Excimer Laser Chamber Inductance Compensation for Stable Discharge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Chromatic aberration in projection lenses due to large spectral line widths of KrF and ArF excimer laser devices, leading to reduced resolution in semiconductor exposure apparatuses, necessitates a solution to narrow the spectral line width and minimize inductance non-uniformity in gas laser devices.
Innovation Solution
A chamber device with a conductive plate-shaped connection member having an inductance compensation structure, uniformly distributing inductance by forming openings in the connection members to stabilize laser output and reduce wear on discharge electrodes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a line narrowing module is provided in the gas laser device to narrow spectral line width, then chromatic aberration is reduced and resolution is improved, but the spectral line width narrowing increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/optical line narrowing module (etalon, grating) with an electrical field-based approach. By applying a specific frequency electric field between the discharge electrodes, the spectral line width is narrowed through electromagnetic interaction with the laser gas, eliminating the need for mechanical line narrowing components while achieving the same resolution improvement.
2Stability of the object's composition
If capacitors are arranged in parallel along the discharge electrode to stabilize laser output, then laser output stability is improved, but inductance non-uniformity increases causing electrode wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the connection member's inductance characteristics position-dependent. The connection member is designed with varying cross-sectional area or material properties along its length to compensate for the position-dependent inductance caused by different distances from the power supply terminal. This creates uniform total inductance (capacitor + connection member) across all capacitor positions, preventing non-uniform charge cycles and electrode wear while maintaining laser output stability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Stabilizes laser output and reduces non-uniform wear on electrodes, enhancing the uniformity of charge cycles and improving the resolution of semiconductor exposure processes.
Implementation Method 1
The connection member includes an inductance compensation structure that makes a distribution of inductance due to a distance between the power supply terminal and the one terminal of each of the capacitors close to be uniform
Implementation Method 2
a conductive plate-shaped connection member extending in the predetermined direction along the plurality of capacitors, electrically connected to the other terminal of each capacitor
Implementation Method 3
a chamber having an internal space at which the pair of discharge electrodes are arranged and a laser gas is enclosed
Implementation Method 4
The KrF excimer laser device and the ArF excimer laser device each have a large spectral line width of about 350 μm to 400 μm in natural oscillation light
Data Source
AI summary
A chamber device includes a pair of discharge electrodes arranged with a longitudinal direction oriented along a predetermined direction as being apart from and facing each other; a chamber having an internal space where the pair of discharge electrodes are arranged; capacitors arranged in parallel along the predetermined direction; a power supply terminal electrically connecting one discharge electrode and one terminal of each capacitor to a high-voltage power source; and a connection member extending in the predetermined direction, electrically connected to the other terminal of each capacitor, and having a portion away from a side electrically connected to the other terminal in the direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction be connected to the ground. The connection member includes an inductance compensation structure that makes a distribution of inductance due to a distance between the power supply terminal and the one terminal of each of the capacitors close to be uniform.