Plasma cell for laser-sustained plasma light source
AssigneeKLA-Tencor Corporation
InventorsAnant Chimmalgi, Anatoly Shchemelinin, Ilya Bezel, Rajeev Patil
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refillable plasma cell for use in a laser-sustained plasma light source includes a plasma bulb, the bulb being formed from a glass material substantially transparent to a selected wavelength of radiation, and a gas port assembly, the gas port assembly being operably connected to the bulb and disposed at a first portion of the gas bulb, wherein the bulb is configured to selectively receive a gas from a gas source via the gas port assembly.
Claims46
A refillable plasma cell suitable for use in a laser-sustained plasma light source, comprising:
- a plasma bulb, the bulb being formed from a glass material substantially transparent to a selected wavelength of radiation;
- and
- a gas port assembly, the gas port assembly including a receiving cap, the receiving cap being reversibly couplable to a delivery cap so as to establish a reversible fluidic connection between a gas source and an internal portion of the plasma bulb.
A plasma cell equipped with a heat pipe for use in a laser-sustained plasma light source, comprising:
- a plasma bulb, the bulb being formed from a glass material substantially transparent to a selected wavelength of radiation;
- one or more electrodes disposed within the bulb, the one or more electrodes configured to initiate plasma generation within the bulb;
- a heat pipe in thermal communication with the one or more electrodes, the heat pipe further being in thermal communication with a heat exchanger, configured to transfer thermal energy from within the plasma bulb to a medium external to the plasma bulb;
- and
- a gas port assembly, the gas port assembly configured to establish a reversible fluidic connection between a gas source and an internal portion of the plasma bulb.
A plasma cell equipped with one or more radiation shields for use in a laser-sustained plasma light source, comprising:
- a plasma bulb, the bulb being formed from a glass material substantially transparent to a selected wavelength of radiation, wherein the plasma bulb is configured to contain a gas suitable for plasma generation;
- one or more electrodes disposed within the bulb, the one or more electrodes configured to initiate plasma generation within the bulb;
- one or more radiation shields disposed on the one or more electrodes, wherein the one or more radiation shields are configured to shield the glass material of the bulb from radiation emitted by a plasma region within the plasma bulb;
- and
- a gas port assembly, the gas port assembly configured to establish a reversible fluidic connection between a gas source and an internal portion of the plasma bulb.
An electrodeless plasma cell suitable for use in a laser-sustained plasma light source, comprising:
- a plasma bulb, the bulb being formed from a glass material substantially transparent to a selected wavelength of radiation, wherein the plasma bulb is configured to contain a gas suitable for plasma generation;
- a plasma generation region within the plasma bulb, wherein the plasma generation region is configured to initiate a plasma within the bulb via absorption of radiation from a pumping laser, wherein the plasma bulb is configured to initiate the plasma without electrodes;
- and
- a gas port assembly, the gas port assembly configured to establish a reversible fluidic connection between a gas source and an internal portion of the plasma bulb.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.