公开(公告)号：US06476987B1

公开(公告)日：2002-11-05

申请号：US09629256

申请日：2000-07-31

申请人： Juergen Kleinschmidt ,  Peter Heist ,  Matthias Kramer

发明人： Juergen Kleinschmidt ,  Peter Heist ,  Matthias Kramer

IPC分类号： G02B504

CPC分类号： G02B5/04 ,  H01S3/0811 ,  H01S3/223 ,  H01S3/225

摘要： A line narrowing unit for use within an excimer or molecular fluorine laser resonator includes a dispersive prism having antireflection coatings on entrance and exit surfaces. Entrance and exit angles and an apex angle are increased to enhance the dispersive power of the prism, while the antireflective coatings limit reflective losses. Preferably, a laser beam makes a non-symmetric pass through said prism. The apex angle is preferably greater than 65°, or even 75°, and the angle of incidence and the exit angle of the beam are each preferably greater than 65°. A beam expanding prism configured for enhanced beam expansion has an apex angle between within a range of 37.5° and 42.5°, and a beam incidence angle at the entrance surface of more than 65°, and an antireflection coating on preferably both the entrance and exit surfaces.

摘要翻译： 在准分子或分子氟激光谐振器内使用的线窄化单元包括在入射和出射表面上具有抗反射涂层的分散棱镜。 增加出入角和顶角以增强棱镜的分散力，而抗反射涂层则限制了反射损耗。 优选地，激光束使不对称通过所述棱镜。 顶角优选大于65°或甚至75°，并且梁的入射角和出射角各自优选地大于65°。 配置用于增强光束膨胀的光束扩张棱镜具有在37.5°和42.5°之间的范围内的顶角和大于65°的入射面处的光束入射角，并且优选地，入射和出射两者的抗反射涂层 表面。

公开(公告)号：US06563853B2

公开(公告)日：2003-05-13

申请号：US09842281

申请日：2001-04-24

申请人： Peter Heist ,  Matthias Kramer ,  Juergen Kleinschmidt ,  Sergei Govorkov ,  Marcus Serwazi ,  Thomas Jünemann

发明人： Peter Heist ,  Matthias Kramer ,  Juergen Kleinschmidt ,  Sergei Govorkov ,  Marcus Serwazi ,  Thomas Jünemann

IPC分类号： H01S322

CPC分类号： G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2258

摘要： An excimer or molecular fluorine laser system includes a discharge chamber containing a gas mixture, multiple electrodes connected to a power supply circuit for energizing the gas mixture, a resonator for generating a laser beam, a processor, and means for monitoring an amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) signal of the laser, such as preferably an ASE detector. The processor receives a signal from the preferred ASE detector indicative of the ASE signal of the laser. Based on the signal from the ASE detector, the processor determines whether to initiate a responsive action for adjusting a parameter of the laser system.

公开(公告)号：US06243406B1

公开(公告)日：2001-06-05

申请号：US09418052

申请日：1999-10-14

申请人： Peter Heist ,  Matthias Kramer ,  Jürgen Kleinschmidt ,  Sergei Govorkov

发明人： Peter Heist ,  Matthias Kramer ,  Jürgen Kleinschmidt ,  Sergei Govorkov

IPC分类号： H01S322

CPC分类号： G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2258

摘要： A gas mixture of a gas discharge laser such as an excimer or molecular fluorine laser is stabilized. The gas mixture of the laser includes a constituent halogen containing molecular species such as F2 or HCl which is subject to depletion from an initial optimum concentration. When the gas mixture is energized by a pulsed discharge circuit, the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) signal is monitored. The status of the gas mixture is determined based on the monitored ASE signal. Stimulated emission is preferably filtered or blocked for more precise ASE signal monitoring. The gas mixture is preferably replenished using small halogen injections, total pressure adjustments and mini and partial gas replacements based on the evolving gas mixture status determined from the monitored ASE signal. Another parameter may be monitored such as the driving voltage to indicate the status of another system specification such as alignment or degradation of resonator optics, synchronization of optical components, contamination within the resonator or purge conditions for a F2-laser enclosure.

摘要翻译： 诸如准分子或分子氟激光器之类的气体放电激光器的气体混合物是稳定的。 激光的气体混合物包括含有分子物质如F2或HCl的组分卤素，其从初始最佳浓度消耗。 当气体混合物通过脉冲放电电路通电时，监测放大的自发发射（ASE）信号。 基于被监测的ASE信号确定气体混合物的状态。 刺激的发射优选地被过滤或阻挡以用于更精确的ASE信号监测。 气体混合物优选使用小型卤素注射，总压力调节和基于从监测的ASE信号确定的演变气体混合物状态的微小和部分气体替代物来补充。 可以监视另一参数，例如驱动电压以指示另一系统规范的状态，例如谐振器光学器件的对准或退化，光学部件的同步，谐振器内的污染物或用于F2激光器外壳的吹扫条件。

公开(公告)号：US06487228B2

公开(公告)日：2002-11-26

申请号：US09776589

申请日：2001-02-01

申请人： Peter Heist ,  Jürgen Kleinschmidt

发明人： Peter Heist ,  Jürgen Kleinschmidt

IPC分类号： H01S322

CPC分类号： G03F7/70025 ,  H01S3/08036 ,  H01S3/08059 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S3/1392 ,  H01S3/225

摘要： A line-narrowed excimer or molecular fluorine laser system includes a gain medium surrounded by a resonator for generating a laser beam, a discharge circuit including a plurality of electrodes for energizing the gain medium and a line narrowing unit within the resonator for narrowing the bandwidth of the laser system. The resonator includes a deformable resonator reflector. A technique for adjusting the bandwidth of the laser system includes adjusting a surface contour of the deformable resonator reflector. A desired bandwidth may be selected manually or using a processor which automatically controls the surface contour adjustment.

摘要翻译： 线狭窄的准分子或分子氟激光系统包括由用于产生激光束的谐振器包围的增益介质，包括用于激励增益介质的多个电极的放电电路和谐振器内的线窄化单元，用于缩小 激光系统。 谐振器包括可变形谐振器反射器。 用于调整激光系统的带宽的技术包括调整可变形谐振器反射器的表面轮廓。 期望的带宽可以手动选择或使用自动控制表面轮廓调整的处理器。

公开(公告)号：US06466598B2

公开(公告)日：2002-10-15

申请号：US09925040

申请日：2001-08-07

申请人： Jürgen Kleinschmidt ,  Peter Heist ,  Frank Voss ,  Andreas Görtler

发明人： Jürgen Kleinschmidt ,  Peter Heist ,  Frank Voss ,  Andreas Görtler

IPC分类号： H01S322

CPC分类号： H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/08004 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/1062

摘要： An F2-excimer laser has multiple closely-spaced spectral lines of interest around 157 nm, and one of the lines is selected by wavelength selection optics. The wavelength selection optics of a first preferred embodiment include a birefringent Brewster window enclosing the laser gas volume of the discharge chamber. The window preferably comprises MgF2 and is located at one end of the discharge chamber. One line is selected of the two when the optical thickness of the window is selected in coordination with rotatably adjustable, orthogonal refractive indices of the window. The transmissivity of the window is dependent on the orthogonal refractive indices and the optical thickness of the window. The wavelength selection optics of a second preferred embodiment include are at least partially within the laser active volume. In this way, line selection is performed in a manner which optimizes the combination of optical and discharge efficiency, resonator size and cost. The wavelength selection unit preferably includes a prism having a front surface oriented at Brewster's angle and a back surface oriented to receive and reflect an ordinary refracted ray travelling within the prism at a right angle to the back surface. The back surface also preferably includes a highly reflective coating to serve as the highly reflective surface of the resonator. The wavelength selection unit preferably further comprises an adjustment component for adjusting the orientation of the prism and for enclosing the other end of the housing, opposite the outcoupling end.

公开(公告)号：US5761236A

公开(公告)日：1998-06-02

申请号：US687793

申请日：1996-07-18

申请人： Jurgen Kleinschmidt ,  Peter Heist

发明人： Jurgen Kleinschmidt ,  Peter Heist

IPC分类号： H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/08 ,  H01S3/137 ,  H01S3/225

CPC分类号： H01S3/08004 ,  H01S3/137 ,  H01S3/225

摘要： A laser, especially an excimer laser, is designed to generate narrow-band radiation and comprises a laser resonator, including two reflecting elements (12, 14) between which there is disposed a laser active medium (10), and further comprises a group of several refractive dispersive elements (32, 34) arranged in the laser beam path and each deflecting, incident light at an angle (.gamma..sub.a, .gamma..sub.b) which is specific of the wavelength of the incident light. It is provided to reduce variations of the emission wavelength which are temperature responsive and time dependent during burst operation by giving at least one of the refractive dispersive elements (32) a refractive index which increases as the temperature goes up and at least one of these elements (34) a refractive index which drops as the temperature rises.

摘要翻译： 激光器，特别是准分子激光器被设计成产生窄带辐射并且包括激光谐振器，包括两个反射元件（12,14），在该激光谐振器之间设置有激光活性介质（10），并且还包括一组 布置在激光束路径中的几个折射色散元件（32,34），并且每个偏转的入射光以入射光的波长特有的角度（γa，γb）偏转。 提供了通过使折射色散元件（32）中的至少一个折射率随着温度升高而增加的这些元件中的至少一个来减少在脉冲串操作期间温度响应和时间依赖性的发射波长的变化， （34）当温度升高时降低的折射率。

公开(公告)号：US20080031290A1

公开(公告)日：2008-02-07

申请号：US11706920

申请日：2007-02-13

申请人： Guenter Hollemann ,  Peter Heist ,  Adolf Giesen ,  Christian Stolzenburg

发明人： Guenter Hollemann ,  Peter Heist ,  Adolf Giesen ,  Christian Stolzenburg

IPC分类号： H01S3/10 ,  H01S3/11

CPC分类号： H01S3/109 ,  H01S3/08054 ,  H01S3/0813 ,  H01S3/107 ,  H01S3/1103

摘要： A laser for generating pulsed laser radiation. An element is arranged in the resonator to generate laser radiation having the first wavelength by frequency conversion of the primary radiation. The resonator is switchable into a first state in which it is open to the primary radiation, and a second state in which it is closed to the primary radiation, and is open to laser radiation of the first wavelength in both states. A control unit switches the resonator from the first to the second state so that the primary radiation begins to oscillate and the pulse generation by frequency conversion begins, switches the resonator from the second to the first state, whereby primary radiation is coupled out from the resonator. It is possible to set the duration between both steps and/or the coupling-out behavior of the resonator to adjust the pulse duration via the control unit.

公开(公告)号：US06498803B2

公开(公告)日：2002-12-24

申请号：US09775778

申请日：2001-02-01

申请人： Peter Heist ,  Jürgen Kleinschmidt

发明人： Peter Heist ,  Jürgen Kleinschmidt

IPC分类号： H01S308

CPC分类号： G03F7/70025 ,  H01S3/08036 ,  H01S3/08059 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S3/1392 ,  H01S3/225

摘要： A line-narrowed excimer or molecular fluorine laser system includes a gain medium surrounded by a resonator for generating a laser beam, a discharge circuit including a plurality of electrodes for energizing the gain medium and a line-narrowing unit within the resonator for narrowing the bandwidth of the laser system. The resonator includes a deformable resonator reflector. A technique for adjusting the bandwidth of the laser system includes adjusting a surface contour of the deformable resonator reflector. A desired bandwidth may be selected manually or using a processor which automatically controls the surface contour adjustment.

摘要翻译： 线狭窄的准分子或分子氟激光系统包括由用于产生激光束的谐振器包围的增益介质，包括用于激励增益介质的多个电极的放电电路和谐振器内的线窄变窄单元以使带宽变窄 的激光系统。 谐振器包括可变形谐振器反射器。 用于调整激光系统的带宽的技术包括调整可变形谐振器反射器的表面轮廓。 期望的带宽可以手动选择或使用自动控制表面轮廓调整的处理器。

公开(公告)号：US06459720B2

公开(公告)日：2002-10-01

申请号：US09924817

申请日：2001-08-07

申请人： Jürgen Kleinschmidt ,  Peter Heist ,  Frank Voss ,  Andreas Görtler

发明人： Jürgen Kleinschmidt ,  Peter Heist ,  Frank Voss ,  Andreas Görtler

IPC分类号： H01S308

CPC分类号： H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/08004 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/1062

摘要： An F2-excimer laser has multiple closely-spaced spectral lines of interest around 157 nm, and one of the lines is selected by wavelength selection optics. The wavelength selection optics of a first preferred embodiment include a birefringent Brewster window enclosing the laser gas volume of the discharge chamber. The window preferably comprises MgF2 and is located at one end of the discharge chamber. One line is selected of the two when the optical thickness of the window is selected in coordination with rotatably adjustable, orthogonal refractive indices of the window. The transmissivity of the window is dependent on the orthogonal refractive indices and the optical thickness of the window. The wavelength selection optics of a second preferred embodiment include are at least partially within the laser active volume. In this way, line selection is performed in a manner which optimizes the combination of optical and discharge efficiency, resonator size and cost. The wavelength selection unit preferably includes a prism having a front surface oriented at Brewster's angle and a back surface oriented to receive and reflect an ordinary refracted ray travelling within the prism at a right angle to the back surface. The back surface also preferably includes a highly reflective coating to serve as the highly reflective surface of the resonator. The wavelength selection unit preferably further comprises an adjustment component for adjusting the orientation of the prism and for enclosing the other end of the housing, opposite the outcoupling end.

摘要翻译： F2准分子激光器在157nm处具有多个紧密分布的感兴趣的谱线，并且通过波长选择光学器件选择一条线。 第一优选实施例的波长选择光学器件包括包围放电室的激光气体体积的双折射布鲁斯特窗口。 窗口优选地包括MgF 2，并且位于放电室的一端。 当窗口的光学厚度与窗口的可旋转调节的正交折射率配合选择时，选择两条线。 窗的透射率取决于正交折射率和窗口的光学厚度。 第二优选实施例的波长选择光学器件至少部分地在激光有源体积内。 以这种方式，以优化光和放电效率，谐振器尺寸和成本的组合的方式执行线选择。 波长选择单元优选地包括具有以布鲁斯特角取向的前表面的棱镜和定向成接收和反射在棱镜内以与该背面成直角的方式行进的普通折射光线的后表面。 背表面还优选地包括用作谐振器的高反射表面的高反射涂层。 波长选择单元优选地还包括用于调整棱镜的取向并且用于封闭与外耦合端相对的壳体的另一端的调节部件。

公开(公告)号：US06330267B1

公开(公告)日：2001-12-11

申请号：US09718805

申请日：2000-11-22

申请人： Klaus Wolfgang Vogler ,  Peter Heist

发明人： Klaus Wolfgang Vogler ,  Peter Heist

IPC分类号： H01S322

CPC分类号： G03F7/70025 ,  H01S3/134

摘要： A method is provided for determining the status of a gas mixture of a laser system including a gas discharge laser which generates an output beam and has a discharge chamber containing a gas mixture within which energy is supplied to the gas mixture by a power supply via application of a driving voltage to a discharge circuit. A master data set of an output parameter such as any of output beam energy, bandwidth, spectrum width, long axial beam profile, short axial beam profile, beam divergence, energy stability, energy efficiency, width of the discharge, temporal beam coherence, spatial beam coherence, spatial pulse width, amplified spontaneous emission and temporal pulse width versus an input parameter such as driving voltage is generated corresponding to an optimal gas mixture status, preferably after a new fill and typically at the factory, and alternatively following a new fill at the fab. Preferably several master data sets are measured and stored following new fills corresponding to various ages and other conditions of the laser system. The master data set is stored into a memory of the control system. Several more calibration data sets are also preferably generated corresponding to other gas mixture or laser operating conditions. At another time, during a check sub-routine preferably during a subsequent start-up procedure or during each subsequent start-up procedure, a current status data set of the output and input parameters is generated corresponding to the current status of the gas mixture. The current status data set is then compared with the master data set and deviations of the current status and master data sets are noted. A follow-up procedure may be performed, preferably automatically as initiated by the processor, based on the comparison.