High-voltage pulse generator, gas laser apparatus, and method for manufacturing electronic device

A gas laser apparatus comprising:

• a laser chamber;
• a pair of discharge electrodes disposed in the laser chamber;
• and
• a high-voltage pulse generation device configured to apply a pulsed high voltage to a space between the pair of discharge electrodes,
• the high-voltage pulse generation device including
• n transformer cores that form a transformer, where n is a natural number greater than or equal to two,
• n primary electric circuits of the transformer, the n primary electric circuits each having a first terminal connected to a reference potential and a second terminal connected to a charger, the n primary electric circuits each including one or more primary coils, one or more diodes connected in parallel to the one or more primary coils, and one or more pulse generators connected in parallel to the one or more primary coils, and
• a secondary electric circuit of the transformer, the secondary electric circuit including a secondary coil and connected to the pair of discharge electrodes, wherein
• each of the one or more pulse generators has a third terminal and outputs a pulsed current through the third terminal, and
• the reference potential is a ground potential and connected to a cathode of each of the one or more diodes and to the third terminal.

A method for manufacturing an electronic device, the method comprising:

• generating pulsed laser light by using a gas laser apparatus including
• a laser chamber,
• a pair of discharge electrodes disposed in the laser chamber, and
• a high-voltage pulse generation device configured to apply a pulsed high voltage to a space between the pair of discharge electrodes,
• the high-voltage pulse generation device including
• n transformer cores that form a transformer, where n is a natural number greater than or equal to two,
• n primary electric circuits of the transformer, the n primary electric circuits each having a first terminal connected to a reference potential and a second terminal connected to a charger, the n primary electric circuits each including one or more primary coils, one or more diodes connected in parallel to the one or more primary coils, and one or more pulse generators connected in parallel to the one or more primary coils, and
• a secondary electric circuit of the transformer, the secondary electric circuit including a secondary coil and connected to the pair of discharge electrodes;
• outputting the pulsed laser light to an exposure apparatus;
• and
• exposing a photosensitive substrate to the pulsed laser light in the exposure apparatus to manufacture the electronic device, wherein
• each of the one or more pulse generators has a third terminal and outputs a pulsed current through the third terminal, and
• the reference potential is a ground potential and connected to a cathode of each of the one or more diodes and to the third terminal.