Laser chamber, gas laser apparatus, and method for manufacturing electronic devices

Abstract

The objective is to improve laser performance by rapidly attenuating the acoustic waves generated by the main discharge of the main electrode within the laser chamber. [Solution] The laser chamber comprises a container filled with laser gas, a first electrode 20a placed inside the container, a second electrode 20b placed inside the container facing the first electrode, and sound-absorbing materials 40a, 40b placed on at least one of the upstream and downstream sides of the laser gas relative to the first electrode, such that the propagation speed of acoustic waves generated in the discharge space between the first electrode and the second electrode decreases in the direction away from the discharge space.

Claims

1. A container filled with laser gas, The first electrode is placed inside the container, A second electrode is positioned inside the container facing the first electrode, A sound-absorbing material is placed on at least one of the upstream and downstream sides of the laser gas relative to the first electrode, such that the propagation speed of acoustic waves generated in the discharge space between the first electrode and the second electrode decreases in the direction away from the discharge space. A laser chamber equipped with [a specific feature / equipment].

2. A laser chamber according to claim 1, The second electrode is positioned closer to the inner wall of the container than the first electrode.

3. A laser chamber according to claim 1, The sound-absorbing material exhibits a change in propagation speed by altering its compressibility.

4. A laser chamber according to claim 3, The aforementioned sound-absorbing material is constructed by arranging and joining together multiple divided sound-absorbing materials with different compressibility ratios.

5. A laser chamber according to claim 1, The sound-absorbing material exhibits a change in propagation speed by altering its porosity.

6. A laser chamber according to claim 5, The sound-absorbing material is an aggregate of cellular structures having pores, The porosity is changed by varying the width of the struts in the cell structure.

7. A laser chamber according to claim 1, The sound-absorbing material exhibits a change in propagation speed by altering its density.

8. A laser chamber according to claim 1, The propagation speed changes continuously in the direction away from the discharge space.

9. A laser chamber according to claim 1, The angle at which the sound waves incident on the sound-absorbing material exit the sound-absorbing material is within the range of 20° or more and less than 90°.

10. A laser chamber according to claim 1, The thickness of the sound-absorbing material in the direction of discharge is within the range of 3 mm to 10 mm.

11. It comprises an optical resonator and a laser chamber positioned so that the optical path of the optical resonator passes through it, The laser chamber is A container filled with laser gas, The first electrode is placed inside the container, A second electrode is positioned inside the container facing the first electrode, A sound-absorbing material is placed on at least one of the upstream and downstream sides of the laser gas relative to the first electrode, such that the propagation speed of acoustic waves generated in the discharge space between the first electrode and the second electrode decreases in the direction away from the discharge space. A gas laser device including a laser laser.

12. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 11, The second electrode is positioned closer to the inner wall of the container than the first electrode.

13. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 11, The sound-absorbing material exhibits a change in propagation speed by altering its compressibility.

14. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 13, The aforementioned sound-absorbing material is constructed by arranging and joining together multiple divided sound-absorbing materials with different compressibility ratios.

15. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 11, The sound-absorbing material exhibits a change in propagation speed by altering its porosity.

16. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 15, The sound-absorbing material is an aggregate of cellular structures having pores, The porosity is changed by varying the width of the struts in the cell structure.

17. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 11, The sound-absorbing material exhibits a change in propagation speed by altering its density.

18. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 11, The propagation speed changes continuously in the direction away from the discharge space.

19. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 11, The angle at which the sound waves incident on the sound-absorbing material exit the sound-absorbing material is within the range of 20° or more and less than 90°.

20. A method for manufacturing electronic devices, The system comprises an optical resonator and a laser chamber arranged so that the optical path of the optical resonator passes through it. The laser chamber is A container filled with laser gas, The first electrode is placed inside the container, A second electrode is positioned inside the container facing the first electrode, A sound-absorbing material is placed on at least one of the upstream and downstream sides of the laser gas relative to the first electrode, such that the propagation speed of acoustic waves generated in the discharge space between the first electrode and the second electrode decreases in the direction away from the discharge space. A gas laser device containing the following generates laser light: The laser light is output to the exposure apparatus, To manufacture an electronic device, the process involves exposing a photosensitive substrate to laser light within the exposure apparatus. A method for manufacturing electronic devices.

Images