Patent Number: 063079135
Section: claims

1. An imaging system comprising: a plasma source providing a shaped radiation field, wherein said plasma source comprises a laser source providing an output laser beam, shaping optics converting the light from the light source into a shaped output laser beam, the shaped output laser beam having a cross-sectional illumination field profile, and a target generating a shaped plasma discharge emitting said shaped radiation field, the shape of the radiation field determined in part by the shape of the illumination field of said shaped output laser beam;  a condenser having optics shaped to efficiently transmit the shaped radiation field;  a transmissive or reflective object having a pattern thereon positioned to receive the shaped radiation field from the condenser;  a recording medium illuminated by the shaped radiation field;  at least one additional laser source, each providing an additional output laser beam; and  at least one additional shaping optics corresponding to each said additional laser source, each said additional shaping optics converting the output laser beam from its corresponding additional laser source into a corresponding additional shaped output laser beam having a cross-sectional illumination field profile.  a plasma source providing a shaped radiation field, wherein said plasma source comprises a laser source providing an output laser beam, shaping optics converting the light from the light source into a shaped output laser beam, the shaped output laser beam having a cross-sectional illumination field profile, and a target generating a shaped plasma discharge emitting said shaped radiation field, the shape of the radiation field determined in part by the shape of the illumination field of said shaped output laser beam;  a condenser having optics shaped to efficiently transmit the shaped radiation field;  a transmissive or reflective object having a pattern thereon positioned to receive the shaped radiation field from the condenser; and  a recording medium illuminated by the shaped radiation field;  wherein the laser source includes:  a plasma source providing a shaped radiation field, wherein said plasma source comprises a plasma generating target emitting said shaped radiation field, and a power source providing an electrical output to the target;  a condenser having optics shaped to efficiently transmit the shaped radiation field;  a transmissive or reflective object having a pattern thereon positioned to receive the shaped radiation field from the condenser;  a recording medium illuminated by the shaped radiation field; and  a delay mechanism, wherein said delay mechanism postpones the electrical output from said power source until after application of a laser beam.  a power source providing an electrical output;  a plurality of electrodes connected to said power source to receive and direct the electrical output;  a target generating a shaped radiation field determined by current path of said electrical output,  a condenser having optics shaped to efficiently receive the shaped radiation field;  a photolithography mask having a pattern thereon positioned to receive the shaped radiation field from the condenser;  a photoresist coated wafer illuminated by the shaped radiation field transmitted from the condenser. 2. An imaging system comprising 3. An imaging system comprising: 4. A photolithography system comprising: