KR-102962512-B1 - Gas quality optimization for performance enhancement of CO2 drive lasers

KR102962512B1KR 102962512 B1KR102962512 B1KR 102962512B1KR-102962512-B1

Abstract

The power amplifier includes a gas laser chamber, a gas laser power source, a catalyst chamber, a feedback device, and a processor. The gas laser chamber is configured to accommodate a flowing gas mixture. The gas laser power source is coupled to the gas laser chamber and is configured to supply energy to the flowing gas mixture to output a laser beam. The catalyst chamber is coupled to the gas laser chamber and includes a catalyst configured to reoxidize dissociated molecules within the flowing gas mixture. The feedback device is coupled to the gas laser chamber and/or the laser beam and is configured to measure the characteristics of the power amplifier. The processor is coupled to the catalyst chamber and the feedback device. The processor is configured to adjust the exposure of the flowing gas mixture to the catalyst within the catalyst chamber based on the measured characteristics.

Inventors

류 페이
황 장시옹
시아 한
고메즈 우메시 프라사드
우르반스키 루카시
포멘코프 이고르 블라디미로비치
타오 인

Assignees

에이에스엠엘 네델란즈 비.브이.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20201020
Priority Date: 20191203

Claims (20)

As a power amplifier for a laser, A gas laser chamber configured to accommodate a flowing gas mixture; A gas laser power source coupled to the above gas laser chamber and configured to supply energy to the flowing gas mixture to output a laser beam; A catalyst chamber comprising a catalyst coupled to the above gas laser chamber and configured to reoxidize dissociated molecules within the flowing gas mixture; A feedback device coupled to one or both of the gas laser chamber and the laser beam and configured to measure the characteristics of the power amplifier; and It includes a processor coupled to the catalyst chamber and the feedback device, The above processor is: (a) Exposure of the flowing gas mixture to the catalyst in the catalyst chamber based on the above-mentioned measured characteristics; (b) flow of one or more components of the flowing gas mixture through the gas laser chamber based on the measured characteristics above; or (c) Temperature of the catalyst in the catalyst chamber based on the above measured characteristics A power amplifier for a laser configured to adjust one or more of the following.
In Article 1, The above characteristics include a power amplifier for a laser, comprising the output power of the laser beam.
In Article 1, The above characteristics include the gain of the laser beam, a power amplifier for a laser.
In Article 1, A power amplifier for a laser, wherein the above characteristics include the concentration of a component of the flowing gas mixture within the gas laser chamber.
In Article 1, A power amplifier for a laser, wherein the above characteristics include one or both of chromatographic characteristics and mass spectroscopic characteristics.
In Article 1, The above feedback device is a power amplifier for a laser, comprising an optical spectrometer.
In Article 1, The above feedback device is a power amplifier for a laser, comprising a gas sensor.
In Article 1, The above feedback device is a power amplifier for a laser, comprising a residual gas analyzer (RGA).
In Article 1, The above feedback device is a power amplifier for a laser comprising one or both of a gas chromatograph and a mass spectrometer.
In Article 1, The above feedback device is a power amplifier for a laser, comprising a photodetector.
In Article 1, The above catalyst comprises one or more of hopcalite, CO₃O₄ , palladium, platinum, iridium, copper, gold, and combinations or subcombinations thereof, for a power amplifier for a laser.
In Article 1, A power amplifier for a laser, wherein the processor is configured to stabilize the output power of the laser beam by controlling the flow rate of the flowing gas mixture.
In Article 1, A power amplifier for a laser, wherein the processor is configured to adjust in real time one or both of the flow within the catalyst chamber and the temperature of the catalyst within the catalyst chamber.
In Article 1, A power amplifier for a laser, further comprising a mass flow controller coupled to the gas laser chamber and configured to adjust the flow rate of the flowing gas mixture.
In Article 14, A power amplifier for a laser, wherein the mass flow controller is configured to adjust the flow rate of each of one or more components of the flowing gas mixture.
As a method for calculating a gas mixture flowing within a laser power amplifier for outputting a laser beam, Measuring the characteristics of the power amplifier using a feedback device coupled to one or both of the flowing gas mixture and the laser beam; (a) Exposure of the flowing gas mixture to the catalyst in the catalyst chamber coupled to the flowing gas mixture based on the measured characteristics above; (b) flow of one or more components of the flowing gas mixture based on the measured characteristics above; or (c) Temperature of the catalyst in the catalyst chamber Adjusting one or more of the following; and A method for calculating a gas mixture, comprising bypassing the catalyst chamber when the threshold value of the above characteristics is reached.
In Article 16, A method for calculating a gas mixture, wherein adjusting the flow comprises adjusting a mass flow controller and a blower coupled to the flowing gas mixture.
In Article 16, A method for calculating a gas mixture, wherein the above measurement includes using a photodetector to measure one or both of the output power and gain of the laser beam.
In Article 16, A method for calculating a gas mixture, wherein the above measurement comprises measuring the concentration of one or more components of the flowing gas mixture in one or both of the catalyst chamber and the gas laser chamber using a gas sensor.
In Article 16, A method for calculating a gas mixture, wherein the above measurement includes measuring the spectroscopic characteristics of the flowing gas mixture using an optical spectrometer.

Description

Gas quality optimization for performance enhancement of CO2 drive lasers Cross-reference of related applications This application claims priority to U.S. Application No. 62/942,789, filed on December 3, 2019, entitled "Gas Quality Optimization for Performance Enhancement of CO2 Drive Laser," the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. The present disclosure relates, for example, to a power amplifier device and system for a lithography device and system. A lithography device is a machine configured to apply a desired pattern onto a substrate. A lithography device can be used, for example, in the manufacture of an integrated circuit (IC). A lithography device can, for example, project a pattern of a patterning device (e.g., a mask, a reticle) onto a layer of a radiation-sensitive material (resist) provided on a substrate. To project a pattern onto a substrate, a lithography device may use electromagnetic radiation. The wavelength of this radiation determines the minimum size of the feature that can be formed on the substrate. A lithography device using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation with a wavelength within the 4-20 nm range, for example, 6.7 nm or 13.5 nm, can be used to form smaller features on a substrate than a lithography device using radiation with a wavelength of, for example, 193 nm. EUV radiation can be generated by converting a material into a plasma state that emits EUV radiation. An amplified light beam can be used to create an EUV plasma source. Infrared lasers can generate high conversion efficiency between the drive laser input power and the output EUV power. However, during high-power emission of a gas laser, molecules in the laser gas mixture can dissociate and contaminate the power amplifier. Furthermore, this contamination in the laser gas mixture can negatively affect laser performance and cause the power amplifier to degrade over time. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a lithography apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a radiation system according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a power amplifier according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a power amplifier according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a power amplifier system according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart for optimizing a power amplifier according to an exemplary embodiment. Features and exemplary aspects of the embodiments will become apparent from the detailed description below when described in conjunction with the drawings, wherein similar reference numerals identify corresponding elements throughout. In the drawings, similar reference numerals generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similar elements. Additionally, generally in the drawings, the leftmost digit of a reference numeral indicates the drawing in which the reference numeral first appears. Unless otherwise indicated, the drawings provided throughout this disclosure should not be interpreted as scaled drawings. This specification discloses one or more embodiments comprising features of the present invention. The disclosed embodiment(s) are merely illustrative of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment(s). The present invention is defined by the claims appended to this specification. The described embodiment(s) and terms such as “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an exemplary embodiment,” etc., mentioned herein indicate that while the described embodiment(s) may include specific features, structures, or characteristics, not all embodiments may necessarily include specific features, structures, or characteristics. Furthermore, these terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Moreover, it is understood that when a specific feature, structure, or characteristic is described in relation to one embodiment, achieving such feature, structure, or characteristic in relation to another embodiment is within the scope of knowledge of those skilled in the art, regardless of whether it has been explicitly described. Spatial relative terms such as "directly below," "below," "lower," "above," "upper," and "upper" may be used to describe the relationship between one element or feature, as illustrated in the drawings, and other element(s) or feature(s) to facilitate explanation. Spatial relative terms are intended to be used in addition to the orientation illustrated in the drawings or to include other orientations of the device in operation. The device may be oriented differently (rotated 90 degrees or other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptions used herein may be interpreted similarly accordingly. As used herein, the terms “about,” or “substantially,” or “approximately” indicate a given quantity value that may vary based on a particular technique. Based on a particular technique, the terms “ab