Abstract: The invention describes a heating system (100) and a corresponding method of heating a heating surface (180) of an object (150, 950) to a processing temperature of at least 100° C., wherein the heating system (100) comprises semiconductor light sources (115), and wherein the heating system (100) is adapted to heat an area element of the heating surface (180) with at least 50 semiconductor light sources (115) at the same time. The heating system (100) may be part of a reactor for processing semiconductor structures. The light emitted by means of the semiconductor light sources (115) overlaps at the heating surface (180). Differences of the characteristic of one single semiconductor light source (115) may be blurred at the heating surface (180) such that a homogeneous temperature distribution across a processing surface of a, for example, wafer may be enabled.

Abstract: The invention describes a heating system (100) and a corresponding method of heating a heating surface (180) of an object (150, 950) to a processing temperature of at least 100° C., wherein the heating system (100) comprises semiconductor light sources (115), and wherein the heating system (100) is adapted to heat an area element of the heating surface (180) with at least 50 semiconductor light sources (115) at the same time. The heating system (100) may be part of a reactor for processing semiconductor structures. The light emitted by means of the semiconductor light sources (115) overlaps at the heating surface (180). Differences of the characteristic of one single semiconductor light source (115) may be blurred at the heating surface (180) such that a homogeneous temperature distribution across a processing surface of a, for example, wafer may be enabled.

Abstract: A method of cleaning at least one optical component of at least one irradiation device having at least one radiation source in a vacuum chamber. The source generates in particular extreme ultraviolet and/or soft X-ray radiation whose rays are guided via the optical component onto a workpiece to be treated, during which the optical component is at least partly polluted because of an inorganic substance introduced by the radiation source. A least one reaction partner that is substantially translucent or transparent to the rays is introduced via a feeder device in dependence on the prevailing reaction conditions. The reaction partner reacts chemically with the polluting deposits so as to remove them from the optical component.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrode device (1, 2) for gas discharge sources and to a gas discharge source having one or two of said electrode devices (1, 2). With the proposed design of the cover (8), an efficient cooling of the electrode wheel (7) is achieved, allowing high electrical powers for operating gas discharge sources with such an electrode device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a debris mitigation device for use with a radiation source (2) generating optical radiation, in particular extreme ultraviolet radiation (EUV) or soft x-rays, and emitting undesired substances and/or particles which can deposit on optical surfaces in a radiation path of said radiation source (2), and to a corresponding drive assembly. The debris mitigation device comprises at least one rotating foil trap (5) and the drive assembly. The drive assembly comprises a driving motor (14) and a driving axis (10), to which the rotating foil trap (5) is fixed. The driving motor (14) and bearings (13) supporting the driving axis (10) are enclosed in a casing (20) having an aperture for the driving axis (10) and at least one outlet opening (21) for a sealing gas. The outlet opening (21) is connectable to a pump for pumping out the sealing gas.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of cleaning and after treatment of optical surfaces in an irradiation unit, said irradiation unit comprising a radiation source (1, 31) emitting EUV-radiation and/or soft X-rays, a first volume (40) following said radiation source (1, 31) and containing first optical components (3, 33) with said optical surfaces, and a second volume (41) following said first volume (40) and containing second optical components (38). The method comprises at least one cleaning step in which a first gas or gas mixture is brought into contact with said optical surfaces, thereby forming volatile compounds with contaminations deposited on said optical surfaces, wherein said compounds are pumped out of the first volume (40) together with the first gas or gas mixture.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of cleaning optical surfaces in an irradiation unit in order to remove contaminations deposited on said optical surfaces. The method includes a cleaning step in which a first gas or gas mixture is brought into contact with said optical surfaces thereby forming a volatile compound with a first portion of said contaminations. In an operation pause of the irradiation unit prior to the cleaning step, a pretreatment step is performed, in which a second gas or gas mixture is brought into contact with said optical surfaces. Said second gas or gas mixture is selected to react with a second portion of said contaminations different from said first portion to form a reaction product, which is able to form a volatile compound with said first gas or gas mixture.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrode device for gas discharge sources, a gas discharge source comprising such an electrode device and to a method of operating the gas discharge source. The electrode device comprises an electrode wheel (1) rotatable around a rotational axis (3) and a wiper unit (11) arranged to limit the thickness of a liquid material film applied to at least a portion of an outer circumferential surface (18) of the electrode wheel (1) during rotation of said electrode wheel (1). The wiper unit (11) is arranged and designed to form a gap (17) between the outer circumferential surface (18) and a wiping edge (19) of the wiper unit (11) and to inhibit or at least reduce a migration of liquid material from side surfaces to the outer circumferential surface (18) of the electrode wheel (1) during rotation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrode device (1, 2) for gas discharge sources and to a gas discharge source having one or two of said electrode devices (1, 2). The electrode device (1, 2) comprises an electrode wheel (7) rotatable in a rotational direction around a rotational axis (22), said electrode wheel (7) having an outer circumferential surface (24) between two side surfaces (25). An electrode wheel cover (8) is provided which covers a portion of the outer circumferential surface (24) and the side surfaces (25) of the electrode wheel (24). The cover (8) is designed to form a cooling channel (12) in the circumferential direction between the cover (8), the outer circumferential surface (24) and radially outer portions part of the side surfaces (25), and to form a gap (23) between the cover (8) and the outer circumferential surface (24) in extension of the cooling channel (12) in the circumferential direction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrode device for gas discharge sources, a gas discharge source comprising such an electrode device and to a method of operating the gas discharge source. The electrode device comprises an electrode wheel (1) rotatable around a rotational axis (3) and a wiper unit (11) arranged to limit the thickness of a liquid material film applied to at least a portion of an outer circumferential surface (18) of the electrode wheel (1) during rotation of said electrode wheel (1). The wiper unit (11) is arranged and designed to form a gap (17) between the outer circumferential surface (18) and a wiping edge (19) of the wiper unit (11) and to inhibit or at least reduce a migration of liquid material from side surfaces to the outer circumferential surface (18) of the electrode wheel (1) during rotation.

Abstract: A method of cleaning at least one optical component of at least one irradiation device is described, which device comprises at least one radiation source in a vacuum chamber, which source generates in particular extreme ultraviolet and/or soft X-ray radiation whose rays are guided via the optical component onto a workpiece to be treated, during which said optical component is at least partly polluted because of an inorganic substance introduced by the radiation source. It is proposed that at least one reaction partner (124) that is substantially translucent or transparent to the rays (118) be introduced via a feeder device (126) in dependence on the prevailing reaction conditions, which reaction partner (124) reacts chemically with the polluting deposits (128) so as to remove them from the optical component (110).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a debris mitigation device for use with a radiation source (2) generating optical radiation, in particular extreme ultraviolet radiation (EUV) or soft x-rays, and emitting undesired substances and/or particles which can deposit on optical surfaces in a radiation path of said radiation source (2), and to a corresponding drive assembly. The debris mitigation device comprises at least one rotating foil trap (5) and the drive assembly. The drive assembly comprises a driving motor (14) and a driving axis (10), to which the rotating foil trap (5) is fixed. The driving motor (14) and bearings (13) supporting the driving axis (10) are enclosed in a casing (20) having an aperture for the driving axis (10) and at least one outlet opening (21) for a sealing gas. The outlet opening (21) is connectable to a pump for pumping out the sealing gas.

Abstract: A method of generating in particular EUV radiation (12) and/or soft X-ray radiation (12a) emitted by a plasma (26) is described. The plasma (26) is formed by an operating gas (22) in a discharge space (14) which comprises at least one radiation emission window (16) and an electrode system with at least one anode (18) and at least one cathode (20). This electrode system transmits electrical energy to the plasma (26) by means of charge carriers (24) introduced into the discharge space (14). It is suggested for obtaining a reliable ignition of the plasma (26) at high repetition frequencies that a radiation (30) generated by at least one radiation source (28) is introduced into the discharge space (14) for making available the discharge carriers (24).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of cleaning and after treatment of optical surfaces in an irradiation unit, said irradiation unit comprising a radiation source (1, 31) emitting EUV-radiation and/or soft X-rays, a first volume (40) following said radiation source (1, 31) and containing first optical components (3, 33) with said optical surfaces, and a second volume (41) following said first volume (40) and containing second optical components (38). The method comprises at least one cleaning step in which a first gas or gas mixture is brought into contact with said optical surfaces, thereby forming volatile compounds with contaminations deposited on said optical surfaces, wherein said compounds are pumped out of the first volume (40) together with the first gas or gas mixture.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of cleaning optical surfaces in an irradiation unit in order to remove contaminations deposited on said optical surfaces. The method includes a cleaning step in which a first gas or gas mixture is brought into contact with said optical surfaces thereby forming a volatile compound with a first portion of said contaminations. In an operation pause of the irradiation unit prior to the cleaning step, a pretreatment step is performed, in which a second gas or gas mixture is brought into contact with said optical surfaces. Said second gas or gas mixture is selected to react with a second portion of said contaminations different from said first portion to form a reaction product, which is able to form a volatile compound with said first gas or gas mixture.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for the generation of a plasma through electric discharge in a discharge space which contains at least two electrodes, at least one of which is constructed from a matrix material or carrier material, such that an erosion-susceptible region with an evaporation spot is formed at least by the current flow. To present a method or a device for the generation of a plasma by electric discharge, it is suggested that a sacrificial substrate (38) is provided at least at the evaporation spot, the boiling point of said sacrificial suvstrate (38) during discharge operation lying below the melting point of the carrier material (30), such that charge carriers arising in the current flow are mainly generated from the sacrificial substrate (38).

Abstract: The invention relates to a gas discharge lamp for EUV radiation with an anode (1) and a hollow cathode (2), wherein the hollow cathode (2) has at least two openings (3, 3?) and the anode (1) has a through hole (4), which is characterized in that the longitudinal axes (5, 5?) of the hollow cathode openings (3) have a common point of intersection S lying on the axis of symmetry (6) of the anode opening (4).

Abstract: A method of generating extreme ultraviolet radiation, wherein the radiant medium is a plasma generated by processing a basic material, and the basic material distribution of the radiant medium consists at least of one halogenide of the metals lithium (Li), indium (In), tin (Sn), antimony (Sb), tellurium (Te), aluminum (Al) and/or a halogen 5 and/or an inert gas, with the exception of halogenides on the basis of lithium (Li) and chlorine (Cl) as well as fluorine (F).

Abstract: A method of and a device for operating a gas discharge lamp which is fed with an alternating voltage or an alternating current and wherein the instantaneous power of the lamp is increased at given time intervals are used to form the electrodes. The value of an operational datum of the lamp which varies in time is continuously or discontinuously measured and the frequency of the alternating voltage or the alternating current (operating frequency) is selected in dependence on the measured values.

Abstract: The invention relates to a high-pressure discharge lamp provided with a discharge vessel made of glass which encloses a discharge space having an ionizable filling and an electrode. The discharge vessel is provided with a seal which encloses an Mo foil having knife edges and forms a feedthrough for an electric conductor to the electrode. At the location of the foil, the seal has a gastight sealed cavity and a first antenna on the outer side of the cavity. Preferably, a second antenna is placed at the neck where the seal is connected to the discharge vessel. This reduces both hot restrike voltage and hot restrike delay.