An apparatus and method is described for effectively and efficiently providing
plasma irradiation laser light pulses in an LPP EUV
light source which may comprise a
laser initial target
irradiation pulse generating mechanism irradiating a
plasma initiation target with an initial target
irradiation pulse to form an EUV generating
plasma having an emission region emitting in-band EUV light; a
laser plasma irradiation pulse generating mechanism irradiating the plasma with a
plasma irradiation pulse after the initial target irradiation pulse so as to compress emission material in the plasma toward the emission region of the plasma. The
plasma irradiation pulse may comprise a laser pulse having a
wavelength that is sufficiently longer than a
wavelength of the initial target irradiation pulse to have an associated lower critical density resulting in absorption occurring within the plasma in a region of the plasma defined by the
wavelength of the plasma irradiation pulse sufficiently separated from an initial target irradiation site to achieve compression of the emission material, and the may compress the emission region. The laser plasma irradiation pulse may produce an aerial
mass density in the ablating cloud of the plasma sufficient to confine the favorably emitting plasma for increased conversion efficiency. The deposition region for the plasma irradiation pulse may be is removed enough from the initial
target surface so as to insure compression of the favorably emitting plasma. A high conversion efficiency laser produced plasma
extreme ultraviolet (“EUV”)
light source may comprise a laser initial target irradiation pulse generating mechanism irradiating a plasma
initiation target with a target irradiation pulse to form an EUV generating plasma emitting in-band EUV light; a plasma tamper substantially surrounding the plasma to constrain the expansion of the plasma.