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：US08633459B2

公开(公告)日：2014-01-21

申请号：US13088166

申请日：2011-04-15

申请人： Alexander N. Bykanov ,  Silvia De Dea ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Vladimir B. Fleurov ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  William N. Partlo

发明人： Alexander N. Bykanov ,  Silvia De Dea ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Vladimir B. Fleurov ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  William N. Partlo

IPC分类号： H05G2/00

CPC分类号： H05G2/008 ,  G03F7/70925 ,  H05G2/005

摘要： An extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) light source is described herein comprising an optic; a primary EUV light radiator generating an EUV light emitting plasma and producing a deposit on said optic; and a cleaning system comprising a gas and a secondary light radiator, the secondary light radiator generating a laser produced plasma and producing a cleaning species with the gas.

摘要翻译： 本文描述了一种极光紫外（EUV）光源，其包括光学元件; 产生EUV发光等离子体并在所述光学器件上产生沉积物的主要EUV光辐射体; 以及包括气体和次级光辐射器的清洁系统，所述次级光辐射体产生激光产生的等离子体并且产生具有气体的清洁物质。

公开(公告)号：US20120313016A1

公开(公告)日：2012-12-13

申请号：US13156188

申请日：2011-06-08

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

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

IPC分类号： G21K5/00

CPC分类号： H05G2/005 ,  H05G2/008

摘要： An extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) light source comprising an optic, a target material, and a laser beam passing through said optic along a beam path to irradiate said target material. The EUV light source further includes a system generating a gas flow directed toward said target material along said beam path, said system having a tapering member surrounding a volume and a plurality of gas lines, each gas line outputting a gas stream into said volume.

摘要翻译： 一种极紫外（EUV）光源，包括光学元件，目标材料和沿着光束路径通过所述光学元件以照射所述目标材料的激光束。 EUV光源还包括沿着所述光束路径产生朝向所述目标材料的气流的系统，所述系统具有包围体积和多条气体管线的锥形构件，每条气体管线将气流输送到所述体积中。

公开(公告)号：US08304752B2

公开(公告)日：2012-11-06

申请号：US12638413

申请日：2009-12-15

申请人： Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  William N. Partlo ,  Jason Paxton ,  Nam-Hyong Kim ,  Jerzy R. Hoffman

发明人： Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  William N. Partlo ,  Jason Paxton ,  Nam-Hyong Kim ,  Jerzy R. Hoffman

IPC分类号： G01J1/04 ,  G01J1/18

CPC分类号： H01S3/2232 ,  G03F7/70033 ,  H01S3/0014 ,  H01S3/0407 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/086 ,  H01S3/2308 ,  H05G2/008

摘要： A method for producing extreme ultraviolet light includes producing a target material at a target location; supplying pump energy to a gain medium of at least one optical amplifier that has an amplification band to produce an amplified light beam; propagating the amplified light beam through the gain medium using one or more optical components of a set of optical components; delivering the amplified light beam to the target location using one or more optical components of the optical component set; producing with a guide laser a guide laser beam that has a wavelength outside of the amplification band of the gain medium and inside the wavelength range of the optical components; and directing the guide laser beam through the optical component set to thereby align one or more optical components of the optical component set.

摘要翻译： 用于生产极紫外光的方法包括在目标位置产生目标材料; 向具有放大频带的至少一个光放大器的增益介质提供泵浦能量以产生放大的光束; 使用一组光学部件的一个或多个光学部件将放大的光束传播通过增益介质; 使用所述光学部件组的一个或多个光学部件将放大的光束传送到目标位置; 用导向激光器产生具有波长在增益介质的放大频带之外且在光学部件的波长范围内的引导激光束; 并且引导所述引导激光束通过所述光学部件组，从而对准所述光学部件组的一个或多个光学部件。

公开(公告)号：US07999915B2

公开(公告)日：2011-08-16

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： G03B27/32 ,  G03B27/42 ,  G03B27/54 ,  H01S3/10 ,  H01S3/22

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：US20100258750A1

公开(公告)日：2010-10-14

申请号：US12725178

申请日：2010-03-16

申请人： William N. Partlo ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Chris C. Chrobak ,  James H. Crouch

发明人： William N. Partlo ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Chris C. Chrobak ,  James H. Crouch

IPC分类号： G21K5/02 ,  G21K5/10

CPC分类号： H05G2/005 ,  G03F7/70033 ,  G21K5/00 ,  H05G2/003 ,  H05G2/006

摘要： An extreme ultraviolet light system includes a drive laser system, an extreme ultraviolet light chamber including an extreme ultraviolet light collector and a target material dispenser including a target material outlet capable of outputting a plurality of portions of target material along a target material path, wherein the target material outlet is adjustable. The extreme ultraviolet light system further includes a drive laser steering device, a detection system including at least one detector directed to detect a reflection of the drive laser reflected from the first one of the plurality of portions of target material and a controller coupled to the target material dispenser, the detector system and the drive laser steering device. The controller includes logic for detecting a location of a first one of the plurality of portions of target material from a first light reflected from the first target material and logic for adjusting the target material dispenser outlet to output a subsequent one of the plurality of portions of target material to a waist of the focused drive laser. A method for generating an extreme ultraviolet light is also disclosed. A system and a method for optimizing an extreme ultraviolet light output is also disclosed.

摘要翻译： 一种极紫外光系统包括驱动激光系统，包括极紫外光收集器的极紫外光室和包括能够沿目标材料路径输出多个目标材料部分的靶材料出口的目标材料分配器，其中， 目标材料出口可调。 所述极紫外光系统还包括驱动激光转向装置，所述检测系统包括至少一个检测器，所述检测器被引导以检测从所述目标材料的所述多个部分中的第一部分反射的所述驱动激光的反射;以及耦合到所述目标的控制器 材料分配器，检测器系统和驱动激光转向装置。 所述控制器包括用于从第一目标材料反射的第一光检测多个目标材料部分中的第一部分的位置的逻辑，以及用于调整目标材料分配器出口的逻辑，以输出多个部分中的后续部分 目标材料到聚焦驱动激光的腰部。 还公开了一种用于产生极紫外光的方法。 还公开了一种用于优化极紫外光输出的系统和方法。

公开(公告)号：US07567607B2

公开(公告)日：2009-07-28

申请号：US11346519

申请日：2006-02-01

申请人： David S. Knowles ,  Daniel J. W. Brown ,  Herve A. Besaucele ,  David W. Myers ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  William N. Partlo ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Palash P. Das ,  Stuart L. Anderson ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Richard C. Ujazdowski ,  Eckehard D. Onkels ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Scot T. Smith ,  William G. Hulburd ,  Jeffrey Oicles

发明人： David S. Knowles ,  Daniel J. W. Brown ,  Herve A. Besaucele ,  David W. Myers ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  William N. Partlo ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Palash P. Das ,  Stuart L. Anderson ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Richard C. Ujazdowski ,  Eckehard D. Onkels ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Scot T. Smith ,  William G. Hulburd ,  Jeffrey Oicles

IPC分类号： H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/223

CPC分类号： G01J1/4257 ,  G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70333 ,  G03F7/70483 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  G03F7/70933 ,  H01S3/005 ,  H01S3/0057 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/0385 ,  H01S3/0387 ,  H01S3/0404 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/08004 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/08036 ,  H01S3/0943 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/09702 ,  H01S3/09705 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/0975 ,  H01S3/104 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  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： An oscillator-amplifier gas discharge laser system and method is disclosed which may comprise a first laser unit which may comprise a first discharge region which may contain an excimer or molecular fluorine lasing gas medium; a first pair of electrodes defining the first discharge region containing the lasing gas medium, a line narrowing unit for narrowing a spectral bandwidth of output laser light pulse beam pulses produced in said first discharge region; a second laser unit which may comprise a second discharge chamber which may contain an excimer or molecular fluorine lasing gas medium; a second pair of electrodes defining the second discharge region containing the lasing gas medium; a pulse power system providing electrical pulses to the first pair of electrodes and to the second pair of electrodes producing gas discharges in the lasing gas medium between the respective first and second pair of electrodes, and laser parameter control mechanism modifying a selected parameter of a selected laser output light pulse beam pulse produced by said gas discharge laser system by controlling the timing of the occurrence of the gas discharge between the first pair of electrodes and the occurrence of the gas discharge between the second pair of electrodes.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种振荡放大器气体放电激光器系统和方法，其可以包括第一激光器单元，该第一激光器单元可以包括可包含受激准分子或分子氟激光气体介质的第一放电区域; 限定含有激光气体介质的第一放电区域的第一对电极，用于使在所述第一放电区域中产生的输出激光脉冲光束脉冲的光谱带宽变窄的线窄化单元; 第二激光单元，其可以包括可包含受激准分子或分子氟激光气体介质的第二放电室; 限定包含所述激光气体介质的所述第二放电区域的第二对电极; 脉冲功率系统，其向所述第一对电极和所述第二对电极提供电脉冲，在所述相应的第一和第二对电极之间的所述激光气体介质中产生气体放电，以及激光参数控制机构修改所选择的所选择的参数 通过控制第一对电极之间的气体放电的发生时间和第二对电极之间的气体放电的发生的时间，由所述气体放电激光系统产生的激光输出光脉冲束脉冲。

公开(公告)号：US07277466B2

公开(公告)日：2007-10-02

申请号：US10820261

申请日：2004-04-07

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： H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/08

CPC分类号： G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  H01S3/027 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/0401 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  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 use 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。 与现有技术的氮气清洗相比，使用氦气吹扫的申请人已经显示出实质性的改善。 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：US07218661B2

公开(公告)日：2007-05-15

申请号：US10854614

申请日：2004-05-25

申请人： David S. Knowles ,  Daniel J. W. Brown ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  German E. Rylov ,  Eckehard D. Onkels ,  Herve A. Besaucele ,  David W. Myers ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  William N. Partlo ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Richard C. Ujazdowski ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Scot T. Smith ,  William G. Hulburd

发明人： David S. Knowles ,  Daniel J. W. Brown ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  German E. Rylov ,  Eckehard D. Onkels ,  Herve A. Besaucele ,  David W. Myers ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  William N. Partlo ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Richard C. Ujazdowski ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Scot T. Smith ,  William G. Hulburd

IPC分类号： H01S3/22

CPC分类号： H01S3/2366 ,  G01J9/00 ,  G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  G03F7/70933 ,  H01S3/0057 ,  H01S3/0071 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/0385 ,  H01S3/0387 ,  H01S3/0404 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/08 ,  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 ,  H01S3/223 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2256 ,  H01S3/2258 ,  H01S3/2333

摘要： An injection seeded modular gas discharge laser system capable of producing high quality pulsed laser beams at pulse rates of about 4,000 Hz or greater and at pulse energies of about 5 mJ or greater. Two separate discharge chambers are provided, one of which is a part of a master oscillator producing a very narrow band seed beam which is amplified in the second discharge chamber. The chambers can be controlled separately permitting separate optimization of wavelength parameters in the master oscillator and optimization of pulse energy parameters in the amplifying chamber. A preferred embodiment in a F2 laser system configured as a MOPA and specifically designed for use as a light source for integrated circuit lithography. In the preferred MOPA embodiment, each chamber comprises a single tangential fan providing sufficient gas flow to permit operation at pulse rates of 4000 Hz or greater by clearing debris from the discharge region in less time than the approximately 0.25 milliseconds between pulses. The master oscillator is equipped with a line selection package for selecting the strongest F2 spectral line.

摘要翻译： 一种注射种子模块化气体放电激光系统，其能够以约4,000Hz或更大的脉冲速率和约5mJ或更大的脉冲能量产生高质量的脉冲激光束。 提供两个单独的放电室，其中之一是主振荡器的一部分，其产生在第二放电室中放大的非常窄的带状晶体束。 可以单独控制室，允许主振荡器中的波长参数的单独优化和放大室中的脉冲能量参数的优化。 配置为MOPA并被专门设计用作集成电路光刻的光源的F 2 N 2激光系统中的优选实施例。 在优选的MOPA实施例中，每个腔室包括单个切向风扇，其通过在比脉冲之间的大约0.25毫秒更短的时间内清除来自放电区域的碎屑来提供足够的气流以允许以4000Hz或更高的脉冲速率操作。 主振荡器配备有用于选择最强的F 2/2谱线的线选择包。