Abstract:
A reliable, high-repetition rate, production line compatible high energy photon source wherein hot plasma containing an atomic element having an emission line within a desired extreme ultraviolet (EUV) wavelength range is produced in a vacuum chamber. The EUV light source unit is integrated directly into a lithography unit such as a stepper machine. The integrated parts may include a commentator, and a compression head of a solid-state pulse power unit and a vacuum vessel all as shown at (120). Support equipment is located in a support equipment cabinet (122), and rough vacuum pumps and high-pressure water pumps are located in a third cabinet (124). The pulse power unit provides electrical pulses having sufficient energy and electrical potential sufficient to produce the EUV light at an intermediate focus at rates in excess of 5 Watts on a continuous basis and in excess of 20 Watts on a burst basis.
Abstract:
A gas discharge laser capable of operating at pulse rates in the range of 4,000 Hz to 6,000 Hz at pulse energies in the range of 5 mJ to 10 mJ or greater. Important improvements over the prior art designs include: (1) a squirrel cage type fan (46A) for producing gas velocities in the discharge region of more than 67 m/s, (2) a liquid cooled drive motor having a low loss sealing member separating the motor from the motor starter and protecting the motor from the laser and breach detection device for detecting any breach of the sealing member, (3) a heat exchanger system (58A) capable of removing in excess of 16 kW of heat energy from the laser gas and (4) a pulse power system capable of providing precisely controlled electrical pulses to the electrodes (18A, 20A) to produce laser pulses at the desired pulse energies in the range of 5 mJ to 10 mJ or greater at pulse repetition rates in the range of 4,000 Hz to 6,000 Hz.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method for EUV light production is disclosed which may comprise a laser produced plasma ("LPP") extreme ultraviolet ("EUV") light source control system comprising a target delivery system adapted to deliver moving plasma initiation targets and an EUV light collection optic having a focus defining a desired plasma initiation site, comprising: a target tracking and feedback system comprising: at least one imaging device providing as an output an image of a target stream track, wherein the target stream track results from the imaging speed of the camera being too slow to image individual plasma formation targets forming the target stream imaged as the target stream track; a stream track error detector detecting an error in the position of the target stream track in at least one axis generally perpendicular to the target stream track from a desired stream track intersecting the desired plasma initiation site. At least one target crossing detector may be aimed at the target track and detecting the passage of a plasma formation target through a selected point in the target track. A drive laser triggering mechanism utilizing an output of the target crossing detector to determine the timing of a drive laser trigger in order for a drive laser output pulse to intersect the plasma initiation target at a selected plasma initiation site along the target track at generally its closest approach to the desired plasma initiation site. A plasma initiation detector may be aimed at the target track and detecting the location along the target track of a plasma initiation site for a respective target. An intermediate focus illuminator may illuminate an aperture formed at the intermediate focus to image the aperture in the at least one imaging device. The at least one imaging device may be at least two imaging devices each providing an error signal related to the separation of the target track from the vertical centerline axis of the image of the intermediate focus based upon an analysis of the image in the respective one of the at least two imaging devices. A target delivery feedback and control system may comprise a target delivery unit; a target delivery displacement control mechanism displacing the target delivery mechanism at least in an axis corresponding to a first displacement error signal derived from the analysis of the image in the first imaging device and at least in an axis corresponding to a second displacement error signal derived from the analysis of the image in the second imaging device.
Abstract:
A laser produced plasma extreme ultraviolet light source control system (10) includes a target delivery system (80) for delivering plasma initiation targets (20), an EUV light collection optic (40), a target tracking and feedback system (150), at least one imaging device (60, 62) for providing an image of a target stream track (92); a stream track error detector (120, 122) for detecting an error in the position of the target stream track (92) in at least one axis perpendicular to the target stream track (92).
Abstract:
The present invention provides a reliable, high-repetition rate, production line compatible high-energy photon source. Very hot plasma containing an active material is produced in vacuum chamber. The active material is an atomic element having an emission line within a desired extreme ultraviolet (EUV) range. A pulse power source comprising a charging capacitor and a magnetic compression circuit comprising a pulse transformer provides electrical pulses having sufficient energy and electrical potential sufficient to produce the EUV light at an intermediate focus at rates in excess of 5 Watts. In preferred embodiments designed by Applicants in-band, EUV light energy at the intermediate focus is 45 Watts extendable to 105.8 Watts.