Laser Multiplexing
First Claim
1. A laser multiplexing apparatus comprising a compound lens comprising at least two focusing elements arranged to focus at least two respective laser beams to a focal point on a common workpiece.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A laser multiplexing system and method for use with high power pulsed lasers in Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography is disclosed. In a first embodiment, a high power EUV laser multiplexing element for laser produced plasma generation has a compound lens with at least two focusing elements arranged to focus at least two respective laser beams to a focal point on a common workpiece. In a second embodiment, a laser multiplexing apparatus has at least two pulsed laser sources for generating pulsed laser beams and a temporal multiplexing element arranged to temporally interleave at least two pulsed laser beams. In a third embodiment, a laser multiplexing assembly comprises a beam shaping element in which the beam shaping element is arranged to direct a first laser beam along an axis common with a second laser beam axis onto a common focusing element arranged about the common axis.
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Citations
28 Claims
- 1. A laser multiplexing apparatus comprising a compound lens comprising at least two focusing elements arranged to focus at least two respective laser beams to a focal point on a common workpiece.
- 4. A method of multiplexing laser beams comprising temporally interleaving at least two pulsed laser beams such that said beams are multiplexed independent of their state of polarization.
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7. A method of multiplexing laser beams comprising the steps, in any order, of:
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spatially multiplexing laser pulses onto a common workpiece; and
temporally interleaving at least some of the spatially multiplexed pulses. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A laser multiplexing apparatus comprising:
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at least two pulsed laser sources for generating pulsed laser beams; and
a temporal multiplexing element arranged to temporally interleave at least two pulsed laser beams. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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18. A method of multiplexing laser beams comprising the steps of:
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directing pulsed laser light from two or more independent lasers onto a movable deviation element; and
moving said deviation element at a rate such that deviation of a laser pulse between lead and trailing edges is minimized.
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- 19. A laser multiplexing assembly comprising a beam shaping element in which the beam shaping element is arranged to direct a first laser beam along an axis common with a second laser beam axis onto a common focusing element arranged about said common axis.
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23. A method of multiplexing laser beams comprising the steps of directing a first laser beam along an axis common with a second laser beam axis onto a common focusing element arranged about said common axis.
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24. A laser multiplexing apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of laser sources each of which generates a laser beam along an axis that is laterally and/or angularly spaced apart from the axes of all other laser beams; and
a temporal multiplexing element that is configured and arranged to temporally interleave the laser beams from the plurality of sources such that the plurality of laser beams all propagate close together. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification