Cymer, Inc.

Walter Dale Gillespie

Richard C Ujazdowski

Thomas D Steiger

Richard G Morton

Thomas Patrick Duffey

Timothy S Dyer

William N Partlo

Bryan George Moosman

Brian Strate

Richard L Sandstrom

Vladimir B Fleurov

Curtis L Rettig

J Martin Algots

Edward Siqi Luo

Yzzer Roman Gutierrez

Dinesh Adinath Kanawade

Alexander Igorevich Ershov

Richard M Ness

Tom A Watson

R Kyle Webb

Joshua Jon Thornes

David J Warkentin

Xiaojiang Jason Pan

Robert A Bergstedt

John Martin Algots

Thomas A Yager

Eric Anders Mason

John T Melchior

Paul C Melcher

Fedor Trintchouk

Brett D Smith

German E Rylov

Alex P Ivaschenko

Yoshiho Amada

Holger K Glatzel

Yingbo Zhao

James A Carmichael

Frederick A Palenschat

William N Partio

Vladimir A Kulgeyko

Leonard Lublin

Elizabeth Marsh

Joshua C Brown

Matthew Ball

Ulrich Niemann

Thomas E McKelvey

Siqi Luo

Brian D Strate

Martin J Algots

Fedor B Trintchouk

Bryan G Moosman

Thomas E Mckelvy

A deep ultraviolet (DUV) optical system includes: an optical source system including: a plurality of optical oscillators; a beam combiner; and a beam control apparatus between the optical oscillators and the beam combiner. The beam combiner is configured to receive and direct light emitted from any of the optical oscillators toward a scanner apparatus as an exposure light beam, and the beam control apparatus is configured to determine whether the beam combiner receives light from a particular one of the optical oscillators. The DUV optical lithography system also includes a control system coupled to the optical source system, the control system configured to: determine whether a condition exists in the DUV optical system, and based on a determination that the condition exists, perform a calibration action in a subset of the optical oscillators.

Control system for a plurality of deep ultraviolet optical oscillators

A gas chamber supply system includes a gas source configured to fluidly connect to a gas chamber and to supply a gas mixture to the gas chamber, the gas source including: a pre-prepared gas supply including a gas mixture, the gas mixture including a plurality of gas components and lacking a halogen; a recycled gas supply including the gas mixture; and a fluid flow switch connected to the pre-prepared gas supply and to the recycled gas supply. The gas chamber supply also includes a control system configured to: determine if the relative concentration between the gas components within the recycled gas supply is within an acceptable range; and provide a signal to the fluid flow switch to thereby select one of the pre-prepared gas supply and the recycled gas supply to as the gas source based on the determination.

Gas management system

A gas recycle system includes a gas purifier system; a gas analysis system; a gas blending system that prepares a recycled gas mixture; and a control system configured to: determine whether a measured amount of at least one intended gas component is within a first range of acceptable values; and determine whether a measured amount of the at least one impurity gas component is within a second range of acceptable values. If the measured amount of the at least one intended gas component is not within the first range of acceptable values, the control system causes the gas blending system to add an additional gas component to the purified gas mixture to prepare the recycled gas mixture; and if the measured amount of the at least one impurity gas is not within the second range of acceptable values, the control system generates an error signal.

Disclosed are methods of and apparatus for extending a useful lifetime of a laser discharge chamber in which a polarity of an electrode positioned at a fixed position within the chamber is caused to be positive with respect to the polarity of a second electrode defining a discharge gap with the first electrode and the first electrode is made of a material that forms an erosion resistant surface when the first electrode is used and an anode. Also disclosed is an arrangement in which a first electrode is positionable with respect a second electrode defining a discharge gap with the second electrode and the position of the first electrode controlled to maintain the width of the gap within a predetermined range.

Method of and apparatus for extending electrode life in a laser chamber

A system for removing particulate matter from the gas in a gas discharge laser includes one or more nonwoven screens which are optimized for, among others, manufacturability and feature integration. The nonwoven screens are configured for precisely directing the flow to optimize the separation of particles from the gas flow and provide sufficient surface area for improved dust adherence.

Nonwoven screens for dust trapping in laser discharge chambers

Anodes and cathodes for use in generating gas discharge laser light are disclosed. The improved anode has a transition portion that includes a substantially vertical sidewall to transition between the active portion and the end portion to reduce erosion-related issues. The improved cathode has thickened spine portions in enhanced erosion locations. The spine portions are thickened by removing material from the shoulder of the cathode stepped cross-section profile in those locations in order to improve the longevity of the cathode.

Erosion resistant electrodes for use in generating gas discharge laser

A pulsed gas discharge laser operating at an output laser pulse repetition rate of greater than 4 kHz and a method of operating same is disclosed which may comprise a high voltage electrode having a longitudinal extent; a main insulator electrically insulating the high voltage electrode from a grounded gas discharge chamber; a preionizer longitudinally extending along at least a portion of the longitudinal extent of the high voltage electrode; a preionization shim integral with the electrode extending toward the preionizer. The preionizer may be formed integrally with the main insulator. The preionization shim may substantially cover the gap between the electrode and the preionizer. The apparatus and method may comprise an aerodynamic fairing attached to the high voltage electrode to present an aerodynamically smooth surface to the gas flow.

High pulse repetition rate gas discharge laser

A system and method of operating a high repetition rate gas discharge laser system. The system includes a gas discharge chamber having a hot chamber output window heated by the operation of the gas discharge laser chamber, an output laser light pulse beam path enclosure downstream of the hot chamber window and comprising an ambient temperature window, a cooling mechanism cooling the beam path enclosure intermediate the output window and the ambient window. The gas discharge chamber can include a longitudinally and axially compliant ground rod, including a first end connected to a first chamber wall, a second end connected to a second chamber wall, the second chamber wall opposite the first chamber wall and a first portion formed into a helical spring, the ground rod providing mechanical support for a preionizer tube.

6 KHz and above gas discharge laser system

A line narrowing method and module for a narrow band DUV high power high repetition rate gas discharge laser producing output laser light pulse beam pulses in bursts of pulses, the module having a nominal optical path are disclosed which may comprise:

Line narrowing module

A pulsed gas discharge laser operating at an output laser pulse repetition rate of greater than 4 kHz and a method of operating same is disclosed which may comprise a high voltage electrode having a longitudinal extent; a main insulator electrically insulating the high voltage electrode from a grounded gas discharge chamber; a preionizer longitudinally extending along at least a portion of the longitudinal extent of the high voltage electrode; a preionization shim integral with the electrode extending toward the preionizer. The preionizer may be formed integrally with the main insulator. The preionization shim may substantially cover the gap between the electrode and the preionizer. The apparatus and method may comprise the high voltage electrode being disposed in an electrode receiving pocket in the main insulator and formed to present an elongated discharge receiving area facing another electrode within the gas discharge chamber, an aerodynamic fairing attached to the high voltage electrode and substantially closing the gas flow disturbance pocket and presenting an aerodynamically smooth surface to the gas flow.

A fluorine gas discharge laser electrode for a gas discharge laser having a laser gas containing fluorine is disclosed which may comprise a copper and copper alloy cathode body having an upper curved region containing the discharge footprint for the cathode comprising copper and a lower portion comprising a copper alloy, with the facing portion of the electrode if formed in a arcuate shape extending into straight line portions on either side of the arcuate portion, the straight line portions terminating in vertical straight sides, with the boundary between the copper including at least the arcuate portion, the electrode may comprise a bonded element machined from two pieces of material the first made of copper and the second made of a copper alloy bonded together before machining. The electrode may also comprise a first and a second elongated lopsided V-shaped groove formed along substantially all of the elongated electrode body forming a discharge receiving ridge between the first and second lopsided V-shaped grooves, with a differentially faster eroding material filling the first and second lopsided V-shaped grooves. also disclosed is an electrode system in which the one electrode, e.g., the cathode bows during operation and may comprise at least one of a first and second elongated gas discharge electrode being machined to form a crown to receive the gas discharge that compensates for the bowing of at least one of the gas discharge electrodes during operation of the fluorine gas discharge laser.

Cathodes for fluorine gas discharge lasers

A method and apparatus if disclosed which may comprise a high power high repetition rate gas discharge laser UV light source which may comprise: a gas discharge chamber comprising an interior wall comprising a vertical wall and an adjacent bottom wall; a gas circulation fan creating a gas flow path adjacent the interior vertical wall and the adjacent bottom wall; an in-chamber dust trap positioned a region of low gas flow, which may be along an interior wall and may comprise at least one meshed screen, e.g., a plurality of meshed screens, which may comprise at least two different gauge meshed screens. The dust trap may extend along the bottom interior wall of the chamber and/or a vertical portion of the interior wall. The dust trap may comprise a first meshed screen having a first gauge; a second meshed screen having a second gauge smaller than the first gauge; and the second meshed screen intermediate the first meshed screen and the interior wall. The chamber may comprise a plurality of dust collecting recesses in at least one of the vertical interior wall and the bottom wall of the chamber which may be selected from a group comprising a one-part recess and a multi-part recess, which may comprise two sections angled with respect to each other. The dust trap may comprise a pressure trap positioned between a portion of a main insulator and an interior wall of the chamber. The chamber may comprise a gas circulating fan comprising a cross-flow fan with a fan cutoff that may comprise a vortex control pocket. The chamber may comprise a preionization mechanism comprising a preionization tub containing a ground rod within an elongated opening in the preionization tube that may comprise a compliant member, an automatic preionization shut-off mechanism, a preionization onset control mechanism and/or a focusing element. The chamber may comprise an elongated baffle plate that may comprise a plurality of pyramidal structures including varying numbers of generally pyramidal elements and oriented in groups of varying numbers of generally pyramidal elements and oriented along and transverse to the longitudinal axis. Acoustic resonances within the chamber may also be reduced by introducing an artificial jitter into the timing of the laser discharges varying the inter-pulse period randomly or in a repeating pattern from pulse to pulse within a burst.

Gas discharge laser chamber improvements

A line narrowing method and module for a narrow band DUV high power high repetition rate gas discharge laser producing output laser light pulse beam pulses in bursts of pulses, the module having a nominal optical path are disclosed which may comprise: a dispersive center wavelength selection optic moveably mounted within an optical path of the 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 the dispersive wavelength selection optic; a first tuning mechanism operative in part to select the angle of incidence of the laser light pulse beam containing the respective pulse upon the dispersive center wavelength selection optic, by selecting an angle of transmission of the laser light pulse beam containing the pulse toward the dispersive center wavelength selection optic; a second tuning mechanism operative in part to select the angle of incidence of the laser light pulse beam containing the respective pulse by changing the position of the dispersive center wavelength selection optic relative to the nominal optical path of the line narrowing module; wherein the second tuning mechanism coarsely selects a value for the center wavelength and the first tuning mechanism more finely selects the value for the center wavelength. The apparatus and method may further comprise at least one beam expanding and redirecting prism in the optical path of the line narrowing module; the first tuning mechanism selecting an angle of incidence of the at least a first spatially defined portion of the laser light pulse beam by changing the position of the at least one beam expanding prism relative to the nominal optical path of the line narrowing module. The first and second tuning mechanisms may be controlled by a center wavelength controller during a burst based upon feedback from a center wavelength detector detecting the center wavelength of at least one other pulse in the burst of pulses and the controller providing the feedback based upon an algorithm employing the detected center wavelength for the at least one other pulse in the burst. The first tuning mechanism may comprise an electro-mechanical course positioning mechanism and a fine positioning mechanism comprising an actuatable material that changes position or shape when actuated.

A gas discharge laser includes a laser chamber containing a halogen laser gas, two electrode elements defining a cathode and an anode, each having a discharge receiving region defining two longitudinal edges and having a region width defining a width of an electric discharge between the electrode elements in the laser gas. The anode comprising a first anode portion comprising a first anode material defining a first anode material erosion rate, located entirely within the discharge receiving region, a pair of second anode portions comprising a second anode material defining a second anode material erosion rate, respectively located on each side of the first anode portion and at least partially within the discharge receiving region; an electrode center base portion integral with the first anode portion; and wherein each of the respective pair of second anode portions is mechanically bonded to the center base portion.

Halogen gas discharge laser electrodes

Electrodes for a fluorine gas discharge laser are disclosed which may comprise a crown straddling the centerline axis between the pair of side walls and the pair of end walls, comprising a first material, forming at least a portion of the discharge region of the electrode; the crown in traverse cross section having the shape of the upper half of a canted ellipse rotated in the preionizer direction, such that a tangent to the short centerline axis of the ellipse forms an angle with the horizontal. Another embodiment may comprise an anode blade having a top portion and a first and second sidewall portion each intersecting the top portion; the anode blade being formed with the shape in cross section of the top portion being curvilinear and intersecting the generally straight potions of each of first and second sidewall portions along a radius of curvature and with the top portion beveled away from an asymmetric discharge side of the anode.

Anodes for fluorine gas discharge lasers

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Poway, CA, United States of America

Walter Dale Gillespie