Patent · US Active

Apparatus for and method of controlling coalescence of droplets in a droplet stream

US11240904B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by

0References

18Claims

0Family size

Assignee

ASML NETHERLANDS B.V. · NL

Inventors

Joshua Mark Lukens · San Diego, US
Bob Rollinger · San Diego, US
Pooriya Beyhaghi · San Diego, US

Key dates

Filing date	Jan 3, 2019
Grant date	Feb 1, 2022
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Jan 3, 2039

Classification

Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
CPC primaryH05G2/0027
WIPO fieldMedical technology
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Provided is an apparatus for and method of controlling formation of droplets (102a, b) used to generate EUV radiation that comprise an arrangement producing a laser beam directed to an irradiation region and a droplet source. The droplet source (92) includes a fluid exiting an nozzle (98) and a sub-system having an electro-actuatable element (104) producing a disturbance in the fluid (96). The droplet source produces a stream (100) that breaks down into droplets that in turn coalesce into larger droplets as they progress towards the irradiation region. The electro-actuatable element is driven by a hybrid waveform that controls the droplet generation/coalescence process. Also disclosed is a method of determining the transfer function for the nozzle.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.