US009185786B2
`
`(12; United States Patent
`Smith
`
`(10) Patent N0.:
`
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 9,185,786 B2
`*Nov. 10, 2015
`
`(54) LASER-DRIVEN LIGHT SOURCE
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`(71) Applicant: Energetiq 'l”echnolog_v., lne., Wohurn,
`MA (US)
`
`(72)
`
`Inventor: Donald K. Smith, Boston. MA (US)
`
`(73) Assignee: Energetiq Technology, lne.. Woburn,
`MA (US)
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`3,6l9.588 A
`3.826.990 A
`3300.803 A
`4388.966 A
`4.152.625 A
`4.179.566 A "‘
`4.498.029 A
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`
`( "‘ ) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer. the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`USC. l54(b) by 0 days.
`
`This patent is subject to a terminal dis-
`claimer.
`
`(Continued)
`
`l"'()Rl".l("rN l’A'l‘l‘}N'l‘ l)()(.7UM[iN'l'S
`
`l"R
`JP
`
`2554302 Al
`fil W3358
`
`531985
`8.-“I936
`
`(21) App]. No.: 143143.258
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Jul. 31, 2014
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`US 20] 510289353 Al
`Oct. 3. 2015
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(63) Continuation of application No. l3f964,938. filed on
`Aug.
`l2, 2013, now Pat. No. 9.048.000. which is a
`continuation of application No. 131024327, filed on
`Feb. 9, 201]. now Pat. No. 8.525.138, which is a
`
`(Cont inued)
`
`()'l‘l [HR PUB] .l(IA'l'[()NS
`
`Beck. “Simple Pulse Generator for Pulsing Xenon Arcs with High
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`
`(Cont inued)
`
`.”rimar_1-‘ i':'xam:'.r:er Nicole Ippolito
`A.s.sisIam‘ i'£Jt'ai:1f1:er
`Jason Mc(Ton1iack
`
`(74) /l.*.t0me_1.-‘, Agent. or Hnir
`
`Proskauer Rose l ,[ .l-’
`
`(5 7)
`
`ABS TRAC T
`
`An apparatus for prclducing light includes a chamber and an
`ignition source that ionizes a gas within the chamber. The
`apparatus also includes at least one laser that provides energy
`to the ionized gas within the chamber to produce a high
`brightness light. The laser can provide a substantially con-
`tinuous amount of energy to the ionized gas to generate a
`substantially continuous high brightness light.
`
`25 Claims, 39 Drawing Sheets
`
`(Continued)
`
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`
`(51)
`
`Int. (:1.
`GIHJ 1/00
`H05(:' 2/00
`(52) U.S. Cl.
`(‘PC
`
`H056‘ 2/008 (2013.01): H050 2/003
`(2013.01); H050‘ 2/005 (2013.01)
`(58) Field of Classification Search
`(TPC
`II05lI lr‘0(l; [I05[I li"(l025; [l05[[ U24
`USPC
`250504 R; 33504 R
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`
`
`132
`
`100
`
`ASML 1101
`ASML 1101
`
`

`
`US 9,185,786 B2
`Page 2
`
`Related U.s. Application Data
`_
`_
`_
`_
`‘
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`US 9,185,786 B2
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`
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`
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`Nov. 10,2015
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`Nov. 10, 2015
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`Nov. 10, 2015
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`Nov. 10, 2015
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`US 9,185,786 B2
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`Nov. 10, 2015
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`

`
`1
`I.ASl‘IR—DRlVEN LIGIIT SOURCE
`
`RELATED APPLICATIONS
`
`US 9,l8S,?86 B2
`
`2
`
`This application is a continuation of U .5}. Ser. No. l3r'964,
`938, filed on Aug. 12. 2013, which is a oontirtuation ofIJ.S.
`Ser. No. l3i’()24.()27, filed on Feb. 9, 201 1, now U.S. Pat. No.
`8,525,138, which is a continuation—in—part ot'U.S. Ser. No.
`]2!166,9l8, filed on Jul. 2, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,989,
`786, which is a continuation—in—part ofU.S. Ser. No. IU695,
`348. filed on Apr. 2, 2007. now U Pat. No. 7,786,455,
`which is a continuation-in-par1 of U .S. Ser. No. l li"395,523,
`filed on Mar. 31, 2006. now U .S. Pat. No. 7,435,982. the entire
`disclosures ofeach of which are hereby incorporated by ref-
`erence herein. This application claims the benefit of, and
`priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 611302,
`797, filed on Feb. 9, 2010. the entire disclosure of which is
`incorporated by reference herein.
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`‘the invention relates to methods and apparatus for provid-
`ing a laser-driven light source.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`lligh brightness light sources can be used iii a variety of
`applications. l-‘or example. a high brightness light source can
`be used for inspection, testing or ineasttring properties asso-
`ciated with semiconductor waters or materials used in the
`
`fabrication of wafers (e.g., reticles and photomasks]. The
`electromagnetic energy produced by high brightness light
`sources can, altematively, be used as a source ofilhunination
`in a lithography system used in the fabrication of wafers. a
`microscopy system, or a photoresist curing system. The
`parameters (eg, wavelength, power level and brightness) of
`the light vary depending upon the application.
`The state of the art in. for example. wafer inspection sys-
`tems involves the use of xenon or mercury arc lamps to
`produce light. the arc lamps include an anode and cathode
`that are used to excite xenon or mercury gas located in a
`chamber of the lamp. An electrical discharge is generated
`between the anode and cathode to provide power to the
`excited (e.g.. ionized) gas to sustain the light emitted by the
`ionized gas dttring operation of the light source. During
`operation, the anode a11d cathode become very l1ot dtte to
`electrical discharge delivered to the ionized gas located
`between the anode and cathode. As a result, the anode andfor
`cathode are prone to wear and may emit particles that ca11
`contaminate the light source or result in failure ofthe light
`source. Also, these are lamps do not provide sullicient bright-
`ness for some applications, especially in the ultraviolet spec-
`trum. Further. the position ofthe arc can be unstable in these
`lamps.
`Accordingly. a need therefore exists for improved high
`brightness light sources. A need also exists for improved high
`brightness ligit sources that do not rely on an electrical dis-
`charge to maintain a plasma that generates a high brightness
`light.
`The properties of light produced by many light sources
`(e.g.. arc lamp s, microwave lamps) are affected when the light
`passes through a wall of, for example, a chamber that includes
`the location from which the light is emitted.
`Accordingly. a need therefore exists for an improved light
`source whose emitted light is not significantly affected when
`
`It]
`
`20
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`the light passes through a wall of a chamber that includes the
`location from which the light is emitted.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention features a light source for generating
`a high brightness light.
`The invention, in one aspect, features a light source having
`a chamber. The light source also includes an ignition source
`for ionizing a gas within the chamber. The light source also
`includes at least one laser for providing energy to the ionized
`within t.he chamber to produce a high brightness light.
`In some embodiments. the at least one laser is a plurality of
`lasers directed at a region from which the high brightness
`light originates. In some embodiments, the light source also
`includes at least one optical element for modifying a property
`of the laser energy provided to the ior1i'I.ed gas. The optical
`element cat1 be, for example, a lens (e.g., an aplanatic lens, an
`achromatic lens, a single element lens, and a fresnel lens) or
`mirror (e.g., a coated mirror. a dielectric coated mirror, a
`narrow band mirror, and an ultraviolet transparent infrared
`rellecting mirror). In some embodiments, the optical element
`is one or more fiber optic elements for directing the laser
`energy to the gas.
`The chamber can include an ultraviolet transparent region.
`The chamber or a window in the chamber can include a
`
`lnaterial selected from the group oonsisting ofquartz, Supra-
`sililé‘ quartz [lleraeus Quartz America. I.l,C. Buford, C:ia.).
`sapphire. MgF2, diamond. and CaF2. In so1ne embodiments.
`the chamber is a sealed chamber. In some embodiments, the
`chamber is capable of being actively pumped. In some
`emhodilnents, the chamber includes a dielectric material
`(e.g., quartz). The chamber can be, for example, a glass bttlb.
`In some embodiments. the chamber is an ultraviolet transpar-
`ent dielectric chamber.
`
`The gas can be one or more ofa noble gas, Xe. Ar, Ne, Kr,
`I'[e, D2, [[3, O3, 1"2, a metal halide. a halogen, IIg, Cd, Z11, Sn,
`(ia, Fe, Li, Na, an cxcimer lorming gas, air. a vapor, a metal
`oxide, an aerosol. a flowing media. or a recycled media. The
`gas can be produced by a pulsed laser beam that impacts a
`target (e.g._. a solid or liquid) in the chamber. The target ca11 be
`a pool or film of metal. In some embodiments, the target is
`capable of moving. For example, the target may be a liquid
`that is directed to a region from which the high brightness
`light originates.
`In some embodiments, the at least one laser is multiple
`diode lasers coupled into a fiber optic eletnent. In some
`embodiments, the at least one laser includes a pulse or con-
`tinuous wave laser. In some embodiments. the at least one
`laser is an IR laser, a diode laser, a fiber laser, an ytterbium
`laser, a CO-_, laser, a YAG laser, or a gas discharge laser. In
`some embtxliments, the at least one laser emits at least one
`wavelength of electromagnetic energy that
`is strongly
`absorbed by the ionized medium.
`The ignition source can be or can include electrodes, an
`ultraviolet ignition source. a capacitive ignition source, an
`inductive ignition source. an RF ignition source, a microwave
`ignition source, a flash lamp, a pulsed laser, ora pulsed lamp.
`The ignition source can be a continuous wave (CW) or pulsed
`laser impinging on a solid or liquid target in the chamber. The
`ignition source can be external or internal to die chamber.
`The light source can include at least one optical element for
`modifying a property ofelectromagnetic radiation emitted by
`the ionized gas. The optical element can be. for example. one
`or more mirrors or lenses. In sotne embodiments. the optical
`element is configured to deliverthe electromagnetic radiation
`
`

`
`US 9,l8S,?86 B2
`
`3
`emitted by the ionized gas to a tool (e.g., a wafer inspection
`tool, a microscope. a metrology tool, a lithomphy tool, or an
`endoscopic tool).
`The invention, in another aspect. relates to a method for
`producing light. The method involves ionizing with an ig11i-
`tion source a
`within a chamber. The method also involves
`providing laser energy to the ionized gas in the chamber to
`produce a high brightness light.
`In some embodiments, the method also involves directing
`the laser energy tlztrough at least one optical element for
`modifying a property of the laser energy provided to the
`ionized gas. Il'l some embodiments, the method also involves
`actively pumping the chamber. The ionizable medium can be
`a moving target. In some embodiments, the method also
`involves directing the high brightness light through at least
`one optical element to modify a property ofthe light. In sortie
`embodiments. the method also involves delivering the high
`brightness light emitted by the ionized medium to a tool (eg.,
`a wafer inspection tool. a microscope, a metlology tool, a
`lithography tool, or an endoscopic tool).
`In another aspect, the invention features a light source. The
`lights source includes a chamber and an ignition source for
`ionizing an ionizable medium wil.hin the chamber. The light
`source also includes at least one laser for providing substan-
`tially continuous energy to the ionized medium within the
`chamber to produce a high brightness light.
`In solne embodiments, the at least one laser is a continttous
`wave laser or a high pulse rate laser. I11 some embodiments,
`the at least one laser is a high pulse rate laser that provides
`pulses ofenergy to the ionized medium so the high brightness
`light is substantially continuous. In some embodiments, the
`magnitttde ofthe high brightness light does not vary by mo1‘e
`than about 90% during operation. [11 some embodiments, the
`at least one laser provides energy substantially continuously
`to minimize cooling of the ionized medium when energy is
`not provided to the ionized medium.
`In some embodiments, the light source can include at least
`one optical element (e.g.. a lens or mirror) for modifying a
`propeny ofthe laser energy provided to the ionized medium.
`The optical element can be, for example, an aplanatic lens, an
`achromatic lens, a single element lens. a fresnel lens. a coated
`mirror. a dielectric coated mirror. a nanow band mirror. or an
`ultraviolet transparent
`infrared reflecting mirror.
`In some
`embodiments, the optical element is one or more fiber optic
`elements for directing the laser energy to the ionizable
`medium.
`In some einbodilnents, the chamber includes an ultraviolet
`transparent region. In sortie embodiments, the chamber or a
`window iii the chamber includes a quartz material, suprasil
`quartz material, sapphire material, MgF2 material, diamond
`tttaterial, or Cali, material. In some embodiments, the cham-
`ber is a sealed chamber. The chamber can be capable ofheing
`actively pumped.
`I.I‘l
`sortie embodiments,
`the chamber
`includes a dielectric material (e.g.. quartz). In sortie embodi-
`ments, the chamber is a glass bulb. In some embodiments, the
`chamber is an ultraviolet transparent dielectric chamber.
`The ionizable medium can be a solid, liqttid or gas. The
`ionizable medium can include one or more ofa noble gas, Xe,
`Ar, Ne. Kr, He. D2. H2, 02, F2. a metal halide, a halogen, Hg,
`Cd, Zn, Sn, Ga, I"e. Li, Na. an excimer fomting gas. ail‘, a
`vapor. a metal oxide, an aerosol. a flowing media, a recycled
`media, or an evaporating target. In some embodiments, the
`ionizable medium is a target in the chamber and the ignition
`source is a pulsed laser that provides a pulsed laser beam that
`strikes the target. The target can be a pool or film of metal. In
`some embodiments, the target is capable of moving.
`
`.‘h
`
`It]
`
`20
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`4
`
`I11 some embodiments, the at least one laser is multiple
`diode lasers coupled into a fiber optic element. The at least
`one laser can emit at least one wavelength ofelectromagnetic
`energy that is strongly absorbed by the ionized medium.
`The ignition source can be or can include electrodes, an
`ultraviolet ignition source. a capacitive ignition sottrce, an
`inductive ignition source, an RF ignition source, a microwave
`ignition source, a flash lamp, a pulsed laser, ora pulsed lamp.
`The ignition source can be external or internal to the chamber.
`In some embodiments, the light source includes at least one
`optical elelnent (eg. a mirror or lens) lor modifying a prop-
`erty of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the ionized
`medium. The optical element can be configured to deliver the
`electromagnetic radiation emitted by the ionized mediuln to a
`tool (e.g., a wafer inspection tool. a microscope. a metrology
`tool, a lithography tool, or an endoscopic tool).
`The invention, in another aspect relates to a method for
`producing light. The method involves ionizing with an igni-
`tion source an ionizable medium within a chamber. The
`method also involves providing substantially continuous
`laser energy to the ionized medium in the chamber to produce
`a high brightness light.
`In some cmbodilnents, the method also involves directing
`the laser energy through at least one optical element [or
`modifying a proper1y of the laser energy provided to the
`ionizable medium. The method also can involve actively
`pumping the chamber. In some embodiments, the ionizable
`medium is a moving target. The ionizable medium can
`include a solid,
`liqttid or
`In some embodiments. the
`method also involves directing the high brightness light
`through at least one optical element to modify a property of
`the light. In some embodiments, the method also involves
`delivering the high brightness light emitted by the ionized
`medium to a tool.
`The invention. in another aspect, features a light source
`having a chamber. The light source includes a first ignition
`means for ionizing an ionizable medium within the chamber.
`The light source also includes a means for providing substan-
`tially continuous laser energy to the ionized medium within
`the chamber.
`
`The invention, in another aspect, features a light source
`having a chamber l.l1at includes a reflective surface. The ligltt
`source also includes an ignition source for ionizing a gas
`within the chamber. The light source also includes a reflector
`that at least substantially reflects a first set of predefined
`wavelengths of electromagnetic energy directed toward the
`reflector and at least substantially allows a second set of
`predefined wavelengths of electromagnetic energy to pass
`through the reflector. The light source also includes at least
`one laser (e.g.. a conti11uous—wave fiber laser) external to the
`chamber for providing electromagnetic energy to the ionized
`gas within the chamber to produce a plasma that generates a
`high brightness light. A continuotts-wave laser emits radia-
`tion continuously or substantially continuously rather than in
`short bursts, as in a pulsed laser.
`In some embodiments, at least one laser directs a first set of
`wavelengths of electromagnetic energy through the reflector
`toward the reflective surface (e.g., inner surface) o ftlte cham-
`ber and the reflective surface directs at least a portion of the
`first set ofwavelengths of electromagnetic energy toward the
`plasma. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the high
`brightness light is directed toward the reflective surface of the
`chamber, is reflected toward the reflector, and is reflected by
`the reflector toward a tool. In some embodiments, at least one
`laser directs a first set of wavelengths of electromagnetic
`energy toward the reflector, the reflector reflects at least a
`por1ion of the first wavelengths of electromagnetic energy
`
`

`
`US 9,l8S,?86 B2
`
`5
`towards the reflective surface of the chamber, and the reflec-
`tive surface directs a portion of the first set of wavelengths of
`electromagnetic energy toward the plasma.
`In some embodiments, at least a portion ofthe high bright-
`ness light is directed toward the reflective surface of the
`chamber, is reflected toward the reflector, and passes through
`the reflector toward an output of the light source. In some
`embodiments, the light source comprises a microscope. ultra-
`violet microscope, wafer inspection system, reticle inspec-
`tion system or lithography system spaced relative to the out-
`put ofthe light source to receive the high brightness light. In
`some embodiments. a portion of the high brightness light is
`directed toward the reflective surface of the chamber. is
`reflected toward the reflector. and electromagnetic energy
`comprising the second set ofpredefined wavelengths ofelec-
`troinagnetic energy passes through the reflector.
`The chamber of the light source can include a window. In
`some embodiments, the chamber is a sealed chamber. In some
`embodiments. the reflective surface of the chamber coni-
`prises a curved shape, parabolic shape, elliptical shape,
`spherical shape or asplierical shape. In some embodiments,
`the chamber has a reflective inner surface. In some embodi-
`ments, a coating or film is located on the outside of the
`chamber to produce the reflective surface. In some enibodi-
`merits, a coating or film is located on the inside o fthe chamber
`to produce the reflective surface. In some embodiments, the
`reflective surface is a structure or optical element that is
`distinct from the inner surface of the chamber.
`The light source can include an optical element disposed
`along a path the electromagnetic energy from the laser trave