An x-ray generator device includes a housing at least partially holding a specific fluid pressure, with an arm positioned to be able to strike a strike plate within the housing. The housing contains an x-ray window. The arm is magnetically actuated in at least one direction by a magnetic field generator outside of the housing. A striking portion of the lever arm and/or the strike plate may be a polymeric material with embedded metal or metal alloys.

An illumination system for an EUV projection lithographic projection exposure apparatus comprises an EUV light source, which generates an output beam of EUV illumination light with a predetermined polarization state. An illumination optical unit guides the output beam along an optical axis, as a result of which an illumination field in a reticle plane is illuminated by the output beam. The light source comprises an electron beam supply device, an EUV generating device and a polarization setting device. The EUV generating device is supplied with an electron beam by the electron beam supply device. The polarization setting device exerts an adjustable deflecting effect on the electron beam for setting the polarization of the output beam. This results in an illumination system, which operates on the basis of an electron beam-based EUV light source and provides an output beam, which is improved for a resolution-optimized illumination.

An illumination system for an EUV projection lithographic projection exposure apparatus comprises an EUV light source, which generates an output beam of EUV illumination light with a predetermined polarization state. An illumination optical unit guides the output beam along an optical axis, as a result of which an illumination field in a reticle plane is illuminated by the output beam. The light source comprises an electron beam supply device, an EUV generating device and a polarization setting device. The EUV generating device is supplied with an electron beam by the electron beam supply device. The polarization setting device exerts an adjustable deflecting effect on the electron beam for setting the polarization of the output beam. This results in an illumination system, which operates on the basis of an electron beam-based EUV light source and provides an output beam, which is improved for a resolution-optimized illumination.

An extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus may include: a chamber in which extreme ultraviolet light is generated when a target is irradiated with a laser beam inside the chamber; a target supply part configured to supply the target into the chamber; and a target collector configured to collect the target which is supplied by the target supply part but is not irradiated with the laser beam in a collection container, by receiving the target on a receiving surface having a contact angle of equal to or smaller than 90 degrees with the target.

Disclosed is a system for generating EUV radiation in which current flowing through target material in the orifice 320 of a nozzle in a droplet generator is controlled by providing alternate lower impedance paths for the current and/or by limiting a high frequency component of a drive signal applied to the droplet generator.

The disclosure relates to a beam trap including: a reflector for reflecting a beam, in particular a laser beam, that is incident on a surface of the reflector, and an absorber device for absorbing the beam reflected at the surface of the reflector. The surface of the reflector is segmented and has a plurality of reflector regions that are configured for reflecting a respective partial beam of the incident beam into an absorber region of the absorber device that is associated with the respective reflector region. The disclosure also relates to a beam guide device having a beam trap of this type, an EUV radiation generation apparatus having a beam guide device of this type, and an associated method for absorbing a beam, in particular for absorbing a laser beam.

A laser apparatus may include a beam splitter configured to split a pulse laser beam into a first beam path and a second beam path, an optical sensor provided in the first beam path, an amplifier including an amplification region provided in the second beam path and being configured to amplify and emit the pulse laser beam incident thereon along the second beam path, a wavefront controller provided in the second beam path between the beam splitter and the amplifier, and a processor configured to receive an output signal from the optical sensor and transmit a control signal to the wavefront controller.

A method for generating EUV light includes providing a laser beam having a Gaussian distribution. This laser beam can be then modified from a Gaussian distribution to a ring-like distribution. The modified laser beam is provided through an aperture in a collector and interfaces with a moving droplet target, which generates an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) wavelength light. The generated EUV wavelength light is provided to the collector away from the aperture. In some embodiments, a mask element may also be used to modify the laser beam to a shape.

A target image-capture device may be configured to capture an image of a target that is made into plasma when irradiated with laser light and generates extreme-ultraviolet-light. The target image-capture device may include a droplet detector configured to detect passage of a droplet output as the target, and output a detection signal, an illumination light source, an image capturing element, a shutter device, and a controller configured to output, to the image capturing element, an exposure signal allowing the image capturing element to perform image capturing, and output, to the shutter device, a shutter open/close signal allowing a shutter to perform an open and close operation upon input of the detection signal. The controller may output the shutter open/close signal to the shutter device to make the shutter closed during when the droplet is irradiated with the laser light so that the plasma is generated.

A source collector apparatus for use in a lithographic apparatus includes a fuel droplet generator configured in use to generate a stream of fuel droplets directed from an outlet of the fuel droplet generator towards a plasma formation location. In order to prevent droplet satellites from interfering with plasma formation, a gas supply is provided that in use provides a flow of gas (e.g., hydrogen) that deflects any droplet satellites out of the fuel droplet stream. Additionally, a detection apparatus may be provided as part of a shroud to determine the point at which coalescence of fuel droplets occurs thereby providing an indication of the likelihood of satellite droplets being present in the fuel droplet stream.