Alignment system and extreme ultraviolet light generation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9325150-B2
Application number	US-201214238405-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2012
Priority date	Oct 11, 2011
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

An alignment system for a laser apparatus includes a guide laser device outputting a guide laser beam, an adjusting mechanism adjusting travel directions of the guide laser beam and a laser beam from the laser apparatus, a beam path combiner controlling travel directions of the laser beam and the guide laser beam to substantially coincide with each other, a first optical detection unit provided from the beam path combiner detecting the laser and guide laser beams, a first controller controlling the adjusting mechanism based on a first optical detection unit detection result, a beam steering unit downstream from the beam path combiner controlling travel directions of the laser and guide laser beams, a second optical detection unit downstream from the beam steering unit detecting the guide laser beam, and a second controller controlling the beam steering unit based on a second optical detection unit detection result.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An alignment system for use with a laser apparatus, comprising:
a guide laser device configured to output a guide laser beam;
an adjusting mechanism configured to adjust a travel direction of at least one of the guide laser beam and a laser beam from the laser apparatus;
a beam path combiner configured to control a travel direction of the laser beam and a travel direction of the guide laser beam to substantially coincide with each other;
a first optical detection unit provided downstream from the beam path combiner and configured to detect the laser beam and the guide laser beam;
a first controller configured to control the adjusting mechanism based on a detection result of the first optical detection unit;
a beam steering unit provided downstream from the beam path combiner and configured to control travel directions of the laser beam and the guide laser beam;
a second optical detection unit provided downstream from the beam steering unit and configured to detect at least the guide laser beam; and
a second controller configured to control the beam steering unit based on a detection result of the second optical detection unit, wherein
the beam steering unit includes:
a hollow optical pipe provided downstream from the beam path combiner and upstream from the second optical detection unit;
a first optical element provided inside the hollow optical pipe and configured to control travel directions of the laser beam and the guide laser beam;
a second optical element provided inside the hollow optical pipe and configured to control travel directions of the laser beam and the guide laser beam;
a first actuator unit configured to adjust the position and posture of the first optical element; and
a second actuator unit configured to adjust the position and posture of the second optical element.

2. The alignment system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a beam path adjuster provided downstream from the beam steering unit and configured to control travel directions of the laser beam and the guide laser beam;
a third optical detection unit provided downstream from the beam path adjuster and configured to detect a position of at least the guide laser beam; and
a third controller configured to control the beam path adjuster based on a detection result of the third optical detection unit.

3. The alignment system according to claim 1 , further comprising
an amplifier provided downstream from the beam path combiner and configured to amplify the laser beam.

4. An extreme ultraviolet light generation system, comprising:
the alignment system of claim 1 ;
a chamber having an inlet through which a laser beam is introduced into the chamber;
a target supply unit provided in the chamber and configured to supply a target material to a predetermined region inside the chamber; and
a laser beam focusing optical system configured to focus the laser beam in the predetermined region inside the chamber.

5. An alignment system for use with a laser apparatus, comprising:
a guide laser device configured to output a guide laser beam;
an adjusting mechanism configured to adjust a travel direction of at least one of the guide laser beam and a laser beam from the laser apparatus;
a beam path combiner configured to control a travel direction of the laser beam and a travel direction of the guide laser beam to substantially coincide with each other;
a beam steering unit provided downstream from the beam path combiner and configured to control travel directions of the laser beam and the guide laser beam;
an optical detection unit provided downstream from the beam steering unit and configured to detect the laser beam and the guide laser beam; and
a controller configured to control the adjusting mechanism and the beam steering unit based on a detection result of the optical detection unit, wherein
the beam steering unit includes:
a hollow optical pipe provided downstream from the beam path combiner and upstream from the optical detection unit;
a first optical element provided inside the hollow optical pipe and configured to control travel directions of the laser beam and the guide laser beam;
a second optical element provided inside the hollow optical pipe and configured to control travel directions of the laser beam and the guide laser beam;
a first actuator unit configured to adjust the position and posture of the first optical element; and
a second actuator unit configured to adjust the position and posture of the second optical element.

6. The alignment system according to claim 5 , further comprising an amplifier provided downstream from the beam path combiner and configured to amplify the laser beam.

7. An extreme ultraviolet light generation system, comprising:
the alignment system of claim 5 ;
a chamber having an inlet through which a laser beam is introduced into the chamber;
a target supply unit provided in the chamber and configured to supply a target material to a predetermined region inside the chamber; and
a laser beam focusing optical system configured to focus the laser beam in the predetermined region inside the chamber.

Assignees

• Moriya Masato
• Wakabayashi Osamu
• Gigaphoton Inc

Inventors

• Moriya Masato
• Wakabayashi Osamu

Classifications

• H05G2/0086 Primary

  Optical arrangements for conveying the laser beam to the plasma generation location · CPC title

• H01S3/005

  Optical devices external to the laser cavity, specially adapted for lasers, e.g. for homogenisation of the beam or for manipulating laser pulses, e.g. pulse shaping (shaping laser beam for working metal or other materials B23K26/06; optical elements, systems or apparatus in general G02B) · CPC title

• H05G2/008

  involving an energy-carrying beam in the process of plasma generation · CPC title

• H01S3/0078

  Frequency filtering · CPC title

• H01S3/2391

  emitting at different wavelengths · CPC title