Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed which includes or employs an EUV light source comprising a laser device outputting a laser beam, a beam delivery system directing the laser beam to an irradiation site, and a material for interaction with the laser beam at the irradiation site to create an EUV light emitting plasma for use in processing substrates.

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light system includes a drive laser system that produces an amplified light beam; a target material delivery system configured to produce a target material at a target location; an extreme ultraviolet light vacuum chamber defining an interior vacuum space that houses an extreme ultraviolet light collector and the target location; and a beam delivery system that is configured to receive the amplified light beam emitted from the drive laser system and to direct the amplified light beam toward the target location. The beam delivery system includes a beam expansion system that expands a size of the amplified light beam and a focusing element that is configured and arranged to focus the amplified light beam at the target location.

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light system includes a drive laser system that produces an amplified light beam; a target material delivery system configured to produce a target material at a target location; a beam delivery system configured to receive the amplified light beam emitted from the drive laser system and to direct the amplified light beam toward the target location; and a metrology system. The beam delivery system includes converging lens configured and arranged to focus the amplified light beam at the target location. The metrology system includes a light collection system configured to collect a portion of the amplified light beam reflected from the converging lens and a portion of a guide laser beam reflected from the converging lens. The light collection system includes a dichroic optical device configured to optically separate the portions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus may comprise a line narrowed pulsed excimer or molecular fluorine gas discharge laser system which may comprise a seed laser oscillator producing an output comprising a laser output light beam of pulses which may comprise a first gas discharge excimer or molecular fluorine laser chamber; a line narrowing module within a first oscillator cavity; a laser amplification stage containing an amplifying gain medium in a second gas discharge excimer or molecular fluorine laser chamber receiving the output of the seed laser oscillator and amplifying the output of the seed laser oscillator to form a laser system output comprising a laser output light beam of pulses, which may comprise a ring power amplification stage.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed which may comprise a laser produced plasma EUV system which may comprise a drive laser producing a drive laser beam; a drive laser beam first path having a first axis; a drive laser redirecting mechanism transferring the drive laser beam from the first path to a second path, the second path having a second axis; an EUV collector optical element having a centrally located aperture; and a focusing mirror in the second path and positioned within the aperture and focusing the drive laser beam onto a plasma initiation site located along the second axis. The apparatus and method may comprise the drive laser beam is produced by a drive laser having a wavelength such that focusing on an EUV target droplet of less than about 100 ?m at an effective plasma producing energy is not practical in the constraints of the geometries involved utilizing a focusing lens. The drive laser may comprise a CO2 laser. The drive laser redirecting mechanism may comprise a mirror.

Abstract: An EUV light source is disclosed which may comprise a plurality of targets, e.g., tin droplets, and a system generating pre-pulses and main-pulses with the pre-pulses for irradiating targets to produce expanded targets. The system may further comprise a continuously pumped laser device generating the main pulses with the main pulses for irradiating expanded targets to produce a burst of EUV light pulses. The system may also have a controller varying at least one pre-pulse parameter during the burst of EUV light pulses. In addition, the EUV light source may also include an instrument measuring an intensity of at least one EUV light pulse within a burst of EUV light pulses and providing a feedback signal to the controller to vary at least one pre-pulse parameter during the burst of EUV light pulses to produce a burst of EUV pulses having a pre-selected dose.

Abstract: An EUV light source is disclosed which may comprise a plurality of targets, e.g., tin droplets, and a system generating pre-pulses and main-pulses with the pre-pulses for irradiating targets to produce expanded targets. The system may further comprise a continuously pumped laser device generating the main pulses with the main pulses for irradiating expanded targets to produce a burst of EUV light pulses. The system may also have a controller varying at least one pre-pulse parameter during the burst of EUV light pulses. In addition, the EUV light source may also include an instrument measuring an intensity of at least one EUV light pulse within a burst of EUV light pulses and providing a feedback signal to the controller to vary at least one pre-pulse parameter during the burst of EUV light pulses to produce a burst of EUV pulses having a pre-selected dose.

Abstract: In a first aspect, a method of fabricating an EUV light source mirror is disclosed which may comprise the acts/steps of providing a plurality of discrete substrates; coating each substrate with a respective multilayer coating; securing the coated substrates in an arrangement wherein each coated substrate is oriented to a common focal point; and thereafter polishing at least one of the multilayer coatings. In another aspect, an optic for use with EUV light is disclosed which may comprise a substrate; a smoothing layer selected from the group of materials consisting of Si, C, Si3N4, B4C, SiC and Cr, the smoothing layer material being deposited using highly energetic deposition conditions and a multilayer dielectric coating. In another aspect, a corrosion resistant, multilayer coating for an EUV mirror may comprise alternating layers of Si and a compound material having nitrogen and a 5th period transition metal.

Abstract: A device is described herein which may comprise an oscillator having an oscillator cavity length, L0, and defining an oscillator path; and a multi-pass optical amplifier coupled with the oscillator to establish a combined optical cavity including the oscillator path, the combined cavity having a length, Lcombined, where Lcombined=(N+x)*L0, where “N” is an integer and “x” is a number between 0.4 and 0.6.

Abstract: A method and apparatus may comprise a line narrowed pulsed excimer or molecular fluorine gas discharge laser system which may comprise a seed laser oscillator producing an output comprising a laser output light beam of pulses which may comprise a first gas discharge excimer or molecular fluorine laser chamber; a line narrowing module within a first oscillator cavity; a laser amplification stage containing an amplifying gain medium in a second gas discharge excimer or molecular fluorine laser chamber receiving the output of the seed laser oscillator and amplifying the output of the seed laser oscillator to form a laser system output comprising a laser output light beam of pulses, which may comprise a ring power amplification stage.

Abstract: Devices are disclosed herein which may comprise an EUV reflective optic having a surface of revolution that defines a rotation axis and a circular periphery. The optic may be positioned to incline the axis at a nonzero angle relative to a horizontal plane, and to establish a vertical projection of the periphery in the horizontal plane with the periphery projection bounding a region in the horizontal plane. The device may further comprise a system delivering target material, the system having a target material release point that is located in the horizontal plane and outside the region, bounded by the periphery projection and a system generating a laser beam for irradiating the target material to generate an EUV emission.

Abstract: A method for producing extreme ultraviolet light includes producing a target material at a target location; supplying pump energy to a gain medium of at least one optical amplifier that has an amplification band to produce an amplified light beam; propagating the amplified light beam through the gain medium using one or more optical components of a set of optical components; delivering the amplified light beam to the target location using one or more optical components of the optical component set; producing with a guide laser a guide laser beam that has a wavelength outside of the amplification band of the gain medium and inside the wavelength range of the optical components; and directing the guide laser beam through the optical component set to thereby align one or more optical components of the optical component set.

Abstract: An EUV plasma formation target delivery system and method is disclosed which may comprise: a target droplet formation mechanism comprising a magneto-restrictive or electro-restrictive material, a liquid plasma source material passageway terminating in an output orifice; a charging mechanism applying charge to a droplet forming jet stream or to individual droplets exiting the passageway along a selected path; a droplet deflector intermediate the output orifice and a plasma initiation site periodically deflecting droplets from the selected path, a liquid target material delivery mechanism comprising a liquid target material delivery passage having an input opening and an output orifice; an electromotive disturbing force generating mechanism generating a disturbing force within the liquid target material, a liquid target delivery droplet formation mechanism having an output orifice; and/or a wetting barrier around the periphery of the output orifice.

Abstract: A method and apparatus may comprise a line narrowed pulsed excimer or molecular fluorine gas discharge laser system which may comprise a seed laser oscillator producing an output comprising a laser output light beam of pulses which may comprise a first gas discharge excimer or molecular fluorine laser chamber; a line narrowing module within a first oscillator cavity; a laser amplification stage containing an amplifying gain medium in a second gas discharge excimer or molecular fluorine laser chamber receiving the output of the seed laser oscillator and amplifying the output of the seed laser oscillator to form a laser system output comprising a laser output light beam of pulses, which may comprise a ring power amplification stage.

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light system includes a drive laser system, an extreme ultraviolet light chamber including an extreme ultraviolet light collector and a target material dispenser including a target material outlet capable of outputting a plurality of portions of target material along a target material path, wherein the target material outlet is adjustable. The extreme ultraviolet light system further includes a drive laser steering device, a detection system including at least one detector directed to detect a reflection of the drive laser reflected from the first one of the plurality of portions of target material and a controller coupled to the target material dispenser, the detector system and the drive laser steering device.

Abstract: A system and method for an extreme ultraviolet light chamber comprising a collector mirror, a cooling system coupled to a backside of the collector mirror operative to cool a reflective surface of the collector mirror and a buffer gas source coupled to the extreme ultraviolet light chamber.

Abstract: A system and method generating an extreme ultraviolet light in an extreme ultraviolet light chamber including a collector mirror, a droplet generation system having a droplet outlet aligned to output a plurality of droplets along a target material path and a first catch including a first open end substantially aligned to the target material path and at least one internal surface oriented toward a second end of the first catch, the second end being opposite from the first open end.

Abstract: A gas flow management system may comprise a first and second enclosing walls at least partially surrounding first and second respective spaces; a system generating plasma in the first space, the plasma emitting extreme ultraviolet light; an elongated body restricting flow from the first space to the second space, the body at least partially surrounding a passageway and having a first open end allowing EUV light to enter the passageway from the first space and a second open end allowing EUV light to exit the passageway into the second space, the body shaped to establish a location having a reduced cross-sectional area relative to the first and second ends; and a flow of gas exiting an aperture, the aperture positioned to introduce gas into the passageway at a position between the first end of the body and the location having a reduced cross-sectional area.

Abstract: A method/apparatus may comprise a seed laser oscillator producing an output which may comprise: a first gas discharge excimer or molecular fluorine laser chamber; a line narrowing module within a first oscillator cavity; a laser amplification stage receiving the output of the seed laser oscillator which may comprise: a ring power amplification stage; a coherence busting mechanism intermediate the seed laser oscillator and the ring power amplification stage which may comprise a beam splitter separating the seed laser output into a main beam and a beam entering an optical delay path which may have a delay length longer than the coherence length of a pulse in the seed laser output and may have a beam angular offset mechanism offsetting a delayed beam and the main beam.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating EUV radiation is disclosed which may include a target material, a system generating a laser beam for interaction with the target material and a pair of electrodes. A pulse power electrical circuit may be provided for generating a discharge between said electrodes to produce EUV radiation from said target material.