University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.

Joshua Duncan

Martin C Richardson

Robert Bernath

Kazutoshi Takenoshita

Timothy McComb

Christopher Brown

Etienne Puyoo

Jose A Cunado

Michael Hemmer

Methods, systems, apparatus, devices for tracking, controlling and providing feedback on droplets used in EUV source technology. The method and system track and correct positions of droplet targets and generated plasma including generating the droplet target or plasma, optically imaging the generated target, determining position coordinates, comparing the position coordinates to a set optimal position to determine if a deviation has occurred and moving the generated target back to the optimal position if the deviation has occurred. The optical imaging step includes activating a light source to image the generated target, the light source is strobed at approximately the same rate as the droplet production to provide illumination of the droplet for stroboscopic imaging. The step of moving is accomplished mechanically by moving the generated target back to the predefined position or electronically under computer control.

Advanced droplet and plasma targeting system

Systems and methods for measuring a pulse length (&#x3c4;) of an ultra-short light pulse (P) based on processing a number of substantially similar light pulses. The system includes an autocorrelation optical system adapted to receive the light pulses Pand create from each light pulse two beams having an associated optical path length difference &#x394;OPL. Providing a different &#x394;OPL for each light pulse creates an autocorrelation interference pattern representative of an autocorrelation of the light pulse P. An LED detector detects the autocorrelation interference pattern and generates therefrom an autocorrelation signal. A signal-processing unit forms from the autocorrelation signal a digital count signal representative of a number of counted peaks in the autocorrelation signal above the full-width half maximum. Control electronics unit causes the varying &#x394;OPL and provides a difference signal (S) representative of the &#x394;OPL to the signal-processing unit. The signal processing unit is adapted to calculate the pulse length based on &#x394;OPL and the number Nof counted peaks. The autocorrelation optical system can either be prism-based or electro-optical-interferometer based. The measurement system can be made very compact and is far less expensive and far easier to use as compared to prior art ultra-short pulse measurement systems.

Systems and methods for measuring ultra-short light pulses

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Orlando, FL, United States of America

Joshua Duncan