公开(公告)号：US07088758B2

公开(公告)日：2006-08-08

申请号：US10956784

申请日：2004-10-01

申请人： Richard L. Sandstrom ,  William N. Partlo ,  Daniel J. W. Brown ,  Thomas A. Yager ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Robert J. Rafac ,  German E. Rylov

发明人： Richard L. Sandstrom ,  William N. Partlo ,  Daniel J. W. Brown ,  Thomas A. Yager ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Robert J. Rafac ,  German E. Rylov

IPC分类号： H01S3/22

CPC分类号： G01J1/429 ,  B23K26/0622 ,  B23K2101/40 ,  G01J9/02 ,  G02B26/002 ,  G02B26/0875 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  H01S3/005 ,  H01S3/0057 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/225

摘要： An apparatus and method are disclosed for operating a narrow band short pulse duration gas discharge laser output light pulse beam producing system, producing a beam comprising laser output light pulses at a selected pulse repetition rate, which may comprise: a dispersive center wavelength selection optic selecting at least one center wavelength for each pulse determined at least in part by the angle of incidence of the laser light pulse beam containing the respective pulse on the dispersive wavelength selection optic; a tuning mechanism operative to select at least one angle of incidence of a first spatially defined portion of the laser light pulse beam containing the respective pulse upon the dispersive center wavelength selection optic; and, the tuning mechanism comprising a variably refractive optical element defining a plurality of refractive angular displacements of the first spatially defined portion of the laser light pulse beam passing through the variably refractive optical element at one of a plurality of positions of incidence of the laser light pulse beam on the variably refractive optical element. The variably refractive optical element may comprise: a first generally flat face defining a surface of incidence for the laser light pulse beam; and, a second multifaceted or curved face defining a plurality of generally flat surfaces of exit or a continuously varying surface of exit for the laser light beam. Other aspects of pulse parameter metrology and pulse modulation control, including in response to signals from the utilization tool are disclosed, e.g., relating to proper dose control with differing center wavelength spectra.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种用于操作窄带短脉冲持续时间气体放电激光输出光脉冲束产生系统的装置和方法，产生包括选定脉冲重复频率的激光输出光脉冲的光束，其可以包括：色散中心波长选择光学选择 用于每个脉冲的至少一个中心波长至少部分地由分散波长选择光学器件上包含相应脉冲的激光束的入射角确定; 调谐机构，用于在色散中心波长选择光学器件上选择包含相应脉冲的激光束脉冲光束的第一空间限定部分的至少一个入射角; 并且所述调谐机构包括可变折射光学元件，所述可变折射光学元件限定所述激光束的所述第一空间限定部分的多个折射角位移通过所述可变折射光学元件在所述激光的入射的多个位置中的一个位置 脉冲光束在可变折射光学元件上。 可变折射光学元件可以包括：限定用于激光束脉冲束的入射面的第一大致平坦的面; 以及限定用于激光束的出口的多个大致平坦的表面或出口的连续变化的表面的第二多面或弯曲面。 脉冲参数测量和脉冲调制控制的其它方面包括响应来自利用工具的信号，例如涉及具有不同中心波长光谱的适当剂量控制。

公开(公告)号：US06192064B1

公开(公告)日：2001-02-20

申请号：US09470724

申请日：1999-12-22

申请人： John M. Algots ,  Christopher A. Marchi ,  Frederick G. Erie ,  Jesse D. Buck ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Palash P. Das ,  Igor V. Fomenkov

发明人： John M. Algots ,  Christopher A. Marchi ,  Frederick G. Erie ,  Jesse D. Buck ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Palash P. Das ,  Igor V. Fomenkov

IPC分类号： H01S308

CPC分类号： G03F7/70025 ,  G02B5/1828 ,  G03F7/70483 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/08059 ,  H01S3/08081 ,  H01S3/0812 ,  H01S3/086 ,  H01S3/10 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/13 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/1392 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2256

摘要： A smart laser having automatic computer control of pulse energy, wavelength and bandwidth using feedback signals from a wavemeter. Pulse energy is controlled by controlling discharge voltage. Wavelength is controlled by very fine and rapid positioning of an RMAX mirror in a line narrowing module. Bandwidth is controller by adjusting the curvature of a grating in the line narrowing module. Preferred embodiments include automatic feedback control of horizontal and vertical beam profile by automatic adjustment of a prism plate on which beam expander prisms are located and automatic adjustment of the RMAX tilt. Other preferred embodiments include automatic adjustment of the horizontal position of the laser chamber within the resonance cavity. In preferred embodiments, feedback signals from a wavelength monitor are used to position the RMAX mirror. In other preferred embodiments a separate laser beam reflected off the RMAX mirror on to a photodiode array is used to position the mirror.

摘要翻译： 智能激光器具有使用来自波形计的反馈信号自动计算脉冲能量，波长和带宽的计算机控制。 通过控制放电电压来控制脉冲能量。 通过在线窄模块中的RMAX镜子的非常精细和快速的定位来控制波长。 带宽是通过调整线窄化模块中的光栅的曲率来控制的。 优选实施例包括通过自动调节光束扩展器棱镜所在的棱镜板和自动调整RMAX倾斜来自动反馈水平和垂直光束轮廓。 其它优选实施例包括在谐振腔内自动调整激光室的水平位置。 在优选实施例中，使用来自波长监视器的反馈信号来定位RMAX镜。 在其它优选实施例中，使用从RMAX镜反射到光电二极管阵列上的分离的激光束来定位反射镜。

公开(公告)号：US6014398A

公开(公告)日：2000-01-11

申请号：US082139

申请日：1998-05-20

申请人： Thomas Hofmann ,  Toshihiko Ishihara ,  Palash P. Das ,  Alexander I. Ershov

发明人： Thomas Hofmann ,  Toshihiko Ishihara ,  Palash P. Das ,  Alexander I. Ershov

IPC分类号： H01S3/038 ,  G03F7/20 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/034 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/08 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/22

CPC分类号： G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70558 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2256

摘要： The present invention provides a very narrow band pulse excimer laser capable of producing pulses at a rate in the range of about 500 to 2000 Hz with enhanced energy dose control and reproducibility. Very small quantities of a stablizing additive consisting of oxygen or a heavy noble gas (xenon or radon for KrF lasers, or krypton, xenon or radon for ArF lasers), are added to the gas mixture. Tests performed show substantial improvements in energy stability with the addition of about 30 ppm of xenon to a KrF laser. Tests show improved performance for the ArF lasers with the addition of about 6-10 ppm of Xe or 40 ppm of Kr. In a preferred embodiment very narrow bandwidth is achieved on a KrF laser by reducing fluorine partial pressure to less than 0.10 percent and by increasing the reflectance of the output coupler to greater than 25 percent. In a preferred embodiment, prior art fused silica beam expansion prisms used in the prior art line-narrowing module were replaced with calcium fluoride prisms.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供了一种非常窄带脉冲准分子激光器，其能够以增加的能量剂量控制和再现性以大约500至2000Hz范围内的速率产生脉冲。 将非常少量由氧气或重稀有气体（用于KrF激光器的氙气或氪气，或用于ArF激光器的氪气，氙气或氡气）组成的稳定添加剂加入气体混合物中。 进行的测试显示出能量稳定性的显着改善，其中向KrF激光器添加约30ppm的氙。 测试表明，ArF激光器的性能提高了约6-10ppm的Xe或40ppm的Kr。 在一个优选实施例中，通过将氟分压降低到小于0.10％，并通过将输出耦合器的反射率提高到大于25％，在KrF激光器上实现非常窄的带宽。 在一个优选实施例中，现有技术的线缩窄模块中使用的现有技术的熔融石英束膨胀棱镜被氟化钙棱镜代替。

公开(公告)号：US5978409A

公开(公告)日：1999-11-02

申请号：US162341

申请日：1998-09-28

申请人： Palash P. Das ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Richard G. Morton

发明人： Palash P. Das ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Richard G. Morton

IPC分类号： G03F7/20 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/08 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/137 ,  H01S3/225

CPC分类号： G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70558 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/1055

摘要： A grating based line-narrowing apparatus having a prism beam expander with at least four prisms. Each prism is positioned at an incidence angle between 67 and 71 degrees. A single layer coating of high refractive index, robust material, such as Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, is applied to the hypotenuse face of each prism, providing an efficient, anti-reflection coating. In a preferred embodiment the incident angle of the four prisms are each at about 68.2 degrees. The laser of the preferred embodiment has similar line narrowing efficiency and bandwidth as that for a laser with a 3 prism, ideal multi-layer anti-reflection coated beam expander. The primary benefit of the new four prism arrangement is that the prism coatings should be much less expensive and have greatly increased durability. Applicants have tested the new prisms for 30 million, 10 mJ pulses in air with no noticeable degradation. No present day dielectric multi-layer stack coating could survive such exposure.

摘要翻译： 一种基于光栅的线条变窄装置，具有至少具有四个棱镜的棱镜扩束器。 每个棱镜定位在67和71度之间的入射角。 高折射率的单层涂层，诸如Al2O3的坚固材料被施加到每个棱镜的斜边面，从而提供有效的抗反射涂层。 在一个优选实施例中，四个棱镜的入射角分别为约68.2度。 优选实施例的激光器具有与具有3棱镜，理想的多层抗反射涂层光束扩展器的激光器相似的线窄化效率和带宽。 新的四棱镜布置的主要优点是棱镜涂层应该便宜得多，并且耐久性大大提高。 申请人已经在空气中测试了新的棱镜3000万，10 mJ脉冲，没有明显的退化。 没有现在的电介质多层堆叠涂层可以经受这样的曝光。

公开(公告)号：US6061129A

公开(公告)日：2000-05-09

申请号：US236148

申请日：1999-01-22

申请人： Alexander I. Ershov ,  Gamaralalage G. Padmabandu ,  Palash P. Das

发明人： Alexander I. Ershov ,  Gamaralalage G. Padmabandu ,  Palash P. Das

IPC分类号： G01J3/18 ,  G01J3/22

CPC分类号： G01J3/22 ,  G01J3/18

摘要： A compact high resolution grating spectrometer. A beam of expanding light from a light source is collimated and the collimated beam is expanded with a beam expander before illuminating a reflecting grating. The expansion of the beam permits high resolution in a small package. In preferred embodiments mirror arrangements are provided to produce double reflections off the reflecting grating to further improve the resolution of the spectrometer.

摘要翻译： 紧凑型高分辨率光栅光谱仪。 来自光源的扩展光束被准直，并且在照射反射光栅之前用光束扩展器扩展准直光束。 梁的扩展允许在小包装中的高分辨率。 在优选实施例中，提供反射镜布置以产生离开反射光栅的双反射，以进一步提高光谱仪的分辨率。

公开(公告)号：US5982800A

公开(公告)日：1999-11-09

申请号：US947474

申请日：1997-10-10

申请人： Toshihiko Ishihara ,  Thomas Hofmann ,  Palash P. Das ,  Alexander I. Ershov

发明人： Toshihiko Ishihara ,  Thomas Hofmann ,  Palash P. Das ,  Alexander I. Ershov

IPC分类号： H01S3/038 ,  G03F7/20 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/034 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/08 ,  H01S3/081 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/22

CPC分类号： G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70216 ,  G03F7/70558 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/0812 ,  H01S3/09713 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2256

摘要： A very narrow band pulse excimer laser capable of producing pulses at a rate in the range of about 500 to 2000 Hz with enhanced energy dose control and reproducibility. A prior art burst mode "slug effect" occuring at one gas circulation time after the beginning of a burst of pulses is eliminated by the addition of a minute quantity of oxygen. In a preferred embodiment very narrow bandwidth is achieved by reducing fluorine partial pressure to less than 0.10 percent and by increasing the reflectance of the output coupler to greater than 25 percent. In a preferred embodiment, prior art fused silica beam expansion prisms used in the prior art line narrowing module were replaced with calcium fluoride prisms.

摘要翻译： 能够以增加的能量剂量控制和再现性，以约500至2000Hz范围内的速率产生脉冲的非常窄带脉冲准分子激光器。 通过添加微量的氧来消除在脉冲脉冲开始之后的一个气体循环时间发生的现有技术的脉冲模式“塞子效应”。 在优选实施例中，通过将氟分压降低到小于0.10％并通过将输出耦合器的反射率增加到大于25％来实现非常窄的带宽。 在优选的实施方案中，现有技术中用于现有技术的线窄化模块的熔融石英束膨胀棱镜被氟化钙棱镜替代。

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。