The invention is directed to an arrangement for generating
extreme ultraviolet (EUV)
radiation based on a
plasma that is generated by
electric discharge. It is the object of the invention to provide a novel possibility for
radiation sources based on an
electric discharge by which a long lifetime of the electrodes that are employed and the largest possible
solid angle for bundling the
radiation emitted from the
plasma are achieved. According to the invention, this object is met by providing
coated electrodes in the form of two endless strip electrodes which circulate over guide rollers and which have at a
short distance between them an area in which the
electric discharge takes place. The
coating is at least partially sacrificed through excitation by an energy beam and generation of
plasma, and means for driving each strip
electrode are arranged in such a way that during a revolution the strip electrodes, after immersion in a
molten metal, are guided through a wiper for generating a defined thickness of
coating material, are directed in a
vacuum chamber to a location where the desired generation of plasma takes place, and are guided back into the
molten metal after the electric
discharge in order to regenerate the
coating and to make
electric contact between the electrodes and a pulsed high-
voltage source.