Output light beam formation apparatus
AssigneeCymer, Inc.
InventorsYuda Wang, Rostislav Rokitski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus includes: abeam splitter on abeam path, the beam splitter configured to receive light from a deep ultraviolet (DUV) light source; and a first plurality of reflective optical elements on the beam path. The beam splitter is configured to direct a portion of the light received from the DUV light source toward the first plurality of reflective optical elements; the first plurality of reflective optical elements is configured to rotate a divergence of the portion of the light to produce rotated light; and the beam splitter is configured to direct the rotated light and a portion of the light received from the DUV light source onto an output beam path.
Claims23
An apparatus comprising:
- a beam splitter on a beam path, the beam splitter configured to receive light from a deep ultraviolet (DUV) light source;
- and
- a beam rotation device comprising a first plurality of reflective optical elements on the beam path, wherein
- the beam splitter is configured to direct a portion of the light received from the DUV light source toward the first plurality of reflective optical elements;
- the beam rotation device is configured to reduce a spatial coherence of the light received from the DUV light source by rotating a divergence of the portion of the light to produce rotated light;
- and
- the beam splitter is configured to direct the rotated light and a portion of the light received from the DUV light source onto an output beam path.
A deep ultraviolet (DUV) light source comprising:
- a light generation apparatus comprising at least one discharge chamber configured to hold a gaseous gain medium and to produce a DUV light beam;
- and
- an output beam formation apparatus comprising:
- a beam splitter on a beam path, the beam splitter configured to receive the DUV light beam;
- a polarization element on the beam path;
- a beam delay apparatus on the beam path;
- and
- a first plurality of reflective optical elements on the beam path, wherein
- the beam splitter is configured to direct a portion of the DUV light beam toward the first plurality of reflective optical elements;
- the first plurality of reflective optical elements is configured to rotate a divergence of the portion of light to produce rotated light;
- the polarization element is configured to change a polarization state of the rotated light;
- the beam delay apparatus is configured to direct the rotated light toward the polarization element and the beam splitter;
- and
- the beam splitter is configured to form an output beam based on the rotated light.
A method for a deep ultraviolet (DUV) light source, the method comprising:
- receiving a portion of a DUV light beam, the portion of the DUV light beam having a polarization state, a vertical divergence of an initial vertical divergence value, and a horizontal divergence of an initial horizontal divergence value;
- rotating the portion of the DUV light beam to form a rotated light beam, the rotated light beam having a vertical divergence of the initial horizontal divergence value and a horizontal divergence of the initial vertical divergence value;
- passing the rotated light beam through an optical delay;
- forming an output light beam that propagates on an output beam path based on-the rotated light beam and another portion of the DUV light beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.