Abstract: A EUV light source includes a prepulse laser source for emitting a prepulse laser beam at a prepulse wavelength, a main pulse laser source for emitting a main pulse laser beam at a main pulse wavelength, a prepulse beam guiding device for feeding the prepulse laser beam into a radiation generating chamber for irradiation of a target material with a prepulse, and a main pulse beam guiding device for feeding the main pulse laser beam into the radiation generating chamber for irradiation of the target material with a main pulse. The target material is configured to emit EUV radiation on account of the irradiation with the prepulse and the main pulse. The prepulse beam guiding device has a separation device configured to reflect disturbing radiation in a wavelength range that does not include the prepulse wavelength back into the radiation generating chamber or into at least one beam trap.

Abstract: A focusing device for focusing a laser beam in a target area. The focusing device includes a paraboloid mirror configured to widen the laser beam; an ellipsoid mirror or a hyperboloid mirror configured to focus the widened laser beam at a focal position within the target area; and a movement device. The movement device is configured to move the ellipsoid mirror or the hyperboloid mirror relative to the paraboloid mirror, or together with the paraboloid mirror, to change the focal position within the target area.

Abstract: A method for adjusting a laser beam includes, following passage of the laser beam through a beam-shaping device, measuring, via a detector of a detector device, a beam profile of the laser beam. The method further includes determining a beam quality property of the laser beam based on the measured beam profile and altering an adjustable optical unit for modifying at least one property of the laser beam prior to the entry into the beam-shaping device. For adjusting the laser beam, the adjustable optical unit is altered based on the determined beam quality property.

Abstract: A reflective optical element includes a first, inner surface region for reflecting a first inner beam portion of a light beam impinging on the reflective optical element in order to form a first reflected light beam, and at least one second, outer surface region for reflecting at least one second outer beam portion of the impinging light beam for forming at least one second reflected light beam. The second surface region is designed to reduce a beam cross section of the second reflected light beam by comparison to the first reflected light beam such that the second reflected light beam extends along a superposition length completely within the first reflected light beam. In addition a beam guiding device has at least one such reflective optical element and an EUV-beam generating device has such a beam guiding device.

Abstract: A laser focusing system (330) for use in an EUV radiation source is described, the laser focusing system comprising: •—a first curved mirror (330.1) configured to receive a laser beam from a beam delivery system (320) and generate a first reflected laser beam (316); •—a second curved mirror (330.2) configured to receive the first reflected laser beam (316) and generate a second reflected laser beam (317), wherein the laser focusing system (330) is configured to focus the second reflected laser beam (317) to a target location (340) in a vessel (350) of the EUV radiation source (360).

Abstract: An arrangement monitors an optical element. The arrangement includes: a light source configured to emit radiation onto a surface of the optical element; a detector configured to detect the radiation that has been at least partially reflected at the surface of the optical element; and a holder for the optical element, in which the light source and the detector are integrated. The holder has a cooling region through which a cooling liquid is configured to flow, the cooling region being in contact with the optical element. The holder has a reservoir, through which a beam path between the light source and the detector extends. The reservoir is configured to receive the cooling liquid leaking out at the optical element in case of a leakage.

Abstract: A polarizer arrangement for polarizing a laser beam includes: multiple plate-shaped optical elements which are arranged in a beam path of the laser beam and each of which includes a beam entry surface for the laser beam and a beam exit surface for the laser beam, in which the beam entry surface of a respective plate-shaped optical element is oriented at the Brewster angle relative to the laser beam. The beam entry surfaces and the beam exit surfaces of the plate-shaped optical elements are in each case oriented at least at one wedge angle relative to one another. An EUV radiation generating device may include such a polarizer arrangement.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining at least one beam propagation parameter (M2, w0, ?, z0) of a laser beam, comprising: directing the laser beam through a lens arrangement towards a spatially resolving detector, imaging the laser beam at a plurality of different focus positions (F1, . . . ) relative to the spatially resolving detector by adjusting a focal length (f1, . . . ) of the lens arrangement, and determining the at least one beam propagation parameter (M2, w0, ?, z0) by evaluating an intensity distribution (l(x,y)) of the laser beam on the spatially resolving detector at the plurality of different focus positions (F1, . . . ). The method comprises adjusting the focal length (f1, . . . ) of the lens arrangement by arranging lens elements (A1, . . . ; B1, . . . ) having different focal lengths (fA1, . . . ; fB1, . . . ) in a beam path of the laser beam.

Abstract: Methods, devices and systems for linear polarization of a laser beam are provided. In one aspect, a polarization system includes: a first polarizer having a first polarizer surface for linear polarization of a laser beam propagating in a first direction and striking the first polarizer surface at a first angle, a phase shifter configured to rotate a polarization direction of the linearly polarized laser beam transmitted at the first polarizer surface by a predetermined rotation angle, and a second polarizer having a second polarizer surface, the linearly polarized laser beam striking the second polarizer surface at a second angle after having passed through the phase shifter and being transmitted by the second polarizer surface. An incidence plane of the laser beam striking the second polarizer surface is rotated by the predetermined rotation angle relative to an incidence plane of the laser beam striking the first polarizer surface.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems for elongating a beam path of a light beam, in particular of a laser beam, are provided. An example method includes coupling the light beam into an interspace between a plurality of first reflective surfaces and a plurality of second reflective surfaces facing the first reflective surfaces, multiply reflecting the light beam between the first reflective surfaces and the second reflective surfaces to elongate the beam path of the light beam, and coupling out the light beam from the interspace. The light beam undergoes the steps of coupling in, repeated reflecting and coupling out at least a first time with a first pass and a second time with a second pass, and the light beam traverses a different beam path in the interspace during the first pass in comparison with during the second pass.

Abstract: Driver laser systems for EUV radiation producing apparatuses are disclosed that include a beam source for producing laser radiation propagating in a first direction, an amplifier arrangement comprising at least one optical amplifier for amplifying the laser radiation propagating in the first direction, and at least one optical isolator. The optical isolator includes a chamber filled with a gas, through which chamber the laser radiation propagating in the first direction passes, and a plasma generating device configured for the pulsed ignition of a plasma in the gas of the chamber to suppress passage of laser radiation propagating in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, through the chamber. EUV radiation producing apparatuses that include such driver laser systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems for amplifying laser pulses having different wavelengths in a drive laser assembly for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation generating device are provided. The drive laser assembly includes a radiation source configured to generate a first laser pulse having a first wavelength and a second laser pulse having a second wavelength, and an amplifier assembly having at least one optical amplifier for amplifying the first laser pulse and the second laser pulse. The amplifier assembly has at least one wavelength-selective optical element configured to attenuate the first laser pulse at the first wavelength more strongly than the second laser pulse at the second wavelength.

Abstract: Beam guiding devices for guiding a laser beam, in particular in a direction towards a target region for producing extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation, include an adjustment device for adjusting a beam diameter and an aperture angle of the laser beam. The adjustment device includes a first mirror having a first curved reflecting surface, a second mirror having a second curved reflecting surface, a third mirror having a third curved reflecting surface, a fourth mirror having a fourth curved reflecting surface, and a movement device configured to adjust the beam diameter and the aperture angle of the laser beam by moving the first reflecting surface and the fourth reflecting surface relative to one another and, independently thereof, moving the second reflecting surface and the third reflecting surface together relative to the first reflecting surface and the fourth reflecting surface.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a beam trap including: a reflector for reflecting a beam, in particular a laser beam, that is incident on a surface of the reflector, and an absorber device for absorbing the beam reflected at the surface of the reflector. The surface of the reflector is segmented and has a plurality of reflector regions that are configured for reflecting a respective partial beam of the incident beam into an absorber region of the absorber device that is associated with the respective reflector region. The disclosure also relates to a beam guide device having a beam trap of this type, an EUV radiation generation apparatus having a beam guide device of this type, and an associated method for absorbing a beam, in particular for absorbing a laser beam.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus, including non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, for amplifying pulsed laser radiation in an EUV laser driver are provided. An example EUV laser driver includes a beam source configured to produce the pulsed laser radiation with at least one laser frequency, an amplifier arrangement with at least one optical amplifier for amplifying the pulsed laser radiation, the at least one optical amplifier having a frequency-dependent gain with a maximum gain at a maximum frequency, at least one frequency shifter configured to produce a frequency shift for the laser frequency of the pulsed laser radiation relative to the maximum frequency, and a controller configured to set the frequency shift such that a gain of the at least one optical amplifier for the pulsed laser radiation is reduced to less than a percentage, e.g., 90%, 70%, or 50%, of the maximum gain.

Abstract: A device includes a driver laser arrangement including a beam source for generating a laser beam and an amplifier arrangement for amplifying the laser beam. The device also includes an apparatus for monitoring the laser beam that includes a transmissive optical element having a normal direction oriented at a tilt angle with respect to a beam axis of the laser beam. The apparatus also includes a spatially resolving detector for registering laser radiation reflected backwards by the transmissive optical element. The transmissive optical element has first and second sides that are oriented at a wedge angle with respect to one another and through which the laser beam passes. The first and second sides reflect first and second partial beams of the incident laser beam. The apparatus has an optical filter that prevents one of the reflected first and second partial beams from reaching the detector.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus, including non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, for amplifying pulsed laser radiation in an EUV laser driver are provided. An example EUV laser driver includes a beam source configured to produce the pulsed laser radiation with at least one laser frequency, an amplifier arrangement with at least one optical amplifier for amplifying the pulsed laser radiation, the at least one optical amplifier having a frequency-dependent gain with a maximum gain at a maximum frequency, at least one frequency shifter configured to produce a frequency shift for the laser frequency of the pulsed laser radiation relative to the maximum frequency, and a controller configured to set the frequency shift such that a gain of the at least one optical amplifier for the pulsed laser radiation is reduced to less than a percentage, e.g., 90%, 70%, or 50%, of the maximum gain.

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet radiation generating device includes a source operable to generate a first and second entrance beam, and a beam unit operable to modify at least one of a direction and a beam divergence of the first and second entrance beam, in which the beam unit includes: a beam splitter to receive the first and second entrance beam, the beam splitter being configured to reflect the first entrance beam as a first exit beam and to transmit the second entrance beam; and a mirror in the beam path of the transmitted, second entrance beam to reflect the second entrance beam to form a second exit beam that is transmitted by the beam splitter and that is at least partially superposed on the first exit beam, in which the beam unit is configured to modify an angle and/or beam divergence between the first and second exit beam.

Abstract: A beam guiding apparatus includes a vacuum chamber that includes a target region arranged to receive a target material for generating EUV radiation. The vacuum chamber includes a first and second opening for receiving into the vacuum chamber a first and second laser beam, respectively. The first and second laser beam have different wavelengths. The beam guiding apparatus further includes a superposition apparatus arranged to superpose the first and second laser beams entering into the vacuum chamber through the first and second openings, respectively, for common beam guidance in the direction of the target region. The superposition apparatus comprises a first optical element configured to seal the first opening of the vacuum chamber in a gas-tight manner and transmit the first laser beam, or a second optical element configured to seal off the second opening of the vacuum chamber in a gas-tight manner and transmit the second laser beam.

Abstract: In one implementation, a beam guiding apparatus includes a vacuum chamber that includes a target region arranged to receive a target material for generating EUV radiation. The vacuum chamber further includes a first opening for receiving into the vacuum chamber a first laser beam and a second opening for receiving into the vacuum chamber a second laser beam. The vacuum chamber also includes a superposition apparatus arranged to superpose the first laser beam having a first wavelength and a second laser beam having a second wavelength for common beam guidance in the direction of the target region. The vacuum chamber also includes a beam shaping apparatus arranged upstream of the superposition apparatus in the beam path of the second laser beam, wherein the beam shaping apparatus is configured to set a ring-shaped beam profile of the second laser beam, The first and second laser beam have different wavelengths.