公开(公告)号：US20080019411A1

公开(公告)日：2008-01-24

申请号：US11490386

申请日：2006-07-20

申请人： Norbert Niemoeller ,  Igor Bragin ,  Rainer Paetzel ,  Rustem Osmanow ,  Juergen Witt

发明人： Norbert Niemoeller ,  Igor Bragin ,  Rainer Paetzel ,  Rustem Osmanow ,  Juergen Witt

IPC分类号： H01S3/22

CPC分类号： H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/0305 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/0385

摘要： An excimer laser is disclosed in which a gas-discharge is formed for exciting an excimer-forming lasing-gas mixture. The gas discharge is formed between an elongated anode electrode and a elongated cathode electrode. The anode is in contact with a dielectric surface and the cathode is supported above the dielectric surface, laterally spaced from and parallel to the anode. The gas-discharge has a surface-discharge or sliding discharge portion extending from the anode over the dielectric surface, and a volume-discharge portion connecting the sliding-discharge portion to the cathode. The volume-discharge excites the lasing-gas mixture. A laser resonator is arranged to generate laser radiation from the excited gas mixture. The sliding-discharge has homogeneous, stable characteristics that are inherited by the volume-discharge. An ion-wind generator provides circulation of the lasing-gas mixture through the volume-discharge.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种准分子激光器，其中形成气体放电以激发准分子成型激光气体混合物。 气体放电形成在细长的阳极电极和细长的阴极电极之间。 阳极与电介质表面接触，并且阴极被支撑在电介质表面的上方，与阳极横向间隔开并平行。 气体放电具有从电介质表面上的阳极延伸的表面放电或滑动放电部，以及将滑动放电部连接到阴极的容积放电部。 体积放电激发激光气体混合物。 激光谐振器布置成从激发的气体混合物产生激光辐射。 滑动放电具有由体积放电所遗传的均匀，稳定的特性。 离子风发生器通过体积放电提供激光气体混合物的循环。

公开(公告)号：US20050083984A1

公开(公告)日：2005-04-21

申请号：US10963284

申请日：2004-10-12

申请人： Igor Bragin ,  Rainer Paetzel ,  Juergen Baumler ,  Heiko Diesing ,  Helmer Beulshausen ,  Ulrich Rebhan

发明人： Igor Bragin ,  Rainer Paetzel ,  Juergen Baumler ,  Heiko Diesing ,  Helmer Beulshausen ,  Ulrich Rebhan

IPC分类号： H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/225

CPC分类号： H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/225

摘要： The lifetime of the laser gas in a laser system such as an excimer laser can be increased by changing the way in which the laser system is sealed. In addition to primary seals used to seal the reservoir chamber and discharge channel, at least one secondary seal can be used between the primary seals and the surrounding environment in order to further prevent permeation of impurities into the discharge chamber, as well as to create an intermediate gas volume. A controlled atmosphere can be generated in the intermediate gas volume, which can be at a slightly higher pressure than the surrounding environment in order to resist the flow of impurities through the secondary seal(s). Further, a flow of purge gas can be introduced into the controlled atmosphere in order to carry away any impurities that leak through the secondary seal(s).

摘要翻译： 通过改变激光系统被密封的方式，可以增加诸如准分子激光器之类的激光系统中的激光气体的寿命。 除了用于密封储存室和排出通道的主密封件之外，可以在主密封件和周围环境之间使用至少一个二次密封件，以便进一步防止杂质渗透到排放室中，并且产生 中间气体体积。 可以在中间气体体积中产生受控的气氛，其可以处于比周围环境稍高的压力，以抵抗杂质通过二次密封件的流动。 此外，吹扫气体流可以被引入到受控气氛中，以便携带通过二次密封件泄漏的任何杂质。

公开(公告)号：US20050031004A1

公开(公告)日：2005-02-10

申请号：US10699763

申请日：2003-11-03

申请人： Dirk Basting ,  Sergei Govorkov ,  Rainer Paetzel ,  Igor Bragin ,  Andreas Targsdorf

发明人： Dirk Basting ,  Sergei Govorkov ,  Rainer Paetzel ,  Igor Bragin ,  Andreas Targsdorf

IPC分类号： H01S3/00 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/23

CPC分类号： H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/073 ,  H01S3/09702 ,  H01S3/09713 ,  H01S3/2258

摘要： A Master Oscillator (MO)—Power Amplifier (PA) configuration (MOPA) can be used advantageously in an excimer laser system for micro-lithography applications, where semiconductor manufacturers demand powers of 40 W or more in order to support the throughput requirements of advanced lithography scanner systems. The timing of discharges in discharge chambers of the MO and PA can be precisely controlled using a common pulser to drive the respective chambers. The timing of the discharges further can be controlled through the timing of the pre-ionization in the chambers, or through control of the reset current in the final compression stages of the pulser. A common pulser, or separate pulser circuits, also can be actively controlled in time using a feedback loop, with precision timing being achieved through control of the pre-ionization in each individual discharge chamber. Yet another system provides for real-time compensation of time delay jitter of discharge pulses in the chambers.

摘要翻译： 主振荡器（MO） - 功率放大器（PA）配置（MOPA）可以有利地用于微光刻应用的准分子激光系统，其中半导体制造商需要40W或更高的功率，以支持先进的吞吐量要求 光刻扫描仪系统。 可以使用公共脉冲发生器来精确地控制MO和PA的放电室中的放电定时以驱动各个室。 放电的时间进一步可以通过室内预电离的定时或通过控制脉冲发生器的最终压缩级中的复位电流来控制。 公共脉冲发生器或单独的脉冲发生器电路也可以使用反馈回路在时间上有效地控制，通过在每个单独的放电室中控制预电离来实现精确时序。 另一个系统提供对腔室中的放电脉冲的时间延迟抖动的实时补偿。

公开(公告)号：US06618422B2

公开(公告)日：2003-09-09

申请号：US09863931

申请日：2001-05-22

申请人： Igor Bragin ,  Ulrich Rebhan ,  Uwe Stamm ,  Dirk Basting

发明人： Igor Bragin ,  Ulrich Rebhan ,  Uwe Stamm ,  Dirk Basting

IPC分类号： H01S300

CPC分类号： G03F7/70025 ,  H01S3/0384 ,  H01S3/0385

摘要： A preionization device for a gas laser comprises an internal preionization electrode having a dielectric housing around it and an external preionization electrode displaced from the dielectric housing by a small gap. The dielectric housing includes two cylindrical regions of differing outer radii of curvature. An open end of the housing has a larger radius of curvature than the other end which is closed. The internal electrode connects to circuitry external to the discharge chamber via a conductive feedthrough which penetrates through the housing. The external circuitry prevents voltage oscillations caused by residual energy stored as capacitance in the dielectric housing. The external preionization electrode, which is connected electrically to one of the main discharge electrodes, is formed to shield the internal preionization electrode from the other main discharge electrode to prevent arcing therebetween. The external electrode is also formed to shield the outer gas volume and walls of the discharge chamber from the preionization unit. A semi-transparent external electrode prevents charged particles emanating from the main discharge area from settling on the housing and causing field distortion and discharge instabilities.

摘要翻译： 用于气体激光器的预电离装置包括其周围具有介电壳体的内部预电离电极和通过小间隙从绝缘壳体移位的外部预电离电极。 介电壳体包括具有不同外部曲率半径的两个圆柱形区域。 外壳的开口端具有比封闭的另一端更大的曲率半径。 内部电极通过穿透壳体的导电馈通连接到放电室外部的电路。 外部电路防止由绝缘外壳中的电容存储的剩余能量引起的电压振荡。 与主放电电极之间电连接的外部预电离电极被形成为将内部预电离电极与另一个主放电电极屏蔽，以防止它们之间的电弧。 外部电极也形成为将外部气体体积和排出室的壁与预电离单元进行屏蔽。 半透明外部电极防止从主放电区域发出的带电粒子沉降在壳体上并导致场失真和放电不稳定。

公开(公告)号：US07804879B2

公开(公告)日：2010-09-28

申请号：US11804795

申请日：2007-05-21

申请人： Igor Bragin ,  Vadim Berger

发明人： Igor Bragin ,  Vadim Berger

IPC分类号： H01S3/097

CPC分类号： H01S3/0385 ,  H01S3/225

摘要： A gas discharge laser includes elongated discharge electrodes having an active surface width that varies along the length of the resonator. In one example each of the electrodes is formed by a row of pins having a circular active surface. The pins are diametrically aligned with the active surfaces generally coplanar.

摘要翻译： 气体放电激光器包括具有沿谐振器的长度变化的有源表面宽度的细长放电电极。 在一个示例中，每个电极由具有圆形有源表面的一排销形成。 这些销与活动表面沿径向对齐，大致共面。

公开(公告)号：US07079565B2

公开(公告)日：2006-07-18

申请号：US10727718

申请日：2003-12-04

申请人： Igor Bragin ,  Vadim Berger ,  Oleg Melnikov ,  Konstantin Aab ,  Juergen Baumler

发明人： Igor Bragin ,  Vadim Berger ,  Oleg Melnikov ,  Konstantin Aab ,  Juergen Baumler

IPC分类号： H01S3/097

CPC分类号： H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/09713 ,  H01S3/225

摘要： Arcing can be minimized in a discharge chamber of an excimer or molecular fluorine laser system by utilizing an improved electrode structure. An electrode structure can include at least one ceramic spoiler positioned near the discharge region of the electrode. An insulating ceramic spoiler can reduce the effective area over which arcing can occur, and can reduce the likelihood of arcing by improving the flow of gas between the electrodes, such as by allowing for design flexibility and reducing the necessary height of a nose portion used to control the discharge area of the electrode. An improved blower design, which can utilize improved bearings and a dry film lubricant, can help to circulate the laser gas between the electrode structures, such as at a speed of at least 30 m/s in order to operate the laser at repetition rates of 4 kHz or higher.

摘要翻译： 通过利用改进的电极结构，在准分子或分子氟激光系统的放电室中可以使电弧最小化。 电极结构可以包括位于电极的放电区附近的至少一个陶瓷扰流板。 绝缘陶瓷扰流板可以减少可能发生电弧的有效面积，并且可以通过改善电极之间的气体流动来减少电弧的可能性，例如通过允许设计灵活性并减少用于 控制电极的放电面积。 可以使用改进的轴承和干膜润滑剂的改进的鼓风机设计可以帮助在电极结构之间循环激光气体，例如以至少30m / s的速度循环，以便以重复的速率操作激光 4 kHz或更高。

公开(公告)号：US06987790B2

公开(公告)日：2006-01-17

申请号：US10776137

申请日：2004-02-11

申请人： Sergei V. Govorkov ,  Rainer Paetzel ,  Igor Bragin ,  Rainer Desor ,  Andreas Targsdorf ,  Andriy Knysh

发明人： Sergei V. Govorkov ,  Rainer Paetzel ,  Igor Bragin ,  Rainer Desor ,  Andreas Targsdorf ,  Andriy Knysh

IPC分类号： H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/223 ,  H01S3/097

CPC分类号： H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/09713 ,  H01S3/2366

摘要： Precise timing control can be obtained for a gas discharge laser, such as an excimer or molecular fluorine laser, using a timed trigger ionization. Instead of using a standard approach to control the timing of the emission or amplification of an optical pulse using the discharge of the main electrodes, the timing of which can only be controlled to within about 10 ns, a trigger ionization pulse applied subsequent to the charging of the main electrodes can be used to control the timing of the discharge, thereby decreasing the timing variations to about 1 ns. Since ionization of the laser gas can consume relatively small amounts of energy, such a circuit can be based on a fast, high-voltage, solid state switch that is virtually free of jitter. Trigger ionization also can be used to synchronize the timing of dual chambers in a MOPA configuration. In one such approach, ionization trigger can include at least a portion of the optical pulse from the oscillator in a MOPA configuration.

摘要翻译： 使用定时触发电离可以为气体放电激光器（例如准分子激光或分子氟激光）获得准确的时序控制。 代替使用标准方法来控制使用主电极的放电的光脉冲的发射或放大的定时，其定时只能被控制在约10ns内，在充电之后施加的触发电离脉冲 的主电极可以用于控制放电的定时，从而将定时变化减小到大约1ns。 由于激光气体的离子化可以消耗相对少量的能量，所以这种电路可以基于实际上没有抖动的快速，高电压的固态开关。 触发电离也可用于同步MOPA配置中双室的时序。 在一种这样的方法中，电离触发可以包括来自MOPA配置中的来自振荡器的光脉冲的至少一部分。

公开(公告)号：US06546036B1

公开(公告)日：2003-04-08

申请号：US09587996

申请日：2000-06-06

申请人： Igor Bragin ,  Vadim Berger

发明人： Igor Bragin ,  Vadim Berger

IPC分类号： H01S322

CPC分类号： H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/0384 ,  H01S3/0977

摘要： A method and devices for preionizing the main discharge gas volume of a gas discharge laser are described. The method and devices provide a preionizing discharge to the main gas discharge volume from above or below the main gas discharge volume. In combination with a shielding arrangement which reduces the spread of the preionization discharge other than to the main gas discharge volume, the exposure of other laser components and gas volumes to said preionization discharge is thereby minimized.

摘要翻译： 对气体放电激光器的主放电气体体积进行预处理的方法和装置进行说明。 所述方法和装置从主气体排出容积的上方或下方提供对主气体排出容积的预放电排放。 与除了主气体放电容积之外的减少预除电放电扩散的屏蔽装置相结合，其他激光成分的曝光和气体体积因此被最小化。

公开(公告)号：US20100239748A1

公开(公告)日：2010-09-23

申请号：US12792625

申请日：2010-06-02

申请人： Igor BRAGIN ,  Rustem OSMANOW ,  Jürgen BÄUMLER ,  Michael SEMLING

发明人： Igor BRAGIN ,  Rustem OSMANOW ,  Jürgen BÄUMLER ,  Michael SEMLING

IPC分类号： B05D5/12

CPC分类号： H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/0384 ,  H01S3/0388

摘要： Arcing is minimized in a discharge chamber of a gas laser system by utilizing an electrode which comprises a surface portion capable of functioning as one of an anode and a cathode in order to energize a gas mixture in a discharge chamber of the gas discharge laser system, a shoulder portion being positioned on either side of the surface portion and being exposed to the gas mixture, and a coating layer made of electrically insulating material, wherein the coating layer is attached to the shoulder portion by a cold spraying method.

摘要翻译： 通过利用包括能够用作阳极和阴极之一的表面部分的电极以便对气体放电激光系统的放电室中的气体混合物通电，在气体激光器系统的放电室中使电弧最小化， 肩部位于表面部分的任一侧并暴露于气体混合物，以及由电绝缘材料制成的涂层，其中涂层通过冷喷涂法附着到肩部。

公开(公告)号：US07158553B2

公开(公告)日：2007-01-02

申请号：US10776404

申请日：2004-02-11

申请人： Sergei V. Govorkov ,  Alexander O. Wiessner ,  Rainer Paetzel ,  Igor Bragin

发明人： Sergei V. Govorkov ,  Alexander O. Wiessner ,  Rainer Paetzel ,  Igor Bragin

IPC分类号： H01S3/22

CPC分类号： H01S3/2366 ,  H01S3/10 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2333

摘要： Pulse parameters of a gas discharge laser system can be optimized and controlled for precision applications such as microlithography. Important laser pulse parameters typically vary in the beginning of a pulse burst, and the directionality of the output beam typically varies throughout the burst. In order to improve the performance of the laser system, the variation at the beginning of a pulse burst can be eliminated by extending the pulse pattern and shuttering the output during periods of significant parameter variation. A fast shutter such as an acousto-optical modulator can be used to prevent output during the burst transition processes. Elements such as acousto-optical cells also can be used in combination with a fast position sensor to steer the direction of the output beam, in order to adjust for variations in the direction of the beam between pulses in a burst.

摘要翻译： 可以优化和控制气体放电激光系统的脉冲参数，用于精密应用，如微光刻。 重要的激光脉冲参数通常在脉冲脉冲串的开始时变化，并且输出光束的方向性通常在整个脉冲串中变化。 为了提高激光系统的性能，可以通过在显着的参数变化期间延长脉冲模式并对输出进行快门来消除脉冲脉冲串开始时的变化。 诸如声光调制器之类的快门可用于在突发转换过程期间防止输出。 诸如声光单元的元件也可以与快速位置传感器组合使用以控制输出光束的方向，以便调整在脉冲串中的脉冲之间的波束方向上的变化。