APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR GENERATING EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT

• US 20120305809A1
• Filed: 05/29/2012
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gigaphoton, Inc. (Komatsu)
• Original Assignee: Gigaphoton, Inc. (Komatsu)
• Inventors: MORIYA, Masato, Wakabayashi, Osamu
• Application Number:
  US13/482,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20120305809A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/504.R
• CPC Class Codes: H05G 2/003 being produced from a liquid or gas
• CPC Class Codes: H05G 2/008 involving a beam of energy, e.g. laser or electron beam in the process of exciting the plasma

Abstract

An apparatus for generating extreme ultraviolet light is used with a first laser device for outputting a first laser beam. The apparatus includes a second laser device for outputting a second laser beam, a beam adjusting unit for causing beam axes of the first and second laser beams to substantially coincide with each other, a chamber, a target supply unit for supplying target materials into the chamber, a laser beam focusing optical system for focusing the first laser beam on the target material for plasma generation, an optical detection system for detecting the second laser beam and light from plasma, a focus position correction mechanism for correcting a first laser beam focusing position, and a target supply position correction mechanism for correcting a target material supplying position, and a controller for the focus position correction mechanism and the target supply position correction mechanism based on the optical detection system'"'"'s detection.

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating extreme ultraviolet light used with a first laser device configured to output a first laser beam, the apparatus comprising:

a second laser device configured to output a second laser beam;

a beam adjusting unit configured to cause a beam axis of the first laser beam and a beam axis of the second laser beam to substantially coincide with each other;

a chamber having a window through which the first and second laser beams are introduced into the chamber;

a target supply unit configured to supply a target material to a predetermined region inside the chamber;

a laser beam focusing optical system for focusing the first laser beam on the target material inside the chamber;

an optical detection system for detecting the second laser beam and light emitted from plasma generated when the target material is irradiated with the first laser beam;

a focus position correction mechanism configured to correct a position at which the first laser beam is focused by the laser beam focusing optical system;

a target supply position correction mechanism configured to correct a position to which the target material is supplied; and

a controller configured to control the focus position correction mechanism and the target supply position correction mechanism based on the detection result of the second laser beam and the light emitted from the plasma.

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

calculate a center of the second laser beam and a center of the light emitted from the plasma from the detection result of the optical detection system; and

control a position at which the first laser beam is focused by the laser beam focusing optical system and a position to which the target material is supplied by the target supplied unit so that the respective centers coincide with a predetermined position.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined position is specified by an external apparatus.

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

calculate a centroid of the second laser beam and a centroid of the light emitted from the plasma from the detection result of the optical detection system; and

control a position at which the first laser beam is focused by the laser beam focusing optical system and a position to which the target material is supplied by the target supplied unit so that the respective centroids coincide with a predetermined position.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined position is specified by an external apparatus.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical detection system is provided downstream from the predetermined region in a beam path of the second laser beam.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second laser device is configured to output the second laser beam continuously.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second laser beam is visible radiation.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the beam adjusting unit includes a dichroic mirror.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a dichroic mirror provided downstream from the predetermined region.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a holder for the dichroic mirror; and

a first cooling mechanism for cooling the holder.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a baffle provided to surround a surface of the dichroic mirror.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

a beam dump provided in a beam path of the first laser beam reflected by the dichroic mirror; and

a second cooling mechanism for cooling the beam dump.

14. A method for generating extreme ultraviolet light in an apparatus that is used with a first laser device configured to output a first laser beam and includes a second laser device configured to output a second laser beam, a beam adjusting unit, a chamber, a target supply unit, a laser beam focusing optical system, an optical detection system, and a controller, the method comprising:

detecting the second laser beam;

detecting light emitted from plasma generated when a target material is irradiated with the first laser beam;

controlling a position at which the first laser beam is focused by the laser beam focusing optical system based on the detection result of the second laser beam; and

controlling a position to which the target material is supplied by the target supply unit based on the detection result of the light emitted from the plasma.