Shaped source of soft x-ray, extreme ultraviolet and ultraviolet radiation

An imaging system comprising

• a plasma source providing a shaped radiation field, wherein said plasma source comprises a laser source providing an output laser beam, shaping optics converting the light from the light source into a shaped output laser beam, the shaped output laser beam having a cross-sectional illumination field profile, and a target generating a shaped plasma discharge emitting said shaped radiation field, the shape of the radiation field determined in part by the shape of the illumination field of said shaped output laser beam;
• a condenser having optics shaped to efficiently transmit the shaped radiation field;
• a transmissive or reflective object having a pattern thereon positioned to receive the shaped radiation field from the condenser;
• and
• a recording medium illuminated by the shaped radiation field;
• wherein the laser source includes:
• a pulse generator outputting a timing pulse to at least one delay element;
• and
• at least two laser generators, numbering one more than the number of delay elements, each laser generator generating an output laser beam.

An imaging system comprising:

• a plasma source providing a shaped radiation field, wherein said plasma source comprises a plasma generating target emitting said shaped radiation field, and a power source providing an electrical output to the target;
• a condenser having optics shaped to efficiently transmit the shaped radiation field;
• a transmissive or reflective object having a pattern thereon positioned to receive the shaped radiation field from the condenser;
• a recording medium illuminated by the shaped radiation field;
• and
• a delay mechanism, wherein said delay mechanism postpones the electrical output from said power source until after application of a laser beam.

A photolithography system comprising:

• a power source providing an electrical output;
• a plurality of electrodes connected to said power source to receive and direct the electrical output;
• a target generating a shaped radiation field determined by current path of said electrical output,
• a condenser having optics shaped to efficiently receive the shaped radiation field;
• a photolithography mask having a pattern thereon positioned to receive the shaped radiation field from the condenser;
• a photoresist coated wafer illuminated by the shaped radiation field transmitted from the condenser.