apparatus and method are disclosed, which may comprise a pulsed laser providing laser pulses at a selected pulse repetition rate focused at a desired target ignition site; a target formation system providing discrete targets at a selected interval coordinated with the laser pulse repetition rate; a target steering system intermediate the target formation system and the desired target ignition site; and a target tracking system providing information about the movement of target between the target formation system and the target steering system, enabling the target steering system to direct the target to the desired target ignition site. The apparatus and method may comprise a vessel having and intermediate wall with a low pressure trap allowing passage of EUV light and maintaining a differential pressure across the low pressure trap.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种EUV光源装置和方法，其可以包括脉冲激光，其以所选择的脉冲重复频率提供激光脉冲，聚焦在期望的目标点火部位; 目标形成系统，以与激光脉冲重复率配合的选定间隔提供离散目标; 目标转向系统在目标地层系统和期望的目标点火站点之间; 以及目标跟踪系统，其提供关于目标形成系统和目标转向系统之间的目标移动的信息，使得目标转向系统能够将目标定向到期望的目标点火点。 该装置和方法可以包括具有中间壁的容器和具有低压阱的容器，其允许EUV光通过并且保持横跨低压阱的压差。

公开(公告)号：US08462425B2

公开(公告)日：2013-06-11

申请号：US13077757

申请日：2011-03-31

申请人： Kai-Chung Hou ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  William N. Partlo ,  Daniel J. W. Brown ,  Igor V. Fomenkov

发明人： Kai-Chung Hou ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  William N. Partlo ,  Daniel J. W. Brown ,  Igor V. Fomenkov

IPC分类号： H01S3/00 ,  G02F1/33 ,  G02B5/22 ,  H05G2/00 ,  G06K7/10

CPC分类号： H01S3/117 ,  H01S3/005 ,  H01S3/0057 ,  H01S3/0064 ,  H01S3/076 ,  H01S3/0812 ,  H01S3/2232 ,  H01S3/2383 ,  H05G2/005 ,  H05G2/008

摘要： As disclosed herein, in a first aspect, a device may comprise: an oscillator producing a light output on a beam path; a target material for interaction with light on the beam path at an irradiation site; a beam delay on the beam path the beam delay having a beam folding optical arrangement; and a switch positioned along the beam path and interposed between the oscillator and the beam delay; the switch closable to divert at least a portion of light on the beam path from the beam path, the switch having close time, t1 and the beam path having a length, L1, along the path from the switch to the irradiation site; with t1

摘要翻译： 如本文所公开的，在第一方面中，一种装置可以包括：在光束路径上产生光输出的振荡器; 用于在照射部位与光束路径上的光相互作用的目标材料; 在光束路径上的光束延迟具有光束折叠光学布置的光束延迟; 以及沿光束路径定位并且介于振荡器和光束延迟之间的开关; 所述开关可关闭以使所述光束路径上的至少一部分光从所述光束路径转移，所述开关具有接近时间t1，并且所述光束路径具有沿着从所述开关到所述照射部位的路径的长度L1; 与t1

公开(公告)号：US08075732B2

公开(公告)日：2011-12-13

申请号：US10979945

申请日：2004-11-01

申请人： William N. Partlo ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  William Oldham ,  William F. Marx ,  Oscar Hemberg

发明人： William N. Partlo ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  William Oldham ,  William F. Marx ,  Oscar Hemberg

IPC分类号： C23F1/00

CPC分类号： B08B7/00

摘要： A method and apparatus that may comprise an EUV light producing mechanism utilizing an EUV plasma source material comprising a material that will form an etching compound, which plasma source material produces EUV light in a band around a selected center wavelength comprising: an EUV plasma generation chamber; an EUV light collector contained within the chamber having a reflective surface containing at least one layer comprising a material that does not form an etching compound and/or forms a compound layer that does not significantly reduce the reflectivity of the reflective surface in the band; an etchant source gas contained within the chamber comprising an etchant source material with which the plasma source material forms an etching compound, which etching compound has a vapor pressure that will allow etching of the etching compound from the reflective surface. The etchant source material may comprises a halogen or halogen compound. The etchant source material may be selected based upon the etching being stimulated in the presence of photons of EUV light and/or DUV light and/or any excited energetic photons with sufficient energy to stimulate the etching of the plasma source material. The apparatus may further comprise an etching stimulation plasma generator providing an etching stimulation plasma in the working vicinity of the reflective surface; and the etchant source material may be selected based upon the etching being stimulated by an etching stimulation plasma. There may also be an ion accelerator accelerating ions toward the reflective surface. The ions may comprise etchant source material. The apparatus and method may comprise a part of an EUV production subsystem with an optical element to be etched of plasma source material.

摘要翻译： 可以包括使用EUV等离子体源材料的EUV发光机构的方法和装置，所述EUV等离子体源材料包括将形成蚀刻化合物的材料，所述等离子体源材料在所选择的中心波长周围的带内产生EUV光，包括：EUV等离子体产生室 ; 包含在室内的EUV光收集器具有反射表面，该反射表面包含至少一层，该层包含不形成蚀刻化合物的材料和/或形成不显着降低该带中的反射表面的反射率的化合物层; 包含在腔室内的蚀刻剂源气体包括蚀刻剂源材料，等离子体源材料与蚀刻剂源材料形成蚀刻化合物，该蚀刻化合物具有允许从反射表面蚀刻蚀刻化合物的蒸气压。 蚀刻剂源材料可以包含卤素或卤素化合物。 蚀刻剂源材料可以基于在存在EUV光和/或DUV光的光子和/或具有足够能量以激发等离子体源材料的蚀刻的任何激发能量光子的情况下被激发的蚀刻来选择。 该装置还可以包括在反射表面的工作附近提供蚀刻刺激等离子体的蚀刻刺激等离子体发生器; 并且蚀刻剂源材料可以基于通过蚀刻刺激等离子体刺激的蚀刻来选择。 还可以存在离子加速剂将离子朝向反射表面加速。 离子可以包括蚀刻剂源材料。 该装置和方法可以包括具有待蚀刻的等离子体源材料的光学元件的EUV生产子系统的一部分。

公开(公告)号：US20110102759A1

公开(公告)日：2011-05-05

申请号：US12987039

申请日：2011-01-07

申请人： Alexander I. Ershov ,  William N. Partlo ,  Daniel J. W. Brown ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Robert A. Bergstedt ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Ivan Lalovic

发明人： Alexander I. Ershov ,  William N. Partlo ,  Daniel J. W. Brown ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Robert A. Bergstedt ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Ivan Lalovic

IPC分类号： G03B27/54

CPC分类号： H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/005 ,  H01S3/0057 ,  H01S3/08004 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/083 ,  H01S3/10092 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2258 ,  H01S3/2333 ,  H01S3/2383 ,  H01S2301/02

摘要： A method and apparatus may comprise a line narrowed pulsed excimer or molecular fluorine gas discharge laser system which may comprise a seed laser oscillator producing an output comprising a laser output light beam of pulses which may comprise a first gas discharge excimer or molecular fluorine laser chamber; a line narrowing module within a first oscillator cavity; a laser amplification stage containing an amplifying gain medium in a second gas discharge excimer or molecular fluorine laser chamber receiving the output of the seed laser oscillator and amplifying the output of the seed laser oscillator to form a laser system output comprising a laser output light beam of pulses, which may comprise a ring power amplification stage.

摘要翻译： 一种方法和装置可以包括线变窄的脉冲准分子或分子氟气放电激光系统，其可以包括种子激光振荡器，其产生包括可以包括第一气体放电准分子或分子氟激光室的脉冲的激光输出光束的输出; 第一振荡器腔内的线窄模块; 在第二气体放电准分子或分子氟激光室中包含放大增益介质的激光放大级，其接收种子激光振荡器的输出并放大种子激光振荡器的输出，以形成激光系统输出，其包括激光输出光束 脉冲，其可以包括环形功率放大级。

公开(公告)号：US07643528B2

公开(公告)日：2010-01-05

申请号：US11973671

申请日：2007-10-10

申请人： William N. Partlo ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  German Rylov ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Daniel J. W. Brown ,  Christian J. Wittak ,  Rajasekhar M. Rao ,  Robert A. Bergstedt ,  John Fitzgerald ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Vladimir B. Fleurov ,  Robert N. Jacques ,  Ed Danielewicz ,  Robin Swain ,  Edward Arriola ,  Michael Wyatt ,  Walter Crosby

发明人： William N. Partlo ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  German Rylov ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Daniel J. W. Brown ,  Christian J. Wittak ,  Rajasekhar M. Rao ,  Robert A. Bergstedt ,  John Fitzgerald ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Vladimir B. Fleurov ,  Robert N. Jacques ,  Ed Danielewicz ,  Robin Swain ,  Edward Arriola ,  Michael Wyatt ,  Walter Crosby

IPC分类号： H01S3/22

CPC分类号： H01S3/0057 ,  G03F7/70341 ,  G03F7/70583

摘要： An apparatus and method which may comprise a pulsed gas discharge laser which may comprise a seed laser portion; an amplifier portion receiving the seed laser output and amplifying the optical intensity of each seed pulse; a pulse stretcher which may comprise: a first beam splitter operatively connected with the first delay path and a second pulse stretcher operatively connected with the second delay path; a first optical delay path tower containing the first beam splitter; a second optical delay path tower containing the second beam splitter; one of the first and second optical delay paths may comprise: a plurality of mirrors defining the respective optical delay path including mirrors located in the first tower and in the second tower; the other of the first and second optical delay paths may comprise: a plurality of mirrors defining the respective optical delay path including mirrors only in one of the first tower and the second tower.

摘要翻译： 一种可包括可包括种子激光器部分的脉冲气体放电激光器的装置和方法; 接收种子激光输出并放大每个种子脉冲的光强度的放大器部分; 脉冲展开器，其可以包括：与第一延迟路径可操作地连接的第一分束器和与第二延迟路径可操作地连接的第二脉冲展开器; 包含第一分束器的第一光学延迟路径塔; 包含第二分束器的第二光学延迟路径塔; 第一和第二光学延迟路径中的一个可以包括：多个反射镜，其限定相应的光学延迟路径，包括位于第一塔架和第二塔架中的反射镜; 第一和第二光学延迟路径中的另一个可以包括：多个反射镜限定相应的光学延迟路径，其仅包括在第一塔架和第二塔架之一中的镜子。

公开(公告)号：US06778584B1

公开(公告)日：2004-08-17

申请号：US09716041

申请日：2000-11-17

申请人： William N. Partlo ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Raymond F. Cybulski ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Alexander I. Ershov

发明人： William N. Partlo ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Raymond F. Cybulski ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Alexander I. Ershov

IPC分类号： H01S310

CPC分类号： G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  G03F7/70933 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/0385 ,  H01S3/0401 ,  H01S3/0404 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/2207 ,  H01S3/225

摘要： A helium purge for a grating based line narrowing device for minimizing thermal distortions in line narrowed lasers producing high energy laser beams at high repetition rates. Applicants have shown substantial improvement in performance with the uses of helium purge as compared to prior art nitrogen purges. In preferred embodiments a stream of helium gas is directed across the face of the grating. In other embodiments the purge gas pressure is reduced to reduce the optical effects of the hot gas layer.

摘要翻译： 用于基于光栅的线窄化装置的氦气吹扫，用于最大限度地减少线性窄激光器中的热失真，以高重复率产生高能激光束。 与现有技术的氮气吹扫相比，申请人已经显示出使用氦吹扫的性能方面的显着改进。在优选实施例中，氦气流被引导穿过光栅的表面。 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：US06538737B2

公开(公告)日：2003-03-25

申请号：US10003513

申请日：2001-10-31

申请人： Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  William N. Partlo ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Daniel J. W. Brown

发明人： Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  William N. Partlo ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Daniel J. W. Brown

IPC分类号： G01J314

CPC分类号： G01J3/12 ,  G01J1/4257 ,  G01J3/22 ,  G01J3/26 ,  G01J9/02

摘要： A high resolution etalon-grating spectrometer. A preferred embodiment presents an extremely narrow slit function in the ultraviolet range and is very useful for measuring bandwidth of narrow band excimer lasers used for integrated circuit lithography. Light from the laser is focused into a diffuser and the diffused light exiting the diffuser illuminates an etalon. A portion of its light exiting the etalon is collected and directed into a slit positioned at a fringe pattern of the etalon. Light passing through the slit is collimated and the collimated light illuminates a grating positioned in an approximately Littrow configuration which disburses the light according to wavelength. A portion of the dispursed light representing the wavelength corresponding to the selected etalon fringe is passed through a second slit and monitored by a light detector. When the etalon and the grating are tuned to the same precise wavelength a slit function is defined which is extremely narrow such as about 0.034 pm (FWHM) and about 0.091 pm (95 percent integral). The etalon and the grating are placed in a leak-fight enclosure filled with a gas, such as nitrogen or helium. The wavelength scanning of the spectrometer is done by changing the gas pressure in the enclosure during the scan.

公开(公告)号：US6128323A

公开(公告)日：2000-10-03

申请号：US157067

申请日：1998-09-18

申请人： David W. Myers ,  Herve A. Besaucele ,  Palash P. Das ,  Thomas P. Duffey ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Thomas Hofmann ,  Richard G. Morton ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Peter C. Newman ,  Robert G. Ozarski ,  Gamaralalage G. Padmabandu ,  William N. Partlo ,  Daniel A. Rothweil ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Paul S. Thompson ,  Richard C. Ujazdowski ,  Tom A. Watson ,  R. Kyle Webb ,  Paolo Zambon

发明人： David W. Myers ,  Herve A. Besaucele ,  Palash P. Das ,  Thomas P. Duffey ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Thomas Hofmann ,  Richard G. Morton ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Peter C. Newman ,  Robert G. Ozarski ,  Gamaralalage G. Padmabandu ,  William N. Partlo ,  Daniel A. Rothweil ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Paul S. Thompson ,  Richard C. Ujazdowski ,  Tom A. Watson ,  R. Kyle Webb ,  Paolo Zambon

IPC分类号： G03F7/20 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/08 ,  H01S3/081 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/139 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H03K3/57 ,  H03K17/80 ,  H01S3/00

CPC分类号： G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70358 ,  G03F7/70558 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H03K17/80 ,  H03K3/57 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/0812 ,  H01S3/1392 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2256

摘要： The present invention provides a reliable modular production quality excimer laser capable of producing 10 mJ laser pulses at 2000 Hz with a full width half, maximum bandwidth of about 0.6 pm or less. Replaceable modules include a laser chamber; a pulse power system comprised of three modules; an optical resonator comprised of a line narrowing module and an output coupler module; a wavemeter module, an electrical control module, a cooling water module and a gas control module. Improvements in the laser chamber permitting the higher pulse rates and improved bandwidth performance include a single upstream preionizer tube and a high efficiency chamber. The chamber is designed for operation at lower fluorine concentration. Important improvements have been provided in the pulse power unit to produce faster rise time and improved pulse energy control. These improvements include an increased capacity high voltage power supply with a voltage bleed-down circuit for precise voltage trimming, an improved commutation module that generates a high voltage pulse from the capacitors charged by the high voltage power supply and amplifies the pulse voltage 23 times with a very fast voltage transformer having a secondary winding consisting of a single four-segment stainless steel rod. A novel design for the compression head saturable inductor greatly reduces the quantity of transformer oil required and virtually eliminates the possibility of oil leakage which in the past has posed a hazard.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供了一种可靠的模块化生产质量准分子激光器，其能够在2000Hz下产生10mJ激光脉冲，全宽度为一半，最大带宽为约0.6μm或更小。 可更换模块包括激光室; 由三个模块组成的脉冲电源系统; 光学谐振器，包括线窄模块和输出耦合器模块; 波形计模块，电气控制模块，冷却水模块和气体控制模块。 允许更高脉冲速率和改进的带宽性能的激光室的改进包括单个上游预分解器管和高效室。 该室设计用于在较低的氟浓度下运行。 在脉冲功率单元中已经提供了重要的改进，以产生更快的上升时间和改进的脉冲能量控制。 这些改进包括增加容量的高压电源，具有用于精确电压调整的电压降低电路，改进的换向模块，其从由高压电源充电的电容器产生高电压脉冲，并用脉冲电压放大23次 具有由单个四段不锈钢棒组成的次级绕组的非常快速的电压互感器。 用于压缩头可饱和电感器的新颖设计大大减少了所需的变压器油的数量，并且几乎消除了过去漏油的可能性。