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Lithography laser with beam delivery and beam pointing control

  • US 6,704,339 B2
  • Filed: 08/30/2002
  • Issued: 03/09/2004
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2001
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A modular, narrow band, high repetition rate ultraviolet laser light source for providing light in the form of laser output light pulses to a light receiving location in a production line machine comprising:

  • A) a laser unit comprising;

    1) a discharge chamber containing;

    a) a laser gas and b) a pair of elongated spaced apart electrodes defining a discharge region in which said laser gas is discharged, 2) a gas circulation means for producing sufficient gas movement of said laser gas in said discharge region to clear from said discharge region, following each laser gas discharge, substantially all discharge produced ions prior to a next laser gas discharge when operating at a laser output light pulse repetition rate in the range of 2,000 pulses per second or greater, 3) a heat exchanger system removing heat energy from said laser gas, so as to maintain the temperature of said laser gas within a desired range, and 4) an electrical pulse power system providing electrical pulses to said pair of electrodes sufficient to produce laser output light pulses at rates of about 2,000 pulses per second or greater with precisely controlled pulse energies in excess of about 5 mJ, and;

    B) a beam delivery unit comprising a beam path enclosure structure providing a laser output light pulse beam path, from a laser beam output port located on said laser unit to a remote laser beam output port at a terminus of said beam delivery unit;

    C) a beam pointing means with feedback control for controlling the position and angle of said laser output light pulse beam at said remote laser beam output port;

    D) a laser beam measurement means and control means for measuring pulse energy, wavelength and bandwidth of the laser light output pulses produced by said laser unit and controlling the laser output light pulses with a feedback controller; and

    E) a purge means for purging said beam path enclosure structure.

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