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:
Apr. 10, 2001
Filed:
Mar. 06, 1997
Other;
Abstract
An excimer laser generating system includes a laser chamber whose inner surface is covered with a fluorine-passivated surface. Preferably, the surfaces of a blower and heat exchanger disposed in the laser chamber are also covered with a fluorine-passivated surface. The fluorine-passivated surface may be formed of a wide variety of materials including an aluminum oxide film, a fluoride film containing aluminum fluoride and magnesium fluoride, iron fluoride, and nickel fluoride. Preferably, the excimer laser generation system includes a gas supply system having an inert gas purging system so that gas sources can be replaced without exposing the inside of gas supply pipes to atmosphere. With the above arrangement, the excimer laser generating system can generate a laser beam pulse whose energy and shape are maintained constant for a long period of operation time without encountering serious degradation. The invention also provides a high-reliability step-and-repeat exposure apparatus using the above excimer laser generating system, capable of exposing a very fine pattern.