公开(公告)号：US6128323A

公开(公告)日：2000-10-03

申请号：US157067

申请日：1998-09-18

申请人： David W. Myers ,  Herve A. Besaucele ,  Palash P. Das ,  Thomas P. Duffey ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Thomas Hofmann ,  Richard G. Morton ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Peter C. Newman ,  Robert G. Ozarski ,  Gamaralalage G. Padmabandu ,  William N. Partlo ,  Daniel A. Rothweil ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Paul S. Thompson ,  Richard C. Ujazdowski ,  Tom A. Watson ,  R. Kyle Webb ,  Paolo Zambon

发明人： David W. Myers ,  Herve A. Besaucele ,  Palash P. Das ,  Thomas P. Duffey ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Thomas Hofmann ,  Richard G. Morton ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Peter C. Newman ,  Robert G. Ozarski ,  Gamaralalage G. Padmabandu ,  William N. Partlo ,  Daniel A. Rothweil ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Paul S. Thompson ,  Richard C. Ujazdowski ,  Tom A. Watson ,  R. Kyle Webb ,  Paolo Zambon

IPC分类号： G03F7/20 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/08 ,  H01S3/081 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/139 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H03K3/57 ,  H03K17/80 ,  H01S3/00

CPC分类号： G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70358 ,  G03F7/70558 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H03K17/80 ,  H03K3/57 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/0812 ,  H01S3/1392 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2256

摘要： The present invention provides a reliable modular production quality excimer laser capable of producing 10 mJ laser pulses at 2000 Hz with a full width half, maximum bandwidth of about 0.6 pm or less. Replaceable modules include a laser chamber; a pulse power system comprised of three modules; an optical resonator comprised of a line narrowing module and an output coupler module; a wavemeter module, an electrical control module, a cooling water module and a gas control module. Improvements in the laser chamber permitting the higher pulse rates and improved bandwidth performance include a single upstream preionizer tube and a high efficiency chamber. The chamber is designed for operation at lower fluorine concentration. Important improvements have been provided in the pulse power unit to produce faster rise time and improved pulse energy control. These improvements include an increased capacity high voltage power supply with a voltage bleed-down circuit for precise voltage trimming, an improved commutation module that generates a high voltage pulse from the capacitors charged by the high voltage power supply and amplifies the pulse voltage 23 times with a very fast voltage transformer having a secondary winding consisting of a single four-segment stainless steel rod. A novel design for the compression head saturable inductor greatly reduces the quantity of transformer oil required and virtually eliminates the possibility of oil leakage which in the past has posed a hazard.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供了一种可靠的模块化生产质量准分子激光器，其能够在2000Hz下产生10mJ激光脉冲，全宽度为一半，最大带宽为约0.6μm或更小。 可更换模块包括激光室; 由三个模块组成的脉冲电源系统; 光学谐振器，包括线窄模块和输出耦合器模块; 波形计模块，电气控制模块，冷却水模块和气体控制模块。 允许更高脉冲速率和改进的带宽性能的激光室的改进包括单个上游预分解器管和高效室。 该室设计用于在较低的氟浓度下运行。 在脉冲功率单元中已经提供了重要的改进，以产生更快的上升时间和改进的脉冲能量控制。 这些改进包括增加容量的高压电源，具有用于精确电压调整的电压降低电路，改进的换向模块，其从由高压电源充电的电容器产生高电压脉冲，并用脉冲电压放大23次 具有由单个四段不锈钢棒组成的次级绕组的非常快速的电压互感器。 用于压缩头可饱和电感器的新颖设计大大减少了所需的变压器油的数量，并且几乎消除了过去漏油的可能性。

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：US06392743B1

公开(公告)日：2002-05-21

申请号：US09515974

申请日：2000-02-29

申请人： Paolo Zambon ,  Gamaralalage G. Padmabandu ,  Tom A. Watson ,  Palash P. Das

发明人： Paolo Zambon ,  Gamaralalage G. Padmabandu ,  Tom A. Watson ,  Palash P. Das

IPC分类号： G03B2772

CPC分类号： G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70525 ,  G03F7/70558 ,  H01S3/1022 ,  H01S3/1024 ,  H01S3/1305

摘要： A lithograph quality optimization process for controlling laser beam parameters when changing operating modes. The laser is programmed to automatically conduct an optimization procedure preferably in less than one minute to adjust laser operating parameters such as blower speed, total gas pressure and F2 partial pressure in order to optimize beam quality parameters.

摘要翻译： 用于在改变工作模式时控制激光束参数的光刻胶质量优化过程。 激光器被编程为优选在不到一分钟内自动进行优化程序以调整激光器操作参数，例如鼓风机速度，总气体压力和F2分压，以优化光束质量参数。

公开(公告)号：US07079556B2

公开(公告)日：2006-07-18

申请号：US10670406

申请日：2003-09-24

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

IPC分类号： H01S3/09 ,  H01S3/10

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.

摘要翻译： 一种用于放电激光器带宽控制的技术。 提供线窄设备具有至少一个压电驱动器和快速带宽检测装置以及具有小于约1.0毫秒的时间响应的带宽控制。 在优选实施例中，波长调谐镜在非常窄的转角范围内以每秒超过500次抖动的抖动速率抖动，以使标称波长值的抖动产生期望的一系列激光脉冲的有效带宽。

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：US06320892B1

公开(公告)日：2001-11-20

申请号：US09420297

申请日：1999-10-18

申请人： Gamaralalage G. Padmabandu ,  Palash P. Das ,  Tom A. Watson ,  Paolo Zambon

发明人： Gamaralalage G. Padmabandu ,  Palash P. Das ,  Tom A. Watson ,  Paolo Zambon

IPC分类号： H01S3223

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

摘要： An excimer laser system with an automatic fluorine control system to permit precise control of the fluorine concentration within an F2 “sweet spot” in a gas discharge laser chamber. This is done with a computer control system which monitors laser parameters, determines &Dgr;E/&Dgr;V, the change of pulse energy with voltage, and automatically and precisely controls the fluorine concentration based on &Dgr;E/&Dgr;V without the need to actually measure the fluorine concentration. The present invention is especially useful in lithography environments in which photo resist having a wide range of sensitivity are used. The present invention permits operation of the laser at substantially maximum efficiency over a wide range of pulse energy outputs.

摘要翻译： 一种具有自动氟控制系统的准分子激光系统，用于在气体放电激光室中精确控制F2“甜点”内的氟浓度。 这是通过电脑控制系统进行的，该系统监视激光参数，确定DELTAE / DELTAV，脉冲能量随电压的变化，并且可以根据DELTAE / DELTAV自动精确控制氟浓度，而无需实际测量氟浓度。 本发明在使用具有宽灵敏度范围的光刻胶的光刻环境中特别有用。 本发明允许激光器在宽范围的脉冲能量输出上以基本最大的效率进行操作。

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。