公开(公告)号：US06532247B2

公开(公告)日：2003-03-11

申请号：US09794782

申请日：2001-02-27

申请人： Ronald L. Spangler ,  Robert N. Jacques ,  George J. Everage ,  Stuart L. Anderson ,  Frederick A. Palenschat ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  William N. Partlo ,  John M. Algots ,  Daniel J. W. Brown

发明人： Ronald L. Spangler ,  Robert N. Jacques ,  George J. Everage ,  Stuart L. Anderson ,  Frederick A. Palenschat ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  William N. Partlo ,  John M. Algots ,  Daniel J. W. Brown

IPC分类号： H01S322

CPC分类号： G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70333 ,  G03F7/70575 ,  G03F7/70933 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/0385 ,  H01S3/0404 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/08036 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/0975 ,  H01S3/104 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/1305 ,  H01S3/1312 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/137 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/2207 ,  H01S3/225

摘要： An electric discharge laser with fast wavelength correction. Fast wavelength correction equipment includes at least one piezoelectric drive and a fast wavelength measurement system and fast feedback response times. In a preferred embodiment, equipment is provided to control wavelength on a slow time frame of several milliseconds, on a intermediate time from of about one to three millisecond and on a very fast time frame of a few microseconds. Techniques include a combination of a relatively slow stepper motor and a very fast piezoelectric driver for tuning the laser wavelength using a tuning mirror. A preferred control technique is described (utilizing a very fast wavelength monitor) to provide the slow and intermediate wavelength control and a piezoelectric load cell in combination with the piezoelectric driver to provide the very fast (few microseconds) wavelength control.

公开(公告)号：US06650666B2

公开(公告)日：2003-11-18

申请号：US10027210

申请日：2001-12-21

申请人： Ronald L. Spangler ,  Robert N. Jacques ,  John A. Rule ,  Frederick A. Palenschat ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  John M. Algots ,  Jacob P. Lipcon ,  Richard L. Sandstrom

发明人： Ronald L. Spangler ,  Robert N. Jacques ,  John A. Rule ,  Frederick A. Palenschat ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  John M. Algots ,  Jacob P. Lipcon ,  Richard L. Sandstrom

IPC分类号： H01S310

CPC分类号： G03F7/70575 ,  G03F7/70025 ,  G03F7/70041 ,  G03F7/70333 ,  G03F7/70933 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/0385 ,  H01S3/0404 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/08036 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/0975 ,  H01S3/104 ,  H01S3/105 ,  H01S3/1055 ,  H01S3/1305 ,  H01S3/1312 ,  H01S3/134 ,  H01S3/137 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/2207 ,  H01S3/225

摘要： An electric discharge laser with fast wavelength correction. Fast wavelength correction equipment includes at least one piezoelectric drive and a fast wavelength measurement system and fast feedback response times. In a preferred embodiment, equipment is provided to control wavelength on a slow time frame of several milliseconds, on a intermediate time from of about one to five milliseconds and on a very fast time frame of a few microseconds. Preferred techniques include a combination of a relatively slow stepper motor and a very fast piezoelectric driver for tuning the laser wavelength using a tuning mirror. A preferred control technique is described (utilizing a very fast wavelength monitor) to provide the slow and intermediate wavelength control with the combination of a stepper motor and a piezoelectric driver. Very fast wavelength control is provided with a piezoelectric load cell in combination with the piezoelectric driver. Preferred embodiments provide (1) fast feedback control based on wavelength measurements, (2) fast vibration control, (3) active damping using the load cell and an active damping module, (4) transient inversion using feed forward algorithms based on historical burst data. A preferred embodiment adapts the feed forward algorithms to current conditions. Another preferred embodiment measures tuning mirror position to permit wavelength pretuning and active wavelength tuning.

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：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：US06985508B2

公开(公告)日：2006-01-10

申请号：US10627215

申请日：2003-07-24

申请人： David S. Knowles ,  Daniel J. W. Brown ,  Herve A. Besaucele ,  David W. Meyers ,  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 ,  Scott T. Smith ,  William G. Hulburd ,  Jeffrey Oicles

发明人： David S. Knowles ,  Daniel J. W. Brown ,  Herve A. Besaucele ,  David W. Meyers ,  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 ,  Scott T. Smith ,  William G. Hulburd ,  Jeffrey Oicles

IPC分类号： H01S3/22

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 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.

摘要翻译： 一种注射种子模块化气体放电激光系统，其能够以约4,000Hz或更大的脉冲速率和约5mJ或更大的脉冲能量产生高质量的脉冲激光束。 提供两个单独的放电室，其中之一是主振荡器的一部分，其产生在第二放电室中放大的非常窄的带状晶体束。 可以单独控制室，允许主振荡器中的波长参数的单独优化和放大室中的脉冲能量参数的优化。 配置为MOPA并被专门用于集成电路光刻的光源的ArF准分子激光系统中的优选实施例。 在优选的MOPA实施例中，每个腔室包括单个切向风扇，其通过在比脉冲之间的大约0.25毫秒更短的时间内清除来自放电区域的碎屑来提供足够的气流以允许以4000Hz或更高的脉冲速率操作。 主振荡器配备有具有非常快的调谐镜的线窄化封装，能够以4000Hz或更高的重复频率在脉冲到脉冲的基础上控制中心线波长，精度小于0.2μm。

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.

公开(公告)号：US07061961B2

公开(公告)日：2006-06-13

申请号：US11199691

申请日：2005-08-09

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

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.

公开(公告)号：US06625191B2

公开(公告)日：2003-09-23

申请号：US10012002

申请日：2001-11-30

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 ,  Scott 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 ,  Scott T. Smith ,  William G. Hulburd ,  Jeffrey Oicles

IPC分类号： H01S322

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 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.

公开(公告)号：US07643528B2

公开(公告)日：2010-01-05

申请号：US11973671

申请日：2007-10-10

申请人： William N. Partlo ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  German Rylov ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Daniel J. W. Brown ,  Christian J. Wittak ,  Rajasekhar M. Rao ,  Robert A. Bergstedt ,  John Fitzgerald ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Vladimir B. Fleurov ,  Robert N. Jacques ,  Ed Danielewicz ,  Robin Swain ,  Edward Arriola ,  Michael Wyatt ,  Walter Crosby

发明人： William N. Partlo ,  Alexander I. Ershov ,  German Rylov ,  Igor V. Fomenkov ,  Daniel J. W. Brown ,  Christian J. Wittak ,  Rajasekhar M. Rao ,  Robert A. Bergstedt ,  John Fitzgerald ,  Richard L. Sandstrom ,  Vladimir B. Fleurov ,  Robert N. Jacques ,  Ed Danielewicz ,  Robin Swain ,  Edward Arriola ,  Michael Wyatt ,  Walter Crosby

IPC分类号： H01S3/22

CPC分类号： H01S3/0057 ,  G03F7/70341 ,  G03F7/70583

摘要： An apparatus and method which may comprise a pulsed gas discharge laser which may comprise a seed laser portion; an amplifier portion receiving the seed laser output and amplifying the optical intensity of each seed pulse; a pulse stretcher which may comprise: a first beam splitter operatively connected with the first delay path and a second pulse stretcher operatively connected with the second delay path; a first optical delay path tower containing the first beam splitter; a second optical delay path tower containing the second beam splitter; one of the first and second optical delay paths may comprise: a plurality of mirrors defining the respective optical delay path including mirrors located in the first tower and in the second tower; the other of the first and second optical delay paths may comprise: a plurality of mirrors defining the respective optical delay path including mirrors only in one of the first tower and the second tower.

摘要翻译： 一种可包括可包括种子激光器部分的脉冲气体放电激光器的装置和方法; 接收种子激光输出并放大每个种子脉冲的光强度的放大器部分; 脉冲展开器，其可以包括：与第一延迟路径可操作地连接的第一分束器和与第二延迟路径可操作地连接的第二脉冲展开器; 包含第一分束器的第一光学延迟路径塔; 包含第二分束器的第二光学延迟路径塔; 第一和第二光学延迟路径中的一个可以包括：多个反射镜，其限定相应的光学延迟路径，包括位于第一塔架和第二塔架中的反射镜; 第一和第二光学延迟路径中的另一个可以包括：多个反射镜限定相应的光学延迟路径，其仅包括在第一塔架和第二塔架之一中的镜子。