Patent ID: 6973164
Filing Date: 2005-12-06
Classification: H05G

Abstract:
1. An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation source for generating EUV radiation, said source comprising: a device for generating at least one stream of a target material, said target material being directed towards a target area; a first laser source generating a pre-pulse laser beam directed towards the target area; and a second laser source generating a main pulse laser beam directed towards the target area, said pre-pulse beam having a lower intensity than the main pulse beam, wherein the first laser and the second laser are timed so that the pre-pulse beam arrives at the target area before the main pulse beam, and wherein the main pulse beam interacts with the target material to generate the EUV radiation, and wherein the main pulse beam and the pre-pulse beam impinge the target area at an angle of 30° or greater between the beams, and wherein the pre-pulse beam has an energy of about 10–40 mJ and the main pulse beam has an energy of about 0.1 to 1 J.