公开(公告)号：US20050226300A1

公开(公告)日：2005-10-13

申请号：US10815386

申请日：2004-03-31

申请人： Thomas Steiger ,  Edward Holtaway ,  Bryan Moosman ,  Rajasekhar Rao

发明人： Thomas Steiger ,  Edward Holtaway ,  Bryan Moosman ,  Rajasekhar Rao

IPC分类号： H01S3/00 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/104 ,  H01S3/13 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/23

CPC分类号： H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/0057 ,  H01S3/07 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/09702 ,  H01S3/104 ,  H01S3/1305 ,  H01S3/2333

摘要： A method and apparatus for producing a very high repetition rate gas discharge laser system in a MOPA configuration is disclosed which may comprise a master oscillator gas discharge layer system producing a beam of oscillator laser output light pulses at a very high pulse repetition rate; at least two power amplification gas discharge laser systems receiving laser output light pulses from the master oscillator gas discharge laser system and each of the at least two power amplification gas discharge laser systems amplifying some of the received laser output light pulses at a pulse repetition that is a fraction of the very high pulse repetition rate equal to one over the number of the at least two power amplification gas discharge laser systems to form an amplified output laser light pulse beam at the very high pulse repetition rate, which may be positioned in series with respect to the oscillator laser output light pulse beam. The apparatus and method may further comprise a beam delivery unit connected to the laser light output of the power amplification laser system. The apparatus and method may be a very high repetition rate gas discharge laser system in a MOPO configuration. The apparatus and method may comprise a compression head comprising a compression head charge storage device being charged at x times per second; a gas discharge chamber comprising at least two sets of paired gas discharge electrodes; at least two magnetically saturable switches, respectively connected between the compression head charge storage device and one of the at least two sets of paired electrodes and comprising first and second opposite biasing windings having a first biasing current for the first biasing winding and a second biasing current for the second biasing winding and comprising a switching circuit to switch the biasing current from the first biasing current to the second biasing current such that only one of the at least two switches receives the first biasing current at a repetition rate equal to x divided by the number of the at least two sets of paired electrodes while the remainder of the at least two magnetically saturable switches receives the second biasing current. The apparatus and method may be utilized as a lithography tool or for producing laser produced plasma EUV light.

公开(公告)号：US20050226301A1

公开(公告)日：2005-10-13

申请号：US10815387

申请日：2004-03-31

申请人： William Partlo ,  Yoshiho Amada ,  James Carmichael ,  Timothy Dyer ,  Walter Gillespie ,  Bryan Moosman ,  Richard Morton ,  Curtis Rettig ,  Brian Strate ,  Thomas Steiger ,  Fedor Trintchouk ,  Richard Ujazdowski

发明人： William Partlo ,  Yoshiho Amada ,  James Carmichael ,  Timothy Dyer ,  Walter Gillespie ,  Bryan Moosman ,  Richard Morton ,  Curtis Rettig ,  Brian Strate ,  Thomas Steiger ,  Fedor Trintchouk ,  Richard Ujazdowski

IPC分类号： H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/225

CPC分类号： H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/0384 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/225

摘要： A method and apparatus if disclosed which may comprise a high power high repetition rate gas discharge laser UV light source which may comprise: a gas discharge chamber comprising an interior wall comprising a vertical wall and an adjacent bottom wall; a gas circulation fan creating a gas flow path adjacent the interior vertical wall and the adjacent bottom wall; an in-chamber dust trap positioned a region of low gas flow, which may be along an interior wall and may comprise at least one meshed screen, e.g., a plurality of meshed screens, which may comprise at least two different gauge meshed screens. The dust trap may extend along the bottom interior wall of the chamber and/or a vertical portion of the interior wall. The dust trap may comprise a first meshed screen having a first gauge; a second meshed screen having a second gauge smaller than the first gauge; and the second meshed screen intermediate the first meshed screen and the interior wall. The chamber may comprise a plurality of dust collecting recesses in at least one of the vertical interior wall and the bottom wall of the chamber which may be selected from a group comprising a one-part recess and a multi-part recess, which may comprise two sections angled with respect to each other. The dust trap may comprise a pressure trap positioned between a portion of a main insulator and an interior wall of the chamber. The chamber may comprise a gas circulating fan comprising a cross-flow fan with a fan cutoff that may comprise a vortex control pocket. The chamber may comprise a preionization mechanism comprising a preionization tub containing a ground rod within an elongated opening in the preionization tube that may comprise a compliant member, an automatic preionization shut-off mechanism, a preionization onset control mechanism and/or a focusing element. The chamber may comprise an elongated baffle plate that may comprise a plurality of pyramidal structures including varying numbers of generally pyramidal elements and oriented in groups of varying numbers of generally pyramidal elements and oriented along and transverse to the longitudinal axis. Acoustic resonances within the chamber may also be reduced by introducing an artificial jitter into the timing of the laser discharges varying the inter-pulse period randomly or in a repeating pattern from pulse to pulse within a burst.

公开(公告)号：US20050047471A1

公开(公告)日：2005-03-03

申请号：US10877737

申请日：2004-06-25

申请人： Thomas Steiger ,  Richard Ujazdowski ,  Timothy Dyer ,  Thomas Duffey ,  Walter Gillespie ,  Bryan Moosman ,  Richard Morton ,  Brian Strate

发明人： Thomas Steiger ,  Richard Ujazdowski ,  Timothy Dyer ,  Thomas Duffey ,  Walter Gillespie ,  Bryan Moosman ,  Richard Morton ,  Brian Strate

IPC分类号： H01S20060101 ,  H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/225

CPC分类号： H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/0381 ,  H01S3/0385 ,  H01S3/0388 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/09713

摘要： A method and apparatus for operating a gas discharge laser is disclosed which may comprise a laser chamber containing a laser gas, the laser gas comprising a halogen, two elongated electrode elements defining a cathode and an anode, each of the cathode and anode having an elongated discharge receiving region having a discharge receiving region width defining a width of an electric discharge between the electrode elements in the laser gas, the discharge receiving region defining two longitudinal edges, and the anode comprising: a first elongated anode portion comprising a first anode material defining a first anode material erosion rate, located entirely within the discharge receiving region of the anode, a pair of second elongated anode portions comprising a second anode material defining a second anode material erosion rate, respectively located on each side of the first anode portion and at least partially within the discharge receiving region; an elongated electrode center base portion integral with the first elongated anode portion; and wherein each of the respective pair of second elongated anode portions is mechanically bonded to the center base portion. The electrode element may comprise a cathode. The first and second materials may be different materials such as different brass alloys with different erosion rates in the halogen gas. The first elongated cathode portion may comprising a first cathode material, located entirely within the discharge receiving region comprising a first portion of an ellipse intersecting elongated side walls, with a bottom wall opposite the portion of the ellipse; and a pair of second elongated cathode side portions comprising a second cathode material with the intersection of each respective second cathode portion and the portion of the ellipse forming the discharge receiving region of the first cathode portion, forming respective ellipsoidal extensions of the first portion. The members may be mechanically bonded to the center base portion. Some may be diffusion bonded to the center base portion and/or each other. The electrode assembly may have a hooded discharge receiving region extension at respective ends of the electrode and the electrode portion may be formed with or bonded to the center base portion and may have slanted side walls.

公开(公告)号：US20060222034A1

公开(公告)日：2006-10-05

申请号：US11095976

申请日：2005-03-31

申请人： Richard Ujazdowski ,  Richard Ness ,  J. Algots ,  Vladimir Fleurov ,  Frederick Palenschat ,  Walter Gillespie ,  Bryan Moosman ,  Thomas Steiger ,  Brett Smith ,  Thomas McKelvey

发明人： Richard Ujazdowski ,  Richard Ness ,  J. Algots ,  Vladimir Fleurov ,  Frederick Palenschat ,  Walter Gillespie ,  Bryan Moosman ,  Thomas Steiger ,  Brett Smith ,  Thomas McKelvey

IPC分类号： H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/223

CPC分类号： H01S3/036 ,  H01F3/10 ,  H01F27/22 ,  H01F27/266 ,  H01F38/10 ,  H01S3/0404 ,  H01S3/041 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/09702 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2308

摘要： A high pulse repetition rate gas discharge laser system pulse power system magnetic reactor may comprise a housing comprising a core containing compartment between an inner wall of the housing, an outer wall and a bottom wall of the housing; a cooling mechanism operative to withdraw heat from the at least one of the inner wall, outer wall and bottom of the housing; at least one two magnetic cores contained within the core containing compartment; a cooling fin disposed between each of the at least two magnetic cores; and a thermal conductivity enhancement mechanism intermediate at least one of each respective cooling fin and each respective core and a respective one of the inner wall, the outer wall or the bottom wall, the thermal conductivity enhancement mechanism comprising a band comprising a plurality of torsion spring or leaf spring elements.

摘要翻译： 高脉冲重复率气体放电激光系统脉冲功率系统磁反应器可以包括壳体，该壳体包括在壳体的内壁，外壁和壳体的底壁之间的容纳核心的隔间; 冷却机构，用于从壳体的内壁，外壁和底部中的至少一个中提取热量; 至少一个两个磁芯包含在所述芯容纳室内; 设置在所述至少两个磁芯中的每一个之间的冷却翅片; 以及在每个相应的冷却翅片和每个相应的芯部以及内壁，外壁或底壁中的相应的一个中的至少一个的热导率增强机构，所述热导率增强机构包括包括多个扭转弹簧 或板簧元件。

公开(公告)号：US20050205810A1

公开(公告)日：2005-09-22

申请号：US10803526

申请日：2004-03-17

申请人： Robert Akins ,  Richard Sandstrom ,  William Partlo ,  Igor Fomenkov ,  Thomas Steiger ,  John Algots ,  Norbert Bowering ,  Robert Jacques ,  Frederick Palenschat ,  Jun Song

发明人： Robert Akins ,  Richard Sandstrom ,  William Partlo ,  Igor Fomenkov ,  Thomas Steiger ,  John Algots ,  Norbert Bowering ,  Robert Jacques ,  Frederick Palenschat ,  Jun Song

IPC分类号： G01J1/00 ,  G03F7/20 ,  H01J65/04 ,  H05G2/00

CPC分类号： B82Y10/00 ,  G03F7/70033 ,  H05G2/003 ,  H05G2/008

摘要： An EUV light source apparatus and method are disclosed, which may comprise a pulsed laser providing laser pulses at a selected pulse repetition rate focused at a desired target ignition site; a target formation system providing discrete targets at a selected interval coordinated with the laser pulse repetition rate; a target steering system intermediate the target formation system and the desired target ignition site; and a target tracking system providing information about the movement of target between the target formation system and the target steering system, enabling the target steering system to direct the target to the desired target ignition site. The target tracking system may provide information enabling the creation of a laser firing control signal, and may comprise a droplet detector comprising a collimated light source directed to intersect a point on a projected delivery path of the target, having a respective oppositely disposed light detector detecting the passage of the target through the respective point, or a detector comprising a linear array of a plurality of photo-sensitive elements aligned to a coordinate axis, the light from the light source intersecting a projected delivery path of the target, at least one of the which may comprise a plane-intercept detection device. The droplet detectors may comprise a plurality of droplet detectors each operating at a different light frequency, or a camera having a field of view and a two dimensional array of pixels imaging the field of view. The apparatus and method may comprise an electrostatic plasma containment apparatus providing an electric plasma confinement field at or near a target ignition site at the time of ignition, with the target tracking system providing a signal enabling control of the electrostatic plasma containment apparatus. The apparatus and method may comprise a vessel having and intermediate wall with a low pressure trap allowing passage of EUV light and maintaining a differential pressure across the low pressure trap. The apparatus and method may comprise a magnetic plasma confinement mechanism creating a magnetic field in the vicinity of the target ignition site to confine the plasma to the target ignition site, which may be pulsed and may be controlled using outputs from the target tracking system.

公开(公告)号：US20080002752A1

公开(公告)日：2008-01-03

申请号：US11818022

申请日：2007-06-11

申请人： Timothy Dyer ,  Richard Morton ,  Walter Gillespie ,  Thomas Steiger

发明人： Timothy Dyer ,  Richard Morton ,  Walter Gillespie ,  Thomas Steiger

IPC分类号： H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/22

CPC分类号： H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/0381 ,  H01S3/0382 ,  H01S3/0385 ,  H01S3/0388 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/09702 ,  H01S3/09713 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2256

摘要： Electrodes for a fluorine gas discharge laser are disclosed which may comprise a crown straddling the centerline axis between the pair of side walls and the pair of end walls, comprising a first material, forming at least a portion of the discharge region of the electrode; the crown in traverse cross section having the shape of the upper half of a canted ellipse rotated in the preionizer direction, such that a tangent to the short centerline axis of the ellipse forms an angle with the horizontal. Another embodiment may comprise an anode blade having a top portion and a first and second sidewall portion each intersecting the top portion; the anode blade being formed with the shape in cross section of the top portion being curvilinear and intersecting the generally straight potions of each of first and second sidewall portions along a radius of curvature and with the top portion beveled away from an asymmetric discharge side of the anode.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种用于氟气体放电激光器的电极，其可以包括跨越所述一对侧壁和所述一对端壁之间的中心线轴线的冠，包括形成电极的放电区域的至少一部分的第一材料; 横截面的冠部具有以预旋转方向旋转的倾斜椭圆的上半部的形状，使得与椭圆形的短中心线轴线的切线与水平方向成一角度。 另一实施例可以包括具有顶部部分和分别与顶部部分相交的第一和第二侧壁部分的阳极刀片; 阳极叶片形成为顶部部分的横截面形状为曲线形状，并且沿着曲率半径与第一和第二侧壁部分的每一个的大体上直的部分相交，并且顶部部分斜切远离第一和第二侧壁部分的不对称排出侧 阳极。

公开(公告)号：US20060291517A1

公开(公告)日：2006-12-28

申请号：US11169203

申请日：2005-06-27

申请人： Walter Gillespie ,  Thomas Steiger ,  Richard Ujazdowski ,  William Partlo

发明人： Walter Gillespie ,  Thomas Steiger ,  Richard Ujazdowski ,  William Partlo

IPC分类号： H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/097

CPC分类号： H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/0384

摘要： A pulsed gas discharge laser operating at an output laser pulse repetition rate of greater than 4 kHz and a method of operating same is disclosed which may comprise a high voltage electrode having a longitudinal extent; a main insulator electrically insulating the high voltage electrode from a grounded gas discharge chamber; a preionizer longitudinally extending along at least a portion of the longitudinal extent of the high voltage electrode; a preionization shim integral with the electrode extending toward the preionizer. The preionizer may be formed integrally with the main insulator. The preionization shim may substantially cover the gap between the electrode and the preionizer. The apparatus and method may comprise the high voltage electrode being disposed in an electrode receiving pocket in the main insulator and formed to present an elongated discharge receiving area facing another electrode within the gas discharge chamber, an aerodynamic fairing attached to the high voltage electrode and substantially closing the gas flow disturbance pocket and presenting an aerodynamically smooth surface to the gas flow.

公开(公告)号：US20070091972A1

公开(公告)日：2007-04-26

申请号：US11237535

申请日：2005-09-27

申请人： Thomas Steiger ,  Richard Ujazdowski

发明人： Thomas Steiger ,  Richard Ujazdowski

IPC分类号： H01S3/22 ,  H01S3/03 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/223

CPC分类号： H01S3/09713 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/0384 ,  H01S3/0385 ,  H01S3/0388 ,  H01S3/225

摘要： A corona-discharge type, prelonizer assembly for a gas discharge laser is disclosed. The assembly may include an electrode and a hollow, dielectric tube that defines a tube bore. In one aspect, the electrode may include a first elongated 0o conductive member having a first end disposed in the bore of the tube. In addition, the electrode may include a second elongated conductive member having a first end disposed in the bore and spaced from the first end of the first conductive member. For the assembly, the first and second conductive members may be held at a same voltage potential.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种用于气体放电激光器的电晕放电型预振器组件。 组件可以包括限定管孔的电极和中空的电介质管。 在一个方面，电极可以包括第一细长导电构件，其具有设置在管的孔中的第一端。 此外，电极可以包括第二细长导电构件，其具有设置在孔中并与第一导电构件的第一端隔开的第一端。 对于组件，第一和第二导电构件可以保持在相同的电压电位。

公开(公告)号：US20090148224A1

公开(公告)日：2009-06-11

申请号：US12313655

申请日：2008-11-20

申请人： Thomas Steiger ,  Martin Lippuner ,  Maximilian Stoeck ,  Christoph Wuersch

发明人： Thomas Steiger ,  Martin Lippuner ,  Maximilian Stoeck ,  Christoph Wuersch

IPC分类号： B43M11/00

CPC分类号： G01C15/00 ,  B05B7/2459

摘要： A marking apparatus displaceable along a surface (1), comprising a pen-shaped reservoir (6), of a marking liquid (5) and having a porous stylus (12); and a marking device (4) for applying the marking liquid (5) to the surface (1) from the pen-shaped reservoir (6), the marking device (4) having, a nozzle (9) located adjacent to the porous stylus (12), a valve (8) for connecting the nozzle (9) with a gaseous pressure medium (13), and computing means (7) for controlling the valve (8).

摘要翻译： 一种可沿着表面（1）移位的标记装置，包括标记液体（5）并具有多孔触针（12）的笔形容器（6）。 以及用于从所述笔形容器（6）将所述标记液（5）施加到所述表面（1）的标记装置（4），所述标记装置（4）具有位于所述多孔触针附近的喷嘴（9） （12），用于将喷嘴（9）与气体压力介质（13）连接的阀（8）和用于控制阀（8）的计算装置（7）。

公开(公告)号：US20060274809A1

公开(公告)日：2006-12-07

申请号：US11488205

申请日：2006-07-18

申请人： Thomas Steiger ,  Joshua Brown ,  Thomas Duffey ,  Walter Gillespie ,  Richard Morton

发明人： Thomas Steiger ,  Joshua Brown ,  Thomas Duffey ,  Walter Gillespie ,  Richard Morton

IPC分类号： H01S3/097

CPC分类号： H01S3/038 ,  H01S3/036 ,  H01S3/0381 ,  H01S3/0382 ,  H01S3/0385 ,  H01S3/0388 ,  H01S3/097 ,  H01S3/09702 ,  H01S3/0971 ,  H01S3/225 ,  H01S3/2251 ,  H01S3/2256 ,  H01S3/2258

摘要： A fluorine gas discharge laser electrode for a gas discharge laser having a laser gas containing fluorine is disclosed which may comprise a copper and copper alloy cathode body having an upper curved region containing the discharge footprint for the cathode comprising copper and a lower portion comprising a copper alloy, with the facing portion of the electrode if formed in a arcuate shape extending into straight line portions on either side of the arcuate portion, the straight line portions terminating in vertical straight sides, with the boundary between the copper including at least the arcuate portion, the electrode may comprise a bonded element machined from two pieces of material the first made of copper and the second made of a copper alloy bonded together before machining. The electrode may also comprise a first and a second elongated lopsided V-shaped groove formed along substantially all of the elongated electrode body forming a discharge receiving ridge between the first and second lopsided V-shaped grooves, with a differentially faster eroding material filling the first and second lopsided V-shaped grooves. also disclosed is an electrode system in which the one electrode, e.g., the cathode bows during operation and may comprise at least one of a first and second elongated gas discharge electrode being machined to form a crown to receive the gas discharge that compensates for the bowing of at least one of the gas discharge electrodes during operation of the fluorine gas discharge laser.