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. 15, 2003
Filed:
Dec. 06, 1999
Applicant:
Inventor:
Yuji Kudo, Kawasaki, JP;
Assignee:
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G03B 2/742 ; G03B 2/732 ; H01S 3/10 ; H01S 3/00 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G03B 2/742 ; G03B 2/732 ; H01S 3/10 ; H01S 3/00 ;
Abstract
This invention pertains to systems for extending the pulse length of pulsed sources of optical radiation. These systems reduce peak optical pulse power without reducing average optical power. The pulse-width extending systems split optical pulses into pulse portions, introduce relative delays among the pulse portions, and then redirect the pulse portions (or portions thereof) along a common axis. Such pulse-width extending systems are especially useful in projection-exposure apparatus for the manufacture of semiconductor devices where short wavelength, high power optical sources tend to damage optical components.