Laser Pulse Time Stamping for Accurate Burst Oscillation Timing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Chromatic aberration in semiconductor exposure apparatuses due to wide spectral linewidths of KrF and ArF excimer laser beams leads to decreased resolution, necessitating the use of line narrowing modules, which can be improved by accurately timing pulse data in laser apparatuses to enhance data analysis accuracy.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a real-time system processor to measure and impart time intervals between light emission trigger signals in a laser apparatus, ensuring accurate time stamping of pulse data, even in non-real-time operating systems, by adding time intervals to previous pulse data when necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a line narrowing module is added to narrow the spectral linewidth, then chromatic aberration is reduced and resolution is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing timing correction values in a lookup table based on pulse number and repetition rate. This allows the system to quickly retrieve and apply timing corrections without real-time complex calculations, resolving the contradiction between achieving precise timing (improved manufacturing precision) and maintaining system simplicity (reduced device complexity).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing timing correction values in a lookup table based on pulse number and repetition rate. This allows the system to quickly retrieve and apply timing corrections without real-time complex calculations, resolving the contradiction between achieving precise timing (improved manufacturing precision) and maintaining system simplicity (reduced device complexity).
2Adaptability or versatility
If time imparting is performed in a non-real-time operating system, then data processing flexibility is improved, but timing accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating timing corrections based on pulse number and repetition rate, storing these corrections in advance. This allows the non-real-time OS to retrieve pre-computed values without performing complex real-time calculations, maintaining timing accuracy while preserving the flexibility of the non-real-time operating system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical real-time OS timing system with a software-based timing correction system using lookup tables and interpolation algorithms. This substitution allows timing corrections to be applied in a non-real-time OS environment while maintaining accuracy through mathematical calculations rather than hardware-based real-time processing.
3Measurement precision
If timing correction is applied to all pulse data, then data analysis accuracy is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating timing corrections for different pulse numbers and repetition rates and storing them in lookup tables. During actual operation, the system only needs to retrieve and apply these pre-computed values or perform simple interpolation, dramatically reducing processing time while maintaining high data analysis accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by using interpolation only when necessary (when exact pulse number/repetition rate combinations are not found in the lookup table). For most cases, simple table lookup is sufficient, reducing processing overhead while maintaining accuracy where needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A time imparting method for imparting a time to two or more pieces of pulse data of a laser apparatus that burst-oscillates a pulse laser beam, includes causing a first processor including a real-time system to receive a first light emission trigger signal from a laser irradiation device and to measure a time interval between a previously received second light emission trigger signal and the first light emission trigger signal in the real-time system, and causing a second processor to receive the time interval from the first processor, and when the time interval is smaller than a set value, to impart a time obtained by adding the time interval to a time imparted to pulse data of a pulse laser beam corresponding to the second light emission trigger signal, to pulse data of a pulse laser beam corresponding to the first light emission trigger signal.