Abstract: The present invention provides a method of delivering solid material at a position far enough from any surrounding solid with high enough target density without scattering debris to the environment. In the present invention, radiation is generated from plasma produced by laser irradiation on a material. This material is a cluster of particles that is composed of many fine particles bound together with a binder that vaporizes at temperature lower than melting point of fine particles. Density of particles in a particle-cluster 8 is increased by vaporizing a solvent 7 by heating a droplet 5 with the irradiation of laser 6. Solvent of a droplet occupies large fraction of the droplet in order to stabilize droplet generation. This solvent is vaporized prior to delivery to a vacuum chamber 9 for plasma generation. This vaporization helps to avoid degradation of vacuum of the chamber 9. The diameter of a particle-cluster thus condensed is several tens ?m.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of delivering solid material at a position far enough from any surrounding solid with high enough target density without scattering debris to the environment. In the present invention, radiation is generated from plasma produced by laser irradiation on a material. This material is a cluster of particles that is composed of many fine particles bound together with a binder that vaporizes at temperature lower than melting point of fine particles. Density of particles in a particle-cluster 8 is increased by vaporizing a solvent 7 by heating a droplet 5 with the irradiation of laser 6. Solvent of a droplet occupies large fraction of the droplet in order to stabilize droplet generation. This solvent is vaporized prior to delivery to a vacuum chamber 9 for plasma generation. This vaporization helps to avoid degradation of vacuum of the chamber 9. The diameter of a particle-cluster thus condensed is several tens ?m.

Abstract: A method for inspecting multilayer masks to detect any defects includes illuminating a pixel region on a mask to be inspected, using illuminating light having a peak wavelength that is close to that of light reflected by the mask. The illuminating light specularly reflected by the mask is blocked. Scattered reflected illuminating light is collected and used to form an enlarged image. An image detector having a large plurality of pixels is used to observe the enlarged image to detect whether there are defects on the mask.

Abstract: A method for inspecting multilayer masks to detect any defects includes illuminating a pixel region on a mask to be inspected, using illuminating light having a peak wavelength that is close to that of light reflected by the mask. The illuminating light specularly reflected by the mask is blocked Scattered reflected illuminating light is collected and used to form an enlarged image. An image detector having a large plurality of pixels is used to observe the enlarged image to detect whether there are defects on the mask.

Abstract: Photoelectron spectroscopy apparatus are disclosed that comprise a photoelectron detector and that exhibit improved performance of the photoelectron detector and thus more reliable and accurate analysis of photoelectron energy. In performing energy analysis of photoelectrons, the photoelectron detector measures the time distribution at which photoelectrons emitted from a specimen surface traverse a flight tube when the specimen is irradiated with X-rays from a pulse X-ray source. A magnetic field generator is situated near the specimen to collect and collimate photoelectrons emitted from the specimen surface and form a photoelectron flux inside a flight tube.

Abstract: A solid target (11) is formed with a cavity (12). The inner wall of the solid target at the cavity is ablated by ablation pulsed laser beams (13). The solid target is left standing until a highly densified portion (15) of a vaporized substance (14) is formed in the space within the cavity (14), and the highly densified portion (15) is then irradiated with heating pulsed laser beams (17), thereby forming high-temperature plasma (18) for generating radiation rays (19). As a result, good-quality radiation rays accompanied by a minimal amount of debris can be generated.

Abstract: An x-ray exposure system that reduces the time required to evacuate an internal chamber of a vacuum vessel, uses a low-power laser to produce the plasma that generates the x-rays, and enables the sample to be maintained outside the vacuum vessel. The system includes a detachable cover member that hermetically seals the opening of the vacuum vessel. The cover member includes a through-hole that forms an x-ray irradiation window and is sealed by an x-ray transmission member. In the through-hole, an x-ray generation target is provided that is irradiated by an external laser beam, via a laser beam entry window.

Abstract: An X-ray lens includes a plurality of hollow cylinders of prescribed radius bored in a lens material piece having a phase lag coefficient appropriate for the wavelength of the X-rays to be focused such that the axes of the hollow cylinders are parallel and perpendicularly intersect a straight array axis.

Abstract: An X-ray lens includes a plurality of hollow cylinders of prescribed radius bored in a lens material piece having a phase lag coefficient appropriate for the wavelength of the X-rays to be focused such that the axes of the hollow cylinders are parallel and perpendicularly intersect a straight array axis.

Abstract: An electron spectroscopy apparatus in which pulses of EUV of a prescribed wavelength are generated from plasma produced by pulsed laser beam irradiation of a target containing specific elements, the EUV pulses are used to irradiate a specimen, producing an emission of photoelectrons from the specimen, and the time it takes these photoelectrons to pass along a flight channel is measured and analyzed.

Abstract: A plasma generating apparatus for an extreme-ultraviolet laser that can generate high temperature plasma at high efficiency, and can form long plasma to be recombined by rapid cooling of the high temperature plasma. A shield plate including a narrow slit is disposed adjacent to a high temperature plasma source, and the high temperature plasma is discharged through the slit. Both high efficiency plasma generation and rapid expansion thereof can be simultaneously achieved by discharging high temperature plasma through the narrow slit. The rapid expansion makes it possible to form a long plasma having a large gain in an extreme-ultraviolet region. The high temperature plasma source can be readily realized by irradiating it with an exciting laser beam from behind the opposite side of the slit with regard to the high temperature plasma source directly or through a transmitting window. A closure provided in front of the slit can prevent a liquid or gas from flowing out of the slit before it is changed into plasma.