Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090250641 | Extreme ultra violet light source apparatus - An extreme ultra violet light source apparatus in which debris moving within a chamber are prevented from reducing reflectance or transmittance of optical elements of an EUV collector mirror, etc, and extreme ultra violet light can stably be generated in a long period. The apparatus includes: a target supply unit for supplying a target to a predetermined position within a chamber; a driver laser for applying a laser beam to the target to generate first plasma; a collector mirror provided within the chamber, for collecting extreme ultra violet light radiated from the first plasma; a gas supply unit for supplying a gas into the chamber; an excitation unit for exciting the gas to generate second plasma around a region where the first plasma is generated; and an exhaust unit for exhausting the chamber and ejecting debris emitted from the first plasma to outside of the chamber. | 10-08-2009 |
20090267003 | SEMICONDUCTOR EXPOSURE DEVICE USING EXTREME ULTRA VIOLET RADIATION - The exposure device is able to supply only EUV radiation to a mask, while eliminating radiation other than the EUV radiation. A multi layer made from a plurality of Mo/Si pair layers is provided upon the front surface of a mirror, and blazed grooves are formed in this multi layer. Radiation which is incident from a light source device is incident upon this mirror, and is reflected or diffracted. Since the reflected EUV radiation (including diffracted EUV radiation) and the radiation of other wavelengths are reflected or diffracted at different angles, accordingly their directions of progression are different. By eliminating the radiation of other wavelengths with an aperture and/or a dumper, it is possible to irradiate a mask only with EUV radiation of high purity. | 10-29-2009 |
20090289205 | MIRROR FOR EXTREME ULTRA VIOLET, MANUFACTURING METHOD FOR MIRROR FOR EXTREME ULTRA VIOLET, AND FAR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE - The EUV light source device eliminates radiation other than EUV radiation from the light which it emits, and supplies only the EUV radiation to an exposure device. A composite layer consisting of a plurality of Mo/Si pair layers is provided upon the front surface of an EUV collector mirror, and blazed grooves are formed in this composite layer. Radiation emitted from a plasma is incident upon this EUV collector mirror, and is reflected or diffracted. The reflected EUV radiation (including diffracted EUV) proceeds towards an intermediate focal point IF. The radiation of other wavelengths proceeds towards some position other than this focal point IF, because its reflection angle or diffraction angle is different. A SPF shield having an aperture portion is provided at the focal point IF. Accordingly, only the EUV radiation passes through the aperture portion and is supplied to the exposure device, while the other radiation is intercepted by the shield. | 11-26-2009 |
20090301517 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING COLLECTOR MIRROR IN EUV LIGHT GENERATOR - A method for cleaning collector mirrors in an EUV light generator in which a target is made into a plasma state and EUV light generated is collected by a collector mirror, the method being adopted to the EUV light generator for cleaning contaminants adhering thereto, the method comprising: preparing at least two collector mirrors; locating one of the mirrors at an EUV light condensing position while locating the other mirror at a cleaning position; determining whether the mirror at the cleaning position is cleaned while determining whether the mirror at the light condensing position requires cleaning; and once determined that the mirror at the cleaning position is cleaned and the mirror at the light condensing position requires cleaning, conveying the mirror at the light condensing position and requiring cleaning to the cleaning position while conveying the mirror at the cleaning position and having been cleaned to the light condensing position. | 12-10-2009 |
20100078577 | Extreme ultraviolet light source device, laser light source device for extreme ultraviolet light source device, and method of adjusting laser light source device for extreme ultraviolet light source device - An EUV light source device properly compensates the wave front of laser beam which is changed by heat. A wave front compensator and a sensor are provided in an amplification system which amplifies laser beam. The sensor detects and outputs changes in the angle (direction) of laser beam and the curvature of the wave front thereof. A wave front compensation controller outputs a signal to the wave front compensator based on the measurement results from the sensor. The wave front compensator corrects the wave front of the laser beam to a predetermined wave front according to an instruction from the wave front compensation controller. | 04-01-2010 |
20100078580 | Extreme ultraviolet light source device, laser light source device for extreme ultraviolet light source device and method for controlling saturable absorber used in extreme ultraviolet light source device - An EUV light source of the present invention is capable of using a saturable absorber stably and continuously in a high heat load state. A saturable absorber (SA) device is disposed on a laser beam line to absorb feeble light, such as self-excited oscillation light, parasitic oscillation light or return light. SA gas from an SA gas cylinder and buffer gas from a buffer gas cylinder are mixed to be a mixed gas. The mixed gas is supplied to an SA gas cell via a supply pipeline, and absorbs the feeble light included in the laser beam. The mixed gas is exhausted via an exhaust pipeline, and is sent to a heat exchanger. The mixed gas, cooled down by a heat exchanger, is sent back to the SA gas cell by a circulation pump. | 04-01-2010 |
20100117009 | EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD FOR EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE | 05-13-2010 |
20100193710 | LASER APPARATUS AND EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE APPARATUS - An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus comprises a laser apparatus having a master oscillator outputting one or more longitudinal-mode-laser lights, an amplifier with a molecular gas as an amplifying agency amplifying a longitudinal-mode laser light of which wavelength is included in one of amplifiable lines, and a controller adjusting the master oscillator so that the wavelength of the longitudinal-mode laser light outputted from the master oscillator is included in one of the amplifiable lines, the laser apparatus being used as a driver laser, wherein the laser apparatus irradiates a target material with a laser light for generating plasma, and the extreme ultraviolet light is emitted from the plasma and outputted from the extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus. | 08-05-2010 |
20120068091 | EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE, LASER LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE FOR EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING SATURABLE ABSORBER USED IN EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE - An EUV light source of the present invention is capable of using a saturable absorber stably and continuously in a high heat load state. A saturable absorber (SA) device is disposed on a laser beam line to absorb feeble light, such as self-excited oscillation light, parasitic oscillation light or return light. SA gas from an SA gas cylinder and buffer gas from a buffer gas cylinder are mixed to be a mixed gas. The mixed gas is supplied to an SA gas cell via a supply pipeline, and absorbs the feeble light included in the laser beam. The mixed gas is exhausted via an exhaust pipeline, and is sent to a heat exchanger. The mixed gas, cooled down by a heat exchanger, is sent back to the SA gas cell by a circulation pump. | 03-22-2012 |
20120175533 | EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE APPARATUS, METHOD FOR CONTROLLING EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE APPARATUS, AND RECORDING MEDIUM WITH PROGRAM RECORDED THEREON - An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus, in which a target material is irradiated with a laser beam from a laser apparatus and the target material is turned into plasma, thereby emitting extreme ultraviolet light, may include a burst control unit configured to control irradiation of the target material is irradiated with the laser beam outputted successively in pulses from the laser apparatus when the extreme ultraviolet light is emitted successively in pulses. The target material is prevented from being turned into plasma by the laser beam while the laser beam is outputted successively in pulses from the laser apparatus when the successive pulsed emission is paused. | 07-12-2012 |
20120228527 | EXTREME ULTRA VIOLET LIGHT SOURCE APPARATUS - An extreme ultra violet light source apparatus prevents debris staying and accumulating within a chamber from contaminating the chamber and deteriorating the performance of an important optical component. The extreme ultra violet light source apparatus includes: a chamber in which extreme ultra violet light is generated; a driver laser for applying a laser beam to a target supplied to a predetermined position within the chamber to generate plasma; a collector mirror provided within the chamber, for collecting and outputting the extreme ultra violet light radiated from the plasma; an exhaust path communicating with the chamber and connected to an exhausting device, for maintaining an interior of the chamber at a certain pressure; a catching chamber provided in the exhaust path, for catching debris generated from the plasma; and a collecting unit for collecting the caught debris out of the chamber. | 09-13-2012 |
20120248342 | MIRROR FOR EXTREME ULTRA VIOLET, MANUFACTURING METHOD FOR MIRROR FOR EXTREME ULTRA VIOLET, AND FAR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE - An EUV light source is configured for generating an EUV light for an exposure device. The EUV light source includes a chamber, a target supply device configured for supplying a target into the chamber, an optical system for introducing laser light from a driver laser into the chamber and irradiating the target with the laser light to turn the target into plasma from which EUV light is emitted, and an EUV collector mirror in the chamber. The EUV collector mirror may include a multilayered reflecting surface with grooves and collect the EUV light from the plasma to a focal spot. The grooves can be arranged in a concentric fashion, and be configured for diffracting at least light at a wavelength which is the same as that of the laser light from the driver laser. | 10-04-2012 |
20120256105 | SEMICONDUCTOR EXPOSURE DEVICE USING EXTREME ULTRA VIOLET RADIATION - The exposure device is able to supply only EUV radiation to a mask, while eliminating radiation other than the EUV radiation. A multi layer made from a plurality of Mo/Si pair layers is provided upon the front surface of a mirror, and blazed grooves are formed in this multi layer. Radiation which is incident from a light source device is incident upon this mirror, and is reflected or diffracted. Since the reflected EUV radiation (including diffracted EUV radiation) and the radiation of other wavelengths are reflected or diffracted at different angles, accordingly their directions of progression are different. By eliminating the radiation of other wavelengths with an aperture and/or a dumper, it is possible to irradiate a mask only with EUV radiation of high purity. | 10-11-2012 |
20120319014 | EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD FOR EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE - A guide laser beam that has an optical axis and a beam diameter substantially equivalent to those of a driver pulsed laser beam is introduced into an amplification system that amplifies a laser beam that is output from a driver laser oscillator. The guide laser beam is output from a laser device as a continuous light, and is introduced into a light path of the driver pulsed laser beam via a guide laser beam introduction mirror. A sensor detects an angle (a direction) of a laser beam and a variation of a curvature of a wave front. A wave front correction controller outputs a signal to a wave front correction part based on a measured result of a sensor. The wave front correction part corrects a wave front of a laser beam to be a predetermined wave front according to an instruction from the wave front correction controller. | 12-20-2012 |
20130126762 | EXTREME ULTRA VIOLET LIGHT SOURCE APPARATUS - An extreme ultra violet light source apparatus in which debris moving within a chamber are prevented from reducing reflectance or transmittance of optical elements of an EUV collector mirror, etc, and extreme ultra violet light can stably be generated in a long period. The apparatus includes: a target supply unit for supplying a target to a predetermined position within a chamber; a driver laser for applying a laser beam to the target to generate first plasma; a collector mirror provided within the chamber, for collecting extreme ultra violet light radiated from the first plasma; a gas supply unit for supplying a gas into the chamber; an excitation unit for exciting the gas to generate second plasma around a region where the first plasma is generated; and an exhaust unit for exhausting the chamber and ejecting debris emitted from the first plasma to outside of the chamber. | 05-23-2013 |
20130148677 | EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE, LASER LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE FOR EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE, AND METHOD OF ADJUSTING LASER LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE FOR EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE - An EUV light source device properly compensates the wave front of laser beam which is changed by heat. A wave front compensator and a sensor are provided in an amplification system which amplifies laser beam. The sensor detects and outputs changes in the angle (direction) of laser beam and the curvature of the wave front thereof. A wave front compensation controller outputs a signal to the wave front compensator based on the measurement results from the sensor. The wave front compensator corrects the wave front of the laser beam to a predetermined wave front according to an instruction from the wave front compensation controller. | 06-13-2013 |
20130187065 | EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD FOR EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SOURCE DEVICE - A guide laser beam that has an optical axis and a beam diameter substantially equivalent to those of a driver pulsed laser beam is introduced into an amplification system that amplifies a laser beam that is output from a driver laser oscillator. The guide laser beam is output from a laser device as a continuous light, and is introduced into a light path of the driver pulsed laser beam via a guide laser beam introduction mirror. A sensor detects an angle (a direction) of a laser beam and a variation of a curvature of a wave front. A wave front correction controller outputs a signal to a wave front correction part based on a measured result of a sensor. The wave front correction part corrects a wave front of a laser beam to be a predetermined wave front according to an instruction from the wave front correction controller. | 07-25-2013 |
20140166046 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING COLLECTOR MIRROR IN EUV LIGHT GENERATOR - A method for cleaning collector mirrors in an EUV light generator in which a target is made into a plasma state and EUV light generated is collected by a collector mirror, the method being adopted to the EUV light generator for cleaning contaminants adhering thereto, the method comprising: preparing at least two collector mirrors; locating one of the mirrors at an EUV light condensing position while locating the other mirror at a cleaning position; determining whether the mirror at the cleaning position is cleaned while determining whether the mirror at the light condensing position requires cleaning; and once determined that the mirror at the cleaning position is cleaned and the mirror at the light condensing position requires cleaning, conveying the mirror at the light condensing position and requiring cleaning to the cleaning position while conveying the mirror at the cleaning position and having been cleaned to the light condensing position. | 06-19-2014 |