Patents by Inventor Klaus Wolfgang Vogler
Klaus Wolfgang Vogler has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20020114362Abstract: An efficient F2 laser is provided with improvements in line selection, monitoring capabilities, alignment stabilization, performance at high repetition rates and polarization characteristics. Line selection is preferably provided by a transmission grating or a grism. The grating or grism preferably outcouples the laser beam. The line selection may be fully provided at the front optics module. A monitor grating and an array detector monitor the intensity of the selected (and unselected) lines for line selection control. An energy detector is enclosed in an inert gas purged environment at slight overpressure. A blue or green reference beam is used for F2 laser beam alignment stabilization and/or spectral monitoring of the output laser beam. The blue or green reference beam advantageously is not reflected out with a atomic fluorine red emission of the laser and is easily resolved from the red emission.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2002Publication date: August 22, 2002Applicant: Lambda Physik AGInventors: Klaus Wolfgang Vogler, Juergen Kleinschmidt
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Publication number: 20020110174Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for stabilizing output beam parameters of a gas discharge laser by maintaining a constituent gas of the laser gas mixture at a predetermined partial pressure using a gas supply unit and a processor. The constituent gas of the laser gas mixture is provided at an initial partial pressure and the constituent gas is subject to depletion within the laser discharge chamber. Injections of the constituent gas are performed each to increase the partial pressure by a selected amount in the discharge chamber preferably less than 0.2 mbar per injection. A number of successive injections is performed at selected intervals to maintain the constituent gas substantially at the initial partial pressure for maintaining stable output beam parameters. The amount per injection and/or the interval between injections may be varied based on the measured value of the driving voltage and/or a calculated amount of the constituent gas in the discharge chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2002Publication date: August 15, 2002Applicant: Lambda Physik AGInventors: Hans-Stephan Albrecht, Klaus Wolfgang Vogler, Thomas Schroeder
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Publication number: 20020101901Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for stabilizing output beam parameters of a gas discharge laser by maintaining a constituent gas of the laser gas mixture at a predetermined partial pressure using a gas supply unit and a processor. The constituent gas of the laser gas mixture is provided at an initial partial pressure and the constituent gas is subject to depletion within the laser discharge chamber. Injections of the constituent gas are performed each to increase the partial pressure by a selected amount in the discharge chamber preferably less than 0.2 mbar per injection. A number of successive injections is performed at selected intervals to maintain the constituent gas substantially at the initial partial pressure for maintaining stable output beam parameters. The amount per injection and/or the interval between injections may be varied based on the measured value of the driving voltage and/or a calculated amount of the constituent gas in the discharge chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2002Publication date: August 1, 2002Applicant: Lambda Physik AGInventors: Hans-Stephan Albrecht, Klaus Wolfgang Vogler, Thomas Schroeder
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Publication number: 20020101902Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for stabilizing output beam parameters of a gas discharge laser by maintaining a constituent gas of the laser gas mixture at a predetermined partial pressure using a gas supply unit and a processor. The constituent gas of the laser gas mixture is provided at an initial partial pressure and the constituent gas is subject to depletion within the laser discharge chamber. Injections of the constituent gas are performed each to increase the partial pressure by a selected amount in the discharge chamber preferably less than 0.2 mbar per injection. A number of successive injections is performed at selected intervals to maintain the constituent gas substantially at the initial partial pressure for maintaining stable output beam parameters. The amount per injection and/or the interval between injections may be varied based on the measured value of the driving voltage and/or a calculated amount of the constituent gas in the discharge chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2002Publication date: August 1, 2002Applicant: Lambda Physik AGInventors: Hans-Stephan Albrecht, Klaus Wolfgang Vogler, Thomas Schroeder
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Publication number: 20020057724Abstract: A method is provided for determining the status of a gas mixture of a laser system including a gas discharge laser which generates an output beam and has a discharge chamber containing a gas mixture within which energy is supplied to the gas mixture by a power supply via application of a driving voltage to a discharge circuit. A master data set of an output parameter such as any of output beam energy, bandwidth, spectrum width, long axial beam profile, short axial beam profile, beam divergence, energy stability, energy efficiency, width of the discharge, temporal beam coherence, spatial beam coherence, spatial pulse width, amplified spontaneous emission and temporal pulse width versus an input parameter such as driving voltage is generated corresponding to an optimal gas mixture status, preferably after a new fill and typically at the factory, and alternatively following a new fill at the fab.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2001Publication date: May 16, 2002Applicant: Lamda Physik AGInventors: Klaus Wolfgang Vogler, Peter Heist
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Patent number: 6389052Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for stabilizing output beam parameters of a gas discharge laser by maintaining a constituent gas of the laser gas mixture at a predetermined partial pressure using a gas supply unit and a processor. The constituent gas of the laser gas mixture is provided at an initial partial pressure and the constituent gas is subject to depletion within the laser discharge chamber. Injections of the constituent gas are performed each to increase the partial pressure by a selected amount in the discharge chamber preferably less than 0.2 mbar per injection. A number of successive injections is performed at selected intervals to maintain the constituent gas substantially at the initial partial pressure for maintaining stable output beam parameters. The amount per injection and/or the interval between injections may be varied based on the measured value of the driving voltage and/or a calculated amount of the constituent gas in the discharge chamber.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2000Date of Patent: May 14, 2002Assignee: Lambda Physik AGInventors: Hans-Stephan Albrecht, Klaus Wolfgang Vogler, Thomas Schroeder
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Publication number: 20020041614Abstract: A system is provided for delivering a laser beam of wavelength less than 200 nm from a laser, such as an F2 laser or ArF laser, through a sealed enclosure sealably connected to the laser, and preferably to another housing, leading ultimately to a workpiece. The enclosure is preferably evacuated and back-filled with an inert gas to adequately deplete any air, water, hydrocarbons or oxygen within the enclosure. Thereafter or alternatively, an inert gas flow is established and maintained within the enclosure during operation of the laser. The inert gas preferably has high purity, e.g., more than 99.5% and preferably more than 99.999%, wherein the inert is preferably nitrogen or a noble gas. The enclosure is preferably sealed by a window transparent to the sub-200 nm radiation for preventing contaminants generated in the enclosure from entering the housing and contaminating surfaces therein. The enclosure is preferably made of steel and/or copper, and the window is preferably made of CaF2.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2001Publication date: April 11, 2002Applicant: Lambda Physik AGInventors: Sergei V. Govorkov, Klaus Wolfgang Vogler, Frank Voss, Rainer Patzel
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Publication number: 20020034207Abstract: A system is provided for delivering a laser beam of wavelength less than 200 nm from a laser, such as an F2 laser or ArF laser, through a sealed enclosure sealably connected to the laser, and preferably to another housing, leading ultimately to a workpiece. The enclosure is preferably evacuated and back-filled with an inert gas to adequately deplete any air, water, hydrocarbons or oxygen within the enclosure. Thereafter or alternatively, an inert gas flow is established and maintained within the enclosure during operation of the laser. The inert gas preferably has high purity, e.g., more than 99.5% and preferably more than 99.999%, wherein the inert is preferably nitrogen or a noble gas. The enclosure is preferably sealed by a window transparent to the sub-200 nm radiation for preventing contaminants generated in the enclosure from entering the housing and contaminating surfaces therein. The enclosure is preferably made of steel and/or copper, and the window is preferably made of CaF2.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2001Publication date: March 21, 2002Applicant: Lambda Physik AGInventors: Sergei V. Govorkov, Klaus Wolfgang Vogler, Frank Voss, Rainer Patzel
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Publication number: 20020031161Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for bandwidth narrowing of an excimer laser to &Dgr;&lgr;≈6 pm or less with high spectral purity and minimized output power loss. Output stability with respect to pulse energy, beam pointing, beam size and beam output location is also provided. The excimer laser includes an active laser medium for generating a spectral beam at an original wavelength, means for selecting and narrowing the broadband output spectrum of the excimer laser, a resonator having at least one highly reflecting surface, and an output coupler. Means for adapting a divergence of the resonating band within the resonator is further included in the apparatus of the invention. The divergence adapting causes the spectral purity to improve by between 20% and 50% and the output power to reduce by less than 10%. A method according to the invention includes selecting and aligning the divergence adapting means.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2001Publication date: March 14, 2002Applicant: Lambda Physik AGInventors: Hans-Stephan Albrecht, Peter Heist, Klaus Wolfgang Vogler
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Patent number: 6330267Abstract: A method is provided for determining the status of a gas mixture of a laser system including a gas discharge laser which generates an output beam and has a discharge chamber containing a gas mixture within which energy is supplied to the gas mixture by a power supply via application of a driving voltage to a discharge circuit. A master data set of an output parameter such as any of output beam energy, bandwidth, spectrum width, long axial beam profile, short axial beam profile, beam divergence, energy stability, energy efficiency, width of the discharge, temporal beam coherence, spatial beam coherence, spatial pulse width, amplified spontaneous emission and temporal pulse width versus an input parameter such as driving voltage is generated corresponding to an optimal gas mixture status, preferably after a new fill and typically at the factory, and alternatively following a new fill at the fab.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2000Date of Patent: December 11, 2001Assignee: Lambda Physik AGInventors: Klaus Wolfgang Vogler, Peter Heist
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Patent number: 6327290Abstract: A system is provided for delivering a laser beam of wavelength less than 200 nm from a laser, such as an F2 laser or ArF laser, through a sealed enclosure sealably connected to the laser, and preferably to another housing, leading ultimately to a workpiece. The enclosure is preferably evacuated and back-filled with an inert gas to adequately deplete any air, water, hydrocarbons or oxygen within the enclosure. Thereafter or alternatively, an inert gas flow is established and maintained within the enclosure during operation of the laser. The inert gas preferably has high purity, e.g., more than 99.5% and preferably more than 99.999%, wherein the inert is preferably nitrogen or a noble gas. The enclosure is preferably sealed by a window transparent to the sub-200 nm radiation for preventing contaminants generated in the enclosure from entering the housing and contaminating surfaces therein. The enclosure is preferably made of steel and/or copper, and the window is preferably made of CaF2.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2000Date of Patent: December 4, 2001Assignee: Lambda Physik AGInventors: Sergei V. Govorkov, Klaus Wolfgang Vogler, Frank Voss, Rainer Pätzel
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Publication number: 20010012309Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for stabilizing output beam parameters of a gas discharge laser by maintaining a constituent gas of the laser gas mixture at a predetermined partial pressure using a gas supply unit and a processor. The constituent gas of the laser gas mixture is provided at an initial partial pressure and the constituent gas is subject to depletion within the laser discharge chamber. Injections of the constituent gas are performed each to increase the partial pressure by a selected amount in the discharge chamber preferably less than 0.2 mbar per injection. A number of successive injections is performed at selected intervals to maintain the constituent gas substantially at the initial partial pressure for maintaining stable output beam parameters. The amount per injection and/or the interval between injections may be varied based on the measured value of the driving voltage and/or a calculated amount of the constituent gas in the discharge chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2000Publication date: August 9, 2001Inventors: Hans-Stephan Albrecht, Klaus Wolfgang Vogler, Thomas Schroeder
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Patent number: 6212214Abstract: A method is provided for determining the status of a gas mixture of a laser system including a gas discharge laser which generates an output beam and has a discharge chamber containing a gas mixture within which energy is supplied to the gas mixture by a power supply via application of a driving voltage to a discharge circuit. A master data set of an output parameter such as any of output beam energy, bandwidth, spectrum width, long axial beam profile, short axial beam profile, beam divergence, energy stability, energy efficiency, width of the discharge, temporal beam coherence, spatial beam coherence, spatial pulse width, amplified spontaneous emission and temporal pulse width versus an input parameter such as driving voltage is generated corresponding to an optimal gas mixture status, preferably after a new fill and typically at the factory, and alternatively following a new fill at the fab.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 1999Date of Patent: April 3, 2001Assignee: Lambda Physik AGInventors: Klaus Wolfgang Vogler, Peter Heist