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US 9,516,733 B1Granted
Laser-sustained plasma light source
AssigneeKLA-Tencor Corporation
InventorsIlya Bezel, Anatoly Shchemelinin, Yanming Zhao, Gildardo R. Delgado
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Abstract
A method for producing a laser sustained plasma light by directing at least one laser into a gas volume and igniting a plasma that produces a light. Heated portions of the gas volume are removed from the plasma and cooled. The cooled portions of the gas volume are returned to the plasma in a laminar flow. The light is collected with a reflector and provided to a desired location.
Claims14
A method for producing a laser sustained plasma light, the method comprising the steps of:
- directing at least one laser into a gas volume,
- igniting a plasma in the gas volume, the plasma producing a light,
- removing heated portions of the gas volume from the plasma,
- cooling the heated portions of the gas volume,
- returning the cooled portions of the gas volume to the plasma in a laminar flow, and
- collecting the light with a reflector and providing the light to a desired location.
3 more elements
A method for producing a laser sustained plasma light, the method comprising the steps of:
- directing at least one laser into a gas volume,
- igniting a plasma in the gas volume, the plasma producing a light,
- removing heated portions of the gas volume with a hollow upper electrode, wherein the hollow upper electrode maintains a unidirectional flow of the heated gas volume leaving the plasma,
- cooling the heated portions of the gas volume,
- returning the cooled portions of the gas volume to the plasma using a hollow lower electrode in a laminar flow, and
- collecting the light with a reflector and providing the light to a desired location.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.