Laser-operated light source
AssigneeASML Netherlands B.V.
InventorsEkkehard Brune, Dieter Frerking, Thomas Thöniß, Claus Spruch
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Abstract
A laser-operated light source encompasses a chamber for accommodating an ionizable gas and an ignition source for ionizing the gas in the chamber for generating a plasma. The light source furthermore encompasses a laser for inputting laser energy into the plasma such that, under the impact of the laser radiation, the plasma emits useful light, which forms the output signal of the light source, wherein provision is made for means for coupling the useful light into a transferring optical fiber. In the case of the light source according to the invention, at least one mode scrambler is assigned to the optical fiber or the optical fibers.
Claims13
A laser-operated light source, comprising:
- a chamber for accommodating an ionizable gas;
- an ignition source for ionizing the gas in the chamber for generating a plasma;
- a laser for inputting laser energy into the plasma such that, under the impact of the laser radiation, the plasma emits useful light, which forms an output signal of the light source;
- means for coupling the useful light into at least one transferring optical fiber;
- and
- at least one mode scrambler assigned to the optical fiber and the optical fibers.
A laser-operated light source, comprising:
- a chamber for accommodating an ionizable gas;
- an ignition source for ionizing the ionizable gas in the chamber for generating a plasma;
- a laser for inputting laser energy into the plasma such that, under the impact of the laser energy, the plasma emits light having a wavelength between 400 nm and 950 nm;
- one or more optical fibers configured to carry the light from the emitted by the plasma to a process;
- and
- at least one mode scrambler associated with the one or more optical fibers.
A method comprising:
- igniting an ionizable gas inside a chamber with an ignition source to generate a plasma;
- inputting laser energy to the plasma such that, under the impact of the laser radiation, the plasma emits light, which forms an output signal of the light source;
- passing the light into at least one optical fiber,
- wherein the optical fiber passes through at least one mode scrambler.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.