Abstract: An OCT system includes a broadband light source and illumination optics that projects the generated broadband light to a sample where the light is scattered from within the sample in a direction that is normal to a surface of the sample to form a sample beam and is reflected from a top surface of the sample in a direction that is normal to the surface of the sample to form a reference beam where the sample beam and reference beam co-propagate. Collection optics collect light in the sample and reference beams and project the light to an interferometric combiner. The interferometric combiner is configured to interferometrically the collected light from the sample beam and collected light from the reference beam and to project the interferometrically combined light to a spectrometer that generates spectral interferometric information to determine information about the sample.

Abstract: An EUV light source includes a chamber that defines a plasma confinement region. A magnetic core is positioned around the chamber and is configured to generate a plasma in the plasma generation region so that the plasma converges in the plasma confinement region. A power delivery section is positioned around the magnetic core. A power supply includes a charging circuit, a pre-ionization circuit, and a solid state switching circuit having an output coupled to the magnetic core. The power supply is configured to isolate the charging circuit from the power delivery section and to generate a pre-ionization pulse through inductive coupling that causes ionization of gas in the plasma generation region. The solid state switching circuit is configured to discharge a capacitance through inductive coupling to form a plasma in the plasma generation region.

Abstract: A plasma chamber for a UV light source includes a plasma generation region that defines a plasma confinement region. A port is positioned adjacent to a side of the plasma generation region that allows generated light to pass out of the chamber. A high voltage region is coupled to the plasma generation region. A grounded region is coupled to the high voltage region that defines an outer surface configured to be coupled to the ground and is dimensioned for receiving a surrounding inductive core. A width of the high voltage region is greater than the width of the grounded region.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating light includes a chamber having a high voltage region, a low voltage region, and a plasma generation region that defines a plasma confinement region. A magnetic core is positioned around the chamber and is configured to generate a plasma in the plasma confinement region. A switched power supply includes a DC power supply and a switched resonant charging circuit that together generate a plurality of voltage pulses at the output causing a plurality of current pulses to be applied to the power delivery section around the magnetic core so that at least one plasma loop is established around the magnetic core that confines plasma in the plasma confinement region, thereby forming a magnetically confined Z-pinch plasma. Light generated by the Z-pinch plasma propagates out of a port in the light source.

Abstract: An electrodeless laser-driven light source includes a laser source that generates a CW sustaining light and a pump laser that generates a pump. An optical beam combiner combines the CW sustaining light and the pump such that the CW sustaining light and the pump propagate co-linearly. A Q-switched laser crystal generates pulsed light in response to the pump. A gas-filled bulb is configured such that the pulsed light ignites a pulse plasma in a breakdown region of the gas bulb and the sustaining light sustains a CW plasma in a CW plasma region of the gas bulb, thereby emitting a high brightness light from the gas bulb, where the gas-filled bulb is positioned between the output of the pump laser and the pump input of the Q-switched laser crystal such that the CW plasma absorbs the pump light quenching the pulsed light generated by the Q-switched laser crystal.

Abstract: A light emitting sealed body includes: a housing which stores a discharge gas and is provided with a first opening to which first light is incident along a first optical axis and a second opening from which second light is emitted along a second optical axis; a first window portion which hermetically seals the first opening; and a second window portion which hermetically seals the second opening. The housing is formed of a light shielding material which does not transmit the first light and the second light. An internal space is defined by the housing, the first window portion, and the second window portion and the internal space is filled with the discharge gas. The first opening and the second opening are disposed so that the first optical axis and the second optical axis intersect each other.

Abstract: An electrodeless laser-driven light source includes a laser that generates a CW sustaining light. A pump laser generates pump light. A Q-switched laser crystal receives the pump light generated by the pump laser and generates pulsed laser light at an output in response to the generated pump light. A first optical element projects the pulsed laser light along a first axis to a breakdown region in a gas-filled bulb comprising an ionizing gas. A second optical element projects the CW sustaining light along a second axis to a CW plasma region in the gas-filled bulb comprising the ionizing gas. A detector detects plasma light generated by a CW plasma and generates a detection signal at an output. A controller generates control signals that control the pump light to the Q-switched laser crystal so as to extinguish the pulsed laser light within a time delay after the detection signal exceeds a threshold level.

Abstract: A plasma chamber for a UV light source includes a plasma generation region that defines a plasma confinement region. A port is positioned adjacent to a side of the plasma generation region that allows generated light to pass out of the chamber. A high voltage region is coupled to the plasma generation region. A grounded region is coupled to the high voltage region that defines an outer surface configured to be coupled to the ground and is dimensioned for receiving a surrounding inductive core. A width of the high voltage region is greater than the width of the grounded region.

Abstract: A dual-output light source includes a laser-driven light source that generates light from a thermal plasma over an angular range of emission of at least 180 degrees. A first and second off-axis conical mirror are positioned within the at least 180 degrees of emission of the thermal plasma so that light generated by the plasma propagating from a first region of emission strikes a first focal point of the first off-axis conical mirror and light generated by the plasma propagating from a second region of emission strikes a first focal point of the second off-axis conical mirror. The first and second off-axis conical mirrors reflect light in a respective and first and second optical paths. A first optical filter having a first bandwidth is positioned in the first optical path. A second optical filter having a second bandwidth is positioned in the second optical path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating light includes a chamber having a high voltage region, a low voltage region, and a plasma generation region that defines a plasma confinement region. A magnetic core is positioned around the chamber and is configured to generate a plasma in the plasma confinement region. A switched power supply includes a DC power supply and a switched resonant charging circuit that together generate a plurality of voltage pulses at the output causing a plurality of current pulses to be applied to the power delivery section around the magnetic core so that at least one plasma loop is established around the magnetic core that confines plasma in the plasma confinement region, thereby forming a magnetically confined Z-pinch plasma. Light generated by the Z-pinch plasma propagates out of a port in the light source.

Abstract: An electrodeless laser-driven light source includes a laser source that generates a CW sustaining light and a pump laser that generates a pump. An optical beam combiner combines the CW sustaining light and the pump such that the CW sustaining light and the pump propagate co-linearly. A Q-switched laser crystal generates pulsed light in response to the pump. A gas-filled bulb is configured such that the pulsed light ignites a pulse plasma in a breakdown region of the gas bulb and the sustaining light sustains a CW plasma in a CW plasma region of the gas bulb, thereby emitting a high brightness light from the gas bulb, where the gas-filled bulb is positioned between the output of the pump laser and the pump input of the Q-switched laser crystal such that the CW plasma absorbs the pump light quenching the pulsed light generated by the Q-switched laser crystal.

Abstract: An OCT system includes a broadband light source and illumination optics that projects the generated broadband light to a sample where the light is scattered from within the sample in a direction that is normal to a surface of the sample to form a sample beam and is reflected from a top surface of the sample in a direction that is normal to the surface of the sample to form a reference beam where the sample beam and reference beam co-propagate. Collection optics collect light in the sample and reference beams and project the light to an interferometric combiner. The interferometric combiner is configured to interferometrically the collected light from the sample beam and collected light from the reference beam and to project the interferometrically combined light to a spectrometer that generates spectral interferometric information to determine information about the sample.

Abstract: An electrodeless laser-driven light source includes a laser that generates a CW sustaining light. A pump laser generates pump light. A Q-switched laser crystal receives the pump light generated by the pump laser and generates pulsed laser light at an output in response to the generated pump light. A first optical element projects the pulsed laser light along a first axis to a breakdown region in a gas-filled bulb comprising an ionizing gas. A second optical element projects the CW sustaining light along a second axis to a CW plasma region in the gas-filled bulb comprising the ionizing gas. A detector detects plasma light generated by a CW plasma and generates a detection signal at an output. A controller generates control signals that control the pump light to the Q-switched laser crystal so as to extinguish the pulsed laser light within a time delay after the detection signal exceeds a threshold level.

Abstract: A method of generating light with a laser-driven light source includes generating a CW sustaining light and propagating the CW sustaining light to a gas filled bulb comprising an ionizing gas. A pump light is generated. A Q-switched laser crystal is irradiated with the generated pump light, thereby generating pulsed laser light. The pulsed laser light is propagated to the gas filled bulb comprising the ionizing gas so as to generate a CW plasma that emits light. The light generated by the CW plasma in the gas filled bulb is detected. The pump light is controlled so as to extinguish the pulsed laser light after the light generated by the CW plasma is detected.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating light includes a chamber having a high voltage region, a low voltage region, and a plasma generation region that defines a plasma confinement region. A magnetic core is positioned around the chamber and is configured to generate a plasma in the plasma confinement region. A switched power supply includes a DC power supply and a switched resonant charging circuit that together generate a plurality of voltage pulses at the output causing a plurality of current pulses to be applied to the power delivery section around the magnetic core so that at least one plasma loop is established around the magnetic core that confines plasma in the plasma confinement region, thereby forming a magnetically confined Z-pinch plasma. Light generated by the Z-pinch plasma propagates out of a port in the light source.

Abstract: An ultraviolet light source with direct feed gas injection includes a chamber comprising a plasma confinement region and defining an aperture adjacent to the plasma confinement region that passes light generated by the plasma. A magnetic core is positioned around the plasma confinement region and is configured to generate a plurality of plasma current loops that converges in the plasma confinement region during operation. A feed gas injector is coupled to a gas port in the chamber and has an output that is positioned proximate to a boundary of the plasma confinement region so that the feed gas injector provides a feed gas to the plasma confinement region that creates a differential pressure in the plasma confinement region. A high voltage region is coupled to the plasma confinement region. An exhaust port is configured to be coupled to a pump that controls a pressure in the chamber.

Abstract: A light emitting sealed body includes a housing which stores a discharge gas in an internal space and is provided with a first window portion to which first light is incident and a second window portion from which second light is emitted. The housing includes at least one flow path which is partitioned from the internal space and extends toward at least one of the first window portion and the second window portion.

Abstract: A light emitting sealed body includes: a housing which stores a discharge gas and is provided with a first opening to which first light is incident along a first optical axis and a second opening from which second light is emitted along a second optical axis; a first window portion which hermetically seals the first opening; a second window portion which hermetically seals the second opening; and a first electrode and a second electrode. The housing is formed of a light shielding material which does not transmit the first light and the second light. An internal space is defined by the housing, the first window portion, and the second window portion and the internal space is filled with the discharge gas. The first opening and the second opening are disposed so that the first optical axis and the second optical axis intersect each other.

Abstract: An electrodeless laser-driven light source includes a laser that generates a CW sustaining light. A pump laser generates pump light. A Q-switched laser crystal receives the pump light generated by the pump laser and generates pulsed laser light at an output in response to the generated pump light. A first optical element projects the pulsed laser light along a first axis to a breakdown region in a gas-filled bulb comprising an ionizing gas. A second optical element projects the CW sustaining light along a second axis to a CW plasma region in the gas-filled bulb comprising the ionizing gas. A detector detects plasma light generated by a CW plasma and generates a detection signal at an output. A controller generates control signals that control the pump light to the Q-switched laser crystal so as to extinguish the pulsed laser light within a time delay after the detection signal exceeds a threshold level.

Abstract: An electrodeless laser-driven light source includes a laser source that generates CW sustaining light. A pump laser generates pump light. A Q-switched laser crystal is positioned to receive the pump light and generates pulsed laser light in response to the generated pump light that propagates to a breakdown region in a gas filled bulb comprising an ionizing gas. A detector detects plasma light generated by a CW plasma located at least partly in a CW plasma region in the gas filled bulb comprising the ionizing gas and generates a detection signal. A controller generates control signals that control the pump light to the Q-switched laser crystal so as to extinguish the pulsed laser light within a time delay after the detection signal exceeds a threshold level.