公开(公告)号：US20080267242A1

公开(公告)日：2008-10-30

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： H01S3/225

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：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：US07365349B2

公开(公告)日：2008-04-29

申请号：US11168190

申请日：2005-06-27

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

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

IPC分类号： H01J35/20

CPC分类号： H05G2/003 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  G03F7/70925 ,  G21K1/062 ,  H05G2/005

摘要： An apparatus and method for cleaning a plasma source material compound from a plasma produced EUV light source collector optic which may comprise reacting the plasma source material compound with hydrogen to form a hydride of the plasma source material from the plasma source material contained in the plasma source material compound on the collector optic. The method may further comprise initiating the reacting by introducing hydrogen into a plasma formation chamber containing the collector optic, and may further comprise removing the hydride from the collector optic, e.g., by cleaning plasma action and/or plasma source material sputtering, or other means as may be determined to be effective. An apparatus and method of extending the useful life of a plasma produced EUV light source collector coating layer may comprise in situ replacement of the material of the coating layer by deposition of the coating layer material onto the coating layer.

摘要翻译： 一种用于从等离子体产生的EUV光源收集器光学元件清洗等离子体源材料化合物的装置和方法，其可以包括使等离子体源材料化合物与氢反应以从等离子体源中包含的等离子体源材料形成等离子体源材料的氢化物 收集器光学元件上的材料化合物。 该方法还可以包括通过将氢引入到包含收集器光学元件的等离子体形成室中来引发反应，并且还可以包括例如通过清洗等离子体作用和/或等离子体源材料溅射或其它方法从收集器光学元件中去除氢化物 可能被确定为有效。 延长等离子体产生的EUV光源集电器涂层的使用寿命的装置和方法可包括通过将涂层材料沉积到涂层上来原位置换涂层的材料。

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。

公开(公告)号：US07079564B2

公开(公告)日：2006-07-18

申请号：US11181258

申请日：2005-07-14

申请人： John P. Fallon ,  John A. Rule ,  Robert N. Jacques ,  Jacob P. Lipcon ,  William N. Partlo ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Toshihiko Ishihara ,  John Meisner ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Paul C. Melcher

发明人： John P. Fallon ,  John A. Rule ,  Robert N. Jacques ,  Jacob P. Lipcon ,  William N. Partlo ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Toshihiko Ishihara ,  John Meisner ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Paul C. Melcher

IPC分类号： H01S3/22

CPC分类号： H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/0057 ,  H01S3/08004 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/08031 ,  H01S3/09702 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/0975 ,  H01S3/10038 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2333 ,  H01S3/2366

摘要： The present invention provides a control system for a modular high repetition rate two discharge chamber ultraviolet gas discharge laser. In preferred embodiments, the laser is a production line machine with a master oscillator producing a very narrow band seed beam which is amplified in the second discharge chamber. Novel control features specially adapted for a two-chamber gas discharge laser system include: (1) pulse energy controls, with nanosecond timing precision (2) precision pulse to pulse wavelength controls with high speed and extreme speed wavelength tuning (3) fast response gas temperature control and (4) F2 injection controls with novel learning algorithm.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供了一种用于模块化高重复率两放电室紫外线气体放电激光器的控制系统。 在优选实施例中，激光器是具有主振荡器的生产线机器，该主振荡器产生在第二放电室中放大的非常窄的带状晶体束。 特别适用于双室气体放电激光系统的新型控制特征包括：（1）脉冲能量控制，具有纳秒定时精度（2）精确脉冲到脉冲波长控制，具有高速和极速波长调谐（3）快速响应气体 温度控制和（4）F 2注入控制与新的学习算法。

公开(公告)号：US06704340B2

公开(公告)日：2004-03-09

申请号：US10255806

申请日：2002-09-25

申请人： Alexander I. Ershov ,  William N. Partlo ,  Palash P. Das ,  Laura S. Casas ,  Daniel J. W. Brown

发明人： Alexander I. Ershov ,  William N. Partlo ,  Palash P. Das ,  Laura S. Casas ,  Daniel J. W. Brown

IPC分类号： H01S310

CPC分类号： H01S3/2333 ,  G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/7055 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  G03F7/70933 ,  H01S3/005 ,  H01S3/0057 ,  H01S3/0071 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/0385 ,  H01S3/0404 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/08004 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/0943 ,  H01S3/097 ,  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 ,  H01S3/2366

摘要： The present invention provides a modular high repetition rate ultraviolet gas discharge laser light source for a production line machine. The system includes an enclosed and purged beam path with optical components adjustable from outside of the enclosure without the need to open it. Targets and beam directors are included within the beam path enclosure and are used to judge the quality of alignment. These target and beam directors are located on a moveable mount which is insertable in the beam path for alignment and are removed out of the beam path for normal operation. The positions of the targets and beam directors are controlled from outside the beam path enclosure. In preferred embodiments, the production line machine is a lithography machine and 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. This MOPA system is capable of output pulse energies approximately double the comparable single chamber laser system with greatly improved beam quality. A pulse stretcher more than doubles the output pulse length resulting in a reduction in pulse power (mJ/ns) as compared to prior art laser systems. In a preferred embodiment the beam directors clients laser beam being aligned to a monitor outside the beam path enclosure to permit the normal to image a cross-section of the beam and the target.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供一种用于生产线机器的模块化高重复率紫外线气体放电激光源。 该系统包括封闭和清洗的光束路径，光学元件可从外壳外部调节，无需打开。 目标和光束导向器包含在光束路径外壳内，用于判断对准的质量。 这些目标和光束指向器位于可移动的安装件上，该安装件可插入到光束路径中用于对准，并且被移出光束路径以用于正常操作。 目标和光束导向器的位置由光束外壳外部控制。 在优选实施例中，生产线机器是光刻机，并且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。 该MOPA系统能够以大大提高的光束质量将输出脉冲能量大约增加到相当的单室激光器系统的两倍。 与现有技术的激光系统相比，脉冲放大器使输出脉冲长度加倍，导致脉冲功率（mJ / ns）的降低。 在优选实施例中，光束导向器将激光束与射束路径外部的监视器对准，以允许对光束和靶的横截面进行法向成像。

公开(公告)号：US20120002687A1

公开(公告)日：2012-01-05

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： H01S3/10

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：USRE42588E1

公开(公告)日：2011-08-02

申请号：US11352522

申请日：2006-02-10

申请人： John P. Fallon ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  William N. Partlo ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Toshihiko Ishihara ,  John Meisner ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Paul C. Melcher ,  John A. Rule ,  Robert N. Jacques

发明人： John P. Fallon ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  William N. Partlo ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Toshihiko Ishihara ,  John Meisner ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Paul C. Melcher ,  John A. Rule ,  Robert N. Jacques

IPC分类号： H01S3/22

CPC分类号： H01S3/2333 ,  G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  G03F7/70933 ,  H01S3/0057 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/0385 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/08004 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/08036 ,  H01S3/0943 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/09702 ,  H01S3/09705 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/0975 ,  H01S3/104 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S3/1305 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/139 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/2207 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2256 ,  H01S3/2258 ,  H01S3/2366

摘要： The present invention provides a control system for a modular high repetition rate two discharge chamber ultraviolet gas discharge laser. In preferred embodiments, the laser is a production line machine with a master oscillator producing a very narrow band seed beam which is amplified in the second discharge chamber. Feedback timing control techniques are provided for controlling the relative timing of the discharges in the two chambers with an accuracy in the range of about 2 to 5 billionths of a second even in burst mode operation. This MOPA system is capable of output pulse energies approximately double the comparable single chamber laser system with greatly improved beam quality.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供了一种用于模块化高重复率两放电室紫外线气体放电激光器的控制系统。 在优选实施例中，激光器是具有主振荡器的生产线机器，该主振荡器产生在第二放电室中放大的非常窄的带状晶体束。 提供了反馈定时控制技术，即使在脉冲串模式操作中，也可以精确地控制两个室中的放电的相对定时，其精确度在大约2至50亿分之一秒的范围内。 该MOPA系统能够以大大提高的光束质量将输出脉冲能量大约增加到相当的单室激光器系统的两倍。

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：US07822092B2

公开(公告)日：2010-10-26

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： H01S3/22

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.

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。