Method and apparatus for generating high output power gas discharge based source of extreme ultraviolet radiation and/or soft x-rays

US6804327B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Lambda Physik AG · DE

Inventors

• Guido Schriever · Oettingen, DE
• Ulrich Rebhan · Göttingen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 27, 2002
• Grant date: Oct 12, 2004
• Expiry date: Jun 30, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H05G2/009
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The method and system herein pertain to an EUV photon source which includes a plasma chamber filled with a gas mixture, multiple electrodes within the plasma chamber defining a plasma region and a central axis, a power supply circuit connected to the electrodes for delivering a main pulse to the electrodes for energizing the plasma around the central axis to produce an EUV beam. The system can also include a preionizer for ionizing the gas mixture in preparing to form a dense plasma around the central axis upon application of the main pulse from the power supply circuit to the electrodes. A set of baffles may be disposed along the beam path outside of the pinch region to diffuse gaseous and contaminant particulate flow emanating from the pinch region and to absorb or reflect acoustic waves emanating from the pinch region away from the pinch region.