Laser-sustained plasma source based on colliding liquid jets
AssigneeKLA Corporation
InventorsJohn Szilagyi, Ilya Bezel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A laser-sustained broadband light source includes a gas containment structure and multiple jet nozzles. The jet nozzles are configured to direct multiple liquid jets of plasma-forming material in directions to collide with one another within the gas containment structure. The laser-sustained broadband light source further includes a laser pump source configured to generate an optical pump to sustain a plasma in a region of the gas containment structure at a collision point of the plurality of liquid jets and a light collector element configured to collect broadband light emitted from the plasma.
Claims19
A broadband light source comprising:
- a gas containment structure;
- a plurality of jet nozzles, wherein the plurality of jet nozzles are configured to direct a plurality of liquid jets to collide within the gas containment structure, wherein the plurality of liquid jets include a first liquid jet and at least a second jet;
- a laser pump source configured to generate an optical pump to sustain a plasma in a region of the gas containment structure at a collision point of the plurality of liquid jets;
- and
- a light collector element configured to collect at least a portion of broadband light emitted from the plasma.
A system comprising:
- a broadband source comprising:
- a gas containment structure;
- a plurality of jet nozzles, wherein the plurality of jet nozzles are configured to direct a plurality of liquid jets to collide within the gas containment structure, wherein the plurality of liquid jets include a first liquid jet and at least a second jet;
- a laser pump source configured to generate an optical pump to sustain a plasma in a region of the gas containment structure at a collision point of the plurality of liquid jets;
- and
- a light collector element configured to collect at least a portion of broadband light emitted from the plasma;
- a set of illuminator optics configured to direct the broadband light from the light collector element to one or more samples;
- a detector assembly;
- and
- a set of projection optics configured to receive illumination from the surface of the one or more samples and direct the illumination from the one or more samples to the detector assembly.
A method comprising:
- generating a plurality of liquid jets to collide within a gas containment structure, wherein the plurality of liquid jets include a first liquid jet and at least a second jet;
- generating an optical pump;
- focusing the optical pump into a region of the gas containment structure at a collision point of the plurality of liquid jets to sustain a plasma in the region of the gas containment structure at the collision point of the plurality of the liquid jets;
- and
- collecting a portion of broadband light emitted from the plasma and delivering the portion of the broadband light to one or more optical elements external to the gas containment structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.