公开(公告)号：US07518787B2

公开(公告)日：2009-04-14

申请号：US11452558

申请日：2006-06-14

申请人： Alexander N. Bykanov ,  Jerzy R. Hoffman ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  William N. Partlo

发明人： Alexander N. Bykanov ,  Jerzy R. Hoffman ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  William N. Partlo

IPC分类号： H01S4/00 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/223

CPC分类号： H01S3/2316 ,  H01S3/0057 ,  H01S3/11 ,  H01S3/2232 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H05G1/54 ,  H05G2/008

摘要： A laser light source is disclosed having a laser oscillator producing an output beam; a first amplifier amplifying the output beam to produce a first amplified beam, and a second amplifier amplifying the first amplified beam to produce a second amplified beam. For the source, the first amplifier may have a gain medium characterized by a saturation energy (Es, 1) and a small signal gain (go, 1); and the second amplifier may have a gain medium characterized by a saturation energy (Es, 2) and a small signal gain (go, 2), with (go, 1)>(go, 2) and (Es, 2)>(Es, 1). In another aspect, a laser oscillator of a laser light source may be a cavity dumped laser oscillator, e.g. a mode-locked laser oscillator, q-switched laser oscillator and may further comprising a temporal pulse stretcher.

摘要翻译： 公开了具有产生输出光束的激光振荡器的激光源; 放大所述输出光束以产生第一放大光束的第一放大器，以及放大所述第一放大光束以产生第二放大光束的第二放大器。 对于源，第一放大器可以具有以饱和能量（Es，1）和小信号增益（go，1）为特征的增益介质; 并且第二放大器可以具有特征在于饱和能量（Es，2）和小信号增益（go，2）的增益介质，其中（go，1）>（go，2）和（Es，2）>（ Es，1）。 在另一方面，激光光源的激光振荡器可以是空腔倾覆的激光振荡器，例如。 模式锁定激光振荡器，q切换激光振荡器，并且还可以包括时间脉冲展开器。

公开(公告)号：US20080165337A1

公开(公告)日：2008-07-10

申请号：US11981450

申请日：2007-10-30

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

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

IPC分类号： G03B27/54 ,  G03F7/26

CPC分类号： G03F7/70625 ,  G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70583 ,  G03F7/70616 ,  H01S3/08004 ,  H01S3/08059 ,  H01S3/10092 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2308

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：US20070291350A1

公开(公告)日：2007-12-20

申请号：US11452558

申请日：2006-06-14

申请人： Alexander I. Ershov ,  Alexander N. Bykanov ,  Jerzy R. Hoffman ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  William N. Partlo

发明人： Alexander I. Ershov ,  Alexander N. Bykanov ,  Jerzy R. Hoffman ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  William N. Partlo

IPC分类号： H01S3/00

CPC分类号： H01S3/2316 ,  H01S3/0057 ,  H01S3/11 ,  H01S3/2232 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H05G1/54 ,  H05G2/008

摘要： A laser light source is disclosed having a laser oscillator producing an output beam; a first amplifier amplifying the output beam to produce a first amplified beam, and a second amplifier amplifying the first amplified beam to produce a second amplified beam. For the source, the first amplifier may have a gain medium characterized by a saturation energy (Es, 1) and a small signal gain (go, 1); and the second amplifier may have a gain medium characterized by a saturation energy (Es, 2) and a small signal gain (go, 2), with (go, 1)>(go, 2) and (Es, 2)>(Es, 1). In another aspect, a laser oscillator of a laser light source may be a cavity dumped laser oscillator, e.g. a mode-locked laser oscillator, q-switched laser oscillator and may further comprising a temporal pulse stretcher.

摘要翻译： 公开了具有产生输出光束的激光振荡器的激光源; 放大所述输出光束以产生第一放大光束的第一放大器，以及放大所述第一放大光束以产生第二放大光束的第二放大器。 对于源极，第一放大器可以具有以饱和能量（E S，S 1）和小信号增益（g 1，...）为特征的增益介质; 并且第二放大器可以具有特征在于饱和能量（E SUB，2 N）和小信号增益（g 0，o 2）的增益介质，其中（g < （o，SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB SUB >）。 在另一方面，激光光源的激光振荡器可以是空腔倾覆的激光振荡器，例如。 模式锁定激光振荡器，q切换激光振荡器，并且还可以包括时间脉冲展开器。

公开(公告)号：US07288777B2

公开(公告)日：2007-10-30

申请号：US11603471

申请日：2006-11-21

申请人： William N. Partlo ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Igor V. Fomenkov

发明人： William N. Partlo ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Igor V. Fomenkov

IPC分类号： H01J35/20

CPC分类号： H05G2/001 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  G03F7/70033 ,  G03F7/70175 ,  G03F7/70916 ,  G21K1/062

摘要： An apparatus/method is disclosed that may comprise an EUV light source which may comprise a collector which may comprise an elliptical collector mirror having a first focus at a plasma initiation point and a second focus at an intermediate focus of the EUV light source; a debris shield intermediate the plasma initiation point and the elliptical collector mirror comprising a plurality of radially extending channels extending from the first focus and aligned to the second focus and in symmetry about an axis of rotation passing through the first focus and aligned to a longitudinal axis of the elliptical collector mirror. The plurality of channels may be formed between a plurality of generally planer foils extending radially from the first focus and aligned to the second focus and in symmetry about an axis of rotation passing through the first focus and aligned to a longitudinal axis of the collector mirror.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种可以包括EUV光源的装置/方法，该EUV光源可以包括收集器，该收集器可以包括在EUV光源的中间焦点处具有等离子体起始点的第一焦点和第二焦点的椭圆形收集器反射镜; 位于等离子体起始点之间的碎片屏蔽和椭圆形收集器镜，其包括从第一焦点延伸并对准到第二焦点并围绕穿过第一焦点的旋转轴对称的多个径向延伸的通道，并且对准纵向轴线 的椭圆收集镜。 多个通道可以形成在从第一焦点径向延伸并与第二焦点对准的多个大致平面的箔片之间并且围绕穿过第一焦点的旋转轴线对称并且与收集器反射镜的纵向轴线对准。

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。

公开(公告)号：US20180184509A9

公开(公告)日：2018-06-28

申请号：US15208548

申请日：2016-07-12

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

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

IPC分类号： H05G2/00

CPC分类号： H05G2/008 ,  H05G2/006

摘要： A device is disclosed herein which may comprise a droplet generator producing droplets of target material; a sensor providing an intercept time signal when a droplet reaches a preselected location; a delay circuit coupled with said sensor, the delay circuit generating a trigger signal delayed from the intercept time signal; a laser source responsive to a trigger signal to produce a laser pulse; and a system controlling said delay circuit to provide a trigger signal delayed from the intercept time by a first delay time to generate a light pulse that is focused on a droplet and a trigger signal delayed from the intercept time by a second delay time to generate a light pulse which is not focused on a droplet.

公开(公告)号：US08908735B2

公开(公告)日：2014-12-09

申请号：US13231882

申请日：2011-09-13

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

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

IPC分类号： H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/08 ,  H01S3/00 ,  H01S3/23 ,  H01S3/083 ,  H01S3/10

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：US08654438B2

公开(公告)日：2014-02-18

申请号：US13077236

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： H01S3/03

CPC分类号： H01S3/0078 ,  G03F7/70033 ,  G03F7/70175 ,  G03F7/70908 ,  G03F7/70933 ,  H01S3/076 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/117 ,  H01S3/2232 ,  H05G2/008

摘要： A device is described herein which may comprise an optical amplifier having a gain band including wavelengths λ1 and λ2, with λ1≠λ2; a pre-pulse seed laser having a tuning module for tuning a pre-pulse output to wavelength λ1; a main pulse seed laser generating a laser output having wavelength, λ2; and a beam combiner for directing the pre-pulse output and the main pulse output on a common path through the optical amplifier.

摘要翻译： 本文描述了可以包括具有包括λ1>λ2的波长λ1和λ2的增益带的光放大器的装置; 具有用于将预脉冲输出调谐到波长λ1的调谐模块的预脉冲种子激光器; 产生具有波长λ2的激光输出的主脉冲种子激光器; 以及用于将预脉冲输出和主脉冲输出引导到通过光放大器的公共路径上的光束组合器。