Ozone-Assisted LSP Lamp Ignition Without Oxidizing Electrodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current laser sustained plasma (LSP) lamps face challenges in igniting and maintaining plasma due to the presence of oxygen, which causes severe oxidation and requires complex and expensive processes, making it difficult to align and maintain the illumination system.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize an ozone generation unit with illumination sources to convert diatomic oxygen (O2) to triatomic oxygen (O3) within a gas containment vessel, where the energy from the illumination sources is absorbed by triatomic oxygen to ignite and sustain the plasma, eliminating the need for electrodes and reducing the power required for plasma initiation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electrodes are used to ignite plasma in LSP lamps, then plasma ignition is achieved, but severe oxidation occurs during lamp operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes electrodes from the LSP lamp system entirely, extracting the harmful element that causes oxidation. Plasma is ignited and sustained through optical means (laser or lamp-based illumination) acting on oxygen-containing gas, eliminating the electrode component that would otherwise be consumed by oxidation during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/electrical ignition system (electrodes) with an optical field-based ignition system. Instead of using electrical discharge through electrodes, the system uses photonic energy from illumination sources to excite and ignite the plasma in the oxygen-containing gas, substituting a mechanical component with a field-based mechanism.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If electrodes are removed from LSP lamps, then oxidation is eliminated, but plasma ignition becomes complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary substance (oxygen-containing gas, particularly molecular oxygen O2) that serves as both the plasma sustainer and the ignition medium. The oxygen molecules absorb illumination energy and transfer it to initiate plasma formation, acting as a mediator between the illumination source and the plasma state, simplifying the ignition process while maintaining oxidation-free operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the gas environment by introducing oxygen-containing gases with specific properties. By selecting gases with appropriate absorption characteristics at the illumination wavelength, the system achieves efficient energy transfer and plasma ignition without requiring complex electrode structures, thereby reducing device complexity while eliminating oxidation.
3Illumination intensity
If oxygen is added to LSP lamps, then broadband radiation emission is improved, but severe oxidation occurs during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of oxygen (oxidation) into a beneficial effect by using oxygen-containing gases as the primary plasma sustainer. Molecular oxygen in the gas phase absorbs illumination energy efficiently and sustains plasma that emits broadband radiation, including vacuum ultraviolet. The same oxygen that would cause oxidation of electrodes is now the active medium producing the desired radiation, turning a harmful factor into a benefit.
4Reliability
If electrodes are used in LSP lamps, then plasma can be sustained, but alignment and maintenance become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes electrodes from the system, extracting the components that require alignment and maintenance. Without electrodes, there are no mechanical parts to misalign, no contacts to wear, and no components to replace during maintenance. The plasma sustenance is achieved through continuous optical illumination of the gas, eliminating all electrode-related maintenance issues.
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
This approach allows for the safe inclusion of oxygen in LSP lamps, reducing the start laser power requirements and improving the stability and maintenance of the illumination system, while enabling the emission of broadband radiation for applications like semiconductor inspection.
Implementation Method 1
one or more illumination sources configured to generate a beam of illumination of an energy sufficient for converting a portion of diatomic oxygen (O2) contained within the gas containment vessel to triatomic oxygen (O3)
Implementation Method 2
the plasma within the gas contained within the gas containment vessel absorption of energy of the one or more energy sources by a portion of the triatomic oxygen
Implementation Method 3
LSP lamps operate by focusing laser radiation into a gas volume in order to excite the gas into a plasma state
Data Source
AI summary
An illumination system includes a gas containment vessel configured to contain a gas. The illumination system also includes one or more pump sources configured to generate one or more pump beams. The illumination system includes an ozone generation unit including one or more illumination sources. The one or more illumination sources are configured to generate a beam of illumination of an energy sufficient for converting a portion of diatomic oxygen (O2) contained within the gas containment vessel to triatomic oxygen (O3). One or more energy sources are configured to ignite the plasma within the gas contained within the gas containment vessel via absorption of energy of the one or more energy sources by a portion of the triatomic oxygen, wherein the plasma emits broadband radiation.