Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100051831 | LIGHT SOURCE EMPLOYING LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA - A system and a method of generating radiation and/or particle emissions are disclosed. In at least some embodiments, the system includes at least one laser source that generates a first pulse and a second pulse in temporal succession, and a target, where the target (or at least a portion the target) becomes a plasma upon being exposed to the first pulse. The plasma expand after the exposure to the first pulse, the expanded plasma is then exposed to the second pulse, and at least one of a radiation emission and a particle emission occurs after the exposure to the second pulse. In at least some embodiments, the target is a solid piece of material, and/or a time period between the first and second pulses is less than 1 microsecond (e.g., 840 ns). | 03-04-2010 |
20110122387 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LIGHT SOURCE EMPLOYING LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA - A system and method of generating radiation are disclosed. In at least some embodiments, the system is suitable for use as (or as part of) an extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) light source. Also, in at least some embodiments, the system includes a laser source for generating a laser pulse, a target including a solid material, and a lens device that assists in directing the laser pulse toward the target. At least a portion of the target becomes a plasma that emits radiation upon being exposed to the laser pulse. The laser pulse has a pulse duration of at least 50 nanoseconds and, in at least some such embodiments, has a pulse duration of at least 100 nanoseconds. | 05-26-2011 |
20140264087 | TARGET FOR LASER PRODUCED PLASMA EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE - Techniques for generating EUV light include directing a first pulse of radiation toward a target material droplet to form a modified droplet, the first pulse of radiation having an energy sufficient to alter a shape of the target material droplet; directing a second pulse of radiation toward the modified droplet to form an absorption material, the second pulse of radiation having an energy sufficient to change a property of the modified droplet, the property being related to absorption of radiation; and directing an amplified light beam toward the absorption material, the amplified light beam having an energy sufficient to convert at least a portion of the absorption material into extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light. | 09-18-2014 |
20140264090 | TARGET FOR LASER PRODUCED PLASMA EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE - Techniques for generating EUV light include directing a first pulse of radiation toward a target material droplet to form a modified droplet, the first pulse of radiation having an energy sufficient to alter a shape of the target material droplet; directing a second pulse of radiation toward the modified droplet to form an absorption material, the second pulse of radiation having an energy sufficient to change a property of the modified droplet, the property being related to absorption of radiation; and directing an amplified light beam toward the absorption material, the amplified light beam having an energy sufficient to convert at least a portion of the absorption material into extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light. | 09-18-2014 |
20140264092 | EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE - Techniques are described that enhance power from an extreme ultraviolet light source with feedback from a target material that has been modified prior to entering a target location into a spatially-extended target distribution or expanded target. The feedback from the spatially-extended target distribution provides a nonresonant optical cavity because the geometry of the path over which feedback occurs, such as the round-trip length and direction, can change in time, or the shape of the spatially-extended target distribution may not provide a smooth enough reflectance. However, it may be possible that the feedback from the spatially-extended target distribution provides a resonant and coherent optical cavity if the geometric and physical constraints noted above are overcome. In any case, the feedback can be generated using spontaneously emitted light that is produced from a non-oscillator gain medium. | 09-18-2014 |
20140299791 | TARGET FOR EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE - Techniques for forming a target and for producing extreme ultraviolet light include releasing an initial target material toward a target location, the target material including a material that emits extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light when converted to plasma; directing a first amplified light beam toward the initial target material, the first amplified light beam having an energy sufficient to form a collection of pieces of target material from the initial target material, each of the pieces being smaller than the initial target material and being spatially distributed throughout a hemisphere shaped volume; and directing a second amplified light beam toward the collection of pieces to convert the pieces of target material to plasma that emits EUV light. | 10-09-2014 |
20150076374 | TARGET FOR EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE - Techniques for forming a target and for producing extreme ultraviolet light include releasing an initial target material toward a target location, the target material including a material that emits extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light when converted to plasma; directing a first amplified light beam toward the initial target material, the first amplified light beam having an energy sufficient to form a collection of pieces of target material from the initial target material, each of the pieces being smaller than the initial target material and being spatially distributed throughout a hemisphere shaped volume; and directing a second amplified light beam toward the collection of pieces to convert the pieces of target material to plasma that emits EUV light. | 03-19-2015 |
20150189728 | Extreme Ultraviolet Light Source - A first remaining plasma that at least partially coincides with a target region is formed; a target including target material in a first spatial distribution to the target region is provided, the target material including material that emits EUV light when converted to plasma; the first remaining plasma and the initial target interact, the interaction rearranging the target material from the first spatial distribution to a shaped target distribution to form a shaped target in the target region, the shaped target including the target material arranged in the shaped spatial distribution; an amplified light beam is directed toward the target region to convert at least some of the target material in the shaped target to a plasma that emits EUV light; and a second remaining plasma is formed in the target region. | 07-02-2015 |
20150189729 | TARGET FOR LASER PRODUCED PLASMA EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE - Techniques for generating EUV light include directing a first pulse of radiation toward a target material droplet to form a modified droplet, the first pulse of radiation having an energy sufficient to alter a shape of the target material droplet; directing a second pulse of radiation toward the modified droplet to form an absorption material, the second pulse of radiation having an energy sufficient to change a property of the modified droplet, the property being related to absorption of radiation; and directing an amplified light beam toward the absorption material, the amplified light beam having an energy sufficient to convert at least a portion of the absorption material into extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light. | 07-02-2015 |