公开(公告)号：US20080225908A1

公开(公告)日：2008-09-18

申请号：US11981449

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

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

IPC分类号： H01S3/225

CPC分类号： H01S3/2333 ,  G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70558 ,  G03F7/70583 ,  H01S3/005 ,  H01S3/08 ,  H01S3/08059 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/235 ,  H01S3/2366

摘要： An apparatus/method which 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 seed 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 system output light beam of pulses, which may comprise a ring power amplification stage; a seed injection mechanism.

摘要翻译： 可以包括线变窄的脉冲准分子或分子氟气体放电激光系统的装置/方法，其可以包括种子激光振荡器，其产生包括种子激光输出的脉冲光束的输出，所述种子激光输出光束可以包括第一气体放电准分子或分子氟激光 房间 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，该激光系统输出包括激光系统输出光束 的脉冲，其可以包括环形功率放大级; 种子注射机制。

公开(公告)号：US07630424B2

公开(公告)日：2009-12-08

申请号：US11981195

申请日：2007-10-30

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

CPC分类号： H01S3/2333 ,  G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70583 ,  H01S3/005 ,  H01S3/08036 ,  H01S3/08059 ,  H01S3/10092 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/235 ,  H01S2301/02

摘要： A method/apparatus may comprise operating a line narrowed pulsed excimer or molecular fluorine gas discharge laser system by using a seed laser oscillator to produce an output which may comprise a first gas discharge excimer or molecular fluorine laser chamber; a line narrowing module; a laser amplification stage which may comprise a ring power amplification stage; the method of operation may the steps of: selecting a differential timing between an electrical discharge between a pair of electrodes in the first laser chamber and in the second laser chamber which at the same time keeps ASE below a selected limit and the pulse energy of the laser system output light beam of pulses essentially constant.

摘要翻译： 方法/装置可以包括通过使用种子激光振荡器来操作线窄的脉冲准分子或分子氟气体放电激光系统以产生可包括第一气体放电准分子或分子氟激光室的输出; 线缩小模块; 可以包括环功率放大级的激光放大级; 操作方法可以是：选择第一激光室中的一对电极与第二激光室中的一对电极之间的放电之间的差分定时，同时使ASE保持在选定的极限以下，并且脉冲能量 激光系统输出光束的脉冲基本恒定。

公开(公告)号：US20090122825A1

公开(公告)日：2009-05-14

申请号：US11981290

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

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

IPC分类号： H01S3/225

CPC分类号： H01S3/10092 ,  G03F7/70583 ,  H01S3/005 ,  H01S3/0057 ,  H01S3/08 ,  H01S3/08059 ,  H01S3/0835 ,  H01S3/121 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2333 ,  H01S3/235 ,  H01S3/2383

摘要： A method/apparatus may comprise a seed laser oscillator producing an output 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 receiving the output of the seed laser oscillator which may comprise: a ring power amplification stage; a coherence busting mechanism intermediate the seed laser oscillator and the ring power amplification stage which may comprise a beam splitter separating the seed laser output into a main beam and a beam entering an optical delay path which may have a delay length longer than the coherence length of a pulse in the seed laser output and may have a beam angular offset mechanism offsetting a delayed beam and the main beam.

摘要翻译： 一种方法/装置可以包括产生输出的种子激光振荡器，该输出可以包括：第一气体放电准分子或分子氟激光室; 第一振荡器腔内的线窄模块; 接收种子激光振荡器的输出的激光放大级，其可以包括：环形功率放大级; 种子激光振荡器和环形功率放大级之间的相干破坏机构，其可以包括将种子激光器输出分离成主波束的分束器和进入光学延迟路径的波束，该光束延迟路径可以具有比相干长度长的延迟长度 种子激光器中的脉冲输出并且可以具有抵消延迟的光束和主光束的光束角偏移机构。

公开(公告)号：US20080144671A1

公开(公告)日：2008-06-19

申请号：US11981014

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

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

IPC分类号： H01S3/30

CPC分类号： H01S3/225 ,  G03F7/70583 ,  H01S3/005 ,  H01S3/0057 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/034 ,  H01S3/08036 ,  H01S3/08059 ,  H01S3/10092 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2333

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.

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：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：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：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：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：US07317196B2

公开(公告)日：2008-01-08

申请号：US10979919

申请日：2004-11-01

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

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

IPC分类号： H01J35/20

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

摘要： An apparatus and method is described for effectively and efficiently providing plasma irradiation laser light pulses in an LPP EUV light source which may comprise a laser initial target irradiation pulse generating mechanism irradiating a plasma initiation target with an initial target irradiation pulse to form an EUV generating plasma having an emission region emitting in-band EUV light; a laser plasma irradiation pulse generating mechanism irradiating the plasma with a plasma irradiation pulse after the initial target irradiation pulse so as to compress emission material in the plasma toward the emission region of the plasma. The plasma irradiation pulse may comprise a laser pulse having a wavelength that is sufficiently longer than a wavelength of the initial target irradiation pulse to have an associated lower critical density resulting in absorption occurring within the plasma in a region of the plasma defined by the wavelength of the plasma irradiation pulse sufficiently separated from an initial target irradiation site to achieve compression of the emission material, and the may compress the emission region. The laser plasma irradiation pulse may produce an aerial mass density in the ablating cloud of the plasma sufficient to confine the favorably emitting plasma for increased conversion efficiency. The deposition region for the plasma irradiation pulse may be is removed enough from the initial target surface so as to insure compression of the favorably emitting plasma. A high conversion efficiency laser produced plasma extreme ultraviolet (“EUV”) light source may comprise a laser initial target irradiation pulse generating mechanism irradiating a plasma initiation target with a target irradiation pulse to form an EUV generating plasma emitting in-band EUV light; a plasma tamper substantially surrounding the plasma to constrain the expansion of the plasma.

摘要翻译： 描述了一种用于在LPP EUV光源中有效且有效地提供等离子体照射激光脉冲的装置和方法，其可以包括用初始目标照射脉冲照射等离子体引发目标的激光初始靶照射脉冲发生机构以形成产生EUV的等离子体 具有发射带内EUV光的发射区域; 激光等离子体照射脉冲发生机构在初始目标照射脉冲之后用等离子体照射脉冲照射等离子体，以将等离子体中的发射材料压缩到等离子体的发射区域。 等离子体照射脉冲可以包括具有足够长于初始靶照射脉冲的波长的波长的激光脉冲，以具有相关联的较低的临界密度，从而在由等离子体的波长定义的等离子体的区域内的等离子体内发生吸收 等离子体照射脉冲从初始目标照射位置充分分离，以实现发射材料的压缩，并且可以压缩发射区域。 激光等离子体照射脉冲可以在等离子体的消融云中产生足够的空气质量密度以限制有利的发射等离子体以提高转换效率。 可以从初始目标表面去除等离子体照射脉冲的沉积区域，以确保有利地发射等离子体的压缩。 高转换效率的激光产生的等离子体极紫外（“EUV”）光源可以包括激光初始靶照射脉冲发生机构，用目标照射脉冲照射等离子体引发目标，以形成产生EUV的发射等离子体的带内EUV光; 等离子体篡改基本上围绕等离子体以约束等离子体的膨胀。