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US 2026/0299429 A1Published application
Optical system, method of use, and method of fabrication
AssigneexLight Inc.
InventorChristopher Neil Anderson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical system, method of use, and/or method of fabrication. The optical system preferably includes a vacuum vessel, one or more mirrors, and one or more support members. The method of use preferably includes receiving a light beam, creating a virtual focus, and delivering a light output. The method of fabrication preferably includes retrofitting an existing light source and/or fabricating an optical system using components designed for a existing light source.
Claims20
An optical system comprising:
- a vacuum vessel defining a vessel interior, the vessel interior fluidly isolated from an ambient environment surrounding the vacuum vessel;
- a collector mirror arranged within the vessel interior, the collector mirror comprising:
- a collector body;
- and
- a concave reflective surface bounding the collector body, the concave reflective surface defining a first focus at a first point and a second focus at a light output point;
- wherein the collector mirror defines a collector hole through the collector body and the concave reflective surface;
- a replicator mirror arranged within the vessel interior, the replicator mirror comprising:
- a replicator body;
- and
- a convex reflective surface bounding the replicator body, the convex reflective surface substantially defining a portion of a surface of rotation of a conic section, the conic section defining a virtual replicator focus substantially at the first point;
- wherein:
- the collector mirror defines an optical axis through the first point and the light output point, wherein the collector hole encircles the optical axis;
- the convex reflective surface defines a perimeter that encircles the optical axis;
- the replicator mirror is arranged between the collector mirror and the first point, wherein the convex reflective surface is disposed toward the concave reflective surface;
- and
- the first point is arranged between the collector mirror and the light output point.
13 more elements
A method of providing light to a lithographic tool, the method comprising:
- at a vacuum vessel housing a collector mirror and a replicator mirror, the collector mirror comprising a concave reflective surface defining an optical axis:
- receiving a light beam from a free-electron laser, the light beam propagating substantially along the optical axis through a collector hole defined by the collector mirror, wherein the optical axis intersects a first focus of the collector mirror and a second focus of the collector mirror;
- at a convex reflective surface of the replicator mirror, reflecting the light beam toward the concave reflective surface such that the reflected light beam is divergent with a virtual focus substantially at the first focus of the collector mirror;
- and
- at the concave reflective surface, reflecting the reflected light beam substantially toward the second focus of the collector mirror.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.