Abstract: A discharge-pumped gas laser device may include a laser chamber, a pair of discharge electrodes provided in the laser chamber, a fan with a magnetic bearing being provided in the laser chamber and configured to be capable of circulating a gas in the laser chamber, a housing configured to contain the laser chamber, and a magnetic bearing controller connected to the magnetic bearing electrically, being capable of controlling the magnetic bearing, and provided in the housing separately from the laser chamber.

Abstract: A chamber apparatus, which may be used with an external apparatus having an obscuration region, may include: a chamber in which EUV light is generated; a collector mirror having a first through-hole formed in a region aside from the center thereof and configured to collect the EUV light generated inside the chamber, the collector mirror being positioned such that the first through-hole is located in a region substantially corresponding to the obscuration region; and an etching gas supply unit provided in the first through-hole and configured to supply an etching gas into the chamber.

Abstract: When a chamber of an oscillator and one or more amplifiers is to be replaced at the timing when a predetermined period elapses, one of the chambers of the oscillator and the amplifiers having a low allowable deterioration limit is detached and this chamber is attached in place of one of the chambers of the oscillator and the amplifiers other than the one having the low allowable deterioration limit. Thus, the chamber which has been used in one of the oscillator and amplifiers having a low allowable deterioration limit and has not reached the limit of deterioration is reused in one of the oscillator and the amplifiers other than the one having the low allowable deterioration limit. This enables efficient use of oscillator and amplifier chambers in a multistage amplification laser apparatus, minimizing the labor and parts consumed for replacement thereof.

Abstract: A laser apparatus may include: a first module including an oscillator configured to output a laser beam and an oscillator support portion for supporting the oscillator; a second module including a beam delivery unit for delivering the laser beam and a beam delivery unit support portion for supporting the beam delivery unit; a third module including an amplifier for amplifying the laser beam and an amplifier support portion for supporting the amplifier; and a frame on which the modules are placed, the frame including mounts on which the oscillator support portion, the beam delivery support portion and the amplifier support portion are placed.

Abstract: When a chamber of an oscillator and one or more amplifiers is to be replaced at the timing when a predetermined period elapses, one of the chambers of the oscillator and the amplifiers having a low allowable deterioration limit is detached and this chamber is attached in place of one of the chambers of the oscillator and the amplifiers other than the one having the low allowable deterioration limit. Thus, the chamber which has been used in one of the oscillator and amplifiers having a low allowable deterioration limit and has not reached the limit of deterioration is reused in one of the oscillator and the amplifiers other than the one having the low allowable deterioration limit. This enables efficient use of oscillator and amplifier chambers in a multistage amplification laser apparatus, minimizing the labor and parts consumed for replacement thereof.

Abstract: A holder device for holding an optical element includes a holder having first and second members to sandwich the optical element therebetween, and a sealing member for creating a seal between the second member and the optical element.

Abstract: A chamber apparatus for operating with a laser apparatus includes a chamber, a target supply unit, a collection unit and a collection container. The chamber includes an inlet through which a laser beam from the laser apparatus enters the chamber. The target supply unit is configured to supply a target material to a predetermined region inside the chamber. The collection unit includes a debris entering surface so that debris generated when the target material is irradiated with the laser beam enters the debris entering surface. The debris entering surface is inclined with respect to a direction in which the debris enters the debris entering surface. The collection container collects the debris flowing out of the collection unit.

Abstract: A discharge-pumped gas laser device may include a laser chamber, a pair of discharge electrodes provided in the laser chamber, a fan with a magnetic bearing being provided in the laser chamber and configured to be capable of circulating a gas in the laser chamber, a housing configured to contain the laser chamber, and a magnetic bearing controller connected to the magnetic bearing electrically, being capable of controlling the magnetic bearing, and provided in the housing separately from the laser chamber.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to widen an adjustable range of the spectral linewidth of laser light output from a laser apparatus. This laser apparatus may include: (1) an excitation source configured to excite a laser medium in a laser gain space, (2) an optical resonator including an output coupler arranged on one side of an optical path through the laser gain space and a wavelength dispersion element arranged on the other side of the optical path through the laser gain space, and (3) a switching mechanism configured to switch a beam-width magnification or reduction factor by placing or removing at least one beam-width change optical system for expanding or reducing a beam width in or from an optical path between the laser gain space and the wavelength dispersion element or by inverting orientation of the at least one beam-width change optical system in the optical path.

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus may include a droplet production device configured to produce a droplet of a target substance in a predetermined traveling direction, a first laser device configured to generate a first laser beam and irradiate the droplet with the first laser beam to diffuse the droplet, a second laser device configured to generate a second laser beam and irradiate the target substance diffused by irradiation of the first laser beam with the second laser beam to produce plasma of the diffused target substance and generate extreme ultraviolet light from the plasma of the target substance, and a beam shaping unit configured to elongate a beam spot of the first laser beam in the traveling direction of the droplet produced by the droplet production device.

Abstract: A holder device for holding an optical element includes a holder having first and second members to sandwich the optical element therebetween, and a sealing member for creating a seal between the second member and the optical element.

Abstract: A chamber apparatus, which may be used with an external apparatus having an obscuration region, may include: a chamber in which EUV light is generated; a collector mirror having a first through-hole formed in a region aside from the center thereof and configured to collect the EUV light generated inside the chamber, the collector mirror being positioned such that the first through-hole is located in a region substantially corresponding to the obscuration region; and an etching gas supply unit provided in the first through-hole and configured to supply an etching gas into the chamber.

Abstract: A laser apparatus may include: a first module including an oscillator configured to output a laser beam and an oscillator support portion for supporting the oscillator; a second module including a beam delivery unit for delivering the laser beam and a beam delivery unit support portion for supporting the beam delivery unit; a third module including an amplifier for amplifying the laser beam and an amplifier support portion for supporting the amplifier; and a frame on which the modules are placed, the frame including mounts on which the oscillator support portion, the beam delivery support portion and the amplifier support portion are placed.

Abstract: A method for generating extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light that includes the steps of supplying a droplet of a target material into a chamber, diffusing the droplet by irradiating the droplet by a pre-pulse laser beam to form a diffused target, and generating a plasma by irradiating the diffused target by a main pulse laser beam wherein the plasma emits extreme ultraviolet light. The main pulse laser beam has a cross-sectional shape that is substantially coincident with a shape of the diffused target at the irradiation point.

Abstract: A target supply unit includes a nozzle through which a target material is outputted, and a first electrically conductive member having a first opening formed therein and positioned to face the nozzle in a direction into which the target material is outputted through the nozzle. The first electrically conductive member is positioned so that the first opening is located below the nozzle in a gravitational direction. The target supply unit includes a voltage generator which applies a voltage between the target material and the first electrically conductive member.

Abstract: A master oscillator system may include a grating that functions as one of a plurality of resonator mirrors in an optical resonator, an optical element disposed within an optical path between the plurality of resonator mirrors, and an attitude control mechanism that adjusts an angle at which laser light traveling within the optical resonator is incident on the grating by adjusting the attitude of the optical element.

Abstract: An apparatus for physically cleaning a nozzle inside a chamber may include a cleaning member disposed inside the chamber. The nozzle is configured to output a target material into the chamber in which extreme ultraviolet light is generated. The cleaning member is configured to remove the target material deposited around the nozzle.

Abstract: A chamber apparatus for operating with a laser apparatus includes a chamber, a target supply unit, a collection unit and a collection container. The chamber includes an inlet through which a laser beam from the laser apparatus enters the chamber. The target supply unit is configured to supply a target material to a predetermined region inside the chamber. The collection unit includes a debris entering surface so that debris generated when the target material is irradiated with the laser beam enters the debris entering surface. The debris entering surface is inclined with respect to a direction in which the debris enters the debris entering surface. The collection container collects the debris flowing out of the collection unit.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to widen an adjustable range of the spectral linewidth of laser light output from a laser apparatus. This laser apparatus may include: (1) an excitation source configured to excite a laser medium in a laser gain space, (2) an optical resonator including an output coupler arranged on one side of an optical path through the laser gain space and a wavelength dispersion element arranged on the other side of the optical path through the laser gain space, and (3) a switching mechanism configured to switch a beam-width magnification or reduction factor by placing or removing at least one beam-width change optical system for expanding or reducing a beam width in or from an optical path between the laser gain space and the wavelength dispersion element or by inverting orientation of the at least one beam-width change optical system in the optical path.

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source system in which parts of an EUV light source apparatus can easily be replaced. The system includes: (i) an extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus having a chamber in which extreme ultraviolet light is generated, a target supply unit for supplying a target material into the chamber, a driver laser for irradiating the target material supplied by the target supply unit with a laser beam to generate plasma, and a collector mirror for collecting the extreme ultraviolet light radiated from the plasma to allow the extreme ultraviolet light to enter projection optics of exposure equipment; and (ii) a lifting apparatus provided to lift and move a replacement part which is a part of the extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus.