Extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9510433-B2
Application number	US-201414481620-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2014
Priority date	Mar 18, 2010
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

An apparatus for generating extreme ultraviolet light used with a laser apparatus and connected to an external device so as to supply the extreme ultraviolet light thereto includes a chamber provided with at least one inlet through which a laser beam is introduced into the chamber; a target supply unit provided on the chamber configured to supply a target material to a predetermined region inside the chamber; a discharge pump connected to the chamber; at least one optical element provided inside the chamber; an etching gas introduction unit provided on the chamber through which an etching gas passes; and at least one temperature control mechanism for controlling a temperature of the at least one optical element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for generating extreme ultraviolet light comprising:
a chamber provided with at least one inlet through which a laser beam is introduced into the chamber;
a target supply unit provided on the chamber configured to supply a target material to a predetermined region inside the chamber;
at least one optical element provided inside the chamber;
at least one temperature control mechanism configured to control a temperature of the at least one optical element, each of the temperature control mechanism including:
a chiller configured to cool a heat carrier;
a flow channel connecting the at least one optical element and the chiller and configured to let a temperature-controlled heat carrier flow therethrough;
a first temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the heat carrier flowing through the flow channel; and
a temperature controller configured to control a flow rate of the heat carrier flowing through the flow channel based on a detection result of the first temperature sensor.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the temperature control mechanism further includes a flow-rate control valve configured to adjust the flow rate of the heat carrier flowing through the flow channel,
the flow channel includes:
an upstream channel in which the temperature-controlled heat carrier flows from the chiller to the at least one optical element, and
a downstream channel in which the heat carrier having been passed through the at least one optical element flows to the chiller from the at least one optical element, and the flow-rate control valve is located on the downstream channel.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the temperature control mechanism includes a second temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the heat carrier flowing through the flow channel,
the flow channel includes:
an upstream channel in which the temperature-controlled heat carrier flows from the chiller to the at least one optical element, and
a downstream channel in which the heat carrier having been passed through the at least one optical element flows to the chiller from the at least one optical element, and
the first temperature sensor is located on the upstream channel,
the second temperature sensor is located on the downstream channel, and
the temperature controller controls the flow rate based on detection results of the first and second temperature sensors.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a laser apparatus configured to output the laser beam to be introduced into the chamber through the at least one inlet, wherein
the chiller provides the temperature-controlled heat carrier to the flow channel during the laser apparatus outputs the laser beam; and
the temperature controller controls the flow rate during the laser apparatus outputs the laser beam.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the flow channel is plumbed in the at least one optical element so that the temperature-controlled heat carrier passes through inside the at least one optical element.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
each temperature control mechanism further includes a heater configured to heat the at least one optical element, and
the temperature controller controls the heater based on the detection result of the first temperature sensor.

Assignees

• Gigaphoton Inc

Inventors

• Nagai Shinji
• Abe Tamotsu
• Nagano Hitoshi
• Wakabayashi Osamu

Classifications

• H05G2/0025

  Systems for collecting the plasma generating material after the plasma generation · CPC title

• H05G2/0094 Primary

  Reduction, prevention or protection from contamination; Cleaning · CPC title

• H05G2/005

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G21K1/067

  using surface reflection, e.g. grazing incidence mirrors, gratings (multilayer mirrors G21K1/062) · CPC title

• B23K10/00

  Welding or cutting by means of a plasma · CPC title