Abstract:
A technique for bandwidth control of an electric discharge laser (2A). Line narrowing equipment is provided having at least one piezoelectric drive (14B1 - 14B5) and a fast bandwidth detection means and a bandwidth control having a time response of less than about 1.0 millisecond. In a preferred embodiment wavelength tuning mirrors (14C1 - 14C5) are dithered at dither rates of more than 500 dithers per second within a very narrow range of pivot angles to cause a dither in the wavelength values to produce a desired effective bandwidth of series of laser pulses.
Abstract:
An electric discharge laser (34) with fast wavelength correction. Fast wavelength correction equipment includes at least one piezoelectric drive and a fast wavelength measurement system (104) 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. Very fast wavelength control is provided with a piezoelectric load cell in combination with the piezoelectric driver. Preferred embodiments provide fast feedback control based on wavelength measurements, fast vibration control, active damping using the load cell and an active damping module (320), and transient inversion using feed forward algorithms based on historical burst data.
Abstract:
A high resolution etalon-grating spectrometer or monochromator. A preferred embodiment presents as extremely narrow slit function in the ultraviolet range and is very useful for measuring bandwidth of narrow band excimer lasers used for integrated circuit lithography. Light from the laser is focused into a diffuser (D) and the diffused light exiting the diffuser illuminates an etalon (ET). A portion of its light exiting the etalon is collected and directed into a slit positioned at a fringe pattern of the etalon. Light passing through the slit is collimated (L3) and the collimated light illuminates a grating (GR1) positioned in an approximately Littrow configuration which disperses the light according to wavelength. A portion of the dispersed light representing the wavelength corresponding to the selected etalon fringe is passed through a second slit (2) and monitored by a light detector (PMT). When the etalon and the grating are tuned to the same precise wavelength a slit function is defined which is extremely narrow as about 0.034pm "FWHM" and about 0.091pm "95 percent integral". The etalon and the grating are placed in a leak-tight containment (50) filled with a gas, such a nitrogen or helium.
Abstract:
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 5mJ or greater. A preferred embodiments 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.
Abstract:
An apparatus includes a first plurality of concave reflecting surfaces; a second plurality of reflecting surfaces facing the first plurality of concave reflecting surfaces such that a region is defined between the first and second pluralities; and an input for an optical beam to enter the region and an output for the optical beam to exit the region. The first and second pluralities of reflecting surfaces are arranged relative to each other so that the optical beam is re-imaged at a reflecting surface of one of the pluralities after only one reflection from a reflecting surface of the other of the pluralities and so that overlap of two or more optical beams on each of the reflecting surfaces is avoided.
Abstract:
As disclosed herein, in a first aspect, a device may comprise; an oscillator producing a light output on a beam path; a target material for interaction with Light on the beam path at an irradiation site; a beam delay on the beam path the beam delay haying a beam folding optical arrangement; and a switch positioned along the beam, path and Interposed between the oscillator and the beam delay; the switch closable to divert at. least a portion of light on the beam path from the beam path, the switch having close time, t 1 and the beam path having a Length, L 1 . along the path from the switch to the irradiation site; with t 1 1 , where e is the speed of light on the path, to protect the oscillator.
Abstract:
A device is described herein which may comprise an optical amplifier having a gain band including wavelengths λ 1 and λ 2 , with λ 1 ≠ λ 2 ; a pre-pulse seed laser having a tuning module for tuning a pre-pulse output to wavelength λ 1 ; a main pulse seed laser generating a laser output having wavelength, λ 2 ; and a beam combiner for directing the pre-pulse output and the main pulse output on a common path through the optical amplifier.
Abstract:
A device is disclosed herein which may include a plasma generating system comprising a source of target material droplets and a laser producing a beam irradiating the droplets at an irradiation region, the plasma producing EUV radiation, wherein the droplet source comprises a fluid exiting an orifice and a sub-system producing a disturbance in the fluid which generates droplets having differing initial velocities causing the spacing between at least some adjacent droplets to decrease as the droplets travel to the irradiation region.
Abstract:
A system and method generating an extreme ultraviolet light in an extreme ultraviolet light chamber including a collector mirror, a droplet generation system having a droplet outlet aligned to output a plurality of droplets along a target material path and a first catch including a first open end substantially aligned to the target material path and at least one internal surface oriented toward a second end of the first catch, the second end being opposite from the first open end.
Abstract:
A line narrowing apparatus and method for a narrow band DUV high power high repetition rate gas discharge laser producing output laser light pulse beam pulses in bursts of pulses is disclosed, which may comprise a dispersive center wavelength selection optic contained within a line narrowing module, selecting at least one center wavelength for each pulse determined at least in part by the angle of incidence of the laser light pulse beam containing the respective pulse on a dispersive wavelength selection optic dispersive surface; a first dispersive optic bending mechanism operatively connected to the dispersive center wavelength selection optic and operative to change the curvature of the dispersive surface in a first manner; and, a second dispersive optic bending mechanism operatively connected to the dispersive center wavelength selection optic and operative to change the curvature of the dispersive surface in a second manner. The first manner may modify a first measure of bandwidth and the second manner may modify a second measure of bandwidth such that the ratio of the first measure to the second measure substantially changes. The first measure may be a spectrum width at a selected percentage of the spectrum peak value (FWX%M) and the second measure may be width within which some selected percentage of the spectral intensity is contained (EX%). The first dispersive optic bending mechanism may change the curvature of the dispersive surface in a first dimension and the second in a second dimension generally orthogonal to the first dimension. The laser system may comprise a beam path insert comprising a material having an different index of refraction and an index of refraction thermal gradient opposite from that of a neighboring optical element. The first dispersive optic bending mechanism may change the curvature of the dispersive surface in a first dimension and the second a second dimension generally parallel to the first dimension. An optical beam twisting element in the lasing cavity may optically twist the laser light pulse beam to present a twisted wavefront to the dispersive center wavelength selection optic. Bending may change the curvature and wavelength selection, e.g., in a burst may create two center wavelength peaks to select FWX%M and EX% independently.