US 2014/0176083 A1 · METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN EUV SOURCE

Abstract

A method for triggering a resonant charging circuit for a device for generating short-wavelength radiation based on discharge plasma is described. Switching times of the resonant charging circuit are determined in a non-time-critical method segment by simulation and are stored to be repeatedly retrievable. Measurement values of the resonant charging circuit are determined in real time in a time-critical method segment. At least one second switching time (t2) at which a discharging switch of the resonant charging circuit is triggered in order to supply at a firing time (t3) a discharge voltage (Uwanted), and the firing time (t3) are calculated. The device has a first input unit, a first simulation unit, a first regression unit, a first measurement value unit, a first evaluation unit and a control unit for triggering a discharging switch of the resonant charging circuit.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method for triggering a resonant charging circuit for a device for generating short-wavelength radiation based on a pulsed discharge plasma, the method comprising:

determining switching times of the resonant charging circuit in a non-time-critical method segment (I) by simulation;
storing values of the switching times to be repeatedly retrievable;
determining measurement values of the resonant charging circuit in real time in a time-critical method segment;
and
determining at least one second switching time (t2) at which a discharging switch of the resonant charging circuit is triggered to supply a discharge voltage (Uwanted) for generating the discharge plasma, and calculating the firing time (t3) at which a discharge plasma at the discharge voltage (Uwanted) is generated.

2 more elements

A device for triggering a resonant charging circuit in a device for generating short-wavelength radiation based on a pulsed discharge plasma, the device for comprising:

at least one charging switch for charging a charging capacitor (C) of the resonant charging circuit and at least one discharging switch for discharging the charging capacitor (C) of the resonant charging circuit;
a first input unit for entering input values formed by user-defined parameter values and by at least one user-predefined second switching time (t2);
a first simulation unit for simulating at least one switching time (t21, t22, t23) and desired discharge voltages (Uwanted);
a first regression unit for determining and providing calculation data based on results of simulation of the first simulating unit;
a first measurement value unit for providing real-time measurement values of the resonant charging circuit;
a first evaluation unit for calculating the at least one user-predefined second switching time (t2) and a firing time (t3) based on the calculation data of the first regression unit and the real-time measurement values;
and
a control unit for triggering the discharging switch of the resonant charging circuit.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for controlling an euv source

Life of this patent

Method for controlling an euv source

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19