Patent ID: 6822977
Filing Date: 2004-11-23
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
A lithography laser system for incorporating with a semiconductor processing system, comprising:a discharge chamber filled with a laser gas including molecular fluorine and a buffer gas; a plurality of electrodes within the discharge chamber and connected with a discharge circuit for energizing the laser gas; a resonator including the discharge chamber for generating a laser beam; and a processor for running an energy control algorithm and sending a signal to the discharge circuit based on said algorithm to apply electrical pulses to the electrodes so that the laser beam exiting the laser system has a specified first energy distribution over a plurality of pulses, and wherein said energy control algorithm is based upon a second energy distribution previously determined of a substantially same pattern of pulses as said plurality of pulses having said first energy distribution, said second energy distribution being determined for the laser beam at a location after passing said beam through beam shaping optical elements of said semiconductor processing system while a value of the energy of the laser beam exiting the laser system is maintained at an approximately constant first energy.