Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A radiation source comprising:a first electrode having an aperture substantially centered around a central axis of said radiation source for passing  to pass electromagnetic radiation from said radiation source; and a second electrode spaced apart from said first electrode to form a gap therebetween, said gap defining a discharge region, said gap being supplied, in use of the radiation source, with a working vapor, wherein one of  said first electrode and  or said second electrode includes a hollow cavity in communication with said discharge region through an aperture that has a substantially annular configuration around the central axis of said radiation source, said hollow cavity is  being supplied, in use of the radiation source, with a driver gas.  2. A radiation source according to claim 1, wherein said first electrode is an anode and said second electrode is a cathode. 3. A radiation source according to claim 1, wherein said first electrode is a cathode and said second electrode is an anode. 4. A radiation source according to claim 1, wherein said cavity has a substantially annular configuration around the central axis of the radiation source. 5. A radiation source according to claim 1, wherein said first electrode and said second electrode are connected to different electrical potentials such that, in use of the radiation source, a plasma discharge is initiated in said driver gas inside said hollow cavity, followed by a compression of the plasma of the driver gas towards said central axis of said radiation source in which said plasma of the driver gas encounters the working vapor to create a plasma in the working vapor, the plasma in the working vapor emitting said electromagnetic radiation. 6. A radiation source according to claim 1, wherein said driver gas comprises at least one selected from the group comprising helium, neon, argon and hydrogen. 7. A radiation source according to claim 1, further comprising:a shutter disposed in the vicinity of the aperture of the first electrode, wherein said shutter is adapted to substantially block particles formed in said discharge region.  8. A radiation source according to claim 7, wherein said shutter includes a flywheel. 9. A radiation source according to claim 7, wherein said shutter is adapted to open the aperture of the first electrode to let radiation pass through and to close the aperture of the first electrode to substantially block said particles. 10. A radiation source according to claim 1, wherein said working vapor is supplied, in use of the radiation source, in a region proximate said central axis of said gap between said first electrode and said second electrode. 11. A radiation source according to claim 10, wherein said working vapor is supplied, in use of the radiation source, along said central axis. 12. A radiation source according to claim 1, wherein said working vapor comprises xenon. 13. A radiation source according to claim 1, wherein said working vapor comprises at least one selected from the group comprising lithium vapor and tin vapor. 14. A radiation source according to claim 13, further comprising:a reservoir adapted to contain a material comprising at least one of  selected from the group comprising lithium and tin; a heater arranged to heat at least a portion of said reservoir so as to create a vapor from said material; and a fluid passageway in communication with said reservoir to allow said vapor to enter said gap between said first electrode and said second electrode.  15. A radiation source according to claim 13, further comprising:a reservoir adapted to contain a material comprising at least one of  selected from the group comprising lithium and tin; a first heater arranged to heat at least a portion of said reservoir so as to create a liquid from said material; and a fluid passageway in communication with said reservoir, said liquid created from said material is drawn  and configured to draw inside said fluid passageway by capillary action said liquid created from said material.  16. A radiation source according to claim 15, further comprising:a second heater in contact with a portion of said fluid passageway, wherein said second heater is arranged to heat at least a portion of said liquid drawn inside said fluid passageway so as to create a vapor from said liquid and to allow said vapor to enter said gap between said first electrode and said second electrode by capillary action.  17. A radiation source according to claim 15, wherein said fluid passageway includes a tubular section. 18. A radiation source according to claim 15, wherein said fluid passageway includes a porous rod. 19. A radiation source according to claim 18, wherein said porous rod is terminated at one of its ends with a chamber, said chamber being adapted to collect the at least one of the lithium vapor and the tin vapor. 20. A radiation source according to claim 19, wherein said chamber includes an opening through which  configured to allow the at least one of said lithium vapor and tin vapor escapes  to escape to said gap between said first electrode and said second electrode. 21. A radiation source according to claim 1, further comprising:an electrical insulator disposed between said first electrode and said second electrode; and a canal leading to a  said gap between said first electrode and said second electrode, wherein said electrical insulator is disposed inside said canal away from, in use of the radiation source, said working vapor.  22. A radiation source according to claim 21,wherein said canal defines a path along which, in use of the radiation source, said working vapor condenses to form a liquid material.  23. A radiation source according to claim 22, wherein, in use of the radiation source, a temperature along said path is less than or equal to 300° C. 24. A radiation source according to claim 21  22, wherein said canal is inclined relative to a wall of a reservoir in said radiation source such that, in use of the radiation source, the liquid material is collected by gravity in said reservoir. 25. A radiation source according to claim 21, wherein said canal comprises a curved portion. 26. A radiation source according to claim 1, further comprising a trigger electrode, wherein at least a portion of said electrode is disposed within said hollow cavity. 27. A radiation source according to claim 26, further comprising an electrical circuit constructed and arranged to apply a voltage pulse to said trigger electrode. 28. A radiation source according to claim 27, wherein said electrical circuit comprises a transformer having primary and secondary windings, said primary windings being in electrical communication with a voltage source to supply said voltage pulse and said secondary windings being in electrical communication with one of  said first electrode and  or second electrode and said trigger electrode. 29. A radiation source according to claim 1, wherein said radiation source is adapted to generate a beam of radiation having a wavelength between about 5 nm and about 20 nm. 30. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:a radiation system adapted to provide a projection beam of radiation; a support structure adapted to support a patterning structure to pattern the projection beam according to a desired pattern; a substrate table adapted to hold a substrate; and a projection system disposed between said support structure and said substrate table, said projection system being configured to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate, wherein said radiation system comprises: a first electrode having an aperture centered around a central axis of said radiation source  system; and a second electrode spaced apart from said first electrode to form a gap therebetween, said gap defining a discharge region, said gap being supplied, in use of the radiation system, with a working vapor, wherein one of  said first electrode and  or said second electrode includes a hollow cavity in communication with said discharge region through an aperture that has a substantially annular configuration around the central axis of said radiation source  system, said hollow cavity is  being supplied, in use of the radiation system, with a driver gas.  31. A radiation source comprising:a plasma chamber adapted to house a plasma, said plasma chamber having an aperture through which a radiation emitted by said plasma passes  is configured to pass; a shutter disposed in a vicinity of said aperture, wherein said shutter is adapted to substantially block particles formed in said plasma.  32. A radiation source according to claim 31,wherein said shutter includes a flywheel.  33. A radiation source according to claim 31,wherein said shutter is adapted to open the aperture to let said radiation emitted by said plasma to pass through and to close the aperture to substantially block said particles formed in said plasma.  34. A radiation source according to claim 31,wherein a first wall of said chamber forms a first electrode and a second wall of said chamber forms a second electrode.  35. A radiation source comprising:a source of material including at least one of  selected from the group comprising lithium and tin; an electrode disposed in the vicinity of said source, wherein said electrode is configured to induce formation of a plasma in said at least one of the lithium and the tin, said plasma emitting a radiation having a wavelength in an extreme ultraviolet range of wavelengths.  36. A radiation source according to claim 35, wherein said extreme range of wavelengths is between about 5 nm and about 20 nm. 37. A radiation source according to claim 35, further comprising:a heater arranged to heat at least a portion of said source of material so as to create a vapor from said material; and a fluid passageway in communication with said source of material to allow said vapor from said material to enter a region in said radiation source in which said plasma takes place during use of the radiation source.  38. A radiation source according to claim 37, wherein said fluid passageway includes a porous rod. 39. A radiation source according to claim 38, wherein said porous rod is terminated at one of its ends with a chamber, said chamber being adapted to collect a vapor from said material. 40. A radiation source according to claim 39, wherein said chamber includes an opening through which said vapor from said material escapes, in use of the radiation source, to said region in said radiation source in which said plasma takes place during use of the radiation source. 41. A radiation source comprising a first electrode and a second electrode that are configured and arranged to create a discharge in a gas in a discharge region defined between the first and second electrodes and to form a plasma from a working vapor so as to generate extreme ultraviolet radiation, wherein the second electrode further at least partly defines a hollow cavity in communication with the discharge region through an aperture that has a substantially annular configuration around a central axis of the radiation source. 42. A radiation source according to claim 41, wherein the first electrode is an anode and the second electrode is a cathode. 43. A radiation source according to claim 41, wherein the first electrode is a cathode and the second electrode is an anode. 44. A radiation source according to claim 41, wherein the hollow cavity has a substantially annular configuration around the central axis of the radiation source. 45. A radiation source according to claim 41, wherein, in use of the radiation source, a driver gas is supplied to the hollow cavity. 46. A radiation source according to claim 45, wherein the driver gas comprises at least one selected from the group comprising helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar) and hydrogen (H2). 47. A radiation source according to claim 41, wherein the working vapor, in use of the radiation source, is supplied in a region proximate the central axis of the space between the first and second electrodes. 48. A radiation source according to claim 47, wherein the working vapor, in use of the radiation source, is supplied along the central axis. 49. A radiation source according to claim 41, wherein the working vapor comprises xenon. 50. A radiation source according to claim 41, wherein the working vapor comprises at least one selected from the group comprising lithium vapor and tin vapor. 51. A radiation source according to claim 50, wherein the radiation source comprises a reservoir to contain a material comprising at least one selected from the group comprising lithium and tin, a heater arranged to heat the reservoir so as to create vapor from the material, and a fluid communication to allow the vapor to enter the space between the first and second electrodes. 52. A radiation source according to claim 50, wherein the radiation source comprises a reservoir to contain a material comprising at least one selected from the group comprising lithium and tin, a heater arranged to heat the reservoir so as to create a liquid from the material, and a fluid communication to allow the liquid to enter the space between the first and second electrodes by capillary action. 53. A radiation source according to claim 50, further comprising an electrical insulator between the first and second electrodes, and a path between a region of the space between the first and second electrodes where the working vapor is provided in use of the radiation source and the electrical insulator is constructed and arranged to define a space for the working vapor to condense along the path. 54. A radiation source according to claim 41, further comprising a trigger electrode at least partially disposed within the hollow cavity. 55. A radiation source according to claim 54, further comprising an electrical circuit constructed and arranged to apply a voltage pulse to the trigger electrode. 56. A radiation source according to claim 55, wherein the electrical circuit comprises a transformer having primary and secondary windings, the primary windings being in electrical communication with a voltage source to supply the voltage pulse and the secondary windings being in electrical communication with the first electrode or second electrode and the trigger electrode. 57. A radiation source according to claim 41, adapted to generate a beam of extreme ultraviolet radiation having a wavelength of between about 5 nm and about 20 nm. 58. A radiation source according to claim 57, wherein the beam of extreme ultraviolet radiation has a wavelength between about 9 nm and about 16 nm. 59. A radiation source according to claim 41, wherein, in use of the radiation source, a driver gas is supplied to the hollow cavity and the first electrode and the second electrode are connected to different electrical potentials such that, in use of the radiation source, a plasma discharge is initiated in the driver gas inside the hollow cavity, followed by a compression of the plasma of the driver gas towards the central axis of the radiation source in which the plasma of the driver gas encounters the working vapor to create a plasma in the working vapor, the plasma in the working vapor emitting the extreme ultraviolet radiation. 60. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:a radiation system to provide a beam of radiation, the radiation system comprising a first electrode and a second electrode that are configured and arranged to create a discharge in a gas in a discharge region defined between the first and second electrodes and to form a plasma from a working vapor so as to generate extreme ultraviolet radiation, wherein the second electrode further at least partly defines a hollow cavity in communication with the discharge region through an aperture that has a substantially annular configuration around a central axis of the radiation system; a support structure to support a patterning structure, the patterning arranged to pattern the beam according to a desired pattern; a substrate table to hold a substrate; and a projection system to project the beam as patterned onto a target portion of the substrate. 61. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 60, wherein, in use of the radiation system, a driver gas is supplied to the hollow cavity. 62. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 61, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are connected to different electrical potentials such that, in use of the radiation system, a plasma discharge is initiated in the driver gas inside the hollow cavity, followed by a compression of the plasma of the driver gas towards the central axis of the radiation system in which the plasma of the driver gas encounters the working vapor to create a plasma in the working vapor, the plasma in the working vapor emitting the extreme ultraviolet radiation. 63. A lithographic device manufacturing method comprising:providing a beam of extreme ultraviolet radiation using a radiation source comprising a first electrode and a second electrode that are configured and arranged to create a discharge in a gas in a discharge region defined between the first and second electrodes and to form a plasma from a working vapor so as to generate the extreme ultraviolet radiation, wherein the second electrode further at least partly defines a hollow cavity in communication with the discharge region through an aperture that has a substantially annular configuration around a central axis of the radiation source; patterning the beam of radiation to produce a patterned beam of radiation; and projecting the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of a layer of radiation-sensitive material on a substrate. 64. A lithographic device manufacturing method according to claim 63, further comprising supplying a driver gas to the hollow cavity. 65. A lithographic device manufacturing method according to claim 64, comprising apply different potentials to the first electrode and the second electrode such that a plasma discharge is initiated in the driver gas inside the hollow cavity, followed by a compression of the plasma of the driver gas towards the central axis of the radiation source in which the plasma of the driver gas encounters the working vapor to create a plasma in the working vapor, the plasma in the working vapor emitting the extreme ultraviolet radiation. 66. A lithographic device manufacturing method according to claim 64, wherein the driver gas comprises at least one selected from the group comprising helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar) and hydrogen (H2). 67. A lithographic device manufacturing method according to claim 63, wherein the working vapor comprises at least one selected from the group comprising lithium vapor, tin vapor and xenon.