System and method for pumping laser sustained plasma with a frequency converted illumination source
AssigneeKLA-Tencor Corporation
InventorsIlya Bezel, Anatoly Shchemelinin, Matthew Derstine
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Abstract
A system for generating pump illumination for laser sustained plasma (LSP) is disclosed. In embodiments, the system includes an illumination source configured to output illumination having a first spectral frequency and an optical frequency converter. The optical frequency converter can be configured to receive the illumination having the first spectral frequency from the illumination source and configured to output pump illumination having a second spectral frequency that is different from the first spectral frequency.
Claims36
A system for generating pump illumination for a laser sustained plasma, comprising:
- an illumination source configured to output illumination having a first spectral frequency, wherein a wavelength of the illumination having the first spectral frequency is in the range of 100 nanometers (nm) to 100 micrometers (μm);
- and
- an optical frequency converter configured to receive the illumination having the first spectral frequency from the illumination source and configured to output pump illumination having a second spectral frequency that is different from the first spectral frequency.
A system for generating broadband illumination, comprising:
- a plasma forming material;
- an illumination source configured to output illumination having a first spectral frequency, wherein a wavelength of the illumination having the first spectral frequency is in the range of 100 nanometers (nm) to 100 micrometers (μm);
- an optical frequency converter configured to receive the illumination having the first spectral frequency from the illumination source and configured to output pump illumination having a second spectral frequency that is different from the first spectral frequency;
- one or more optical elements configured to direct the pump illumination to the plasma forming material, whereby the pump illumination causes the plasma forming material to form a laser sustained plasma that emits broadband illumination.
A method of generating broadband illumination, comprising:
- generating illumination having a first spectral frequency, wherein a wavelength of the illumination having the first spectral frequency is in the range of 100 nanometers (nm) to 100 micrometers (μm);
- converting the illumination having the first spectral frequency to pump illumination having a second spectral frequency that is different from the first spectral frequency;
- directing the pump illumination to a plasma forming material, whereby the pump illumination causes the plasma forming material to form a laser sustained plasma that emits broadband illumination.
A system for generating pump illumination for a laser sustained plasma, comprising:
- a pulsed illumination source configured to output illumination having a first spectral frequency, wherein a repetition rate of the pulsed illumination source is higher than an inverse time of plasma decay for the laser sustained plasma;
- and
- an optical frequency converter configured to receive the illumination having the first spectral frequency from the pulsed illumination source and configured to output pump illumination having a second spectral frequency that is different from the first spectral frequency.
A system for generating broadband illumination, comprising:
- a plasma forming material;
- a pulsed illumination source configured to output illumination having a first spectral frequency;
- an optical frequency converter configured to receive the illumination having the first spectral frequency from the pulsed illumination source and configured to output pump illumination having a second spectral frequency that is different from the first spectral frequency;
- one or more optical elements configured to direct the pump illumination to the plasma forming material, whereby the pump illumination causes the plasma forming material to form a laser sustained plasma that emits broadband illumination, wherein a repetition rate of the pulsed illumination source is higher than an inverse time of plasma decay for the laser sustained plasma.
A method of generating broadband illumination, comprising:
- generating pulsed illumination having a first spectral frequency;
- converting the pulsed illumination having the first spectral frequency to pump illumination having a second spectral frequency that is different from the first spectral frequency;
- directing the pump illumination to a plasma forming material, whereby the pump illumination causes the plasma forming material to form a laser sustained plasma that emits broadband illumination, wherein a repetition rate of the pulsed illumination is higher than an inverse time of plasma decay for the laser sustained plasma.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.