Passivation of nonlinear optical crystals

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11227770-B2
Application number	US-201916287237-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2019
Priority date	Oct 7, 2011
Publication date	Jan 18, 2022
Grant date	Jan 18, 2022

Abstract

A laser system includes a nonlinear optical (NLO) crystal, wherein the NLO crystal is annealed within a selected temperature range. The NLO crystal is passivated with at least one of hydrogen, deuterium, a hydrogen-containing compound or a deuterium-containing compound to a selected passivation level. The system further includes at least one light source, wherein at least one light source is configured to generate light of a selected wavelength and at least one light source is configured to transmit light through the NLO crystal. The system further includes a crystal housing unit configured to house the NLO crystal.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method comprising:
providing a nonlinear optical (NLO) crystal comprising cesium lithium borate;
performing an annealing process on the NLO crystal by maintaining a temperature of the NLO crystal temperature between 300° C. and 350° C.; and
following the annealing process, passivating the NLO crystal with a passivating gas having a concentration of at least one of hydrogen, deuterium, a hydrogen-containing compound or a deuterium-containing compound at or near a selected concentration to achieve a selected passivation level within the NLO crystal to compensate for broken bonds within the NLO crystal caused by the annealing of the NLO crystal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the passivating gas comprises:
a mixture of hydrogen, deuterium and an inert gas.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the passivating gas comprises:
at least one inert gas mixed with at least one of hydrogen, deuterium, a hydrogen-containing compound or a deuterium-containing compound.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the performing an annealing process on the NLO crystal comprises:
maintaining a temperature of the NLO crystal between room temperature and a melting point of the NLO crystal.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
containing the NLO crystal within a crystal housing unit.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting a beam of light from a light source through the NLO crystal.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
transmitting the beam of light from the light source through the NLO crystal to generate deep ultraviolet light with the NLO crystal.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
shaping the beam of light from the light source with one or more beam shaping optics.

9. A method comprising:
providing an NLO crystal;
performing an annealing process on the NLO crystal by maintaining a temperature of the NLO crystal temperature between 300° C. and 350° C.; and
following the annealing process, passivating the NLO crystal with a passivating gas having a concentration of at least one of hydrogen, deuterium, a hydrogen-containing compound and a deuterium-containing compound at or near a selected concentration to achieve a selected passivation level within the NLO crystal to compensate for broken bonds within the NLO crystal caused by the annealing of the NLO crystal.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the passivating gas comprises:
a mixture of hydrogen, deuterium and an inert gas.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the passivating gas comprises:
at least one inert gas mixed with at least one of hydrogen, deuterium, a hydrogen-containing compound or a deuterium-containing compound.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the performing an annealing process on the NLO crystal comprises:
performing an annealing process on the NLO crystal between room temperature and a melting point of the NLO crystal.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
containing the NLO crystal within a crystal housing unit.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
transmitting a beam of light from a light source through the NLO crystal.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
transmitting the beam of light from the light source through the NLO crystal to generate deep ultraviolet light with the NLO crystal.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
shaping the beam of light from the light source with one or more beam shaping optics.

Assignees

• Kla Tencor Corp
• Kla Corp

Inventors

• Chuang Yung-Ho Alex
• Dribinski Vladimir

Classifications

• H10P36/00

  Gettering within semiconductor bodies · CPC title

• H10P95/94 Primary

  Hydrogenation or deuterisation, e.g. using atomic hydrogen from a plasma · CPC title

• G01N21/9501

  Semiconductor wafers (manufacturing processes per se of semiconductor devices implementing a measuring step H10P74/20) · CPC title

• G02F1/3551 Primary

  Crystals · CPC title

• G01N21/55

  Specular reflectivity · CPC title