公开(公告)号：US06442181B1

公开(公告)日：2002-08-27

申请号：US09684629

申请日：2000-10-06

申请人： I. Roger Oliver ,  William N. Partlo ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Stuart L. Anderson ,  Alex P. Ivaschenko ,  James K. Howey ,  Vladimir Kulgeyko ,  Jean-Marc Hueber ,  Daniel L. Birx

发明人： I. Roger Oliver ,  William N. Partlo ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Stuart L. Anderson ,  Alex P. Ivaschenko ,  James K. Howey ,  Vladimir Kulgeyko ,  Jean-Marc Hueber ,  Daniel L. Birx

IPC分类号： H01S310

CPC分类号： G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70333 ,  G03F7/70483 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  G03F7/70933 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/0385 ,  H01S3/0404 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/08036 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/09702 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/0975 ,  H01S3/104 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/2207 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H03K3/57 ,  H03K17/80

摘要： A gas discharge laser capable of operating at pulse rates in the range of 4,000 Hz to 6,000 Hz at pulse energies in the range of 5 mJ to 10 mJ or greater. Important improvements over prior art designs include: (1) a laser chamber having a gas flow path with a gradually increasing cross section downstream of the discharge electrodes to permit recovery a large percentage of the pressure drop in the discharge region, (2) a squirrel cage type fan for producing gas velocities through the discharge region of more than 76 m/s and capable of continuous trouble-free operation for several months, (3) a heat exchanger system capable of removing in excess of 16 kw of heat energy from the laser gas (4) a pulse power system capable of providing precisely controlled electrical pulses to the electrodes needed to produce laser pulses at the desired pulse energies in the range of 5 mJ to 10 mJ or greater at pulse repetition rates in the range of 4,000 Hz to 6,000 Hz or greater and (5) a laser beam measurement and control system capable of measuring pulse energy wavelength and bandwidth on a pulse-to-pulse laser with feedback pulse-to-pulse control of pulse energy and wavelength.

摘要翻译： 一种气体放电激光器，能够以5mJ至10mJ或更大的脉冲能量在4000Hz至6,000Hz的脉冲频率下工作。 与现有技术设计相比，重要的改进包括：（1）具有在放电电极下游具有逐渐增加的横截面的气体流动路径的激光室，以允许在放电区域中恢复大部分的压降，（2）松鼠 通过排气区域超过76m / s产生气体速度的笼式风扇，能够连续无故障运行数月，（3）能够从其中除去超过16kw的热能的热交换器系统 激光气体（4）脉冲电力系统，能够在脉冲重复频率为4,000Hz时以5mJ至10mJ或更大的范围内以期望的脉冲能量产生激光脉冲所需的电极提供精确控制的电脉冲 至6,000Hz以上，（5）激光束测量和控制系统，其能够测量脉冲到脉冲激光器上的脉冲能量波长和带宽，其中反馈脉冲至脉冲控制脉冲 能量和波长。

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：US06757316B2

公开(公告)日：2004-06-29

申请号：US09854097

申请日：2001-05-11

申请人： Peter C. Newman ,  Thomas P. Duffey ,  William N. Partlo ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Paul C. Melcher ,  David M. Johns ,  Robert B. Saethre ,  Vladimir B. Fleurov ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Curtis L. Rettig ,  Robert A. Shannon ,  Richard C. Ujazdowski ,  Shahryar Rokni ,  Xiaojiang J. Pan ,  Vladimir Kulgeyko ,  Scott T. Smith ,  Stuart L. Anderson ,  John M. Algots ,  Ronald L. Spangler ,  Igor V. Fomenkov

发明人： Peter C. Newman ,  Thomas P. Duffey ,  William N. Partlo ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Paul C. Melcher ,  David M. Johns ,  Robert B. Saethre ,  Vladimir B. Fleurov ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Curtis L. Rettig ,  Robert A. Shannon ,  Richard C. Ujazdowski ,  Shahryar Rokni ,  Xiaojiang J. Pan ,  Vladimir Kulgeyko ,  Scott T. Smith ,  Stuart L. Anderson ,  John M. Algots ,  Ronald L. Spangler ,  Igor V. Fomenkov

IPC分类号： H01S322

CPC分类号： H01S3/225 ,  G01J1/4257 ,  G01J3/027 ,  G01J9/0246 ,  G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70333 ,  G03F7/70483 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  G03F7/70933 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/0385 ,  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 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2256 ,  H01S3/2258 ,  H01S3/2308

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：US06795474B2

公开(公告)日：2004-09-21

申请号：US10000991

申请日：2001-11-14

申请人： William N. Partlo ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Holzer K. Glatzel ,  Raymond F. Cybulski ,  Peter C. Newman ,  James K. Howey ,  William G. Hulburd ,  John T. Melchior ,  Alex P. Ivaschenko

发明人： William N. Partlo ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Holzer K. Glatzel ,  Raymond F. Cybulski ,  Peter C. Newman ,  James K. Howey ,  William G. Hulburd ,  John T. Melchior ,  Alex P. Ivaschenko

IPC分类号： H01S322

CPC分类号： G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  G03F7/70933 ,  H01S3/0057 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/0385 ,  H01S3/0401 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/08036 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/0975 ,  H01S3/1024 ,  H01S3/104 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/1305 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/139 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/2207 ,  H01S3/223 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2256 ,  H01S3/2258 ,  H01S3/2366

摘要： An excimer laser with a purged beam path capable of producing a high quality pulsed laser beam at pulse rates in excess of 2,000 Hz at pulse energies of about 5 mJ or greater. The entire purged beam path through the laser system is sealed to minimize contamination of the beam path. A preferred embodiment comprises a thermally decoupled LNP aperture element to minimize thermal distortions in the LNP. This preferred embodiment is an ArF excimer laser specifically designed as a light source for integrated circuit lithography. An improved wavemeter is provided with a special purge of a compartment exposed to the output laser beam.

摘要翻译： 具有清除光束路径的准分子激光器，其能够以大约5mJ或更大的脉冲能量产生超过2000Hz的脉冲速率的高质量脉冲激光束。 通过激光系统的整个清除的光束路径被密封以最小化光束路径的污染。 优选实施例包括热去耦LNP孔元件以最小化LNP中的热失真。 该优选实施例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。 改进的波形计提供了暴露于输出激光束的隔室的特殊吹扫。

公开(公告)号：US6018537A

公开(公告)日：2000-01-25

申请号：US273446

申请日：1999-03-19

申请人： Thomas Hofmann ,  Jean-Marc Hueber ,  Palash P. Das ,  Toshihiko Ishihara ,  Thomas P. Duffey ,  John T. Melchior ,  Herve A. Besaucele ,  Richard G. Morton ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Peter C. Newman ,  William N. Partlo ,  Daniel A. Rothweil ,  Richard L. Sandstrom

发明人： Thomas Hofmann ,  Jean-Marc Hueber ,  Palash P. Das ,  Toshihiko Ishihara ,  Thomas P. Duffey ,  John T. Melchior ,  Herve A. Besaucele ,  Richard G. Morton ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Peter C. Newman ,  William N. Partlo ,  Daniel A. Rothweil ,  Richard L. Sandstrom

IPC分类号： G01J9/00 ,  G03F7/20 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/08 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/223 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/10

CPC分类号： G03F7/70025 ,  G01J9/00 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70358 ,  G03F7/70558 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/223 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/09713 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2256

摘要： The present invention provides a reliable modular production quality excimer laser capable of producing 10 mJ laser pulses in the range of 1000 Hz to 2000 Hz or greater. 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. 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： 本发明提供了可产生1000Hz至2000Hz或更大范围内的10mJ激光脉冲的可靠的模块化生产质量准分子激光器。 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。 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：USRE38054E1

公开(公告)日：2003-04-01

申请号：US09801383

申请日：2001-03-07

申请人： Thomas Hofmann ,  Jean-Marc Hueber ,  Palash P. Das ,  Toshihiko Ishihara ,  Thomas P. Duffey ,  John T. Melchior ,  Herve A. Besaucele ,  Richard G. Morton ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Peter C. Newman ,  William N. Partlo ,  Daniel A. Rothweil ,  Richard L. Sandstrom

发明人： Thomas Hofmann ,  Jean-Marc Hueber ,  Palash P. Das ,  Toshihiko Ishihara ,  Thomas P. Duffey ,  John T. Melchior ,  Herve A. Besaucele ,  Richard G. Morton ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Peter C. Newman ,  William N. Partlo ,  Daniel A. Rothweil ,  Richard L. Sandstrom

IPC分类号： H01S310

CPC分类号： C23C14/225 ,  C23C14/0694 ,  C23C14/16 ,  C23C14/24 ,  G01J9/00 ,  G02B1/105 ,  G02B5/1852 ,  G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70358 ,  G03F7/70558 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/1392 ,  H01S3/223 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2256 ,  H03K3/57 ,  H03K17/80

摘要： The present invention provides a reliable modular production quality excimer laser capable of producing 10 mJ laser pulses in the range of 1000 Hz to 2000 Hz or greater. 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. 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 communication 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： 本发明提供了可产生1000Hz至2000Hz或更大范围内的10mJ激光脉冲的可靠的模块化生产质量准分子激光器。 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。 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。 这些改进包括具有用于精确调整电压的电压降低电路的增加容量的高压电源，改进的通信模块，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：US06586757B2

公开(公告)日：2003-07-01

申请号：US09875719

申请日：2001-06-06

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

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

IPC分类号： H01J3520

CPC分类号： H05G2/003 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  G03F7/70033 ,  G03F7/70166 ,  G03F7/70908 ,  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. Gas flows in the vacuum chamber are controlled to assure desired concentration of active gas in the discharge region and to minimize active gas concentration in the beam path downstream of the pinch region. In a preferred embodiment, active gas is injected downstream of the pinch region and exhausted axially through the center of the anode. In another preferred embodiment a laser beam generates metal vapor at a location close to but downstream of the pinch region and the vapor is exhausted axially through the anode.

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：US07567607B2

公开(公告)日：2009-07-28

申请号：US11346519

申请日：2006-02-01

申请人： David S. Knowles ,  Daniel J. W. Brown ,  Herve A. Besaucele ,  David W. Myers ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  William N. Partlo ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Palash P. Das ,  Stuart L. Anderson ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Richard C. Ujazdowski ,  Eckehard D. Onkels ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Scot T. Smith ,  William G. Hulburd ,  Jeffrey Oicles

发明人： David S. Knowles ,  Daniel J. W. Brown ,  Herve A. Besaucele ,  David W. Myers ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  William N. Partlo ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Palash P. Das ,  Stuart L. Anderson ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Richard C. Ujazdowski ,  Eckehard D. Onkels ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Scot T. Smith ,  William G. Hulburd ,  Jeffrey Oicles

IPC分类号： H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/223

CPC分类号： G01J1/4257 ,  G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70333 ,  G03F7/70483 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  G03F7/70933 ,  H01S3/005 ,  H01S3/0057 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/0385 ,  H01S3/0387 ,  H01S3/0404 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/08004 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/08036 ,  H01S3/0943 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/09702 ,  H01S3/09705 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/0975 ,  H01S3/104 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  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： An oscillator-amplifier gas discharge laser system and method is disclosed which may comprise a first laser unit which may comprise a first discharge region which may contain an excimer or molecular fluorine lasing gas medium; a first pair of electrodes defining the first discharge region containing the lasing gas medium, a line narrowing unit for narrowing a spectral bandwidth of output laser light pulse beam pulses produced in said first discharge region; a second laser unit which may comprise a second discharge chamber which may contain an excimer or molecular fluorine lasing gas medium; a second pair of electrodes defining the second discharge region containing the lasing gas medium; a pulse power system providing electrical pulses to the first pair of electrodes and to the second pair of electrodes producing gas discharges in the lasing gas medium between the respective first and second pair of electrodes, and laser parameter control mechanism modifying a selected parameter of a selected laser output light pulse beam pulse produced by said gas discharge laser system by controlling the timing of the occurrence of the gas discharge between the first pair of electrodes and the occurrence of the gas discharge between the second pair of electrodes.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种振荡放大器气体放电激光器系统和方法，其可以包括第一激光器单元，该第一激光器单元可以包括可包含受激准分子或分子氟激光气体介质的第一放电区域; 限定含有激光气体介质的第一放电区域的第一对电极，用于使在所述第一放电区域中产生的输出激光脉冲光束脉冲的光谱带宽变窄的线窄化单元; 第二激光单元，其可以包括可包含受激准分子或分子氟激光气体介质的第二放电室; 限定包含所述激光气体介质的所述第二放电区域的第二对电极; 脉冲功率系统，其向所述第一对电极和所述第二对电极提供电脉冲，在所述相应的第一和第二对电极之间的所述激光气体介质中产生气体放电，以及激光参数控制机构修改所选择的所选择的参数 通过控制第一对电极之间的气体放电的发生时间和第二对电极之间的气体放电的发生的时间，由所述气体放电激光系统产生的激光输出光脉冲束脉冲。

公开(公告)号：US06567450B2

公开(公告)日：2003-05-20

申请号：US09943343

申请日：2001-08-29

申请人： David W. Myers ,  Herve A. Besaucele ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  William N. Partlo ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Palash P. Das ,  Stuart L. Anderson ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Richard C. Ujazdowski ,  Xiaojiang J. Pan ,  Eckehard D. Onkels ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Daniel J. W. Brown

发明人： David W. Myers ,  Herve A. Besaucele ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  William N. Partlo ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Palash P. Das ,  Stuart L. Anderson ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Richard C. Ujazdowski ,  Xiaojiang J. Pan ,  Eckehard D. Onkels ,  Richard M. Ness ,  Daniel J. W. Brown

IPC分类号： H01S322

CPC分类号： H01S3/2366 ,  G01J9/00 ,  G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70333 ,  G03F7/70483 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  G03F7/70933 ,  H01S3/0057 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/0385 ,  H01S3/0387 ,  H01S3/0404 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/08004 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/08036 ,  H01S3/0943 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/09702 ,  H01S3/09705 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/0975 ,  H01S3/104 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/1305 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/137 ,  H01S3/139 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/2207 ,  H01S3/223 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2256 ,  H01S3/2258 ,  H01S3/2333

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 an ArF excimer 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 narrowing package having a very fast tuning mirror capable of controlling centerline wavelength on a pulse-to-pulse basis at repetition rates of 4000 Hz or greater to a precision of less than 0.2 pm.