Gas laser apparatus and method for manufacturing electronic devices

Abstract

This gas laser apparatus comprises: a monitor module that includes an optical plate housed in a housing unit and an incident region on which light is incident, the monitor module being slidable on the optical plate; a positioning member that is disposed on the optical plate to position the monitor module in a predetermined position on the optical plate; and a guide that extends in a direction parallel to the optical axis of light travelling toward the incident region to guide the monitor module toward the positioning member in the direction parallel to the optical axis of light. The monitor module includes a through-hole that penetrates through the monitor module in the direction parallel to the optical axis of light, and that is provided in a position displaced from the incident region. The monitor module slides on the optical plate to the predetermined region in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis of light, slides along the guide in the direction parallel to the optical axis of light toward the positioning member, which is spaced apart from the predetermined region in the direction parallel to the optical axis of light, and is then fixed in the internal space of the housing unit by threaded engagement of a fixing member penetrating through the through-hole with the positioning member.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a gas laser device and a method for manufacturing an electronic device.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, in semiconductor exposure apparatuses, as semiconductor integrated circuits are miniaturized and highly integrated, an improvement in resolution has been demanded. For this reason, shortening of the wavelength of light emitted from an exposure light source has been promoted. For example, as a gas laser device for exposure, a KrF excimer laser device that outputs laser light having a wavelength of about 248 nm and an ArF excimer laser device that outputs laser light having a wavelength of about 193 nm are used.

[0003] The spectral linewidth of the spontaneous emission light of a KrF excimer laser device and an ArF excimer laser device is as wide as 350 pm to 400 pm. Therefore, when a projection lens is configured with a material that transmits ultraviolet light such as KrF and ArF laser light, chromatic aberration may occur. As a result, the resolution may decrease. Therefore, it is necessary to narrow the spectral linewidth of the laser light output from the gas laser device to such an extent that chromatic aberration can be ignored. For this reason, in the laser resonator of the gas laser device, a line narrowing module (LNM) including a line narrowing element (etalon, grating, etc.) may be provided in order to narrow the spectral linewidth. Hereinafter, a gas laser device in which the spectral linewidth is narrowed is referred to as a line-narrowed gas laser device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

[0005] A gas laser apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises an optical plate housed in a housing, a monitor module that includes an incident region into which light is incident and is slidable on the optical plate, a positioning member disposed on the optical plate for positioning the monitor module at a predetermined position on the optical plate, and a guide that extends in a direction parallel to the optical axis of light traveling into the incident region and guides the monitor module toward the positioning member in a direction parallel to the optical axis of light, wherein the monitor module includes a through hole that penetrates the monitor module in a direction parallel to the optical axis of light and is provided at a position offset from the incident region, and after sliding on the optical plate to a predetermined region in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of light, it slides along the guide in a direction parallel to the optical axis of light toward a positioning member located away from the predetermined region in a direction parallel to the optical axis of light, and may be fixed in the internal space of the housing by screwing a fixing member that penetrates the through hole into the positioning member.

[0006] A method for manufacturing an electronic device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an optical plate housed in a housing, a monitor module that includes an incident region into which light is incident and is slidable on the optical plate, a positioning member disposed on the optical plate for positioning the monitor module at a predetermined position on the optical plate, and a guide that extends in a direction parallel to the optical axis of light traveling into the incident region and guides the monitor module toward the positioning member in a direction parallel to the optical axis of light, wherein the monitor module includes a through hole that penetrates the monitor module in a direction parallel to the optical axis of light and is provided at a position offset from the incident region, and after sliding on the optical plate to a predetermined region in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of light, slides along the guide in a direction parallel to the optical axis of light toward a positioning member located away from the predetermined region in a direction parallel to the optical axis of light, generates laser light by a gas laser device fixed in the internal space of the housing by screwing a fixing member that penetrates the through hole into the positioning member, outputs the laser light to an exposure apparatus and exposes a photosensitive substrate with the laser light in the exposure apparatus in order to manufacture an electronic device. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] Some embodiments of this disclosure are described below, merely as examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of an electronic device manufacturing apparatus. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a comparative gas laser apparatus. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a comparative gas laser apparatus. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a top view of the monitor module of the comparative example. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a side view of the area surrounding the comparative example monitor module, viewed from downstream. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a top view of the internal space of the housing section of a comparative example gas laser apparatus. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a top view of the area surrounding the monitor module of the embodiment. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a side view of the area surrounding the monitor module shown in Figure 7, viewed from downstream. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view along line AA shown in Figure 7. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view along the BB line shown in Figure 8. [Figure 11] Figure 11 illustrates a part of the operation of removing the monitor module in the embodiment. [Figure 12] Figure 12 illustrates another part of the monitor module removal operation in the embodiment. [Figure 13] Figure 13 illustrates a part of the installation operation of the monitor module in the embodiment. [Figure 14] Figure 14 illustrates another part of the installation operation of the monitor module in the embodiment. Embodiment

[0008] 1. Description of the manufacturing equipment for electronic devices used in the exposure process for electronic devices. 2. Description of the comparative gas laser apparatus 2.1 Configuration 2.2 Operation 2.3 Removal and Installation of the Monitor Module 2.4 Challenges 3. Description of the gas laser apparatus of the embodiment 3.1 Configuration 3.2 Removal and Installation of the Monitor Module 3.3 Action and Effects

[0009] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are examples of the disclosure and do not limit its scope. Not all configurations and operations described in each embodiment are necessarily essential to the configurations and operations of the disclosure. The same reference numerals are used for identical components to avoid redundant descriptions. In the drawings referenced below, the dimensions of each component may be shown differently for ease of understanding.

[0010] 1. Description of the manufacturing equipment for electronic devices used in the exposure process for electronic devices. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of an electronic device manufacturing apparatus used in the exposure process for electronic devices. As shown in Figure 1, the manufacturing apparatus used in the exposure process includes a gas laser apparatus 100 and an exposure apparatus 200. The exposure apparatus 200 includes an illumination optical system 210 including a plurality of mirrors 211, 212, 213 and a projection optical system 220. The illumination optical system 210 illuminates the reticle pattern of a reticle (not shown) placed on the reticle stage RT with laser light incident from the gas laser apparatus 100. The projection optical system 220 reduces and projects the laser light that has passed through the reticle onto a workpiece (not shown) placed on the workpiece table WT. The workpiece is a photosensitive substrate such as a semiconductor wafer on which a photoresist is coated. The exposure apparatus 200 exposes the workpiece with laser light that reflects the reticle pattern by synchronously moving the reticle stage RT and the workpiece table WT in parallel. By transferring a device pattern onto a semiconductor wafer through the exposure process described above, a semiconductor device, which is an electronic device, can be manufactured.

[0011] 2. Description of the Gas Laser Device of the Comparative Example 2.1 Configuration The gas laser device 100 of the comparative example will be described. Note that the comparative example of the present disclosure is a form recognized by the applicant as being known only to the applicant, and is not a publicly known example recognized by the applicant.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an overall schematic configuration example of the gas laser device 100 of the comparative example. The gas laser device 100 is, for example, an ArF excimer laser device that uses a mixed gas containing argon (Ar), fluorine (F2), and neon (Ne). This gas laser device 100 outputs laser light having a central wavelength of about 193 nm. Note that the gas laser device 100 may be a gas laser device other than an ArF excimer laser device. For example, it may be a KrF excimer laser device that uses a mixed gas containing krypton (Kr), F2, and Ne. In this case, the gas laser device 100 emits laser light having a central wavelength of about 248 nm. The mixed gas containing Ar, F2, and Ne, which is a laser medium, or the mixed gas containing Kr, F2, and Ne, which is a laser medium, may be referred to as a laser gas.

[0013] The gas laser device 100 mainly includes a housing portion 110, a laser oscillator 130, a monitor module 160, a shutter 170, and a laser processor 190 disposed in the internal space of the housing portion 110.

[0014] The housing 110 comprises multiple laser frames 111, and the connection of the multiple laser frames 111 forms a box-shaped frame structure. Openings are provided on the left side, right side, front, back, top, and bottom of the housing 110. These openings are covered by covers, such as panels attached to the laser frames 111, making the internal space of the housing 110 a sealed space. The openings are rectangular in shape, and the laser frames 111 are rectangular prism members. Examples of materials for the laser frames 111 include metals such as stainless steel or aluminum. The shapes of the openings and the laser frames 111 are not particularly limited.

[0015] The laser oscillator 130 includes a chamber 131, a charger 141, a pulse power module 143, a narrowband module 145, and an output coupling mirror 147. Figure 2 shows the internal configuration of the chamber 131 as viewed from a direction approximately perpendicular to the direction of laser beam propagation.

[0016] Examples of materials for the chamber 131 include nickel-plated aluminum or nickel-plated stainless steel. The chamber 131 contains the laser gas and includes an internal space where light is generated by the excitation of the laser medium in the laser gas. This light travels toward windows 139a and 139b, which will be described later. The laser gas is supplied to the internal space of the chamber 131 from a laser gas supply source (not shown) through piping (not shown). The laser gas in the chamber 131 is then subjected to treatment such as removing F2 gas by a halogen filter and exhausted outside the housing 110 through piping (not shown) by an exhaust pump (not shown).

[0017] In the internal space of chamber 131, electrodes 133a and 133b are spaced apart from each other and facing each other, with their respective longitudinal directions aligned with the direction of laser beam propagation. In the following explanation, the longitudinal direction of electrodes 133a and 133b may be described as the Z direction, the direction perpendicular to the Z direction in which electrodes 133a and 133b are aligned and spaced apart from each other may be described as the V direction, and the direction perpendicular to both the V and Z directions may be described as the H direction. Electrodes 133a and 133b are discharge electrodes for exciting the laser medium by glow discharge. In this example, electrode 133a is the anode and electrode 133b is the cathode.

[0018] Electrode 133a is supported and electrically connected to an electrode holder portion 137. The electrode holder portion 137 is electrically connected to the chamber 131 via wiring (not shown). Electrode 133a, supported by the electrode holder portion 137, is connected to ground potential via the electrode holder portion 137, the wiring (not shown), and the chamber 131. Electrode 133b is fixed to the inner space side of the chamber 131 of a plate-shaped electrical insulation portion 135 by a conductive member 157, for example, a bolt. The conductive member 157 is electrically connected to a pulse power module 143 and applies a high voltage from the pulse power module 143 to electrode 133b.

[0019] The electrical insulating section 135 includes an insulator. Examples of materials for the electrical insulating section 135 include alumina ceramics, which have low reactivity with F2 gas. The electrical insulating section 135 only needs to have electrical insulating properties; examples of such materials include resins such as phenolic resin and fluororesin, or materials such as quartz and glass. The electrical insulating section 135 closes an opening provided in the chamber 131 and is fixed to the chamber 131.

[0020] The charger 141 is a DC power supply that charges a charging capacitor (not shown) in the pulse power module 143 with a predetermined voltage. The pulse power module 143 includes a switch 143a controlled by a laser processor 190. When the switch 143a is turned from OFF to ON, the pulse power module 143 generates a pulsed high voltage from the electrical energy stored in the charging capacitor and applies this high voltage between electrodes 133a and 133b.

[0021] When a high voltage is applied between electrodes 133a and 133b, a discharge occurs between them. The energy of this discharge excites the laser medium in chamber 131, and the excited laser medium emits light when it transitions to the ground state.

[0022] A pair of windows 139a and 139b are provided on the wall of the chamber 131. Window 139a is located at one end of the chamber 131 in the direction of laser beam propagation, and window 139b is located at the other end in the same direction of propagation. Windows 139a and 139b sandwich the space between electrodes 133a and 133b. Windows 139a and 139b are inclined to form a Brewster angle with respect to the direction of laser beam propagation so as to suppress the reflection of P-polarized laser beam. The oscillating laser beam, as described later, exits the chamber 131 through windows 139a and 139b.

[0023] The narrowband module 145 includes a housing 145a, a prism 145b, a grating 145c, and a rotating stage (not shown) arranged in the internal space of the housing 145a. The housing 145a has an opening, which connects to the rear side of the chamber 131.

[0024] The prism 145b widens the beam width of the light emitted from the window 139a and directs this light onto the grating 145c. The prism 145b also reduces the beam width of the reflected light from the grating 145c and returns this light to the interior space of the chamber 131 via the window 139a. The prism 145b is supported by a rotating stage and rotates by the rotating stage. The rotation of the prism 145b changes the angle of incidence of the light on the grating 145c. Therefore, the rotation of the prism 145b allows for the selection of the wavelength of light returning from the grating 145c through the prism 145b to the chamber 131. Figure 2 shows an example with one prism 145b, but at least one prism is required.

[0025] The surface of the grating 145c is made of a highly reflective material and has numerous grooves at predetermined intervals. The cross-sectional shape of each groove is, for example, a right triangle. When light incident on the grating 145c from the prism 145b is reflected by these grooves, it is diffracted in a direction corresponding to the wavelength of the light. The grating 145c is Littrow-positioned so that the angle of incidence of the light incident on the grating 145c from the prism 145b matches the diffraction angle of the diffracted light of the desired wavelength. This ensures that light near the desired wavelength is returned to the chamber 131 via the prism 145b.

[0026] The output coupling mirror 147 is positioned in the internal space of the optical path tube 147a connected to the front side of the chamber 131, facing the window 139b. The output coupling mirror 147 transmits a portion of the laser light emitted from the window 139b toward the monitor module 160, and reflects the other portion back through the window 139b to the internal space of the chamber 131. In this way, the grating 145c and the output coupling mirror 147 form a Fabry-Perot type laser resonator, and the chamber 131 is positioned on the optical path of the laser resonator. Light from the chamber 131 travels to the monitor module 160.

[0027] The monitor module 160 is positioned on the optical path of the laser beam emitted from the output coupling mirror 147. The monitor module 160 includes a flat base plate 161 that aligns with the Hz plane, a housing 162 positioned on the main surface of the base plate 161, and a beam splitter 163, a focusing mirror (not shown), and an optical sensor 165 positioned in the internal space of the housing 162.

[0028] The base plate 161 is positioned on the main surface of the flat optical plate 601, which is aligned with the HZ plane, and is slidable in the in-plane direction on the main surface of the optical plate 601. The optical plate 601 is positioned on the stand 603, which is positioned on the laser frame 111 of the housing 110. The optical plate 601 and the stand 603 are housed in the housing 110. A support member 605 that supports the chamber 131 and the housing 145a is attached to the laser frame 111. The materials of the optical plate 601, the stand 603, and the support member 605 can be, for example, the same materials as the laser frame 111. The support member 605 is a rectangular prism, but its shape is not particularly limited. No components other than the monitor module 160 are required to be positioned on the main surface of the optical plate 601.

[0029] The housing 162 is provided with an opening 162a, through which the internal space of the housing 162 communicates with the internal space of the optical path tube 147a. Laser light emitted from the output coupling mirror 147 passes through the opening 162a and travels into the internal space of the housing 162. Thus, the opening 162a is the incident region through which laser light from the chamber 131, generated by the excitation of the laser gas, enters the internal space of the housing 162. The direction parallel to the optical axis of the laser light traveling into the incident region is the Z direction. Furthermore, an opening 162b is provided on the side of the housing 162 opposite to the side to which the optical path tube 147a is connected, and as will be described later, laser light that has passed through the beam splitter 163 passes through this opening 162b toward the shutter 170. Thus, the opening 162b is the exit region through which laser light exits from the internal space of the housing 162 to the external space. The opening 162b faces the opening 162a.

[0030] The beam splitter 163 transmits a portion of the laser light emitted from the output coupling mirror 147 towards the shutter 170 and reflects the other portion of the laser light towards the focusing mirror. The focusing mirror focuses the laser light from the beam splitter 163 onto the light-receiving surface of the light sensor 165. The light sensor 165 measures the energy E of the laser light incident on the light-receiving surface and outputs a signal indicating the measured energy E to the laser processor 190.

[0031] The laser processor 190 of this disclosure is a processing unit that includes a storage device 190a in which a control program is stored, and a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 190b that executes the control program. The laser processor 190 is specially configured or programmed to perform various processes included in this disclosure. The laser processor 190 also controls the entire gas laser apparatus 100.

[0032] The laser processor 190 transmits and receives various signals to and from the exposure processor 230 of the exposure apparatus 200. For example, the laser processor 190 receives signals from the exposure processor 230 indicating the light emission trigger Tr and the target energy Et, which will be described later. The target energy Et is the target value of the energy of the laser light used in the exposure process. The laser processor 190 controls the charging voltage of the charger 141 based on the energy E and target energy Et received from the optical sensor 165 and the exposure processor 230. By controlling this charging voltage, the energy of the laser light is controlled. The laser processor 190 also transmits an ON or OFF command signal for the switch 143a to the pulse power module 143. The laser processor 190 is also electrically connected to the shutter 170 and controls the opening and closing of the shutter 170.

[0033] The laser processor 190 closes the shutter 170 until the difference ΔE between the energy E received from the monitor module 160 and the target energy Et received from the exposure processor 230 falls within an acceptable range. Once the difference ΔE is within an acceptable range, the laser processor 190 sends a ready-to-receive signal to the exposure processor 230 indicating that it is ready to receive the light emission trigger Tr. Upon receiving the ready-to-receive signal, the exposure processor 230 sends a signal indicating the light emission trigger Tr to the laser processor 190, and upon receiving the signal indicating the light emission trigger Tr, the laser processor 190 opens the shutter 170. The light emission trigger Tr is defined by a predetermined repetition frequency f of the laser light and a predetermined number of pulses P, and is an external trigger that causes the exposure processor 230 to cause the laser oscillator 130 to oscillate. The repetition frequency f of the laser light is, for example, 100 Hz or more and 10 kHz or less.

[0034] The shutter 170 is positioned in the optical path of the laser beam in the internal space of the optical path tube 171, which communicates with an opening 162b formed on the opposite side of the housing 162 of the monitor module 160 from the side to which the optical path tube 147a is connected. The internal spaces of the optical path tubes 171 and 147a, and the internal spaces of the housings 162 and 145a are supplied and filled with purge gas. The purge gas contains an inert gas such as nitrogen (N2). The purge gas is supplied from a purge gas supply source (not shown) through piping (not shown). The optical path tube 171 also communicates with the exposure apparatus 200 through an opening in the housing 110 and an optical path tube 500 connecting the housing 110 and the exposure apparatus 200. The laser beam that passes through the shutter 170 is incident on the exposure apparatus 200.

[0035] The exposure processor 230 of this disclosure is a processing unit that includes a storage device 230a in which a control program is stored and a CPU 230b that executes the control program. The exposure processor 230 is specially configured or programmed to perform various processes included in this disclosure. The exposure processor 230 also controls the entire exposure apparatus 200.

[0036] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a comparative example gas laser apparatus 100. In Figure 3, some components such as the optical path tube 147a, the aperture 162a, and the stand 603 are omitted from the illustration. The housing 110 of the gas laser apparatus 100 is covered by a cover 113, such as a panel attached to the laser frame 111, as described above. A part of the cover 113 located on the outer surface of the housing 110, for example, the front, is removable from the other part of the cover 113. In Figure 3, the removable part of the cover 113 is shown as cover 113a. By removing cover 113a, an opening 115 is formed on the front of the housing 110. The monitor module 160 is installed near the opening 115 on the front of the housing 110 and can be easily moved in and out of the housing 110 from the front through the opening 115 when cover 113a is removed. The monitor module 160 is moved in and out of the housing 110 when the monitor module 160 is undergoing regular maintenance or when the monitor module 160 is replaced with another new monitor module 160.

[0037] The monitor module 160 can be inserted and removed in the H direction and the direction opposite to the H direction. In the insertion and removal direction of the monitor module 160, the side that is pulled out of the monitor module 160, in other words, the open front side, is considered the front, and the side that is pushed in, in other words, the back side, is considered the back. Also, for the sake of explanation, in the vicinity of the monitor module 160, the upstream direction of the laser beam traveling from the output coupling mirror 147 through the monitor module 160 to the shutter 170 is sometimes simply called upstream, and the downstream direction of this laser beam is sometimes simply called downstream.

[0038] Figure 4 is a top view of the comparative example monitor module 160, and Figure 5 is a side view of the area around the comparative example monitor module 160 viewed from downstream. In Figures 4 and 5, some components such as the optical path tubes 147a and 171 are omitted from the illustration. The main surface of the base plate 161 to which the housing 162 is fixed and the main surface of the optical plate 601 on which the base plate 161 is placed are both rectangular in shape, elongated in the H direction. The base plate 161 is positioned on the optical plate 601 by a pair of positioning pins 621, and then fixed to the optical plate 601 by a pair of fixing bolts 623. The positioning pins 621 and fixing bolts 623 are omitted from the illustration in Figure 3.

[0039] One positioning pin 621 is pre-installed on the optical plate 601 on the push-in side in the insertion / removal direction of the monitor module 160. A notch 161a is provided on the push-in side of the base plate 161 into which the one positioning pin 621 fits. In the insertion / removal direction of the monitor module 160, one positioning pin 621 lies on the same line as the other positioning pin 621 and is located on the opposite side of the housing 162 from the other positioning pin 621. The other positioning pin 621 is inserted into the base plate 161 and the optical plate 601 on the pull-out side in the insertion / removal direction of the monitor module 160, positioning the base plate 161 against the optical plate 601. A pair of fixing bolts 623 are provided on both sides of the other positioning pin 621 in the Z direction, fixing the base plate 161 to the optical plate 601. By positioning with the pair of positioning pins 621 and fixing with the pair of fixing bolts 623, the opening 162a of the housing 162, the beam splitter 163, and the opening 162b of the housing 162 are positioned on the optical path of the laser beam from the output coupling mirror 147.

[0040] 2.2 Operation Next, the operation of the comparative example gas laser apparatus 100 will be described.

[0041] Before the gas laser device 100 emits laser light, the internal spaces of the optical path tubes 147a, 171, and 500, and the internal spaces of the housings 145a and 162 are filled with purge gas from a purge gas supply source (not shown). In addition, laser gas is supplied to the internal space of the chamber 131 from a laser gas supply source (not shown).

[0042] When the gas laser device 100 emits laser light, the laser processor 190 receives a signal indicating the target energy Et and a signal indicating the light emission trigger Tr from the exposure processor 230. The laser processor 190 also turns on the switch 143a of the pulse power module 143. As a result, the pulse power module 143 applies a pulsed high voltage between electrodes 133a and 133b using the electrical energy stored in a charging capacitor (not shown). This high voltage causes a discharge between electrodes 133a and 133b, exciting the laser medium contained in the laser gas between electrodes 133a and 133b, and emitting light when the laser medium returns to its ground state. This light travels back and forth between the grating 145c and the output coupling mirror 147 and is amplified each time it passes through the discharge space inside the chamber 131, causing laser oscillation. Then, a portion of the laser light passes through the output coupling mirror 147 as pulsed laser light, through the aperture 162a of the housing 162, and propagates towards the beam splitter 163.

[0043] A portion of the laser light that travels through the beam splitter 163 is reflected by the beam splitter 163 and received by the light sensor 165. The light sensor 165 measures the energy E of the received laser light and outputs a signal indicating the energy E to the laser processor 190. The laser processor 190 controls the charging voltage so that the difference ΔE between the energy E and the target energy Et is within an acceptable range. Another portion of the laser light that travels through the beam splitter 163 passes through the beam splitter 163, through the aperture 162b of the housing 162 and the shutter 170, and travels to the exposure apparatus 200.

[0044] 2.3 Removal and Installation of the Monitor Module Next, we will describe how to remove and install the comparative example monitor module 160.

[0045] To remove the monitor module, first, the cover 113a is removed from the opening 115 in the housing 110. Next, the pair of fixing bolts 623 are removed, releasing the fixing of the base plate 161 and optical plate 601 by the pair of fixing bolts 623. Once released, the other positioning pin 621 is removed from the base plate 161 and optical plate 601, and the monitor module 160 is pulled out from the internal space of the housing 110 through the opening 115 to the external space of the housing 110. At this time, the base plate 161 slides along the main surface of the optical plate 601 in the H direction, and the monitor module 160 is removed.

[0046] During installation, when the removed monitor module 160 is replaced with another new monitor module 160 for maintenance, the monitor module 160 is pushed from the external space of the housing 110 through the opening 115 into the internal space of the housing 110, in the opposite direction to the above. At this time, the base plate 161 slides along the main surface of the optical plate 601 in the H direction, and one of the rear positioning pins 621 fits into the notch 161a. Next, the other front positioning pin 621 is inserted into the base plate 161 and the optical plate 601 to position the base plate 161 on the optical plate 601. Next, the pair of fixing bolts 623 fix the base plate 161 to the optical plate 601. As a result, the opening 162a of the housing 162, the beam splitter 163, and the opening 162b of the housing 162 are positioned on the optical path of the laser beam emitted from the output coupling mirror 147, and the installation of the monitor module 160 is completed. Finally, the cover 113a is attached to the opening 115.

[0047] 2.4 Challenges Figure 6 is a top view of the internal space of the housing 110 of the gas laser device 100. In Figure 6, the optical path tubes 147a, 171, electrodes 133a, 133b etc. arranged in the internal space of the chamber 131, and components such as the grating 145c and beam splitter 163 arranged in the internal space of the housings 145a, 162 are not shown.

[0048] The gas laser device 100 is required to be highly functional and multi-functional. Therefore, existing modules such as the laser oscillator 130 and monitor module 160 mounted in the gas laser device 100 are becoming larger, and there is a tendency for additional modules to be added to increase the number of modules in the gas laser device 100. These added modules may be referred to as newly installed modules 631 below. When the newly installed module 631 is installed inside the housing 110 such that it blocks a portion of the opening 115 on the front of the housing 110, and the monitor module 160 is installed in a predetermined position behind the newly installed module 631, the view beyond the newly installed module 631 is obstructed by the newly installed module 631. This makes it difficult to move the monitor module 160 to its predetermined position. Furthermore, when fixing the base plate 161 to the optical plate 601 at a predetermined position using the notch 161a, a pair of positioning pins 621, and a pair of fixing bolts 623, the obstruction of the view as described above makes the process of fixing the monitor module 160 within the internal space of the housing 110 more time-consuming. For this reason, there is a need to make it easier to move the monitor module 160 to a predetermined position in the housing 110 and to reduce the effort required for fixing the monitor module 160.

[0049] Therefore, in the following embodiment, a gas laser device 100 is provided that makes it easier to move the monitor module 160 to a predetermined position in the housing 110 and reduces the effort required to fix the monitor module 160.

[0050] 3. Description of the gas laser apparatus of the embodiment Next, the gas laser apparatus 100 of this embodiment will be described. Components similar to those described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, in some drawings, some components may be omitted or simplified for clarity.

[0051] 3.1 Configuration Figure 7 is a top view of the area around the monitor module 160 of this embodiment. Figure 8 is a side view of the area around the monitor module 160 shown in Figure 7, viewed from downstream. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view along line AA shown in Figure 7. In Figures 7 and 9, the laser beam traveling from the output coupling mirror 147 through the monitor module 160 to the shutter 170 is indicated by a thick arrow. In Figure 7, the cover 113a is not shown. Also, in the top view shown in Figure 7, the thick arrow indicating the laser beam would normally overlap with line AA shown in Figure 7, but for clarity, the arrow is shifted from line AA shown in Figure 7.

[0052] In the gas laser apparatus 100 of this embodiment, the configuration of the base plate 161 differs from that of the base plate 161 of the comparative example. Furthermore, the gas laser apparatus 100 of this embodiment differs from the gas laser apparatus 100 of the comparative example in that the gas laser apparatus 100 further comprises a positioning member 710 and a guide 770 including a first guide member 730 and a second guide member 750.

[0053] The positioning member 710 and the guide 770 are positioned on the main surface of the optical plate 601. The monitor module 160, the positioning member 710, and the first guide member 730 are installed in predetermined positions behind the new module 631, and the second guide member 750 is installed behind the first guide member 730 and the monitor module 160. In this embodiment, as in the comparative example, a portion of the opening 115 is blocked by the new module 631, while another portion of the opening 115 is not blocked by the new module 631. The portion of the opening 115 in this embodiment described above is assumed to be located upstream of the other portion of the opening 115. When the housing 110 is viewed from the opening 115, a portion of the monitor module 160, the positioning member 710, the first guide member 730, and the second guide member 750 is shielded by the new module 631. Another portion of the second guide member 750 is exposed without being hidden from the new module 631.

[0054] In the following explanation, for the sake of clarity, the left side of the base plate 161 and the housing 162, when viewed from the front, may be referred to as the upstream side, and their right side as the downstream side.

[0055] In the monitor module 160, the housing 162 is rectangular in shape, with its top and bottom surfaces aligned with the HZ plane, and its shape being a rectangle elongated in the H direction. The front surfaces of the base plate 161 and the housing 162 are on the same plane, as are their downstream sides. However, the back of the base plate 161 is located further back than the back of the housing 162, and the upstream side of the base plate 161 is located upstream of the upstream side of the housing 162. Therefore, the base plate 161 extends further upstream and further back than the housing 162.

[0056] The monitor module 160 is installed downstream of the positioning member 710. The upstream side of the base plate 161 faces the positioning member 710, and the first spherical pin 831 and the second spherical pin 833 are fixed to this upstream side by fixing bolts (not shown). For this reason, the first spherical pin 831 and the second spherical pin 833 are positioned offset from the opening 162a, which serves as an incident region on the upstream side of the housing 162. In this embodiment, the first spherical pin 831 and the second spherical pin 833 are located below the opening 162a in the direction of gravity. Furthermore, the first spherical pin 831 and the second spherical pin 833 are positioned opposite each other and separated from each other, with the extension of the central axis of the base plate 161 along the Z direction. The first spherical pin 831 and the second spherical pin 833 protrude upstream from the upstream side of the base plate 161, that is, toward the positioning member 710, and have the same length in the Z direction. The first spherical pin 831 and the second spherical pin 833 are positioned at the same location in the Z and V directions, but may be offset from each other. The first spherical pin 831 is positioned in front of the second spherical pin 833.

[0057] The first spherical pin 831 and the second spherical pin 833 are columnar in shape, and their respective tips are semi-cylindrical, each containing a curved surface 831a, 833a. The curved surfaces 831a, 833a are, for example, curved surfaces with a semi-circular cross-section; in other words, the horizontal cross-sectional shape of each tip is arc-shaped. The curved surface 831a of the first spherical pin 831 contacts the V-groove contact portion 711 of the positioning member 710, which will be described later, and the curved surface 833a of the second spherical pin 833 contacts the planar contact portion 713 of the positioning member 710, which will be described later.

[0058] The positioning member 710 includes a V-groove contact portion 711 that contacts the first spherical pin 831 at two points, and a flat contact portion 713 that contacts the second spherical pin 833 at one point. The V-groove contact portion 711 and the flat contact portion 713 are provided on the downstream side of the positioning member 710, and the downstream side faces the upstream side of the base plate 161.

[0059] In the V-groove contact portion 711, the horizontal cross-sectional shape of the portion that contacts the first spherical pin 831 is V-shaped, and the V-groove of the V-groove contact portion 711 is recessed from downstream to upstream. When the monitor module 160 moves toward the positioning member 710, the inner surface 711a of the V-groove contacts the curved surface 831a of the first spherical pin 831 at two points.

[0060] The line where the two surfaces constituting the inner surface 711a of the V-groove contact portion 711 intersect is perpendicular to the main surface of the optical plate 601 on which the monitor module 160 slides, and the apex 711b of the V-groove is located in the VZ plane which contains the optical axis of the laser beam. The apertures 162a, 162b and the first spherical pin 831 are also located in this VZ plane. The positioning member 710 is fixed to the optical plate 601 upstream of the monitor module 160 by fixing bolts (not shown) such that the apex 711b of the V-groove is located in the VZ plane.

[0061] In the planar contact portion 713, the horizontal cross-sectional shape of the portion that contacts the second spherical pin 833 is concave, and the concave portion of the planar contact portion 713 is concave from downstream to upstream. The bottom surface 713a of the planar contact portion 713 that contacts the second spherical pin 833 is flat. When the monitor module 160 moves toward the positioning member 710, the bottom surface 713a contacts the curved surface 833a of the second spherical pin 833 at one point.

[0062] When the first spherical pin 831 contacts the V-groove contact portion 711 and the second spherical pin 833 contacts the planar contact portion 713, the positioning member 710 positions the monitor module 160 at a predetermined position on the optical plate 601. Furthermore, when the first spherical pin 831 contacts the V-groove contact portion 711 and the second spherical pin 833 contacts the planar contact portion 713, the monitor module 160 is fixed in the internal space of the housing portion 110 by screwing the fixing member 951 (described later) into the positioning member 710.

[0063] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view along the line BB shown in Figure 8. In Figure 10, the positioning member 710 and the second guide member 750 are not shown, and the first guide member 730 is shown not inserted into the guide groove 855, which will be described later. In Figure 10, the movement of the base plate 161 toward the first guide member 730 is shown by a thick arrow.

[0064] The base plate 161 is provided with through holes 851 that penetrate the base plate 161 in the Z direction. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which two through holes 851 are provided in parallel, but it is sufficient to provide at least one through hole 851. When the through holes 851 are viewed from above, each of the through holes 851 is provided in parallel with a guide groove 855, which will be described later, in between. Note that the illustration of the through holes 851 is omitted in Figure 7.

[0065] Each through-hole 851 is individually penetrated by a fixing member 951, such as a fixing bolt. The fixing member 951 is inserted into the through-hole 851 from the exit region side, i.e., downstream, and protrudes from the incident region side, i.e., upstream. A pair of spherical washers 955 are placed between the head of each fixing member 951 and the base plate 161. The spherical washers 955 have facing surfaces that are convex and concave spheres. Any misalignment of the fixing member 951 relative to the fixing member 951 is absorbed by the spherical washers 955, and the fixing member 951 moves along the Z direction together with the spherical washers 955.

[0066] A portion of the through-hole 851 is provided with an enlarged diameter portion 851a, which has a larger diameter than the other portion. The fixing member 951 is provided with a set collar 951a that is positioned in the enlarged diameter portion 851a. The fixing member 951 is prevented from falling out of the through-hole 851 when, for example, the monitor module 160 slides along the main surface of the optical plate 601 by the set collar 951a. Note that the enlarged diameter portion 851a and the set collar 951a are not required.

[0067] As described above, the through-hole 851 is provided in the base plate 161. Therefore, as shown in Figure 9, the through-hole 851 is located at a position offset from the opening 162a, which is the incident area provided on the upstream side of the housing 162, and the opening 162b, which is the exit area provided on the downstream side of the housing 162. In this embodiment, the through-hole 851 is located below the openings 162a and 162b in the direction of gravity. The foreground through-hole 851 shown in Figure 9 is located below the first spherical pin 831 and the V-groove contact portion 711 in the direction of gravity. The foreground fixing member 951 that passes through this through-hole 851 is screwed into the positioning member 710 at a position below the V-groove contact portion 711 in the direction of gravity. The foreground through-hole 851 and the foreground fixing member 951 are located in the VZ plane described above, where the apex 711b of the V-groove of the V-groove contact portion 711 is located. Although not shown in the diagrams, the inner through-hole 851 is located below the second spherical pin 833 and the flat contact portion 713 in the direction of gravity, and the inner fixing member 951 that passes through this through-hole 851 is screwed into the positioning member 710 at a position below the flat contact portion 713 in the direction of gravity. Each fixing member 951 should be screwed into the positioning member 710 at a position below the contact portion located below the V-groove contact portion 711 and the flat contact portion 713 in the direction of gravity. Furthermore, each through-hole 851 should be located below the contact portion in the direction of gravity.

[0068] As shown in Figures 8 and 10, the bottom surface of the optical plate 601 of the base plate 161, which is placed on the main surface, is provided with a guide groove 855 that straddles the first guide member 730 when the monitor module 160 moves toward the positioning member 710. The guide groove 855, like the through hole 851, is aligned in the Z direction and is provided from the upstream side to the downstream side of the base plate 161. The guide groove 855 is located at the same height as the through hole 851 in the V direction, but may be located at a offset position. As shown in Figure 8, the VH cross-sectional shape of the guide groove 855 is a rectangle that is long in the H direction. The shape of the guide groove 855 is not particularly limited.

[0069] As shown in Figure 10, a taper 855a is provided at the end of the guide groove 855 that advances toward the first guide member 730, i.e., the upstream end of the guide groove 855. The width of the taper 855a in the H direction decreases from the upstream end of the guide groove 855 toward the downstream end opposite to the upstream end. The taper 855a makes it easier to insert the first guide member 730 into the guide groove 855 when the monitor module 160 advances toward the first guide member 730.

[0070] Since the guide groove 855 is provided in the base plate 161, it is located at a position offset from the openings 162a and 162b, similar to the through hole 851.

[0071] As shown in Figure 7, the guide 770 extends in the Z direction. The monitor module 160 slides along the guide 770 in the H direction on the optical plate from another part of the opening 115 to a predetermined area A, and then slides in the Z direction from the predetermined area A toward a positioning member 710 located at a predetermined section S in the Z direction. In other words, the guide 770 guides the monitor module 160 toward the positioning member 710 in the Z direction. The predetermined section S is the section downstream of the positioning member 710 that is hidden by the newly installed module 631 when the housing section 110 is viewed from the opening 115. Therefore, when the housing section 110 is viewed from the opening 115, the downstream end of the predetermined section S coincides with the downstream end of the newly installed module 631 and the boundary between the part of the opening 115 that is blocked by the newly installed module 631 and the other part of the opening 115 that is not blocked by the newly installed module 631.

[0072] The first guide member 730 of the guide 770 extends in the Z direction and is positioned in the region of the optical plate 601 where the monitor module 160 moves in the Z direction. Specifically, the first guide member 730 is positioned within a predetermined section S from the positioning member 710 in the Z direction on the optical plate 601. Therefore, the first guide member 730 is positioned downstream of the positioning member 710. In this embodiment, in the Z direction, the first guide member 730 is shorter than the length from the positioning member 710 to the downstream end of the predetermined section S, but it may extend from the positioning member 710 to the downstream end of the predetermined section S. When the monitor module 160 moves toward the positioning member 710, it slides along the first guide member 730 in the Z direction. At this time, as described above, the inner surface of the guide groove 855 of the monitor module 160 slides along the first guide member 730. As a result, the first guide member 730 guides the monitor module 160 toward the positioning member 710 in the Z direction.

[0073] The upstream end of the first guide member 730 abuts against the positioning member 710. The downstream end of the first guide member 730 is located inside the guide groove 855. Therefore, a portion of the first guide member 730 is exposed from the monitor module 160, and another portion is located directly below the monitor module 160. The downstream end of the first guide member 730 may be located downstream of the guide groove 855. The first guide member 730 is fixed to the optical plate 601 by fixing bolts (not shown) between the V-groove contact portion 711 and the plane contact portion 713. The first guide member 730 is a rectangular prism extending in the Z direction, and its VH cross-sectional shape is a rectangle that is long in the H direction. In the Z direction, the first guide member 730 is shorter than the second guide member 750 and the newly installed module 631. The material of the first guide member 730 can be, for example, the same material as the laser frame 111. The shape of the first guide member 730 is not particularly limited.

[0074] The second guide member 750 extends in the Z direction from within a predetermined section S to outside the predetermined section S. A portion of the upstream side of the second guide member 750 is aligned with the first guide member 730, and the second guide member 750 is longer than the first guide member 730, with a portion of the downstream side located at the back of a predetermined area A outside the predetermined section S. The base plate 161 of the monitor module 160 abuts against the second guide member 750 in the H direction in the predetermined area A outside the predetermined section S. As a result, the second guide member 750 restricts the movement of the monitor module 160 beyond the second guide member 750 and prevents the monitor module 160 from colliding with the back surface of the housing section 110. The second guide member 750 also positions the monitor module 160 in the H direction such that the first spherical pin 831, the front through hole 851, and the front fixing member 951 that penetrates the through hole 851 are located in the VZ plane where the apex 711b of the V groove is located.

[0075] When the monitor module 160 is installed, after the monitor module 160 abuts against the second guide member 750 in a predetermined area A, the monitor module 160 slides in the Z direction along the second guide member 750. At this time, the base plate 161 of the monitor module 160 slides along the second guide member 750. As a result, the second guide member 750 guides the monitor module 160 in the Z direction to the first guide member 730. The second guide member 750 also guides the monitor module 160 in the Z direction to the positioning member 710.

[0076] As shown in Figure 8, the VH cross-sectional shape of the second guide member 750 is L-shaped. Such a second guide member 750 includes a cover portion 751 that covers the contact portion 161b of the monitor module 160, away from the optical plate 601 in the V direction perpendicular to the optical plate 601, when the contact portion 161b of the monitor module 160 is in contact with the second guide member 750. The contact portion 161b is the part of the base plate 161 that extends in the H direction beyond the housing 162. The cover portion 751 prevents the monitor module 160 from tipping over by covering the contact portion 161b. The cover portion 751 is not in contact with the back surface of the housing 162, but may be in contact with it.

[0077] The second guide member 750 is fixed to the optical plate 601 by fixing bolts (not shown). The material of the second guide member 750 may be, for example, the same material as the laser frame 111. The shape of the second guide member 750 is not particularly limited.

[0078] 3.2 Removal and Installation of the Monitor Module Next, the removal and installation of the monitor module 160 in this embodiment will be described. Removal and installation are performed with a portion of the opening 115 of the housing section 110 covered by the new module 631, and another portion of the opening 115 not covered by the new module 631.

[0079] In the removal process, as in the comparative example, the cover 113a is removed from the opening 115 in the housing section 110. Next, the screw connection between the fixing member 951 and the positioning member 710 is released, and the fixing member 951 releases the base plate 161 and the positioning member 710. In this case, the worker inserting or removing the monitor module 160 reaches their hand from the external space of the housing section 110 through another part of the opening 115 into the internal space of the housing section 110 and removes the fixing member 951 from the positioning member 710.

[0080] Figure 11 illustrates a part of the removal operation of the monitor module 160 in this embodiment. When the fixing by the fixing member 951 is released, the base plate 161 slides downstream in the Z direction along the main surface of the optical plate 601. In Figure 11, the monitor module 160 before sliding is shown by a dashed line, the monitor module 160 after sliding is shown by a solid line, and the sliding of the monitor module 160 is shown by a thick arrow. In the operation shown in Figure 11, the monitor module 160 is pulled downstream, the guide groove 855 slides along the first guide member 730, and the base plate 161 slides along the second guide member 750. The sliding of the guide groove 855 along the first guide member 730 prevents the monitor module 160 from moving forward and colliding with the newly installed module 631. In addition, the sliding of the base plate 161 along the second guide member 750 makes it easier for the base plate 161 to move downstream in the Z direction. The base plate 161 slides from within a predetermined section S to a predetermined area A outside the predetermined section S, so as viewed from the opening 115, it overlaps with another part of the opening 115.

[0081] Figure 12 illustrates another part of the removal operation of the monitor module 160 in this embodiment. The monitor module 160 is pulled out from a predetermined area A in the internal space of the housing 110 through another part of the opening 115 to the external space of the housing 110. In Figure 12, the monitor module 160 before removal is shown with a dashed line, the monitor module 160 after removal is shown with a solid line, and the removal of the monitor module 160 is shown with a thick arrow. The monitor module 160 shown with a dashed line in Figure 12 is the same monitor module 160 shown with a solid line in Figure 11. In the operation shown in Figure 12, similar to the comparative example, the base plate 161 slides along the main surface of the optical plate 601 in the H direction, and the monitor module 160 is removed.

[0082] Figure 13 is a diagram illustrating part of the installation operation of the monitor module 160 in this embodiment. When the removed monitor module 160 is replaced with another new monitor module 160 for maintenance or other reasons, the monitor module 160 is pushed from the external space of the housing 110 into the internal space of the housing 110 through another part of the opening 115, contrary to the above. In Figure 13, the monitor module 160 before being pushed in is shown by a dashed line, the monitor module 160 after being pushed in is shown by a solid line, and the pushing of the monitor module 160 is shown by a thick arrow. The monitor module 160 shown by a dashed line in Figure 13 is the same as the monitor module 160 shown by a solid line in Figure 12. In the operation shown in Figure 13, the base plate 161 slides the main surface of the optical plate 601 in the H direction to a predetermined area A and comes into contact with the second guide member 750. This restricts the monitor module 160 from moving further inward than the second guide member 750, preventing the monitor module 160 from colliding with the back surface of the housing 110. Furthermore, when the base plate 161 contacts the second guide member 750, the cover portion 751 of the second guide member 750 covers the contact portion 161b of the base plate 161 that extends in the H direction beyond the housing 162. This prevents the monitor module 160 from tipping over, as it is prevented by the second guide member 750.

[0083] Figure 14 illustrates another part of the installation operation of the monitor module 160 in this embodiment. The base plate 161 slides along the second guide member 750 in the Z direction and is guided by the second guide member 750 to the first guide member 730 and positioning member 710, which are positioned within a predetermined section S from a predetermined area A. In Figure 14, the monitor module 160 before sliding is shown by a dashed line, the monitor module 160 after sliding is shown by a solid line, and the sliding of the monitor module 160 is shown by a thick arrow. The monitor module 160 shown by a dashed line in Figure 14 is the same monitor module 160 shown by a solid line in Figure 13. In the operation shown in Figure 14, the monitor module 160 is pushed upstream. When the monitor module 160 reaches the first guide member 730, the guide groove 855 slides along the first guide member 730. Since a taper 855a is provided at the upstream end of the guide groove 855, the first guide member 730 is easily inserted into the guide groove 855. As the guide groove 855 slides along the first guide member 730, the base plate 161 is guided to the positioning member 710 by the first guide member 730. At this time, the base plate 161 also slides along the second guide member 750 in the Z direction and is guided to the positioning member 710 by the second guide member 750 as well.

[0084] When the base plate 161 slides to the positioning member 710, the curved surface 831a of the first spherical pin 831 comes into contact with the inner surface 711a of the V-groove of the V-groove contact portion 711. This positions the monitor module 160 in the H direction. Additionally, the curved surface 833a of the second spherical pin 833 comes into contact with the bottom surface 713a of the recess of the planar contact portion 713. This positions the monitor module 160 in the Z direction and around the V direction.

[0085] The second spherical pin 833 is positioned at the same location in the Z direction as the first spherical pin 831, and the planar contact portion 713 is positioned at the same location in the Z direction as the V-groove contact portion 711. When the monitor module 160 slides toward the positioning member 710, the contact between the curved surface 833a of the second spherical pin 833 and the bottom surface 713a of the planar contact portion 713 occurs simultaneously with the contact between the curved surface 831a of the first spherical pin 831 and the inner surface 711a of the V-groove contact portion 711. When the monitor module 160 slides toward the positioning member 710 at an angle to the Z direction, the contact between the second spherical pin 833 and the planar contact portion 713, and the contact between the first spherical pin 831 and the V-groove contact portion 711, occurs before the other. When the monitor module 160 rotates around the V-direction around the part that contacted first, the other part makes contact. For example, if the curved surface 831a contacts the inner surface 711a before the curved surface 833a contacts the bottom surface 713a, the monitor module 160 rotates around the curved surface 831a in the V direction. As a result, the curved surface 831a contacts the inner surface 711a while the curved surface 833a contacts the bottom surface 713a. Conversely, if the curved surface 833a contacts the bottom surface 713a before the curved surface 831a contacts the inner surface 711a, the monitor module 160 rotates around the curved surface 833a in the V direction. As a result, the curved surface 833a rolls around the bottom surface 713a in the V direction, while the curved surface 831a contacts the inner surface 711a.

[0086] Next, with the curved surface 831a of the first spherical pin 831 in contact with the inner surface 711a of the V-groove contact portion 711 at two points, the fixing member 951 that passes through the front through hole 851 is screwed into the positioning member 710 by rotation around the longitudinal axis of the fixing member 951. At this time, the fixing member 951 is inserted into the positioning member 710 along the Z direction by the protrusions and indentations of the spherical washer 955. When the head of the fixing member 951 comes into contact with the spherical washer 955, and this spherical washer 955 comes into contact with the base plate 161, the movement of the fixing member 951 in the Z direction stops. In this state, if the fixing member 951 rotates further around the longitudinal axis of the fixing member 951, the base plate 161 is pushed toward the positioning member 710 by the screwing of the fixing member 951 and the positioning member 710. In other words, the fixing member 951 pushes the base plate 161 toward the positioning member 710. As a result, the curved surface 831a of the first spherical pin 831 is pressed against the inner surface 711a of the V-groove contact portion 711 at two points, and the monitor module 160 is fixed in the H direction.

[0087] Furthermore, with the curved surface 833a of the second spherical pin 833 in contact with the bottom surface 713a of the recess of the planar contact portion 713, the fixing member 951 that penetrates the inner through hole 851 is screwed into the positioning member 710 by rotation around the longitudinal axis of the fixing member 951. Then, similar to the first spherical pin 831, the curved surface 833a of the second spherical pin 833 is pressed against the bottom surface 713a of the recess of the planar contact portion 713, and the monitor module 160 is fixed in the Z and V directions.

[0088] As a result, the monitor module 160 is positioned and fixed in a predetermined location within the internal space of the housing 110, the aperture 162a, beam splitter 163, and aperture 162b are placed on the optical path of the laser beam from the output coupling mirror 147, and the installation of the monitor module 160 is completed. Finally, the cover 113a is attached to the aperture 115.

[0089] 3.3 Action and Effects In this embodiment, the guide 770 extends in the Z direction parallel to the optical axis of the light and guides the monitor module 160 toward the positioning member 710 in the Z direction. The monitor module 160 slides on the optical plate 601 in the H direction perpendicular to the Z direction to a predetermined region A, and then slides along the guide 770 in the Z direction toward the positioning member 710, which is located away from the predetermined region A in the Z direction. The monitor module 160 is fixed in the internal space of the housing 110 by screwing a fixing member 951, which passes through a through hole 851, into the positioning member 710.

[0090] In the gas laser apparatus 100 of this embodiment, the monitor module 160 is slid along the main surface of the optical plate 601 to a predetermined region A in the H direction, and then the monitor module 160 is moved in the Z direction. During movement in the Z direction, the monitor module 160 slides along the guide 770 from the predetermined region A toward the positioning member 710. This makes it easier to move the monitor module 160 in the Z direction, makes it easier to move the monitor module 160 to a predetermined position where the field of view behind the newly installed module 631 is restricted, and makes it easier to bring the monitor module 160 into contact with the positioning member 710. Furthermore, the monitor module 160 is fixed in the internal space of the housing 110 by screwing the fixing member 951 into the positioning member 710 that the monitor module 160 is in contact with. With this configuration, compared to the comparative example where the monitor module 160 is fixed to the optical plate 601 by a notch 161a, a positioning pin 621, and a fixing bolt 623, even if the field of view is limited, the fixing member 951 only needs to be screwed into the positioning member 710, thus reducing the effort required to fix the monitor module 160 in the internal space of the housing 110. However, unlike the gas laser device 100 of this embodiment, let's assume that the through hole 851 penetrates the monitor module 160 in the H direction, and the fixing member 951 penetrates this through hole 851 and is screwed into the positioning member 710 located deep inside the monitor module 160. In this case, the worker would need to reach their hand between the monitor module 160 and the newly installed module 631 to screw the fixing member 951 into the positioning member 710. Therefore, in the gas laser device 100 of this embodiment, the through hole 851 penetrates the monitor module 160 in the H direction, and the fixing member 951 penetrates this through hole 851 and screws into the positioning member 710, which reduces the effort required to fix the monitor module 160. As a result, with this gas laser device 100, the monitor module 160 can be easily moved to a predetermined position in the housing 110, and the effort required to fix the monitor module 160 can be reduced.

[0091] Furthermore, in the gas laser apparatus 100 of this embodiment, the line where the two surfaces constituting the inner surface 711a of the V-groove contact portion 711 intersect is perpendicular to the main surface of the optical plate 601 on which the monitor module 160 slides, and the vertex 711b of the V-groove is located in the VZ plane which includes the optical axis of the laser beam.

[0092] In the gas laser apparatus 100 of this embodiment, when laser light from the chamber 131 travels to the monitor module 160, the temperature of the monitor module 160 may rise in the internal space of the housing 110 due to the laser light and its scattered light. As a result, the monitor module 160 may deform due to thermal expansion. With the above configuration, since the monitor module 160 is constrained with respect to the VZ plane which includes the optical axis of the laser light, even if the monitor module 160 deforms due to heat, the deviation of the aperture 162a, beam splitter 163, and aperture 162b from the optical axis can be suppressed. As a result, even if deformation due to thermal expansion of the monitor module 160 occurs, fluctuations in the laser light output from the gas laser apparatus 100 can be suppressed. Note that the vertex 711b does not have to be located on the above VZ plane.

[0093] Furthermore, in the gas laser apparatus 100 of this embodiment, the fixing member 951 is screwed onto the positioning member 710 at a position lower in the direction of gravity than the contact portion located on the lower side in the direction of gravity among the V-groove contact portion 711 and the plane contact portion 713.

[0094] In this configuration, when the fixing member 951 is screwed into the positioning member 710, a clockwise force is applied to the monitor module 160 when viewed from the front in the H direction, centered on the contact portion located on the lower side in the direction of gravity among the V-groove contact portion 711 and the plane contact portion 713. The monitor module 160 is pressed against the optical plate 601 as it moves away from the positioning member 710 due to the clockwise force. Therefore, the displacement of the monitor module 160 in the H direction can be suppressed compared to the case where no clockwise force is applied to the monitor module 160. In addition, the first spherical pin 831 and the second spherical pin 833 are positioned above the fixing member 951. For this reason, the contact state between the first spherical pin 831 and the V-groove contact portion 711 can be easily confirmed by visual inspection from above the V-groove contact portion 711, and the contact state between the second spherical pin 833 and the plane contact portion 713 can be easily confirmed by visual inspection from above the plane contact portion 713. Furthermore, the fixing member 951 does not need to be screwed into the positioning member 710 at a position lower in the direction of gravity than the contact portion described above.

[0095] Furthermore, in the gas laser apparatus 100 of this embodiment, there are two through holes 851, and each of the through holes 851 is provided in parallel.

[0096] In this configuration, since a fixing member 951 passes through each of the through holes 851, the two fixing members 951 are screwed into the positioning member 710. As a result, the monitor module 160 may be less likely to shift within the internal space of the housing 110 than when there is only one through hole 851. Note that there do not necessarily have to be two through holes 851, and the through holes 851 do not necessarily have to be arranged in parallel.

[0097] Furthermore, in the gas laser apparatus 100 of this embodiment, the monitor module 160 includes a guide groove 855 that spans the first guide member 730.

[0098] With this configuration, the guide groove 855 that spans the first guide member 730 makes it easier to move the monitor module 160 in the Z direction and prevents the monitor module 160 from moving in directions other than the Z direction. Note that the guide groove 855 is not required.

[0099] Furthermore, in the gas laser apparatus 100 of this embodiment, the end of the guide groove 855 that advances toward the first guide member 730 is provided with a taper 855a such that the width in the H direction decreases toward the end opposite to that end.

[0100] This configuration makes it easier to insert the first guide member 730 into the guide groove 855 as the monitor module 160 moves toward the first guide member 730. Note that the taper 855a is not required.

[0101] Furthermore, the gas laser apparatus 100 of this embodiment includes a second guide member 750 against which the monitor module 160 abuts in the H direction in a predetermined region A. After the monitor module 160 abuts against the second guide member 750 in the predetermined region A, it slides along the second guide member 750 in the Z direction while in contact with the second guide member 750.

[0102] With this configuration, by abutting the monitor module 160 against the second guide member 750, collision between the back surface of the housing 110 and the monitor module 160 can be prevented. Furthermore, by sliding the monitor module 160 along the second guide member 750 after abutting it against it, the monitor module 160 can be easily moved in the Z direction, and the monitor module 160 can be easily brought into contact with the positioning member 710. Note that the second guide member 750 is not required.

[0103] Furthermore, in the gas laser apparatus 100 of this embodiment, the second guide member 750 includes a cover portion 751 that covers the monitor module 160 in a V direction perpendicular to the optical plate 601 when the monitor module 160 is in contact with the second guide member 750.

[0104] With this configuration, the cover portion 751 covers the monitor module 160, thus preventing the monitor module 160 from tipping over. In this embodiment, the cover portion 751 covers the contact portion 161b of the base plate 161, but it is sufficient to cover any part of the monitor module 160. Furthermore, the cover portion 751 may not even be provided.

[0105] Although the above embodiments have been described as examples, this disclosure is not limited to these and can be modified as appropriate.

[0106] In this embodiment, the monitor module 160 is positioned on the positioning member 710 by the first spherical pin 831, the second spherical pin 833, the V-groove contact portion 711, and the planar contact portion 713. However, the configuration is not particularly limited as long as the monitor module 160 can be positioned on the positioning member 710.

[0107] In this embodiment, the positioning member 710 is positioned upstream of the monitor module 160. However, if a portion of the opening 115 that is blocked by the new module 631 is located downstream of another portion of the opening 115 that is not blocked by the new module 631, the monitor module 160 is pushed from the external space of the housing 110 into the internal space of the housing 110 through the other portion of the opening 115. The monitor module 160 then slides downstream and is installed in a predetermined position behind the new module 631. In this case, the positioning member 710 only needs to be positioned downstream of the monitor module 160. The fixing member 951 should be inserted into the through hole 851 from the incident area side.

[0108] Furthermore, when viewing the through holes 851 from above, each of the through holes 851 does not necessarily have to be arranged in parallel with the guide groove 855 in between.

[0109] Although both the first guide member 730 and the second guide member 750 are provided, it is sufficient if at least one of the first guide member 730 and the second guide member 750 is provided. The upstream end of the first guide member 730 abuts against the positioning member 710, but it may be located downstream of the positioning member 710 and not abut against the positioning member 710, and the first guide member 730 does not have to guide the monitor module 160 to the positioning member 710. When the housing 110 is viewed from the opening 115, the upstream end of the second guide member 750 on the positioning member 710 side overlaps with the positioning member 710, and the second guide member 750 guides the monitor module 160 to the positioning member 710, but it is not limited to this. The upstream end may be located downstream of the positioning member 710, and the second guide member 750 does not have to guide the monitor module 160 to the positioning member 710. Alternatively, the upstream end may overlap with the first guide member 730, and the second guide member 750 may guide the monitor module 160 only to the first guide member 730. Or, the upstream end may be located downstream of the first guide member 730, and the second guide member 750 may not need to guide the monitor module 160 to the first guide member 730.

[0110] In this embodiment, the second guide member 750 does not need to be positioned on the main surface of the optical plate 601, but may be attached to the laser frame 111 on the back of the housing 110.

[0111] The above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. It will therefore be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications can be made to the embodiments of this disclosure without departing from the claims. It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments of this disclosure can be used in combination. Terms used in this specification and throughout the claims should be interpreted as "non-limiting" unless otherwise specified. For example, terms such as "includes," "have," "equip," and "possess" should be interpreted as "not excluding the existence of components other than those described." Also, the modifier "one" should be interpreted as "at least one" or "one or more." Furthermore, the term "at least one of A, B, and C" should be interpreted as "A," "B," "C," "A+B," "A+C," "B+C," or "A+B+C," and should also be interpreted as including combinations of these with anything other than "A," "B," and "C."

Claims

1. The optical plate housed in the housing section, A monitor module that includes an incident region into which light is incident and is slidable on the optical plate, A positioning member is placed on the optical plate and positions the monitor module at a predetermined position on the optical plate, A guide extending in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the light traveling in the incident region, and guiding the monitor module toward the positioning member in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the light, Equipped with, The monitor module includes a through-hole that penetrates the monitor module in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the light and is located at a position offset from the incident region. The monitor module slides on the optical plate to a predetermined region in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the light, and then slides along the guide in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the light toward the positioning member located away from the predetermined region in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the light. The monitor module is then fixed in the internal space of the housing by screwing a fixing member that penetrates the through-hole into the positioning member. Gas laser device.

2. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 1, The aforementioned monitor module is The positioning member is positioned on a first spherical pin which is arranged on a face-to-face surface, A second spherical pin is positioned on the aforementioned surface, separated from the first spherical pin, Includes, The positioning member is The horizontal cross-sectional shape of the portion that contacts the first spherical pin is V-shaped, and the V-groove contact portion contacts the first spherical pin at two points, The planar contact portion, in which the horizontal cross-sectional shape of the part that contacts the second spherical pin is planar, Includes, The monitor module is fixed in the internal space of the housing by screwing the fixing member onto the positioning member while the first spherical pin is in contact with the V-groove contact portion and the second spherical pin is in contact with the planar contact portion.

3. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 2, The line where the two surfaces constituting the inner surface of the V-groove of the V-groove contact portion intersect is perpendicular to the main surface of the optical plate on which the monitor module slides, and the apex of the V-groove is located on the plane containing the optical axis of the light.

4. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 2, The fixing member is screwed onto the positioning member at a position lower in the direction of gravity than the contact portion located on the lower side in the direction of gravity among the V-groove contact portion and the plane contact portion.

5. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 2, The positioning member is positioned upstream of the monitor module in the direction of light propagation.

6. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 5, The monitor module includes an emission region located at a position offset from the through-hole, from which the light incident on the monitor module from the incidence region is emitted. The fixing member is inserted into the through hole from the injection region side.

7. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 1, There are two of these through holes, and each of the through holes is provided in parallel.

8. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 1, The positioning member is positioned upstream of the monitor module in the direction of light propagation.

9. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 8, The monitor module includes an emission region located at a position offset from the through-hole, from which the light incident on the monitor module from the incidence region is emitted. The fixing member is inserted into the through hole from the injection region side.

10. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 1, The guide includes a first guide member positioned in a region of the optical plate in which the monitor module moves in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the light, The monitor module includes a guide groove that extends in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the light and straddles the first guide member.

11. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 10, The first guide member guides the monitor module to the positioning member.

12. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 10, The end of the guide groove that advances toward the first guide member is provided with a taper such that the width in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the light decreases toward the end opposite to that end.

13. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 10, The aforementioned through holes are two in number. When the through holes are viewed from above, each of the through holes is provided in parallel with the guide groove in between.

14. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 10, The guide further includes a second guide member in which the monitor module abuts in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the light in the predetermined region, The monitor module, after abutting against the second guide member in the predetermined region, slides along the second guide member in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the light while in contact with the second guide member.

15. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 14, The second guide member guides the monitor module to the first guide member.

16. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 14, The second guide member guides the monitor module to the positioning member.

17. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 14, The second guide member includes a cover portion that covers the monitor module in a direction perpendicular to the optical plate when the monitor module is in contact with the second guide member.

18. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 1, The guide includes a second guide member in which the monitor module abuts in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the light in the predetermined region. The monitor module, after abutting against the second guide member in the predetermined region, slides along the second guide member in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the light while in contact with the second guide member.

19. A gas laser apparatus according to claim 18, The second guide member guides the monitor module to the positioning member.

20. The optical plate housed in the housing section, A monitor module that includes an incident region into which light is incident and is slidable on the optical plate, A positioning member is placed on the optical plate and positions the monitor module at a predetermined position on the optical plate, A guide extending in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the light traveling in the incident region, and guiding the monitor module toward the positioning member in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the light, Equipped with, The monitor module includes a through hole that penetrates the monitor module in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the light and is located at a position offset from the incident region, and after sliding on the optical plate to a predetermined region in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the light, it slides along the guide in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the light toward the positioning member located away from the predetermined region in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the light, and generates laser light by a gas laser device fixed in the internal space of the housing by screwing a fixing member that penetrates the through hole into the positioning member, The laser light is output to the exposure apparatus, To manufacture an electronic device, the laser light is exposed onto a photosensitive substrate within the exposure apparatus. A method for manufacturing electronic devices including

Images