Laser apparatus and extreme ultraviolet light generation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9762024-B2
Application number	US-201615016961-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2016
Priority date	Sep 27, 2013
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

An example of the disclosure is a laser apparatus including a master oscillator capable of outputting a pulse laser beam, a plurality of optical amplifiers disposed on an optical path of the pulse laser beam outputted from the master oscillator and configured to sequentially amplify the pulse laser beam, an optical reflector capable of passing the pulse laser beam therethrough and reflecting a self-oscillation beam generated in one of the plurality of optical amplifiers, and an optical absorber capable of receiving and absorbing the self-oscillation beam reflected by the optical reflector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A laser apparatus comprising:
a master oscillator capable of outputting a pulse laser beam;
a plurality of optical amplifiers disposed on an optical path of the pulse laser beam outputted from the master oscillator, the plurality of optical amplifiers being configured to sequentially amplify the pulse laser beam;
an optical reflector disposed off an optical path of the pulse laser beam, capable of passing the pulse laser beam therethrough and reflecting a self-oscillation beam generated in one of the plurality of optical amplifiers; and
an optical absorber capable of receiving and absorbing the self-oscillation beam reflected by the optical reflector.

2. The laser apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the optical reflector is a hollow object having a through-hole through which the pulse laser beam passes, and
at least one of an inner face and an outer face of the optical reflector is a reflective face capable of reflecting the self-oscillation beam.

3. The laser apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the optical absorber is a hollow object having a through-hole through which the pulse laser beam passes and is disposed coaxially with the optical reflector.

4. The laser apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the inner face and the outer face of the optical reflector are reflective faces capable of reflecting the self-oscillation beam.

5. The laser apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein an opening angle of the inner face is smaller than an opening angle of the outer face.

6. The laser apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the optical reflector has a flat shape.

7. The laser apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the optical absorber has a flat shape and is disposed on the opposite side of the optical reflector with respect to the optical path of the pulse laser beam.

8. The laser apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a material of the optical reflector is one of Al, Au, and Cu.

9. The laser apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a material of the optical absorber is one of Al, Cu, Si, GaAs, ZnSe, and diamond.

10. The laser apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the optical absorber is configured to contain the optical reflector therein.

11. The laser apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an optical isolator disposed between the master oscillator and an optical amplifier of the plurality of optical amplifiers or between optical amplifiers of the plurality of optical amplifiers.

12. The laser apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the optical reflector is disposed between the optical isolator and one of the plurality of optical amplifiers.

13. An extreme ultraviolet light generation system comprising:
a master oscillator capable of outputting a pulse laser beam;
an optical amplifier disposed on an optical path of the pulse laser beam outputted from the master oscillator and capable of amplifying the pulse laser beam inputted into the optical amplifier and outputting spontaneous emission while the pulse laser beam is not inputted into the optical amplifier;
a droplet supply device capable of supplying a droplet capable of turning into plasma by being irradiated with the pulse laser beam amplified by the optical amplifier to generate extreme ultraviolet light and reflecting the spontaneous emission from the optical amplifier; and
a transmissive optical element disposed between the master oscillator and the optical amplifier and capable of transmitting the pulse laser beam, the transmissive optical element being positioned such that reflection of the spontaneous emission reflected off the droplet is directed to avoid the droplet.

14. A laser apparatus, comprising:
a master oscillator capable of outputting a pulse laser beam;
a plurality of optical amplifiers disposed on an optical path of the pulse laser beam outputted from the master oscillator, the plurality of optical amplifiers being configured to sequentially amplify the pulse laser beam;
an optical reflector being a hollow object having a through-hole through which the pulse laser beam passes, at least one of an inner face and an outer face of the optical reflector being a reflective face capable of reflecting the self-oscillation beam; and
an optical absorber containing the optical reflector therein and capable of receiving and absorbing the self-oscillation beam reflected by the optical reflector.

15. The laser apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein an opening angle of the inner face is smaller than an opening angle of the outer face.

16. The laser apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein a material of the optical reflector is one of Al, Au, and Cu.

17. The laser apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein a material of the optical absorber is one of Al, Cu, Si, GaAs, ZnSe, and diamond.

18. The laser apparatus according to claim 14 , further comprising an optical isolator disposed between the master oscillator and an optical amplifier of the plurality of optical amplifiers or between optical amplifiers of the plurality of optical amplifiers.

19. The laser apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the optical reflector is disposed between the optical isolator and one of the plurality of optical amplifiers.

Assignees

• Gigaphoton Inc

Inventors

• Kurosawa Yoshiaki
• Kawasuji Yasufumi

Classifications

• H05G2/0082

  the energy-carrying beam being a laser beam · CPC title

• G03F7/70041

  by pulsed sources, e.g. multiplexing, pulse duration, interval control or intensity control · CPC title

• H01S2301/02

  ASE (amplified spontaneous emission), noise; Reduction thereof · CPC title

• H01S3/034

  Optical devices within, or forming part of, the tube, e.g. windows, mirrors (reflectors having variable properties or positions for initial adjustment of the resonator H01S3/086) · 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