Abstract: The invention relates to devices and methods for the identification of test tubes in a test tube rack using RFID technology.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a device for generating flows of gas for filtering the radiation emitted in plasma-based radiation sources. It is the object of the invention to find a novel possibility for generating a gas curtain in the immediate vicinity of a radiating plasma so as to permit a simple arrangement and design and a long life of the device for generating the gas curtain under extreme thermal stress. According to the invention, this object is met in that a slit nozzle is formed of a plurality of partial bodies comprising different materials to form a supersonic nozzle profile for the generation of a broad gas curtain in order to accommodate the slit nozzle to different thermal and precision-mechanical requirements in the gas inlet region and in the gas outlet region.

Abstract: In a radiation source for the generation of short-wavelength radiation, it is the object of the invention to effectively increase the protection of the collimator optics by a buffer gas without substantially reducing the radiation transmission. A vacuum chamber which encloses a radiation-emitting plasma and is outfitted with at least one feed line and one outlet line for a buffer gas in order to ensure protection against debris for at least one optical element which directs the radiation to a radiation outlet opening in the vacuum chamber has chamber areas with particle deceleration of varying magnitude by the buffer gas. The particle deceleration is greater at least in a first chamber area in which the optical element is arranged than in any other chamber area.

Abstract: The object of a plasma radiation source is to ensure a more effective protection against debris and, in particular, to counteract secondary sputtering. A target flow that is provided by a target generator by means of a target nozzle and a plasma that is generated by a pulsed excitation beam are enclosed within a vacuum chamber by a gas flow directed transverse to the optical axis.

Abstract: In a radiation source for the generation of short-wavelength radiation, it is the object of the invention to effectively increase the protection of the collimator optics by a buffer gas without substantially reducing the radiation transmission. A vacuum chamber which encloses a radiation-emitting plasma and is outfitted with at least one feed line and one outlet line for a buffer gas in order to ensure protection against debris for at least one optical element which directs the radiation to a radiation outlet opening in the vacuum chamber has chamber areas with particle deceleration of varying magnitude by the buffer gas. The particle deceleration is greater at least in a first chamber area in which the optical element is arranged than in any other chamber area.