Electron beam irradiation of gases and light source using the same
AssigneeRutgers, The State University
InventorsJochen Wieser, Andreas Ulrich, Daniel E. Murnick, Werner Krotz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Excimers are generated by directing an electron beam at about 5 KeV to about 40 KeV into an excimer forming gas such as He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe or mixtures of these with other gases through a ceramic foil such as SiN.sub.x. Vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) light is emitted by the excimers or by other species in contact therewith. The invention can provide intense, continuously operable broadband or monochromatic VUV light sources.
Claims46
A light source comprising:
- (a) an emission chamber at least partially transparent to light, said emission chamber having a foil window formed from silicon or a silicon compound;
- (b) a source of electrons at 5 to 40 KeV adapted to direct said electrons into said chamber through said foil window;
- and
- (c) an excimer-forming gas disposed within said chamber.
A method of generating excimers comprising the step of generating a low energy electron beam of electrons having energy less than about 100 KeV and directing said low energy electron beam through a window substantially transparent to said low energy electrons into a gas to form excimers in said gas.
A component for use in a light source comprising a chamber having a wall structure including an electron beam window substantially transparent to electrons having energy below about 100 KeV and a light-transmissive wall portion substantially transparent to light.
A method of generating light comprising the step of generating a low energy electron beam of electrons having energy less than about 100 KeV and directing said low energy electron beam through an window substantially transparent to said low energy electrons into a mixture of a first gas and a second gas to form excimers in said first gas so that said excimers of said first gas interact with said second gas to form secondary excited species and said secondary excited species decay and emit light.
A method of generating light comprising the step of generating a low energy electron beam of electrons having energy less than about 100 KeV and directing said low energy electron beam through an window substantially transparent to said low energy electrons into a mixture of a first gas and a second gas to form mixed excimers incorporating atoms from said first and second gases.
A method of generating light at about 121 nm wavelength comprising the step of forming Ne.sub.2 * excimers in a gas mixture containing H.sub.2.
A method of generating transient species comprising the step of generating a low energy electron beam of electrons having energy less than about 100 KeV and directing said low energy electron beam through a window substantially transparent to said low energy electrons into a gas to form said transient species in said gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.