Protection of optical materials of optical components from radiation degradation

An optical system comprising:

• a bulk material including a fluorine (F)-containing optical material;
• an active operating environment including a pressure ranging from atmospheric to vacuum and at least one type of gas or vapor, the at least one type of gas or vapor including polar molecules;
• and
• wherein the bulk material is exposed to the active operating environment to protect the bulk material from radiation degradation caused by extreme ultra-violet (EUV), vacuum ultra-violet (VUV), deep ultra-violet (DUV) and/or UV radiation, wherein an intensity of the EUV, VUV, DUV and/or UV radiation is in a range of 5 mW/cm2 to 20 W/cm2.

An optical system comprising:

• a bulk material including a fluorine (F)-containing optical material;
• a coating layer disposed on the bulk material;
• an active operating environment including a pressure ranging from atmospheric to vacuum and at least one type of gas or vapor, the at least one type of gas or vapor including polar molecules;
• wherein the bulk material is exposed to the active operating environment to protect the bulk material from radiation degradation caused by extreme ultra-violet (EUV), vacuum ultra-violet (VUV), deep ultra-violet (DUV) and/or UV radiation;
• wherein an intensity of the EUV, VUV, DUV and/or UV radiation is in a range of 5 mW/cm2 to 20 W/cm2;
• and
• wherein a concentration of the at least one type of gas or vapor is less than 20 parts per million (ppm) by volume of the operating environment.

An optical system comprising:

• a bulk material including a fluorine (F)-containing optical material, wherein the F-containing optical material is selected from the group consisting of magnesium fluoride (MgF2), calcium fluoride (CaF2), lanthanum trifluoride (LaF3), strontium fluoride (SrF2), barium fluoride (BaF2), lithium fluoride (LiF), and a combination thereof;
• a coating layer including a coating material disposed on the bulk material, wherein the coating material has a reflectivity of at least 20%;
• an active operating environment including at least one type of gas or vapor, the at least one type of gas or vapor including polar molecules;
• wherein the bulk material is exposed to the active operating environment to protect the bulk material from radiation degradation caused by extreme ultra-violet (EUV), vacuum ultra-violet (VUV), deep ultra-violet (DUV) and/or UV radiation;
• and
• wherein an intensity of the EUV, VUV, DUV and/or UV radiation is in a range of 5 mW/cm2 to 20 W/cm2.