公开(公告)号：US06721340B1

公开(公告)日：2004-04-13

申请号：US09608543

申请日：2000-06-30

申请人： Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Armen Kroyan ,  Jesse D. Buck ,  Palash P. Das ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Frederick G. Erie ,  John M. Algots ,  Gamaralalage G. Padmabandu

发明人： Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Armen Kroyan ,  Jesse D. Buck ,  Palash P. Das ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Frederick G. Erie ,  John M. Algots ,  Gamaralalage G. Padmabandu

IPC分类号： H01S310

CPC分类号： G03F7/70575 ,  G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70333 ,  G03F7/70933 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/0385 ,  H01S3/0404 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/0975 ,  H01S3/104 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/13 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/2207 ,  H01S3/225

摘要： A technique for bandwidth control of an electric discharge laser. Line narrowing equipment is provided having at least one piezoelectric drive and a fast bandwidth detection means and a bandwidth control having a time response of less than about 1.0 millisecond. In a preferred embodiment wavelength tuning mirror is dithered at dither rates of more than 500 dithers per second within a very narrow range of pivot angles to cause a dither in nominal wavelength values to produce a desired effective bandwidth of series of laser pulses.

公开(公告)号：US6078599A

公开(公告)日：2000-06-20

申请号：US898630

申请日：1997-07-22

申请人： George J. Everage ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Palash P. Das ,  Richard L. Sandstrom

发明人： George J. Everage ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Palash P. Das ,  Richard L. Sandstrom

IPC分类号： H01S3/104 ,  G03F7/20 ,  H01S3/00 ,  H01S3/13 ,  H01S3/131 ,  H01S3/137 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/10

CPC分类号： G03F7/70575 ,  G03F7/70333 ,  H01S3/13 ,  H01S3/225

摘要： A wavelength shift correction system for a laser system is provided for correcting wavelength chirps. This wavelength shift correction system includes a learning algorithm that learns characteristics of a wavelength chirp from a laser and a computer system that executes the learning algorithm and provides wavelength correction control signals based on the learned characteristics to reduce the magnitude of the wavelength shift of the present wavelength chirp and subsequent wavelength chirps.

摘要翻译： 提供用于激光系统的波长偏移校正系统用于校正波长线性调频脉冲。 该波长偏移校正系统包括学习算法，其学习来自激光器的波长啁啾特性和执行学习算法的计算机系统，并且基于所学习的特征提供波长校正控制信号，以减小本发明的波长偏移的幅度 波长啁啾和随后的波长啁啾。

公开(公告)号：US6067306A

公开(公告)日：2000-05-23

申请号：US81374

申请日：1998-05-19

申请人： Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Palash P. Das ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Herve A. Besaucele ,  Robert G. Ozarski

发明人： Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Palash P. Das ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Herve A. Besaucele ,  Robert G. Ozarski

IPC分类号： G03F7/20 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/08 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/00

CPC分类号： G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70358 ,  G03F7/70558 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2256

摘要： A laser-illuminated wafer-exposing system such as a stepper or scanner having a first light intensity detector located within the exposing system near a mask and second light intensity detector located near the output of the laser. A feedback control system controls the output of the laser based on signals detected by at least one of the detectors. The feedback control system includes a processor programmed with an algorithm which is used to control the laser discharge voltage in order to provide light pulses having desired intensity at the mask with the laser operating in a burst mode. The algorithm utilizes at least the following parameters; a previously measured pulse energy, a calculated energy error, a calculated dose error, a value for the rate of change of pulse energy with voltage, and at least one reference voltage. In a preferred embodiment the algorithm uses the pulse energy measured with the light intensity detector located near the mark to provide the feedback control and uses the light intensity detector at the output of the laser to assure that the output of the laser is maintained within a predetermined range.

摘要翻译： 激光照射的晶片曝光系统，例如步进器或扫描仪，其具有位于掩模附近的曝光系统内的第一光强度检测器和位于激光器输出附近的第二光强度检测器。 反馈控制系统基于由至少一个检测器检测到的信号来控制激光器的输出。 反馈控制系统包括用算法编程的处理器，该算法用于控制激光放电电压，以在激光器以突发模式工作的情况下在掩模处提供具有期望强度的光脉冲。 该算法至少使用以下参数; 先前测量的脉冲能量，计算的能量误差，计算的剂量误差，脉冲能量随电压的变化率的值和至少一个参考电压。 在优选实施例中，算法使用位于标记附近的光强度检测器测量的脉冲能量来提供反馈控制，并且在激光器的输出处使用光强度检测器，以确保激光器的输出保持在预定的 范围。

公开(公告)号：US06671294B2

公开(公告)日：2003-12-30

申请号：US09918773

申请日：2001-07-27

申请人： Armen Kroyan ,  Ivan Lalovic ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Palash P. Das ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  John M. Algots ,  Khurshid Ahmed

发明人： Armen Kroyan ,  Ivan Lalovic ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Palash P. Das ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  John M. Algots ,  Khurshid Ahmed

IPC分类号： H01S310

CPC分类号： G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70333 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  G03F7/70933 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/0385 ,  H01S3/0404 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/08036 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/0975 ,  H01S3/1024 ,  H01S3/104 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/13 ,  H01S3/1305 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/139 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/2207 ,  H01S3/223 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2256 ,  H01S3/2258 ,  H01S3/2308

摘要： An integrated circuit lithography technique called spectral engineering by Applicants, for bandwidth control of an electric discharge laser. In a preferred process, a computer model is used to model lithographic parameters to determine a desired laser spectrum needed to produce a desired lithographic result. A fast responding tuning mechanism is then used to adjust center wavelength of laser pulses in a burst of pulses to achieve an integrated spectrum for the burst of pulses approximating the desired laser spectrum. The laser beam bandwidth is controlled to produce an effective beam spectrum having at least two spectral peaks in order to produce improved pattern resolution in photo resist film. Line narrowing equipment is provided having at least one piezoelectric drive and a fast bandwidth detection control system having a time response of less than about 2.0 millisecond. In a preferred embodiment, a wavelength tuning mirror is dithered at dither rates of more than 500 dithers per second in phase with the repetition rate of the laser. In one case, the piezoelectric drive was driven with a square wave signal and in a second case it was driven with a sine wave signal. In another embodiment, the maximum displacement was matched on a one-to-one basis with the laser pulses in order to produce a desired average spectrum with two peaks for a series of laser pulses. Other preferred embodiments utilize three separate wavelength tuning positions producing a spectrum with three separate peaks.

公开(公告)号：US06529531B1

公开(公告)日：2003-03-04

申请号：US09597812

申请日：2000-06-19

申请人： George J. Everage ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Palash P. Das ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Frederick G. Erie ,  John M. Algots

发明人： George J. Everage ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Palash P. Das ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Frederick G. Erie ,  John M. Algots

IPC分类号： H01S310

CPC分类号： G03F7/70333 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  G03F7/70933 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/104 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/13 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/139 ,  H01S3/225

摘要： Electric discharge laser with fast chirp correction. Fast wavelength chirp correction equipment includes at least one piezoelectric drive and a fast wavelength detection means and has a feedback response time of less than 1.0 millisecond. In a preferred embodiment a simple learning algorithm is described to allow advance tuning mirror adjustment in anticipation of the learned chirp pattern. Techniques include a combination of a relatively slow stepper motor and a very fast piezoelectric driver. In another preferred embodiment chirp correction is made on a pulse-to-pulse basis where the wavelength of one pulse is measured and the wavelength of the next pulse is corrected based on the measurement. This correction technique is able to function at repetition rates as rapid as 2000 Hz and greater.

摘要翻译： 具有快速啁啾校正的放电激光器。 快速波长啁啾校正装置包括至少一个压电驱动器和快速波长检测装置，并具有小于1.0毫秒的反馈响应时间。 在优选实施例中，描述了一种简单的学习算法，以便在预期学习的啁啾模式中允许预调谐镜调节。 技术包括相对较慢的步进电机和非常快的压电驱动器的组合。 在另一个优选实施例中，在脉冲对脉冲基础上进行啁啾校正，其中测量一个脉冲的波长，并且基于测量校正下一个脉冲的波长。 该校正技术能够以2000Hz及更高​​的重复速率工作。

公开(公告)号：US20100294953A1

公开(公告)日：2010-11-25

申请号：US12721317

申请日：2010-03-10

申请人： Georgiy O. Vaschenko ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Richard L. Sandstrom

发明人： Georgiy O. Vaschenko ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Richard L. Sandstrom

IPC分类号： H05G2/00

CPC分类号： B82Y10/00 ,  G03F7/70033 ,  H05G2/003 ,  H05G2/005 ,  H05G2/006 ,  H05G2/008

摘要： A device is disclosed herein which may include a plasma generating system comprising a source of target material droplets and a laser producing a beam irradiating the droplets at an irradiation region, the plasma producing EUV radiation, wherein the droplet source comprises a fluid exiting an orifice and a sub-system producing a disturbance in the fluid which generates droplets having differing initial velocities causing the spacing between at least some adjacent droplets to decrease as the droplets travel to the irradiation region.

摘要翻译： 本文公开了一种装置，其可以包括等离子体产生系统，其包括目标材料液滴源和产生在照射区域照射液滴的光束的激光器，等离子体产生EUV辐射，其中液滴源包括离开孔口的流体， 产生流体中的扰动的子系统产生具有不同初始速度的液滴，导致至少一些相邻液滴之间的间隔随着液滴行进到照射区域而减小。

公开(公告)号：US06704339B2

公开(公告)日：2004-03-09

申请号：US10233253

申请日：2002-08-30

申请人： Leonard Lublin ,  David J. Warkentin ,  Palash P. Das ,  Brian C. Klene ,  R. Kyle Webb ,  Herve A. Besaucele ,  Ronald L. Spangler ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Shahryar Rokni

发明人： Leonard Lublin ,  David J. Warkentin ,  Palash P. Das ,  Brian C. Klene ,  R. Kyle Webb ,  Herve A. Besaucele ,  Ronald L. Spangler ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Shahryar Rokni

IPC分类号： H01S3101

CPC分类号： H01S3/005 ,  G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/7055 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  G03F7/70933 ,  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 ,  H01S3/11 ,  H01S3/1305 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/139 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/2207 ,  H01S3/223 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2256 ,  H01S3/2258 ,  H01S3/2333 ,  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 beam pointing control for delivery the laser beam to a desired location such as the entrance port of the production line machine. 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. This preferred embodiment is capable of providing illumination at a lithography system wafer plane which is approximately constant throughout the operating life of the lithography system, despite substantial degradation of optical components.

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。 该系统包括具有光束指向控制的封闭和清除的光束路径，用于将激光束传送到期望的位置，例如生产线机器的入口。 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。 该优选实施例能够在光刻系统晶片平面处提供照明，其在光刻系统的整个使用寿命期间大致恒定，尽管光学部件的实质性劣化。

公开(公告)号：US06603549B2

公开(公告)日：2003-08-05

申请号：US09931726

申请日：2001-08-16

申请人： Steven F. Haas ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Thomas Hofmann ,  Alexander I. Ershov

发明人： Steven F. Haas ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Thomas Hofmann ,  Alexander I. Ershov

IPC分类号： G01J318

CPC分类号： G01J3/26 ,  G01J1/4257 ,  G01J3/02 ,  G01J3/027 ,  G01J3/12 ,  G01J3/1809 ,  G01J3/22 ,  G01J3/28 ,  G01J9/02

摘要： A simple, reliable, easy to use method for calculating bandwidth data of very narrow band laser beams based on bandwidth data obtained with a spectrometer in circumstances where the laser bandwidths are not large compared to the slit function of the spectrometer. The slit function of the spectrometer is determined. Spectral data of the laser beam is measured with the spectrometer to produce a measured laser beam spectrum which represents a convolution of the laser beam spectrum and the spectrometer slit function. This measured laser spectrum is then mathematically convolved with the slit function of the spectrometer to produce a doubly convolved spectrum. Bandwidth values representing true laser bandwidths are determined from measured laser spectrum and the doubly convolved spectrum. Preferably the true laser bandwidths are calculated by determining the difference between “twice a measured laser bandwidth” and a corresponding “doubly convolved bandwidth”. This method provides an excellent estimate of the true laser bandwidth because “twice the measured laser bandwidth” represents two laser bandwidths and two spectrometer slit function bandwidths and the “doubly convolved bandwidth” represents one laser bandwidth and two spectrometer slit function bandwidths. Thus, the difference is a representation of the true laser bandwidth. In a preferred embodiment the bandwidth parameters measured are the full width half-maximum bandwidth and the 95% integral bandwidth.

公开(公告)号：US08158960B2

公开(公告)日：2012-04-17

申请号：US12721317

申请日：2010-03-10

申请人： Georgiy O. Vaschenko ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Richard L. Sandstrom

发明人： Georgiy O. Vaschenko ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Richard L. Sandstrom

IPC分类号： H01J49/00

CPC分类号： B82Y10/00 ,  G03F7/70033 ,  H05G2/003 ,  H05G2/005 ,  H05G2/006 ,  H05G2/008

摘要： A device is disclosed herein which may include a plasma generating system comprising a source of target material droplets and a laser producing a beam irradiating the droplets at an irradiation region, the plasma producing EUV radiation, wherein the droplet source comprises a fluid exiting an orifice and a sub-system producing a disturbance in the fluid which generates droplets having differing initial velocities causing the spacing between at least some adjacent droplets to decrease as the droplets travel to the irradiation region.

摘要翻译： 本文公开了一种装置，其可以包括等离子体产生系统，其包括目标材料液滴源和产生在照射区域照射液滴的光束的激光器，等离子体产生EUV辐射，其中液滴源包括离开孔口的流体， 产生流体中的扰动的子系统产生具有不同初始速度的液滴，导致至少一些相邻液滴之间的间隔随着液滴行进到照射区域而减小。

公开(公告)号：US06914919B2

公开(公告)日：2005-07-05

申请号：US10187336

申请日：2002-06-28

申请人： Tom A. Watson ,  Richard C. Ujazdowski ,  Alex P. Ivaschenko ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Robert A. Shannon ,  R. Kyle Webb ,  Frederick A. Palenschat ,  Thomas Hofmann ,  Curtis L. Rettig ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Paul C. Melcher ,  Alexander I. Ershov

发明人： Tom A. Watson ,  Richard C. Ujazdowski ,  Alex P. Ivaschenko ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Robert A. Shannon ,  R. Kyle Webb ,  Frederick A. Palenschat ,  Thomas Hofmann ,  Curtis L. Rettig ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Paul C. Melcher ,  Alexander I. Ershov

IPC分类号： H01S3/134 ,  G03F7/20 ,  H01S3/00 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/04 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/08 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/0975 ,  H01S3/102 ,  H01S3/104 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/11 ,  H01S3/13 ,  H01S3/131 ,  H01S3/137 ,  H01S3/139 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/223 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/23 ,  H01S3/10

CPC分类号： H01S3/0385 ,  G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70333 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  G03F7/70933 ,  H01S3/0057 ,  H01S3/0071 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/0387 ,  H01S3/0404 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/08036 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/09702 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/0975 ,  H01S3/1024 ,  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： The present invention provides gas discharge laser systems capable of reliable long-term operation in a production line capacity at repetition rates in the range of 6,000 to 10,0000 pulses power second. Preferred embodiments are configured as KrF, ArF and F2 lasers used for light sources for integrated circuit lithography. Improvements include a modified high voltage power supply capable for charging an initial capacitor of a magnetic compression pulse power system to precise target voltages 6,000 to 10,0000 times per second and a feedback control for monitoring pulse energy and determining the target voltages on a pulse-by-pulse basis. Several techniques are disclosed for removing discharge created debris from the discharge region between the laser electrodes during the intervals between discharges. In one embodiment the width of the discharge region is reduced from about 3 mm to about 1 mm so that a gas circulation system designed for 4,000 Hz operation could be utilized for 10,000 Hz operation. In other embodiments the gas flow between the electrodes is increased sufficiently to permit 10,000 Hz operation with a discharge region width of 3 mm. To provide these substantial increased gas flow rates, Applicants have disclosed preferred embodiments utilize tangential forms of the prior art but with improved and more powerful motors and novel bearing designs. New bearing designs include both ceramic bearings and magnetic bearings. In other embodiments, some or all of the gas circulation power is provided with a blower located outside the laser chamber. The outside blower can be located in the laser cabinet or in separate location.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供一种气体放电激光系统，其能够以6,000至1000000次脉冲功率秒的重复频率在生产线容量中可靠地长期运行。 优选的实施例被配置为用于集成电路光刻的光源的KrF，ArF和F 2 N 2激光器。 改进包括一种改进的高压电源，其能够将磁压缩脉冲电源系统的初始电容器充电至每秒精确的目标电压6,000至10,0000次，以及用于监视脉冲能量的反馈控制以及确定脉冲 - 逐脉冲基础。 公开了用于在放电间隔期间从激光电极之间的放电区域去除产生的碎屑的几种技术。 在一个实施例中，放电区域的宽度从约3mm减小至约1mm，使得设计用于4000Hz操作的气体循环系统可用于10,000Hz操作。 在其他实施例中，电极之间的气流充分增加，以允许10,000Hz的操作，放电区域宽度为3mm。 为了提供这些显着增加的气体流速，申请人已经公开了使用现有技术的切向形式的优选实施例，但是具有改进的和更强大的电动机和新颖的轴承设计。 新的轴承设计包括陶瓷轴承和磁性轴承。 在其他实施例中，一些或全部气体循环动力设置有位于激光室外部的鼓风机。 外部鼓风机可以位于激光柜内或分开的位置。