Radiantly heated cathode for an electron gun and heating assembly
AssigneeNikon Corporation
InventorsMichael Sogard, Mark Takita
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A heating assembly (36) for heating a cathode (38) of an electron gun (30) of an exposure apparatus (10) includes a radiation source (42) and a beam shaper (44). The radiation source (42) generates a source beam (46). The beam shaper (44) receives the source beam (46) and selectively shapes the source beam (46) into a shaped beam (48) that is directed to the cathode (38). In certain embodiments, the beam shaper (44) can readily change the shape and intensity profile of the shaped beam (48) to achieve a desired electron beam (32) from the electron gun (30). In one embodiment, the radiation source (42) generates a pulsed source beam (46).
Claims71
A heating assembly for heating a portion of an electron gun, the electron gun including a cathode, the heating assembly comprising:
- a radiation source that generates a source beam;
- and
- a beam shaper that receives the source beam and shapes the source beam into a shaped beam that is directed to the electron gun.
A gun assembly comprising:
- an electron gun including a cathode;
- and
- a radiation source that generates a beam for heating the cathode, the radiation source including a laser diode array having a plurality of laser diodes.
A method for heating a cathode of an electron gun, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a radiation source that generates a source beam;
- and
- shaping the source beam into a shaped beam with a beam shaper.
A method for producing an electron beam for use with an exposure apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an electron gun including a cathode;
- and
- generating a beam that heats the cathode with a radiation source that includes a laser diode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.