EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT GENERATION APPARATUS

• US 20130062538A1
• Filed: 06/25/2012
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gigaphoton, Inc. (Komatsu)
• Original Assignee: Gigaphoton, Inc. (Komatsu)
• Inventors: WAKABAYASHI, Osamu, KODAMA, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,710,474 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/504.R
• CPC Class Codes: H05G 2/006 details of the ejection system, e.g. constructional details of the nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: H05G 2/008 involving an energy-carrying beam in the process of plasma generation

Abstract

An apparatus used with an external laser apparatus for generating extreme ultraviolet light includes a target storage unit for storing a target material, a nozzle unit having a through-hole in communication with the interior of the storage unit through which the target material is outputted, an electrode having a through-hole facing the nozzle unit, and a target detector for detecting a target formed of the target material and outputting a detection signal. A direct current voltage adjuster applies and adjusts a direct current between the target material and the electrode, a pressure adjuster applies and adjusts a pressure to the target material through gas, and a controller controls at least one of the direct current voltage adjuster and the pressure adjuster based on the detection signal from the target detector.

Claims

1. An apparatus used with an external laser apparatus for generating extreme ultraviolet light, the apparatus comprising:

a target storage unit configured to store a target material thereinside;

a nozzle unit having a through-hole through which the target material stored inside the target storage unit is outputted, the through-hole formed therein being in fluid communication with the interior of the storage unit;

an electrode facing the nozzle unit, the electrode having a through-hole formed therein;

a target detector configured to detect a target formed of the target material and output a detection signal;

a chamber in which extreme ultraviolet light is generated;

a direct current voltage adjuster configured to apply a direct current between the target material and the electrode, the direct current voltage adjuster being capable of adjusting the direct current;

a pressure adjuster configured to apply a pressure to the target material through gas, the pressure adjuster being capable of adjusting the pressure; and

a controller configured to control at least one of the direct current voltage adjuster and the pressure adjuster based on the detection signal from the target detector.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a trigger signal generation circuit configured to:

delay the detection signal from the target detector; and

generate a trigger signal to define a timing at which a laser beam is outputted from the external laser apparatus based on a delayed detection signal.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

calculate a size of the target based on the detection signal from the target detector; and

control the direct current voltage adjuster so that the target of a predetermined size is generated.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

calculate a generation frequency of the target based on the detection signal from the target detector; and

control the pressure adjuster so that the target is generated at a predetermined frequency.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a piezoelectric element provided on the nozzle unit; and

a pulse voltage generation circuit configured to apply a pulse voltage to the piezoelectric element.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to control at least one of the direct current voltage adjuster, the pressure adjuster, and the pulse voltage generation circuit based on the detection signal from the target detector.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to:

calculate a timing at which the target passes through a predetermined region based on the detection signal from the target detector; and

control the pulse voltage generation circuit so that the target passes through the predetermined region at a predetermined timing.