Method and device for splitting a high-power light beam to provide simultaneous sub-beams to photolithography scanners

A device comprising:

• a primary splitting optical assembly to receive and split a high-energy primary extreme ultraviolet (EUV) beam into primary EUV sub-beams;
• beam-splitting optical arrays to receive and split the primary EUV sub-beams into secondary EUV sub-beams;
• and
• EUV distribution optical arrays to receive and distribute simultaneously the secondary EUV sub-beams to scanners.

A method comprising:

• receiving a high-energy primary extreme ultraviolet (EUV) beam at a primary splitting optical assembly, wherein the high-energy primary EUV beam is a free-electron laser beam;
• splitting the primary EUV beam into primary EUV sub-beams;
• reflecting the primary EUV sub-beams to beam-splitting optical arrays,
• wherein the primary splitting optical assembly and the beam-splitting optical arrays include grazing incidence convex-like toroidal splitting mirrors;
• splitting the primary EUV sub-beams into secondary EUV sub-beams, wherein a combined energy of the secondary EUV sub-beams is substantially equivalent to energy of the high-energy primary EUV beam;
• reflecting the secondary EUV sub-beams to EUV distribution optical arrays, wherein the EUV distribution optical arrays include collimating concave-like toroidal mirrors;
• distributing simultaneously the secondary EUV sub-beams to scanners;
• monitoring power levels of the secondary EUV sub-beams at the scanners;
• and
• adjusting dynamically optical elements in the primary splitting optical assembly, the beam-splitting optical arrays, and the EUV distribution optical arrays based on target power levels of the secondary EUV sub-beams at the scanners.