公开(公告)号：US5991324A

公开(公告)日：1999-11-23

申请号：US41474

申请日：1998-03-11

申请人： David S. Knowles ,  James H. Azzola ,  Herve A. Besaucele ,  Palash P. Das ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Tibor Juhasz ,  Robert G. Ozarski ,  William N. Partlo ,  Daniel A. Rothweil ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Richard C. Ujazdowski ,  Tom A. Watson ,  Richard M. Ness

发明人： David S. Knowles ,  James H. Azzola ,  Herve A. Besaucele ,  Palash P. Das ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Tibor Juhasz ,  Robert G. Ozarski ,  William N. Partlo ,  Daniel A. Rothweil ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Richard C. Ujazdowski ,  Tom A. Watson ,  Richard M. Ness

IPC分类号： H01S3/038 ,  G03F7/20 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/139 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/22

CPC分类号： G01J9/0246 ,  G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70358 ,  G03F7/70558 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/1392

摘要： A reliable, modular, production quality narrow-band KrF excimer laser capable of producing 10 mJ laser pulses at 1000 Hz with a bandwidth 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 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 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.

摘要翻译： 一种可靠，模块化，生产质量好的窄带KrF准分子激光器，能够以1000Hz的频率产生10mJ的激光脉冲，带宽约为0.6μm或更小。 本发明特别适用于集成电路的平版印刷生产中的长期全天候操作。 现有技术的激光器的改进包括单个上游预分解器管和声学挡板。 优选的实施例包括减少的氟浓度，阳极支撑杆形状以减小鼓风机轴承上的空气动力反作用力，改进的脉冲电源系统提供更快的脉冲上升时间，输出耦合器具有显着增加的反射率，具有CaF棱镜扩束器的线窄化模块 ，更准确的波长计，激光计算机控制器编程，具有新的改进的脉冲能量控制算法。

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：US07039086B2

公开(公告)日：2006-05-02

申请号：US10631349

申请日：2003-07-30

申请人： John P. Fallon ,  John A. Rule ,  Robert N. Jacques ,  Jacob Lipcon ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  William N. Partlo ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Toshihiko Ishihara ,  John Meisner ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Paul C. Melcher

发明人： John P. Fallon ,  John A. Rule ,  Robert N. Jacques ,  Jacob Lipcon ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  William N. Partlo ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Toshihiko Ishihara ,  John Meisner ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Paul C. Melcher

IPC分类号： H01S3/22

CPC分类号： H01S3/225 ,  G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  H01S3/0057 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/0381 ,  H01S3/09702 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/2258 ,  H01S3/2333

摘要： The present invention provides a control system for a modular high repetition rate two discharge chamber ultraviolet 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：US06914919B2

公开(公告)日：2005-07-05

申请号：US10187336

申请日：2002-06-28

申请人： Tom A. Watson ,  Richard C. Ujazdowski ,  Alex P. Ivaschenko ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Robert A. Shannon ,  R. Kyle Webb ,  Frederick A. Palenschat ,  Thomas Hofmann ,  Curtis L. Rettig ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Paul C. Melcher ,  Alexander I. Ershov

发明人： Tom A. Watson ,  Richard C. Ujazdowski ,  Alex P. Ivaschenko ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Robert A. Shannon ,  R. Kyle Webb ,  Frederick A. Palenschat ,  Thomas Hofmann ,  Curtis L. Rettig ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Paul C. Melcher ,  Alexander I. Ershov

IPC分类号： H01S3/134 ,  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 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/23 ,  H01S3/10

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 10,0000 pulses power second. Preferred embodiments are configured as KrF, ArF and F2 lasers used for light sources for integrated circuit lithography. Improvements include a modified high voltage power supply capable for charging an initial capacitor of a magnetic compression pulse power system to precise target voltages 6,000 to 10,0000 times per second and a feedback control for monitoring pulse energy and determining the target voltages on a pulse-by-pulse basis. Several techniques are disclosed for removing discharge created debris from the discharge region between the laser electrodes during the intervals between discharges. In one embodiment the width of the discharge region is reduced from about 3 mm to about 1 mm so that a gas circulation system designed for 4,000 Hz operation could be utilized for 10,000 Hz operation. In other embodiments the gas flow between the electrodes is increased sufficiently to permit 10,000 Hz operation with a discharge region width of 3 mm. To provide these substantial increased gas flow rates, Applicants have disclosed preferred embodiments utilize tangential forms of the prior art but with improved and more powerful motors and novel bearing designs. New bearing designs include both ceramic bearings and magnetic bearings. In other embodiments, some or all of the gas circulation power is provided with a blower located outside the laser chamber. The outside blower can be located in the laser cabinet or in separate location.

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1000000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。 优选的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源系统的初始电容器充电至每秒精确的目标电压6,000至10,0000次，以及用于监视脉冲能量的反馈控制以及确定脉冲 - 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减小至约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内或分开的位置。

公开(公告)号：US06904073B2

公开(公告)日：2005-06-07

申请号：US10384967

申请日：2003-03-08

申请人： Thomas A. Yager ,  William N. Partio ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Xiaojiang Pan ,  John T. Melchior ,  John Martin Algots ,  Matthew Ball ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Vladimir Fleurov ,  Walter D. Gillespie ,  Holger K. Glatzel ,  Leonard Lublin ,  Elizabeth Marsh ,  Richard G. Morton ,  Richard C. Ujazdowski ,  David J. Warkentin ,  R. Kyle Webb

发明人： Thomas A. Yager ,  William N. Partio ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Xiaojiang Pan ,  John T. Melchior ,  John Martin Algots ,  Matthew Ball ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Vladimir Fleurov ,  Walter D. Gillespie ,  Holger K. Glatzel ,  Leonard Lublin ,  Elizabeth Marsh ,  Richard G. Morton ,  Richard C. Ujazdowski ,  David J. Warkentin ,  R. Kyle Webb

IPC分类号： G03F7/20 ,  H01S3/00 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/04 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/08 ,  H01S3/0943 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/0975 ,  H01S3/102 ,  H01S3/104 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S3/11 ,  H01S3/13 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/139 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/223 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/23

CPC分类号： H01S3/2333 ,  G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  G03F7/70933 ,  H01S3/005 ,  H01S3/0057 ,  H01S3/0071 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/0385 ,  H01S3/0404 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/08004 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/0943 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/09705 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/0975 ,  H01S3/104 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S3/1305 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/139 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/2207 ,  H01S3/223 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2256 ,  H01S3/2258 ,  H01S3/2366

摘要： The present invention provides long life optics for a modular, high repetition rate, ultraviolet gas discharge laser systems producing a high repetition rate high power output beam. The invention includes solutions to a surface damage problem discovered by Applicants on CaF2 optics located in high pulse intensity sections of the output beam of prototype laser systems. Embodiments include an enclosed and purged beam path with beam pointing control for beam delivery of billions of output laser pulses. Optical components and modules described herein are capable of controlling ultraviolet laser output pulses with wavelength less than 200 nm with average output pulse intensities greater than 1.75×106 Watts/cm2 and with peak intensity or greater 3.5×106 Watts/cm2 for many billions of pulses as compared to prior art components and modules which failed after only a few minutes in these pulse intensities. Techniques and components are disclosed for minimizing the potential for optical damage and for reducing the pulse energy density to less than 100×10−6 J/cm3. Important improvements described in this specification have been grouped into the following subject matter categories: (1) Solution to CaF2 surface damage discovered by Applicants, (2) description of a high power ArF MOPA laser system, (3) description of beam delivery units, (4) polarization considerations (5) a high speed water-cooled auto shutter energy detector module and (6) other improvements.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供了用于产生高重复率高功率输出光束的模块化高重复率紫外线气体放电激光器系统的长寿命光学器件。 本发明包括由申请人发现的位于原型激光系统的输出光束的高脉冲强度部分中的CaF 2光学器件的表面损伤问题的解决方案。 实施例包括用于束传送数十亿个输出激光脉冲的光束指向控制的封闭和清除的光束路径。 本文所述的光学部件和模块能够控制波长小于200nm的紫外激光输出脉冲，平均输出脉冲强度大于1.75×6 /瓦/ cm 2，并且与 与在这些脉冲强度中仅仅几分钟之后失效的现有技术部件和模块相比，数十亿个脉冲的峰值强度或更大的3.5×10 6 / cm 2 / SUP。 公开了用于最小化光学损伤的可能性和将脉冲能量密度降低到小于100×10 -6 / cm 3的技术和部件。 本说明书中描述的重要改进已分为以下主题类别：（1）由申请人发现的CaF 2 2表面损伤的解决方案，（2）高功率ArF MOPA激光系统的描述（ 3）光束传输单元的描述，（4）偏振考虑（5）高速水冷自动快门能量检测器模块和（6）其他改进。

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：US06690704B2

公开(公告)日：2004-02-10

申请号：US10210761

申请日：2002-07-31

申请人： John P. Fallon ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  William N. Partlo ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Toshihiko Ishihara ,  John Meisner ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Paul C. Melcher ,  John A. Rule ,  Robert N. Jacques

发明人： John P. Fallon ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  William N. Partlo ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Toshihiko Ishihara ,  John Meisner ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Paul C. Melcher ,  John A. Rule ,  Robert N. Jacques

IPC分类号： H01S322

CPC分类号： H01S3/2333 ,  G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  G03F7/70933 ,  H01S3/0057 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/0385 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/08004 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/08036 ,  H01S3/0943 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/09702 ,  H01S3/09705 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/0975 ,  H01S3/104 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S3/1305 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/139 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/2207 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2256 ,  H01S3/2258 ,  H01S3/2366

摘要： The present invention provides a control system for a modular high repetition rate two discharge chamber ultraviolet 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. Feedback timing control techniques are provided for controlling the relative timing of the discharges in the two chambers with an accuracy in the range of about 2 to 5 billionths of a second even in burst mode operation. This MOPA system is capable of output pulse energies approximately double the comparable single chamber laser system with greatly improved beam quality.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供了一种用于模块化高重复率两放电室紫外线气体放电激光器的控制系统。 在优选实施例中，激光器是具有主振荡器的生产线机器，该主振荡器产生在第二放电室中放大的非常窄的带状晶体束。 提供了反馈定时控制技术，即使在脉冲串模式操作中，也可以精确地控制两个室中的放电的相对定时，其精确度在大约2至50亿分之一秒的范围内。 该MOPA系统能够以大大提高的光束质量将输出脉冲能量大约增加到相当的单室激光器系统的两倍。

公开(公告)号：US06549551B2

公开(公告)日：2003-04-15

申请号：US09848043

申请日：2001-05-03

申请人： Richard M. Ness ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  William N. Partlo ,  Alexander I. Ershov

发明人： Richard M. Ness ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  William N. Partlo ,  Alexander I. Ershov

IPC分类号： H01S300

CPC分类号： H01S3/2366 ,  G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70483 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  H01S3/0057 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/0385 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/08004 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/0943 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/09702 ,  H01S3/09705 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/10092 ,  H01S3/139 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/2207 ,  H01S3/223 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2258 ,  H01S3/2325 ,  H01S3/2333

摘要： A narrow band laser system having two laser subsystems. The first laser subsystem is configured to provide a very narrow band pulsed output beam which is used to injection seed the second laser subsystem where the narrow band pulsed seed beam is amplified to produce a narrow band pulsed output beam. A pulse power supply is provided which is specially configured to precisely time the discharges in the two laser subsystem so that the discharges are properly synchronized. Preferred embodiments include a pulse power system with a pulse transformer unit having two sets of transformer cores. A single upstream pulse compression circuit provides high voltage pulses in parallel to the primary windings of all of the cores in both sets. Separate secondary conductors (one passing through one set of cores and the other passing through the other set of cores) provide very high voltage pulses respectively to separate downstream circuits supplying discharge pulses to the electrodes in each of two separate laser chambers. Preferred embodiments include KrF, ArF and F2 systems. In these preferred embodiments, line narrowing may be accomplished within the resonant cavity of the seed laser or the output of the seed laser could be line narrowed using a pre-gain filter.