Extreme ultraviolet control system for adjusting droplet illumination parameters

1. A method of controlling a droplet illumination module/droplet detection module system of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation source, the method comprising:

irradiating a target droplet with light from a droplet illumination module before the target droplet is irradiated with an excitation laser;

detecting light reflected and/or scattered by the target droplet;

determining whether an intensity of the detected light is within an acceptable range; and

if it is determined that the intensity of the detected light is not within the acceptable range of intensity, automatically adjusting a parameter of the droplet illumination module to set the intensity of detected light within the acceptable range,

wherein the droplet illumination module has an adjustable slit having a slit width in a range of 10 μm to 300 μm and the parameter comprises the slit width of the adjustable slit,

wherein the adjustable slit is positioned between the droplet illumination module and the target droplet.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the light irradiating the target droplet has a wavelength of about 1070 nm.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a source of light from the droplet illumination module is a laser.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the parameter is a tilt angle of the droplet illumination module.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the acceptable range of intensity includes a minimum threshold intensity.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a controller determines whether the detected light is within the acceptable range of intensity, and automatically controls adjusting a parameter of the droplet illumination module/droplet detection module system to set the intensity of the detected light in the acceptable range.

7. An apparatus for measuring a speed of a target droplet in an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source, the apparatus comprising:

a droplet illumination module comprising a radiation source configured to irradiate the target droplet at a prescribed position before the target droplet is irradiated with an excitation laser;

a droplet detection module configured to detect radiation reflected and/or scattered by the target droplet;

a controller coupled to the droplet illumination module and programmed to:

determine whether the intensity of radiation detected at the droplet detection module is within an acceptable range of intensity, and

automatically adjust, in response to a determination that the detected intensity is not within an acceptable range, a parameter of the droplet illumination module; and

a processor configured to determine the speed of the target droplet based on a timing of detection of radiation at the droplet detection module,

wherein the droplet illumination module has an adjustable slit having a slit width in a range of 10 μm to 300 μm and the parameter comprises the slit width of the adjustable slit,

wherein the adjustable slit is positioned between the droplet illumination module and the target droplet.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the droplet illumination module further comprises an adjustable slit through which radiation from the radiation source passes.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the droplet illumination module further comprises an automatic tilt mechanism coupled to the radiation source, and wherein the parameter is a tilt angle of the radiation source.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 , the processor is configured to determine the speed of the target droplet further based on an intensity of an EUV radiation produced by the EUV source.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the radiation source comprises a laser.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the radiation from the radiation source has a wavelength of about 1070 nm.

13. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the controller is programmed to automatically adjust the parameter of the droplet illumination module so the intensity of radiation detected at the droplet detection module is within the acceptable range.

14. An apparatus for generating extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation comprising:

a droplet generator configured to generate target droplets;

a droplet illumination module comprising

a radiation source configured to irradiate the target droplet at a prescribed position along a path of the target droplet from the droplet generator to a zone of excitation,

an adjustable aperture through which radiation from the radiation source passes, and

an automatic tilt mechanism coupled to the radiation source;

a droplet detection module configured to detect radiation reflected and/or scattered by the target droplet; and

a controller coupled to the droplet illumination module and programmed to:

determine whether the intensity of radiation detected at the droplet detection module is within an acceptable range, and

automatically adjust, in response to a determination that the detected intensity is not within an acceptable range, a parameter of the droplet illumination module,

wherein the droplet illumination module has an adjustable slit having a slit width in a range of 10 μm to 300 μm and the parameter comprises the slit width of the adjustable slit,

wherein the adjustable slit is positioned between the droplet illumination module and the target droplet.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the parameter is an opening of the adjustable aperture.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the parameter is a tilt angle of the radiation source.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the radiation source is a laser.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the radiation from the radiation source has a wavelength of about 1070 nm.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the controller is programmed to automatically adjust the parameter so the intensity of radiation detected at the droplet detection module is within the acceptable range.

20. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustable slit has a rectangular shape.