公开(公告)号：US06566668B2

公开(公告)日：2003-05-20

申请号：US09875721

申请日：2001-06-06

申请人： John E. Rauch ,  William N. Partlo ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Daniel L. Birx ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Stephan T. Melnychuk

发明人： John E. Rauch ,  William N. Partlo ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Daniel L. Birx ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Stephan T. Melnychuk

IPC分类号： H05H104

CPC分类号： H05G2/003 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  G03F7/70033 ,  G03F7/70166 ,  G03F7/70916 ,  H05G2/005 ,  H05H1/06

摘要： A high energy photon source. A pair of plasma pinch electrodes are located in a vacuum chamber. The chamber contains a working gas which includes a noble buffer gas and an active gas chosen to provide a desired spectral line. A pulse power source provides electrical pulses at repetition rates of 1000 Hz or greater and at voltages high enough to create electrical discharges between the electrodes to produce very high temperature, high density plasma pinches in the working gas providing radiation at the spectral line of the source or active gas. A fourth generation unit is described which produces 20 mJ, 13.5 nm pulses into 2 &pgr; steradians at repetition rates of 2000 Hz with xenon as the active gas. This unit includes a pulse power system having a resonant charger charging a charging capacitor bank, and a magnetic compression circuit comprising a pulse transformer for generating the high voltage electrical pulses at repetition rates of 2000 Hz or greater.

公开(公告)号：US07838854B2

公开(公告)日：2010-11-23

申请号：US12220560

申请日：2008-07-25

申请人： J. Martin Algots ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  William N. Partlo ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Oscar Hemberg ,  Alexander N. Bykanov ,  Dennis W. Cobb

发明人： J. Martin Algots ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  William N. Partlo ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Oscar Hemberg ,  Alexander N. Bykanov ,  Dennis W. Cobb

IPC分类号： H01J35/20

CPC分类号： H05G2/003 ,  H05G2/005 ,  H05G2/006

摘要： An EUV plasma formation target delivery system and method is disclosed which may comprise: a target droplet formation mechanism comprising a magneto-restrictive or electro-restrictive material, a liquid plasma source material passageway terminating in an output orifice; a charging mechanism applying charge to a droplet forming jet stream or to individual droplets exiting the passageway along a selected path; a droplet deflector intermediate the output orifice and a plasma initiation site periodically deflecting droplets from the selected path, a liquid target material delivery mechanism comprising a liquid target material delivery passage having an input opening and an output orifice; an electromotive disturbing force generating mechanism generating a disturbing force within the liquid target material, a liquid target delivery droplet formation mechanism having an output orifice; and/or a wetting barrier around the periphery of the output orifice.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种EUV等离子体形成靶递送系统和方法，其可以包括：目标液滴形成机构，其包括磁阻或电子限制材料，终止于输出孔的液体等离子体源材料通道; 将电荷施加到液滴形成喷射流或沿着选定路径离开通道的各个液滴的充电机构; 在输出孔之间的液滴偏转器和等离子体引发位置周期性地偏转来自所选择的路径的液滴;液体靶材料输送机构，包括具有输入开口和输出孔的液体靶材料输送通道; 产生在液体目标材料内的干扰力的电动干扰力产生机构，具有输出孔的液体目标传送液滴形成机构; 和/或围绕输出孔周边的润湿屏障。

公开(公告)号：US20090080476A1

公开(公告)日：2009-03-26

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 ,  Mike 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 ,  Mike Wyatt ,  Walter Crosby

IPC分类号： H01S3/139 ,  H01S3/083

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：US20080283776A1

公开(公告)日：2008-11-20

申请号：US12220560

申请日：2008-07-25

申请人： J. Martin Algots ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  William N. Partlo ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Oscar Hemberg ,  Alexander N. Bykanov ,  Dennis W. Cobb

发明人： J. Martin Algots ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  William N. Partlo ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Oscar Hemberg ,  Alexander N. Bykanov ,  Dennis W. Cobb

IPC分类号： G21K5/00

CPC分类号： H05G2/003 ,  H05G2/005 ,  H05G2/006

摘要： An EUV plasma formation target delivery system and method is disclosed which may comprise: a target droplet formation mechanism comprising a magneto-restrictive or electro-restrictive material, a liquid plasma source material passageway terminating in an output orifice; a charging mechanism applying charge to a droplet forming jet stream or to individual droplets exiting the passageway along a selected path; a droplet deflector intermediate the output orifice and a plasma initiation site periodically deflecting droplets from the selected path, a liquid target material delivery mechanism comprising a liquid target material delivery passage having an input opening and an output orifice; an electromotive disturbing force generating mechanism generating a disturbing force within the liquid target material, a liquid target delivery droplet formation mechanism having an output orifice; and/or a wetting barrier around the periphery of the output orifice.

公开(公告)号：US07087914B2

公开(公告)日：2006-08-08

申请号：US10803526

申请日：2004-03-17

申请人： Robert P. Akins ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  William N. Partlo ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  John Martin Algots ,  Robert N. Jacques ,  Frederick Palenschat ,  Jun Song

发明人： Robert P. Akins ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  William N. Partlo ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  John Martin Algots ,  Robert N. Jacques ,  Frederick Palenschat ,  Jun Song

IPC分类号： H01J35/20

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

摘要： An EUV light source apparatus and method are disclosed, which may comprise a pulsed laser providing laser pulses at a selected pulse repetition rate focused at a desired target ignition site; a target formation system providing discrete targets at a selected interval coordinated with the laser pulse repetition rate; a target steering system intermediate the target formation system and the desired target ignition site; and a target tracking system providing information about the movement of target between the target formation system and the target steering system, enabling the target steering system to direct the target to the desired target ignition site. The target tracking system may provide information enabling the creation of a laser firing control signal, and may comprise a droplet detector comprising a collimated light source directed to intersect a point on a projected delivery path of the target, having a respective oppositely disposed light detector detecting the passage of the target through the respective point, or a detector comprising a linear array of a plurality of photo-sensitive elements aligned to a coordinate axis, the light from the light source intersecting a projected delivery path of the target, at least one of the which may comprise a plane-intercept detection device. The droplet detectors may comprise a plurality of droplet detectors each operating at a different light frequency, or a camera having a field of view and a two dimensional array of pixels imaging the field of view. The apparatus and method may comprise an electrostatic plasma containment apparatus providing an electric plasma confinement field at or near a target ignition site at the time of ignition, with the target tracking system providing a signal enabling control of the electrostatic plasma containment apparatus. The apparatus and method may comprise a vessel having and intermediate wall with a low pressure trap allowing passage of EUV light and maintaining a differential pressure across the low pressure trap. The apparatus and method may comprise a magnetic plasma confinement mechanism creating a magnetic field in the vicinity of the target ignition site to confine the plasma to the target ignition site, which may be pulsed and may be controlled using outputs from the target tracking system.

公开(公告)号：US06882674B2

公开(公告)日：2005-04-19

申请号：US10036676

申请日：2001-12-21

申请人： Christian J. Wittak ,  William N. Partlo ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Paul C. Melcher ,  David M. Johns ,  Robert B. Saethre ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Curtis L. Rettig ,  Robert A. Shannon ,  Richard C. Ujazdowski ,  Shahryar Rokni ,  Scott T. Smith ,  Stuart L. Anderson ,  John M. Algots ,  Ronald L. Spangler ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Thomas D. Steiger ,  Jerome A. Emilo ,  Clay C. Titus ,  Alex P. Ivaschenko ,  Paolo Zambon ,  Gamaralalage G. Padmabandu ,  Mark S. Branham ,  Sunjay Phatak ,  Raymond F. Cybulski

发明人： Christian J. Wittak ,  William N. Partlo ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Paul C. Melcher ,  David M. Johns ,  Robert B. Saethre ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Curtis L. Rettig ,  Robert A. Shannon ,  Richard C. Ujazdowski ,  Shahryar Rokni ,  Scott T. Smith ,  Stuart L. Anderson ,  John M. Algots ,  Ronald L. Spangler ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Thomas D. Steiger ,  Jerome A. Emilo ,  Clay C. Titus ,  Alex P. Ivaschenko ,  Paolo Zambon ,  Gamaralalage G. Padmabandu ,  Mark S. Branham ,  Sunjay Phatak ,  Raymond F. Cybulski

IPC分类号： H01S3/097 ,  G03F7/20 ,  H01S3/00 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/0975 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/139 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/23 ,  H01S3/22

CPC分类号： G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70933 ,  H01S3/0057 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/0385 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/0975 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/139 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2256 ,  H01S3/2258 ,  H01S3/2366

摘要： The present invention provides an excimer laser capable of producing a high quality pulsed laser beam at pulse rates of about 4,000 Hz at pulse energies of about 5 mJ or greater. A preferred embodiment is an ArF excimer laser specifically designed as a light source for integrated circuit lithography. An improved wavemeter with special software monitors output beam parameters and controls a very fast PZT driven tuning mirror and the pulse power charging voltage to maintain wavelength and pulse energy within desired limits. In a preferred embodiment two fan motors drive a single tangential fan which provides sufficient gas flow to clear discharge debris from the discharge region during the approximately 0.25 milliseconds between pulses.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供了一种准分子激光器，其能够以约5mJ或更大的脉冲能量产生脉冲速率约为4000Hz的高质量脉冲激光束。 优选的实施方案是专门设计为用于集成电路光刻的光源的ArF准分子激光器。 具有特殊软件的改进型波长测量仪监测输出光束参数，并控制非常快的PZT驱动调光镜和脉冲功率充电电压，以将波长和脉冲能量保持在所需的极限内。 在优选实施例中，两个风扇马达驱动单个切向风扇，其提供足够的气流以在脉冲之间的大约0.25毫秒期间从放电区域清除放电碎片。

公开(公告)号：US06801560B2

公开(公告)日：2004-10-05

申请号：US10056619

申请日：2002-01-23

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 ,  Scott 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 ,  Scott T. Smith ,  William G. Hulburd

IPC分类号： H01S322

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.

公开(公告)号：US08170078B2

公开(公告)日：2012-05-01

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： H01S3/22

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：US20120092746A1

公开(公告)日：2012-04-19

申请号：US13077757

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： G02F1/11 ,  H01S3/00

CPC分类号： H01S3/117 ,  H01S3/005 ,  H01S3/0057 ,  H01S3/0064 ,  H01S3/076 ,  H01S3/0812 ,  H01S3/2232 ,  H01S3/2383 ,  H05G2/005 ,  H05G2/008

摘要： As disclosed herein, in a first aspect, a device may comprise: an oscillator producing a light output on a beam path; a target material for interaction with light on the beam path at an irradiation site; a beam delay on the beam path the beam delay having a beam folding optical arrangement; and a switch positioned along the beam path and interposed between the oscillator and the beam delay; the switch closable to divert at least a portion of light on the beam path from the beam path, the switch having close time, t1 and the beam path having a length, L1, along the path from the switch to the irradiation site; with t1

摘要翻译： 如本文所公开的，在第一方面中，一种装置可以包括：在光束路径上产生光输出的振荡器; 用于在照射部位与光束路径上的光相互作用的目标材料; 在光束路径上的光束延迟具有光束折叠光学布置的光束延迟; 以及沿光束路径定位并且介于振荡器和光束延迟之间的开关; 所述开关可关闭以使所述光束路径上的至少一部分光从所述光束路径转移，所述开关具有接近时间t1，并且所述光束路径具有沿着从所述开关到所述照射部位的路径的长度L1; 与t1

公开(公告)号：US08138487B2

公开(公告)日：2012-03-20

申请号：US12720190

申请日：2010-03-09

申请人： Georgiy O. Vaschenko ,  William N. Partlo ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  David Brandt ,  Joshua J. Miller

发明人： Georgiy O. Vaschenko ,  William N. Partlo ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  David Brandt ,  Joshua J. Miller

IPC分类号： A61N5/00

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

摘要： A system and method generating an extreme ultraviolet light in an extreme ultraviolet light chamber including a collector mirror, a droplet generation system having a droplet outlet aligned to output a plurality of droplets along a target material path and a first catch including a first open end substantially aligned to the target material path and at least one internal surface oriented toward a second end of the first catch, the second end being opposite from the first open end.

摘要翻译： 一种在包括收集反射镜的极紫外光室中产生极紫外光的系统和方法，具有液滴出口的液滴产生系统，该液滴产生系统沿着目标材料路径排列以输出多个液滴;以及第一捕集器，其基本上包括第一开口端 与目标材料路径对准并且至少一个内表面朝向第一卡扣的第二端定向，第二端与第一开口端相对。