Extreme ultraviolet light source

US7368741B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Cymer, LLC · US

Inventors

• Stephan T. Melnychuk · Carlsbad, US
• William N. Partlo · Poway, US
• Igor V. Fomenkov · San Diego, US
• I. Roger Oliver · San Diego, US
• Richard M. Ness · San Diego, US
• Norbert Bowering · San Diego, US
• Oleh Khodykin · San Diego, US
• Curtis Rettig · Vista, US
• Gerry Blumenstock · San Diego, US
• Timothy Dyer · Tempe, US
• Rodney D. Simmons · San Diego, US
• Jerzy Hoffman · Santa Monica, US
• R. Mark Johnson · Ramona, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 14, 2005
• Grant date: May 6, 2008
• Expiry date: Feb 14, 2026

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H05H1/06
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The present invention provides a reliable, high-repetition rate, production line compatible high energy photon source. A very hot plasma containing an active material is produced in vacuum chamber. The active material is an atomic element having an emission line within a desired extreme ultraviolet (EUV) range. A pulse power source comprising a charging capacitor and a magnetic compression circuit comprising a pulse transformer, provides electrical pulses having sufficient energy and electrical potential sufficient to produce the EUV light at an intermediate focus at rates in excess of 5 Watts. In preferred embodiments designed by Applicants in-band, EUV light energy at the intermediate focus is 45 Watts extendable to 105.8 Watts.