Abstract: A laser crystallization apparatus and method are disclosed for selectively melting a film such as amorphous silicon that is deposited on a substrate. The apparatus may comprise an optical system for producing stretched laser pulses for use in melting the film. In still another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, a system and method are provided for stretching a laser pulse. In another aspect, a system is provided for maintaining a divergence of a pulsed laser beam (stretched or non-stretched) at a location along a beam path within a predetermined range. In another aspect, a system may be provided for maintaining the energy density at a film within a predetermined range during an interaction of the film with a shaped line beam.

Abstract: In a first aspect, an apparatus for exposing a substrate with EUV radiation is described herein which may comprise a target material; a laser source generating a laser beam having a wavelength, ?, for irradiating the target material to generate EUV radiation, the laser beam defining a primary polarization direction; at least one mirror reflecting the EUV radiation along a path to the substrate; and a polarization filter disposed along the path filtering at least a portion of light having the wavelength, ?.

Abstract: An EUV light source is disclosed that may include a laser source, e.g. CO2 laser, a plasma chamber, and a beam delivery system for passing a laser beam from the laser source into the plasma chamber. Embodiments are disclosed which may include one or more of the following; a bypass line may be provided to establish fluid communication between the plasma chamber and the auxiliary chamber, a focusing optic, e.g. mirror, for focusing the laser beam to a focal spot in the plasma chamber, a steering optic for steering the laser beam focal spot in the plasma chamber, and an optical arrangement for adjusting focal power.

Abstract: The present invention provides a control system for a modular high repetition rate two discharge chamber ultraviolet gas discharge laser. In preferred embodiments, the laser is a production line machine with a master oscillator producing a very narrow band seed beam which is amplified in the second discharge chamber. Novel control features specially adapted for a two-chamber gas discharge laser system include: (1) pulse energy controls, with nanosecond timing precision (2) precision pulse to pulse wavelength controls with high speed and extreme speed wavelength tuning (3) fast response gas temperature control and (4) F2 injection controls with novel learning algorithm.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a very high repetition gas discharge laser system magnetic switch pulsed power system is disclosed, which may comprise a solid state switch, a charging power supply electrically connected to one side of the solid state switch; a charging inductor electrically connected to the other side of the solid state switch; a deque circuit electrically in parallel with the solid state switch comprising a deque switch; a peaking capacitor electrically connected to the charging inductor, a peaking capacitor charging control system operative to charge the peaking capacitor by opening the deque switch and leaving the solid state switch open and then shutting the solid state switch. The solid state switch may comprise a plurality of solid state switches electrically in parallel.

Abstract: Devices are disclosed herein which may comprise an EUV reflective optic having a surface of revolution that defines a rotation axis and a circular periphery. The optic may be positioned to incline the axis at a nonzero angle relative to a horizontal plane, and to establish a vertical projection of the periphery in the horizontal plane with the periphery projection bounding a region in the horizontal plane. The device may further comprise a system delivering target material, the system having a target material release point that is located in the horizontal plane and outside the region, bounded by the periphery projection and a system generating a laser beam for irradiating the target material to generate an EUV emission.

Abstract: An EUV light generation system and method is disclosed that may comprise a droplet generator producing plasma source material target droplets traveling toward the vicinity of a plasma source material target irradiation site; a drive laser; a drive laser focusing optical element having a first range of operating center wavelengths; a droplet detection radiation source having a second range of operating center wavelengths; a drive laser steering element comprising a material that is highly reflective within at least some part of the first range of wavelengths and highly transmissive within at least some part of the second range of center wavelengths; a droplet detection radiation aiming mechanism directing the droplet detection radiation through the drive laser steering element and the lens to focus at a selected droplet detection position intermediate the droplet generator and the irradiation site.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an illuminating apparatus for illuminating a sample on a work stage, optionally with a relatively narrow illuminating line of relatively controlled energy, as well as methods for controlling energy of a laser source when illuminating a sample on a work stage with a relatively narrow illuminating line.

Abstract: An oscillator-amplifier gas discharge laser system and method is disclosed which may comprise a first laser unit which may comprise a first discharge region which may contain an excimer or molecular fluorine lasing gas medium; a first pair of electrodes defining the first discharge region containing the lasing gas medium, a line narrowing unit for narrowing a spectral bandwidth of output laser light pulse beam pulses produced in said first discharge region; a second laser unit which may comprise a second discharge chamber which may contain an excimer or molecular fluorine lasing gas medium; a second pair of electrodes defining the second discharge region containing the lasing gas medium; a pulse power system providing electrical pulses to the first pair of electrodes and to the second pair of electrodes producing gas discharges in the lasing gas medium between the respective first and second pair of electrodes, and laser parameter control mechanism modifying a selected parameter of a selected laser output lig

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed which may comprise a high power excimer or molecular fluorine gas discharge laser DUV light source system which may comprise: a pulse stretcher which may comprise: an optical delay path mirror, an optical delay path mirror gas purging assembly which may comprise: a purging gas supply system directing purging gas across a face of the optical delay line mirror. The optical delay path mirror may comprise a plurality of optical delay path mirrors; the purging gas supply system may direct purging gas across a face of each of the plurality of optical delay line mirrors. The purging gas supply system may comprise: a purging gas supply line; a purging gas distributing and directing mechanism which may direct purging gas across the face of the respective optical delay path mirror.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for in-situ monitoring of an EUV mirror to determine a degree of optical degradation. The method may comprise the steps/acts of irradiating at least a portion of the mirror with light having a wavelength outside the EUV spectrum, measuring at least a portion of the light after the light has reflected from the mirror, and using the measurement and a pre-determined relationship between mirror degradation and light reflectivity to estimate a degree of multi-layer mirror degradation. Also disclosed is a method for preparing a near-normal incidence, EUV mirror which may comprise the steps/acts of providing a metallic substrate, diamond turning a surface of the substrate, depositing at least one intermediate material overlying the surface using a physical vapor deposition technique, and depositing a multi-layer mirror coating overlying the intermediate material.

Abstract: A device is described herein which may comprise an oscillator having an oscillator cavity length, Lo, and defining an oscillator path; and a multi-pass optical amplifier coupled with the oscillator to establish a combined optical cavity including the oscillator path, the combined cavity having a length, Lcombined, where Lcombined=(N+x)*Lo, where “N” is an integer and “x” is a number between 0.4 and 0.6.

Abstract: A gas flow management system may comprise a first and second enclosing walls at least partially surrounding first and second respective spaces; a system generating plasma in the first space, the plasma emitting extreme ultraviolet light; an elongated body restricting flow from the first space to the second space, the body at least partially surrounding a passageway and having a first open end allowing EUV light to enter the passageway from the first space and a second open end allowing EUV light to exit the passageway into the second space, the body shaped to establish a location having a reduced cross-sectional area relative to the first and second ends; and a flow of gas exiting an aperture, the aperture positioned to introduce gas into the passageway at a position between the first end of the body and the location having a reduced cross-sectional area.

Abstract: A corona-discharge type, preionizer assembly for a gas discharge laser is disclosed. The assembly may include an electrode and a hollow, dielectric tube that defines a tube bore. In one aspect, the electrode may include a first elongated 0o conductive member having a first end disposed in the bore of the tube. In addition, the electrode may include a second elongated conductive member having a first end disposed in the bore and spaced from the first end of the first conductive member. For the assembly, the first and second conductive members may be held at a same voltage potential.

Abstract: A fluorine gas discharge laser electrode for a gas discharge laser having a laser gas containing fluorine is disclosed which may comprise a copper and copper alloy cathode body having an upper curved region containing the discharge footprint for the cathode comprising copper and a lower portion comprising a copper alloy, with the facing portion of the electrode if formed in a arcuate shape extending into straight line portions on either side of the arcuate portion, the straight line portions terminating in vertical straight sides, with the boundary between the copper including at least the arcuate portion, the electrode may comprise a bonded element machined from two pieces of material the first made of copper and the second made of a copper alloy bonded together before machining.

Abstract: A method/apparatus may comprise a seed laser oscillator producing an output which may comprise: a first gas discharge excimer or molecular fluorine laser chamber; a line narrowing module within a first oscillator cavity; a laser amplification stage receiving the output of the seed laser oscillator which may comprise: a ring power amplification stage; a coherence busting mechanism intermediate the seed laser oscillator and the ring power amplification stage which may comprise a beam splitter separating the seed laser output into a main beam and a beam entering an optical delay path which may have a delay length longer than the coherence length of a pulse in the seed laser output and may have a beam angular offset mechanism offsetting a delayed beam and the main beam.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of operation for a high power broad band elongated thin beam laser annealing light source, which may comprise a gas discharge seed laser oscillator having a resonance cavity, providing a seed laser output pulse; a gas discharge amplifier laser amplifying the seed laser output pulse to provide an amplified seed laser pulse output; a divergence correcting multi-optical element optical assembly intermediate the seed laser and the amplifier laser. The divergence correcting optical assembly may adjust the size and/or shape of the seed laser output pulse within a discharge region of the amplifier laser in order to adjust an output parameter of the amplified seed laser pulse output. The divergence correcting optical assembly may comprise a telescope with an adjustable focus. The adjustable telescope may comprise an active feedback-controlled actuator based upon a sensed parameter of the amplified seed laser output from the amplifier laser.

Abstract: An EUV light source and method include a magnetic plasma confinement mechanism creating a magnetic field in the vicinity of a target ignition site to confine the plasma to the vicinity of the target ignition site, which is controlled using outputs from a target tacking system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus if disclosed which may comprise a high power high repetition rate gas discharge laser UV light source which may comprise: a gas discharge chamber comprising an interior wall comprising a vertical wall and an adjacent bottom wall; a gas circulation fan creating a gas flow path adjacent the interior vertical wall and the adjacent bottom wall; an in-chamber dust trap positioned a region of low gas flow, which may be along an interior wall and may comprise at least one meshed screen, e.g., a plurality of meshed screens, which may comprise at least two different gauge meshed screens. The dust trap may extend along the bottom interior wall of the chamber and/or a vertical portion of the interior wall. The dust trap may comprise a first meshed screen having a first gauge; a second meshed screen having a second gauge smaller than the first gauge; and the second meshed screen intermediate the first meshed screen and the interior wall.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed which may comprise a laser produced plasma EUV system which may comprise a drive laser producing a drive laser beam; a drive laser beam first path having a first axis; a drive laser redirecting mechanism transferring the drive laser beam from the first path to a second path, the second path having a second axis; an EUV collector optical element having a centrally located aperture; and a focusing mirror in the second path and positioned within the aperture and focusing the drive laser beam onto a plasma initiation site located along the second axis. The apparatus and method may comprise the drive laser beam is produced by a drive laser having a wavelength such that focusing on an EUV target droplet of less than about 100 ?m at an effective plasma producing energy is not practical in the constraints of the geometries involved utilizing a focusing lens. The drive laser may comprise a CO2 laser. The drive laser redirecting mechanism may comprise a mirror.