公开(公告)号：US20020021729A1

公开(公告)日：2002-02-21

申请号：US09923770

申请日：2001-08-06

Applicant: Lambda Physik AG

Inventor： Klaus Vogler

IPC: H01S003/22 ,  H01S003/223

CPC classification number: H01S3/223 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/2258

Abstract: A molecular fluorine (F2) laser system includes a seed oscillator and power amplifier. The seed oscillator includes a laser tube including multiple electrodes therein which are connected to a discharge circuit. The laser tube is part of an optical resonator for generating a laser beam including a first line of multiple characteristic emission lines around 157 nm. The laser tube is filled with a gas mixture including molecular fluorine and a buffer gas. A low pressure seed radiation generating gas lamp is alternatively used. The gas mixture is at a pressure below that which results in the generation of a laser emission including the first line around 157 nm having a natural linewidth of less than 0.5 pm. The power amplifier amplifies the power of the beam emitted by the seed oscillator to a desired power for applications processing.

Abstract translation: 分子氟（F2）激光系统包括种子振荡器和功率放大器。 种子振荡器包括连接到放电电路的包括多个电极的激光管。 激光管是用于产生激光束的光学谐振器的一部分，该激光束包括大约157nm的多个特征发射线的第一线。 激光管中填充有分子氟和缓冲气体的气体混合物。 替代地使用低压种子辐射产生气体灯。 气体混合物的压力低于导致产生包括具有小于0.5μm的自然线宽的157nm附近的第一线的激光发射的压力。 功率放大器将由种子振荡器发射的光束的功率放大到期望的功率以进行应用处理。

公开(公告)号：US20020018506A1

公开(公告)日：2002-02-14

申请号：US09883127

申请日：2001-06-15

Applicant: Lambda Physik AG

Inventor： Klaus Vogler

IPC: H01S003/22 ,  H01S003/223

CPC classification number: H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/08004 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/106 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/2258 ,  H01S2301/02

Abstract: A molecular fluorine laser system emitting a narrow bandwidth laser beam and having efficient line-selection of a main line null1 of multiple closely-spaced lines around 157 nm includes a discharge chamber filled with a laser gas including molecular fluorine and a buffer gas, a gas handling module for periodically replenishing the molecular fluorine in the discharge chamber for maintaining said gas mixture at a selected composition, multiple electrodes within the discharge chamber and connected to a discharge circuit for energizing the molecular fluorine, and a resonator including the discharge chamber for generating a laser beam around 157 nm. The resonator further includes line-selection optics for selecting a main line null1 and suppressing a secondary line null2 of said plurality of closely-spaced lines. The line-selection optics include a line-selection package on the opposite of an output coupling side of the chamber and/or a solid element on the outcoupling side of the chamber having an interference maximum at the main line and an interference minimum at the secondary line. A contrast ratio of the main line to the secondary line in the laser beam is at least 100. The laser system further includes an enclosure maintained substantially free of VUV photoabsorbing species wherein the laser beam propagates within the enclosure between the resonator and an application process.

Abstract translation: 发射窄带宽激光束并且对157nm附近的多个紧密间隔的线的主线lambd1的有效线选择的分子氟激光系统包括：填充有包括分子氟和缓冲气体的激光气体的放电室，气体 处理模块，用于周期性地补充放电室中的分子氟以将所述气体混合物保持在所选择的组成，放电室内的多个电极并连接到用于激发分子氟的放电电路，以及包括用于产生 激光束约157nm。 谐振器还包括用于选择主线lambd1并抑制所述多个紧密间隔线的次级线lambd2的线选择光学器件。 线路选择光学器件包括在腔室的输出耦合侧相对的线选择包和/或腔室的输出耦合侧上的固体元件，其在主线处具有干扰最大值，并且在次级线路处具有干扰最小值 线。 激光束中主线与次级线的对比度至少为100.激光系统还包括基本上不含VUV光吸收物质的外壳，其中激光束在谐振器和应用过程之间的外壳内传播。

公开(公告)号：US20020006148A1

公开(公告)日：2002-01-17

申请号：US09883128

申请日：2001-06-15

Applicant: Lambda Physik AG

Inventor： Sergei Govorkov ,  Klaus Vogler ,  Rainer Paetzel

IPC: H01S003/22 ,  H01S003/223

CPC classification number: H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/08004 ,  H01S3/08009 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/106 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/2258 ,  H01S2301/02

Abstract: A molecular fluorine laser system includes a discharge tube filled with a gas mixture including molecular fluorine and at least one buffer gas and having a total pressure of less than substantially 2500 mbar, multiple electrodes within the discharge tube, a pulsed discharge circuit connected to the electrodes for energizing the gas mixture, a line-selection optic for selecting one of multiple closely-spaced lines around 157 nm emitted from the discharge tube, and a laser resonator including the line-selection optic and the discharge tube for generating a beam of laser pulses having a wavelength around 157 nm at a bandwidth of less than 0.6 pm.

Abstract translation: 分子氟激光系统包括：填充有包括分子氟和至少一种缓冲气体并且总压力小于基本上2500mbar的气体混合物的放电管，放电管内的多个电极，连接到电极的脉冲放电电路 用于激励气体混合物，用于选择从放电管发射的157nm附近的多个紧密间隔的线之一的线选择光学器件，以及包括用于产生激光脉冲束的线选择光学器件和放电管的激光谐振器 在小于0.6μm的带宽下具有约157nm的波长。

公开(公告)号：US20020012368A1

公开(公告)日：2002-01-31

申请号：US09849600

申请日：2001-05-04

Applicant: Lambda Physik AG

Inventor： Jurgen Kleinschmidt ,  Uwe Stamm ,  Klaus Vogler ,  Peter Lokai

IPC: H01S003/13

CPC classification number: H01S3/1392 ,  H01S3/225

Abstract: A wavelength calibration system determines an absolute wavelength of a narrowed spectral emission band of an excimer or molecular laser system. The system includes a module including an element which optically interacts with a component of an output beam of the laser within the tunable range of the laser system around the narrowed band. An inter-level resonance is detected by monitoring changes in voltage within the module, or photo-absorption is detected by photodetecting equipment. The absolute wavelength of the narrowed band is precisely determinable when the optical transitions occur and are detected. When the system specifically includes an ArF-excimer laser chamber, the module is preferably a galvatron containing an element that photo-absorbs around 193 nm and the element is preferably a gas or vapor selected from the group consisting of arsenic, carbon, oxygen, iron, gaseous hydrocarbons, halogenized hydrocarbons, carbon-contaminated inert gases, germanium and platinum vapor. When the system specifically includes F2-laser chamber, the module is preferably a galvatron containing an element that photo-absorbs around 157 nm and the element is preferably a gas or vapor selected from the group consisting of selenium, bromine and silicon. The module is alternatively a purge chamber configurable for purging with a photo-absorbing gas.

Abstract translation: 波长校准系统确定准分子或分子激光系统的窄谱分光发射带的绝对波长。 该系统包括模块，该模块包括与激光系统的可变范围内的变窄带周围的激光输出光束的分量光学相互作用的元件。 通过监测模块内的电压变化来检测层间谐振，或者通过光电检测设备检测光吸收。 当发生光学转变并被检测时，窄带的绝对波长可以精确地确定。 当该系统具体包括ArF-准分子激光室时，该模块优选地是含有吸光约193nm的元素的加合加速器，该元件优选为选自砷，碳，氧，铁 ，气态烃，卤化烃，碳污染的惰性气体，锗和铂蒸气。 当该系统具体包括F2激光室时，该模块优选为含有吸收约157nm的元素的加合加速器，该元件优选为选自硒，溴和硅的气体或蒸汽。 该模块可选地是可配置为用光吸收气体吹扫的净化室。