Abstract: A particle detection system uses illumination incident at an angle to detect particles in a liquid such as water. By using illumination incident at an angle, the scattered light can be measured through a range of angles that are greater than the measured range of angles produced when the illumination is incident at a normal angle, when using the same detector. For example, the light can be measured through an angle that is twice that produced with illumination incident at a normal angle.

Abstract: A lens assembly for enhancing the depth of field of a short-wavelength microscopic system is disclosed. The lens assembly includes an objective zone plate lens, an encoding lens, an imaging detector and a decoding component connected to the imaging detector. The objective zone plate lens is oriented to receive short-wavelength radiation that has passed through a sample in a microscopic system. The encoding lens is oriented to receive the short-wavelength radiation that has passed through the objective zone plate lens and encode the radiation to output an encoded short-wavelength radiation. The imaging detector is oriented to receive the encoded short-wavelength radiation and convert it to a digital signal which is subsequently decoded by the decoding component to decode the encoding applied to the short-wavelength radiation.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for advancing tape/ribbon through a targeting area where laser ablation of the tape occurs in laser produced plasma equipment. Disclosed systems include a first positioning surface perpendicular to further positioning devices, where all of the positioning components work to precisely position the advancing tape in the point source area. After the first positioning device, the remaining positioning surfaces are parallel and provide positioning forces on the tape along a single horizontal axis, but in alternately opposing directions. Such forces assist to precisely position the tape in the desired target location, and to control the rate of advancement of the tape by imparting friction on the tape in alternating, opposing directions. A steady drive roller serves to pull the tape through the system, and works in conjunction with the friction imparted by the positioning surfaces to advance the tape at a substantially constant velocity.

Abstract: A system for analyzing a sample is disclosed. The system is comprised of a laser unit and a spectrometer unit. The laser unit is configured to emit a first laser pulse and a second laser pulse towards the sample with a pulse separation time of between about 1 microsecond to 20 microseconds. The laser unit includes an oscillator unit, a pre-amplifier unit and an amplifier unit. The oscillator unit is configured to generate the first laser pulse and the second laser pulse. The pre-amplifier unit is configured to receive the first laser pulse and the second laser pulse and increase the energy levels of each pulse to a first energy state. The amplifier unit is configured to receive the first laser pulse and the second laser pulse from the pre-amplifier unit and further increase the energy levels of each pulse to a second energy level prior to the pulses being emitted from the laser unit.

Abstract: Abstract of the Disclosure Disclosed are radiation-resistant zone plates for use in laser-produced plasma (LPP) devices, and methods of manufacturing such zone plates. In one aspect, a method of manufacturing a zone plate provides for forming a masking layer over a supporting membrane, and creating openings through the masking layer in a diffractive grating pattern. Such a method also provides depositing radiation absorbent material in the openings in the masking layer and on the supporting membrane, and then stripping the remaining portions of the masking layer. Then, portions of the supporting membrane not covered by the absorbent material are removed, wherein the remaining portions of the supporting membrane covered by the absorbent material form separate grates. Also in such methods, cross-members are coupled to the grates for holding positions of the grates with respect to each other.

Abstract: A particle detection system uses a reflective optic comprising a curved surface to detect high angle scattered light generated by a particle in a liquid medium, when a laser beam is incident on the particle. When the particles transit the laser beam, light is scattered in all directions and is described by MIE scattering theory for particles about the size of the wavelength of light and larger or Rayleigh Scattering when the particles are smaller than the wavelength of light. By using the reflective optic, the scattered light can be detected over angles that are greater than normally obtainable.

Abstract: A nano-scale surface analysis system is configured to reduce a laser-produced plasma spot size, while maintaining flux levels at target. The system comprises a condenser zone plate operable to receive short wavelength radiation and focus the short wavelength radiation into a spot on the target. The target is positioned such it is located at an order of diffraction of the condenser zone plate that is greater than the first diffractive order of the condenser zone plate and sufficient to demagnify the spot to a diameter less than one micron. In addition, the target is still positioned such that a flux created at the target by the spot is sufficient to produce a nanoplasma.

Abstract: A particle detection system uses a reflective optic comprising a curved surface to detect high angle scattered light generated by a particle in a liquid medium, when a laser beam is incident on the particle. When the particles transit the laser beam, light is scattered in all directions and is described by MIE scattering theory for particles about the size of the wavelength of light and larger or Rayleigh Scattering when the particles are smaller than the wavelength of light. By using the reflective optic, the scattered light can be detected over angles that are greater than normally obtainable.

Abstract: A laser produced plasma device comprises a shutter assembly for mitigating the contaminating effects of debris generated by the plasma. In one embodiment, the shutter assembly includes a rotatable shutter having at least one aperture that provides a line-of-sight between a radiation source and an exit of the device during a first period of rotation of the shutter, and obstructs the line-of-sight between the radiation source and the exit during a second period of rotation. The shutter assembly in this embodiment also includes a motor configured to rotate the shutter to permit passage of the X-rays through the at least one aperture during the first period of rotation, and to thereafter rotate the shutter to obstruct passage of the debris through the at least one aperture during the second period of rotation.

Abstract: Abstract of the Disclosure An improved short-wavelength microscope is described in which a specimen sample is placed between a condenser zone plate lens and an objective zone plate lens so that the specimen is aligned with a diffraction order of the condenser zone plate lens that is greater than one and proximal to the condenser zone plate.

Abstract: The present application describes a system and method for providing a pulse laser may include a first reflector, a second reflector, a lasing module and a fast optical valve. The first reflector and the second reflector may form an optical cavity. The lasing module may be disposed at least partly in the optical cavity. A fast optical valve may be disposed at least partly within the optical cavity and structured to block and to allow lasing within the optical cavity. The fast optical valve may also be structured to output a laser pulse that has a pulse duration of approximately a round trip time of the optical cavity. By placing at least part of the first reflector or the second reflector on a moving element, the pulse duration of the outputted laser pulse can be manipulated easily.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for achieving high power and high intensity laser amplification. In a four-pass optical amplifying system, a linear polarized optical beam is directed by various optical elements four times through an optical amplifier. The optical amplifier is transversely pumped by a pumping energy source that includes laser diode arrays. The pumping module and the other optical components are provided to counteract thermal lensing effects, induced thermal birefringence effects and to achieve enhanced amplification and efficiencies.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating membrane targets for a laser induced plasma is disclosed herein. Membranes are advantageous targets for laser induced plasma because they are very thin and can be readily illuminated by high-power coherent light, such as a laser, and converted into plasma. Membranes are also advantageous because illumination of the membrane with coherent light produces less debris and splashing than illumination of a thicker, solid target. Spherical membranes possess additional advantages in that they can be readily illuminated from variety of directions and because they can be easily placed (i.e. blown) into a target region for illumination by coherent light. Membranes are also advantageous because they can be formed from a liquid or molten phase of the target material. According to another embodiment, membranes can be formed from a solution in which the target materials are solvated.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for generation of a nanoplasma and/or nanofluorescence. The system includes an emissions source of soft x-rays. The emissions source can include a laser system as an energy source and target material that acts as a radiation source when illuminated by the laser system. The system further includes focusing optics particularly suited for manipulation of wavelengths associated with x-rays. The focusing optics can focus the x-rays onto a desired target so that a nanoplasma or nanofluorescent spot can be formed to have a diameter of less than 200 nm. Radiation from the nanoplasma or nanofluorescent spot can be examined, for example using a spectrometer, in order to perform a highly-selective material analysis of the desired target. Other applications include using the nanoplasma for nanoablation and/or nanodeposition processes.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for advancing tape/ribbon through a targeting area where laser ablation of the tape occurs in laser produced plasma equipment. Disclosed systems include a first positioning surface perpendicular to further positioning devices, where all of the positioning components work to precisely position the advancing tape in the point source area. After the first positioning device, the remaining positioning surfaces are parallel and provide positioning forces on the tape along a single horizontal axis, but in alternately opposing directions. Such forces assist to precisely position the tape in the desired target location, and to control the rate of advancement of the tape by imparting friction on the tape in alternating, opposing directions. A steady drive roller serves to pull the tape through the system, and works in conjunction with the friction imparted by the positioning surfaces to advance the tape at a substantially constant velocity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating membrane targets for a laser induced plasma is disclosed herein. Membranes are advantageous targets for laser induced plasma because they are very thin and can be readily illuminated by high-power coherent light, such as a laser, and converted into plasma. Membranes are also advantageous because illumination of the membrane with coherent light produces less debris and splashing than illumination of a thicker, solid target. Spherical membranes possess additional advantages in that they can be readily illuminated from variety of directions and because they can be easily placed (i.e. blown) into a target region for illumination by coherent light. Membranes are also advantageous because they can be formed from a liquid or molten phase of the target material. According to another embodiment, membranes can be formed from a solution in which the target materials are solvated.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a diode-pumped solid state (DPSS) laser having a laser rod and a diode array, located proximate the laser rod. In one embodiment, the diode array includes a plurality of high power diode bars spaced along the diode array, where each is configured to emit radiation therefrom. In addition, in this embodiment, the spacing of the high power diode bars and the location of the diode array with respect to the laser rod are selected to allow the laser rod to receive the radiation from the high power diode bars in a substantially uniform distribution. In addition, a method of manufacturing a DPSS laser, and a DPSS laser assembly are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for laser cutting a target material is disclosed. The method includes the steps of generating laser pulses from a laser system and applying the laser pulses to the target material so that the laser pulses cut through the material. The laser pulses have an approximately ellipse shaped spot, have a temporal pulse width shorter than about 100 nanoseconds, and have an energy density from about 2 to about 20 times the ablation threshold energy of the target material. The laser pulses are applied to the material such that the major axis of the ellipse shaped spot moves parallel to the cutting direction. The spot has a leading edge and a trailing edge on the major axis, and the energy density of each laser pulse increases from zero to a maximum along the leading edge and decreases back to zero along the trailing edge.

Abstract: The present invention provides a high gain collimator producing generally uniform intensity profiles for use in lithography and other applications. A focusing optic is also provided. The collimator includes a reflector and guide channel. The guide channel preferably includes polycapillary tubes and/or microchannel plates. The polycapillary tubes are used to collimate or focus the central portion of the x-ray beam in a circular, elliptic, square, or rectangular shape. A conical, parabolic resonance reflector or grazing incidence reflector with a shape similar to the polycapillary collimator is used to increase the solid angle collected and produce a circular, square, etc. annular x-ray beam whose inside dimensions are approximately equal to the exit dimensions of the polycapillary collimator.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for laser cutting a target material is disclosed. The method includes the steps of generating laser pulses from a laser system and applying the laser pulses to the target material so that the laser pulses cut through the material. The laser pulses have an approximately ellipse shaped spot, have a temporal pulse width shorter than about 100 nanoseconds, and have an energy density from about 2 to about 20 times the ablation threshold energy of the target material. The laser pulses are applied to the material such that the major axis of the ellipse shaped spot moves parallel to the cutting direction. The spot has a leading edge and a trailing edge on the major axis, and the energy density of each laser pulse increases from zero to a maximum along the leading edge and decreases back to zero along the trailing edge.