System managing gas flow between chambers of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photolithography apparatus

An extreme ultraviolet lithography apparatus comprising:

• a first chamber having gas disposed therein;
• a second chamber having gas disposed therein;
• an intermediary chamber in fluid communication with the second chamber;
• an elongated body restricting flow from the first chamber to the intermediary chamber, the body at least partially surrounding a passageway and having a first open end allowing EUV light to enter the passageway and a second open end allowing EUV light to exit the passageway;
• a flow of gas exiting an aperture, the aperture positioned to introduce gas into the passageway at a location between the first end and the second end of the body;
• and
• a pump removing gas from the intermediary chamber.

An apparatus comprising:

• a first enclosing structure surrounding a first volume;
• a system generating a plasma at a plasma site in the first volume, the plasma producing EUV radiation and ions exiting the plasma;
• an optic positioned in the first volume and distanced from the site by a distance, d;
• a gas disposed between the plasma site and optic, the gas establishing a gas number density sufficient to operate over the distance, d, to reduce ion energy below 100 eV before the ions reach the optic;
• and
• a second enclosing structure surrounding a second volume,
• a system coupling the second volume to the first volume to allow EUV radiation to pass from the first volume to the second volume and operable to establish a gas flow directed from the second volume into the system and a gas flow from the system into the first volume.