The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 23, 1999
Filed:
Mar. 11, 1998
David S Knowles, San Diego, CA (US);
James H Azzola, San Diego, CA (US);
Herve A Besaucele, San Diego, CA (US);
Palash P Das, Vista, CA (US);
Alexander I Ershov, San Diego, CA (US);
Igor V Fomenkov, San Diego, CA (US);
Tibor Juhasz, Irvine, CA (US);
Robert G Ozarski, Poway, CA (US);
William N Partlo, San Diego, CA (US);
Daniel A Rothweil, San Diego, CA (US);
Richard L Sandstrom, Encinitas, CA (US);
Richard C Ujazdowski, San Diego, CA (US);
Tom A Watson, Carlsbad, CA (US);
Richard M Ness, San Diego, CA (US);
Cymer, Inc., San Diego, CA (US);
Abstract
A reliable, modular, production quality narrow-band KrF excimer laser capable of producing 10 mJ laser pulses at 1000 Hz with a bandwidth of about 0.6 pm or less. The present invention is especially suited to long-term round-the-clock operation in the lithographic production of integrated circuits. Improvements over prior art lasers include a single upstream preionizer tube and acoustic baffles. A preferred embodiment includes reduced fluorine concentration, an anode support bar shaped to reduce aerodynamic reaction forces on blower bearings, a modified pulse power system providing faster pulse rise time, an output coupler with substantially increased reflectivity, a line narrowing module with CaF prism beam expanders, a more accurate wavemeter, a laser computer controller programmed with new and improved pulse energy control algorithm.