A laser system includes a laser radiation source for providing pulsed laser radiation, and an optical system that includes a first polarization setting optical unit configured to set a circular polarization state of the pulsed laser radiation and a multipass cell having at least two mirrors. The pulsed laser radiation passes through the multipass cell with formation of a plurality of intermediate focus zones. The multipass cell is filled with a filling gas that has an optical nonlinearity and causes a spectral broadening of the pulsed laser radiation in the intermediate focus zones. A pressure of the filling gas is set in a pressure range so that there is an ionization behavior of the filling gas in a form of multiphoton ionization. Focus diameters of the intermediate focus zones are set such that the pulsed laser radiation passes through the multipass cell without ionization of the filling gas.

A chamber device includes a housing into which a laser gas is filled, a pair of discharge electrodes generating light from the laser gas when a voltage is applied thereto, a window arranged at a wall surface of the housing and transmitting the light therethrough, a first fan causing the laser gas to flow between the discharge electrodes, a filter, a second fan rotating together with the first fan by a drive force of a drive source of the first fan, a fan-side flow path causing the laser gas filtered by the filter to flow by the second fan and a part of the laser gas to flow in a direction away from the window, and a window-side flow path communicating with the fan-side flow path and causing the laser gas flowing from the fan-side flow path by the second fan to flow toward the window.

A chamber device includes a housing into which a laser gas is filled, a pair of discharge electrodes generating light from the laser gas when a voltage is applied thereto, a window arranged at a wall surface of the housing and transmitting the light therethrough, a first fan causing the laser gas to flow between the discharge electrodes, a filter, a second fan rotating together with the first fan by a drive force of a drive source of the first fan, a fan-side flow path causing the laser gas filtered by the filter to flow by the second fan and a part of the laser gas to flow in a direction away from the window, and a window-side flow path communicating with the fan-side flow path and causing the laser gas flowing from the fan-side flow path by the second fan to flow toward the window.

Provided is a gas control system and method for online control of a gas compartment of a radiation source. The method includes measuring a parameter of a radiation source such as an excimer laser, the parameter describing an electrical stimulation applied to the laser and/or a characteristic of radiation generated by the laser and/or an amount of a consumable in the gas compartment. A function of the parameter is compared a to a threshold and if the parameter breaches the threshold, an amount of gas is calculated based on the parameter. An instruction is provided to provide or remove the amount of gas to or from, the gas compartment. Gases may be injected or bled into the compartment during use of the radiation source thereby reducing or negating the need to take the radiation source offline to purge and refill the gas compartment.

Provided is a gas control system and method for online control of a gas compartment of a radiation source. The method includes measuring a parameter of a radiation source such as an excimer laser, the parameter describing an electrical stimulation applied to the laser and/or a characteristic of radiation generated by the laser and/or an amount of a consumable in the gas compartment. A function of the parameter is compared a to a threshold and if the parameter breaches the threshold, an amount of gas is calculated based on the parameter. An instruction is provided to provide or remove the amount of gas to or from, the gas compartment. Gases may be injected or bled into the compartment during use of the radiation source thereby reducing or negating the need to take the radiation source offline to purge and refill the gas compartment.

A laser gas regenerating apparatus regenerates a discharged gas discharged from at least one ArF excimer laser apparatus and supplies the regenerated gas to the at least one ArF excimer laser apparatus connected to a first laser gas supply source that supplies a first laser gas and to a second laser gas supply source that supplies a second laser gas. The laser gas regenerating apparatus includes a data obtaining unit that obtains data on a supply amount of the second laser gas supplied to the at least one ArF excimer laser apparatus; a xenon adding unit that adds, to the regenerated gas, a third laser gas; and a control unit that controls, based on the supply amount, an addition amount of the third laser gas by the xenon adding unit.

A laser gas regenerating apparatus regenerates a discharged gas discharged from at least one ArF excimer laser apparatus and supplies the regenerated gas to the at least one ArF excimer laser apparatus connected to a first laser gas supply source that supplies a first laser gas and to a second laser gas supply source that supplies a second laser gas. The laser gas regenerating apparatus includes a data obtaining unit that obtains data on a supply amount of the second laser gas supplied to the at least one ArF excimer laser apparatus; a xenon adding unit that adds, to the regenerated gas, a third laser gas; and a control unit that controls, based on the supply amount, an addition amount of the third laser gas by the xenon adding unit.

A cross-flow fan includes a cylindrical impeller having an annularly designed first magnetically effective core disposed at a first end, an annularly designed second magnetically effective core disposed at a second end, a plurality of vanes arranged between the first magnetically effective core and the second magnetically effective core, a first stator, which is a bearing and drive stator, and which interacts with the first magnetically effective core as a first electromagnetic rotary drive, and a second stator, which is at least a bearing stator, and with which the second magnetically effective core is capable of being magnetically levitated without contact with respect to the second stator. The impeller is magnetically driven without contact by the first and the second stators and magnetically levitated without contact with respect to the first stator and the second stator.

A deep ultraviolet (DUV) optical system includes: an optical source system including: a plurality of optical oscillators; a beam combiner; and a beam control apparatus between the optical oscillators and the beam combiner. The beam combiner is configured to receive and direct light emitted from any of the optical oscillators toward a scanner apparatus as an exposure light beam, and the beam control apparatus is configured to determine whether the beam combiner receives light from a particular one of the optical oscillators. The DUV optical lithography system also includes a control system coupled to the optical source system, the control system configured to: determine whether a condition exists in the DUV optical system, and based on a determination that the condition exists, perform a calibration action in a subset of the optical oscillators.

A deep ultraviolet (DUV) optical system includes: an optical source system including: a plurality of optical oscillators; a beam combiner; and a beam control apparatus between the optical oscillators and the beam combiner. The beam combiner is configured to receive and direct light emitted from any of the optical oscillators toward a scanner apparatus as an exposure light beam, and the beam control apparatus is configured to determine whether the beam combiner receives light from a particular one of the optical oscillators. The DUV optical lithography system also includes a control system coupled to the optical source system, the control system configured to: determine whether a condition exists in the DUV optical system, and based on a determination that the condition exists, perform a calibration action in a subset of the optical oscillators.