Bandwidth control technique for a laser

US6721340B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Cymer, LLC · US

Inventors

• Igor V. Fomenkov · San Diego, US
• Armen Kroyan · Redondo Beach, US
• Jesse Buck · San Marcos, US
• Palash P. Das · Vista, US
• Richard L. Sandstrom · Encinitas, US
• Frederick Erie · Oceanside, US
• John M. Algots · San Diego, US
• Gamaralalage G. Padmabandu · San Diego, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 30, 2000
• Grant date: Apr 13, 2004
• Expiry date: Dec 1, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S3/2207
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A technique for bandwidth control of an electric discharge laser. Line narrowing equipment is provided having at least one piezoelectric drive and a fast bandwidth detection means and a bandwidth control having a time response of less than about 1.0 millisecond. In a preferred embodiment wavelength tuning mirror is dithered at dither rates of more than 500 dithers per second within a very narrow range of pivot angles to cause a dither in nominal wavelength values to produce a desired effective bandwidth of series of laser pulses.