Abstract: A sample analysis system comprises a laser unit and a spectrometer unit. The laser unit emits 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 which is configured to generate the first laser pulse and the second laser pulse. A pre-amplifier unit is configured to receive the first laser pulse and the second laser pulse and increase the energy levels of each pulse prior to the pulses being emitted from the laser unit. The spectrometer unit captures emissions generated by the sample after the sample is stuck by the first and second laser pulses and identifies the elemental constituents of the sample using the emissions.

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 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 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: 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 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: 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: 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: 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 shaped plasma discharge system is provided in which a shaped radiation source emits radiation at a desired frequency and in a desired shape. In one embodiment, a laser source provides an output beam at a desired intensity level to shaping optics. The shaping optics alters the output beam into a desired shaped illumination field. In an alternate embodiment, plural laser sources provide plural output beams and the shaping optics can produce a compound illumination field. The illumination field strikes a target material forming a plasma of the desired shape that emits radiation with a desired spatial distribution, at a desired wavelength, preferably in the x-ray, soft x-ray, extreme ultraviolet or ultraviolet spectra. In another embodiment an electric discharge generates the required shaped radiation field. The shaped emitted radiation proceeds through an optical system to a photoresist coated wafer, imprinting a pattern on the wafer.

Abstract: A laser system which generates short duration pulses, such as under five nanoseconds at an energy level of up to a few milli-Joules per pulse (mJ/p) with near diffraction limited beam quality. A laser crystal is pumped (excited) by diode lasers. A resonator having at least two mirror surfaces defines a beam path passing through the laser crystal. The beam path in the resonator is periodically blocked by a first optical shutter permitting pump energy to build up in the laser crystal, except for a short period near the end of each pumping period. While the first optical shutter is open a second optical shutter blocks the light in the resonator except for periodic short intervals, the intervals being spaced such that at least one light pulse traveling at the speed of light in the resonator is able to make a plurality of transits through the resonator, increasing in intensity by extracting energy from the excited laser crystal on each transit.

Abstract: A high average power, high brightness solid state laser system. We first produce a seed laser beam with a short pulse duration. A laser amplifier amplifies the seed beam to produce an amplified pulse laser beam which is tightly focused to produce pulses with brightness levels in excess of 10.sup.11 Watts/cm.sup.2. Preferred embodiments produce an amplified pulse laser beam having an average power in the range of 1 kW, an average pulse frequency of 12,000 pulses per second with pulses having brightness levels in excess of 10.sup.14 Watts/cm.sup.2 at a 20 .mu.m diameter spot which may be steered rapidly to simulate a larger spot size. Alternately, a kHz system with several (for example, seven) beams (from amplifiers arranged in parallel) can each be focused to 20 .mu.m and clustered to create effective spot sizes of 100 to 200 .mu.m. These beams are useful in producing X-ray sources for lithography.

Abstract: A laser system which generates pulses with a duration in the range of about 60 to 300 ps at an energy level of up to a few milli-Joules per pulse (mJ/p) with near diffraction limited beam quality. A laser crystal is pumped (excited) by diode lasers. A resonator having at least two mirror surfaces defines a beam path passing through the laser crystal. The beam path in the resonator is periodically blocked by a first optical shutter permitting pump energy to build up in the laser crystal, except for a short period near the end of each pumping period. While the first optical shutter is open a second optical shutter blocks the light in the resonator except for periodic subnano-second intervals, the intervals being spaced such that at least one light pulse traveling at the speed of light in the resonator is able to make a plurality of transits through the resonator, increasing in intensity by extracting energy from the excited laser crystal on each transit.