Extreme ultraviolet based on colliding neutral beams
AssigneePlex LLC
InventorMalcolm W. McGeoch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A source of photons includes a discharge chamber, a plurality of ion beam sources in the discharge chamber and a neutralizing mechanism. Each of the ion beam sources electrostatically accelerates a beam of ions of a working gas toward a plasma discharge region. The neutralizing mechanism at least partially neutralizes the ion beams before they enter the plasma discharge region. The neutralized beams enter the plasma discharge region and form a hot plasma that radiates photons. The photons may be in the soft X-ray or extreme ultraviolet wavelength range and, in one embodiment, have wavelengths in a range of about 10-15 nanometers.
Claims37
A source of photons comprising:
- a discharge chamber;
- a plurality of ion beam sources in the discharge chamber, each electrostatically accelerating a beam of ions of a working gas toward a plasma discharge region;
- and
- a neutralizing mechanism for at least partially neutralizing said ion beams before they enter the plasma discharge region, wherein the neutralized beams enter the plasma discharge region and form a hot plasma that radiates photons.
A photon source comprising:
- a discharge chamber containing a working gas;
- concentric electrode shells in said discharge chamber, said electrode shells having sets of apertures aligned along axes which pass through a plasma discharge region;
- a voltage source for applying a voltage between said electrode shells, wherein beams of ions of the working gas are directed along said axes toward the plasma discharge region;
- and
- a neutralizing mechanism for at least partially neutralizing said ion beams before they enter the plasma discharge region, wherein the neutralized beams enter the plasma discharge region and form a hot plasma that radiates photons.
A system for generating photons, comprising:
- a housing defining a discharge chamber;
- concentric electrode shells located in the discharge chamber, said electrode shells having sets of apertures aligned along axes which pass through a plasma discharge region;
- a voltage source for applying a voltage between said electrode shells;
- a gas source for supplying a working gas to the discharge chamber, wherein beams of ions of the working gas are directed along said axes toward the plasma discharge region;
- a neutralizing mechanism for at least partially neutralizing said ion beams before they enter the plasma discharge region, wherein the neutralized beams enter the plasma discharge region and form a hot plasma that radiates photons;
- and
- a vacuum system for controlling the pressure of the working gas in the discharge chamber.
A method for generating photons, comprising the steps of:
- electrostatically accelerating a plurality of beams of ions of a working gas toward a plasma discharge region;
- and
- at least partially neutralizing said ion beams before they enter the plasma discharge region, wherein the neutralized beams enter the plasma discharge region and form a hot plasma that radiates photons.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.