EUV light source collector erosion mitigation
View Patent ↗An EUV light source collector erosion mitigation system and method is disclosed which may comprise a collector comprising a multilayered mirror collector comprising a collector outer surface composed of a capping material subject to removal due to a removing interaction with materials created in an EUV light-creating plasma; a replacement material generator positioned to deliver replacement material comprising the capping material to the collector outer surface at a rate sufficient to replace the capping material removed due to the removing interaction. The replacement material generator may comprise a plurality of replacement material generators positioned to respectively deliver replacement material to a selected portion of the collector outer surface, which may comprise a sputtering mechanism sputtering replacement capping material onto the collector outer surface.
1. An EUV light source collector erosion mitigation system comprising:
a collector comprising a multilayered mirror collector comprising a collector outer surface composed of a capping material subject to removal due to a removing interaction with materials created in an EUV light-creating plasma;
a replacement material generator positioned to deliver replacement material comprising the capping material to the collector outer surface at a rate sufficient to replace the capping material removed due to the removing interaction.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
the replacement material generator comprises a plurality of replacement material generators positioned to respectively deliver replacement material to a selected portion of the collector outer surface.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
the replacement material generator comprises a sputtering mechanism sputtering replacement capping material onto the collector outer surface.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:
the replacement material generator comprises a sputtering mechanism sputtering replacement capping material onto the collector outer surface.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
an EUV light detector providing an indication of the EUV reflectivity of the collector;
a replacement material generator control mechanism controlling the delivery of replacement material to the collector outer surface.
6. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:
an EUV light detector providing an indication of the EUV reflectivity of the collector;
a replacement material generator control mechanism controlling the delivery of replacement material to the collector outer surface.
7. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising:
an EUV light detector providing an indication of the EUV reflectivity of the collector;
a replacement material generator control mechanism controlling the delivery of replacement material to the collector outer surface.
8. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising:
an EUV light detector providing an indication of the EUV reflectivity of the collector;
a replacement material generator control mechanism controlling the delivery of replacement material to the collector outer surface.
9. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising:
the replacement material generator controlling mechanism controls the rate of delivery of the replacement material.
10. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising:
the replacement material generator controlling mechanism controls the rate of delivery of the replacement material.
11. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:
the replacement material generator controlling mechanism controls the rate of delivery of the replacement material.
12. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:
the replacement material generator controlling mechanism controls the rate of delivery of the replacement material.
13. An EUV light source collector erosion mitigation method for a collector comprising a multilayered mirror collector comprising a collector outer surface composed of a capping material subject to removal due to a removing interaction with materials created in an EUV light-creating plasma, the method comprising:
utilizing a replacement material generator to deliver replacement material comprising the capping material to the collector outer surface at a rate sufficient to replace the capping material removed due to the removing interaction.