Particle and chemical control using tunnel flow
| DWPI Title: Apparatus for controlling contaminant such as particle contaminant from extreme UV light, has light homogenizer tunnel and diffusion tube in which gas input is introduced |
| Abstract: An apparatus for contaminant control, having: a first optical assembly including: a first light homogenizer tunnel with: a first end connected to an extreme ultra-violet light source, a second end in communication with a destination chamber, a first enclosed space, and, a first gas input arranged to introduce a first gas such that the first gas flows in a first direction toward the first end and in a second direction toward the second end. The apparatus alternately having: a second optical assembly including: a second light homogenizer tunnel with: a third end connected to an extreme ultra-violet light source, a fourth end in communication with a destination chamber, a second enclosed space, a diffusion barrier tube including: a fifth end facing the fourth end and a sixth end in communication with a destination chamber, and a second gas input between the second light homogenizer tunnel and the diffusion tube. |
| Use: Apparatus for controlling contaminant such as particle and chemical contaminants in vacuum system and from extreme UV light used in inspection tool. |
| Advantage: Since the homogenizer tunnel bore is typically quite small, the amount of flowing gas required to provide large protection factors is relatively small when compared to alternative protection schemes. The long flow field is created to greatly reduce the flow of any contaminants from one end of tunnel to the other. |
| Novelty: The apparatus has optical assembly (100) that is provided with light homogenizer tunnels (110) whose ends are arranged for connection to an extreme UV (EUV) light source and for communication with destination chamber respectively. Enclosed spaces are used to connect ends and arranged to reflect light from EUV light source. A gas input is located between ends and arranged to introduce a gas into enclosed space such that gas flows in directions toward ends. A gas input (120) is arranged to introduce another gas between another light homogenizer tunnel and diffusion tube (130). |
| Filed: 9/23/2013 |
| Application Number: US14034273A |
| Tech ID: SD 12793.1 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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