According to an embodiment, a crystalline color-conversion device includes an electrically driven first light emitter, for example a blue or ultraviolet LED, for emitting light having a first energy in response to an electrical signal. An inorganic solid single-crystal direct-bandgap second light emitter having a bandgap of a second energy less than the first energy is provided in association with the first light emitter. The second light emitter is electrically isolated from, located in optical association with, and physically connected to the first light emitter so that in response to the electrical signal the first light emitter emits first light that is absorbed by the second light emitter and the second light emitter emits second light having a lower energy than the first energy.

According to an embodiment, a crystalline color-conversion device includes an electrically driven first light emitter, for example a blue or ultraviolet LED, for emitting light having a first energy in response to an electrical signal. An inorganic solid single-crystal direct-bandgap second light emitter having a bandgap of a second energy less than the first energy is provided in association with the first light emitter. The second light emitter is electrically isolated from, located in optical association with, and physically connected to the first light emitter so that in response to the electrical signal the first light emitter emits first light that is absorbed by the second light emitter and the second light emitter emits second light having a lower energy than the first energy.

According to an embodiment, a crystalline color-conversion device includes an electrically driven first light emitter, for example a blue or ultraviolet LED, for emitting light having a first energy in response to an electrical signal. An inorganic solid single-crystal direct-bandgap second light emitter having a bandgap of a second energy less than the first energy is provided in association with the first light emitter. The second light emitter is electrically isolated from, located in optical association with, and physically connected to the first light emitter so that in response to the electrical signal the first light emitter emits first light that is absorbed by the second light emitter and the second light emitter emits second light having a lower energy than the first energy.

A Raman amplifier includes: a Raman amplification optical fiber configured to Raman amplify incoherent light in which relative intensity noise (RIN) is suppressed while transmitting the incoherent light; and a pumping light source configured to supply pumping light to the Raman amplification optical fiber. A corner frequency fc [Hz] at which the suppression of the RIN starts in the Raman-amplified incoherent light is estimated by using the following Equation (1):

[00001]$\begin{array}{cc}\mathrm{fc}=1/\left(D.Math..Math.L\right)& \left(1\right)\end{array}$ in which a full width at half maximum of a wavelength spectrum of the incoherent light is [nm], a length of the Raman amplification optical fiber is L [km], and a chromatic dispersion of the Raman amplification optical fiber at a center wavelength of the incoherent light is D [ps/nm/km].

A Raman amplifier includes: a Raman amplification optical fiber configured to Raman amplify incoherent light in which relative intensity noise (RIN) is suppressed while transmitting the incoherent light; and a pumping light source configured to supply pumping light to the Raman amplification optical fiber. A corner frequency fc [Hz] at which the suppression of the RIN starts in the Raman-amplified incoherent light is estimated by using the following Equation (1):

[00001]$\begin{array}{cc}\mathrm{fc}=1/\left(D.Math..Math.L\right)& \left(1\right)\end{array}$ in which a full width at half maximum of a wavelength spectrum of the incoherent light is [nm], a length of the Raman amplification optical fiber is L [km], and a chromatic dispersion of the Raman amplification optical fiber at a center wavelength of the incoherent light is D [ps/nm/km].

Methods and systems are described herein for producing high radiance illumination light for use in semiconductor metrology based on a confined, sustained plasma. One or more plasma confining circuits introduce an electric field, a magnetic field, or a combination thereof to spatially confine a sustained plasma. The confinement of the sustained plasma decreases the size of the induced plasma resulting in increased radiance. In addition, plasma confinement may be utilized to shape the plasma to improve light collection and imaging onto the specimen. The induced fields may be static or dynamic. In some embodiments, additional energy is coupled into the confined, sustained plasma to further increase radiance. In some embodiments, the pump energy source employed to sustained the plasma is modulated in combination with the plasma confining circuit to reduce plasma emission noise.

The present application is directed to a homogeneous laser light source having a temporally-variable seed source which includes at least one seed source configured to output at least one seed signal, the seed source configured to permit the user to selectively vary at least one temporal characteristic of the seed signal, at least one amplifier in communication with and configured to receive the seed signal and output at least one amplifier signal, at least one nonlinear optical generator is communication with the amplifier, the nonlinear optical generator configured to generate at least one homogeneous harmonic output signal in response to the amplifier signal, wherein the wavelength of the homogeneous harmonic output signal is different than the wavelength of the amplifier signal.

The present application is directed to a homogeneous laser light source and includes at least one modeless seed source configured to output at least one modeless seed signal, at least one amplifier in communication with and configured to receive the modeless seed signal from the seed source and output at least one modeless amplifier signal, and at least one nonlinear optical generator configured to receive the amplifier signal and generate at least one modeless harmonic output signal in response to the modeless amplifier signal, wherein the wavelength of the harmonic output signal is different than a wavelength of the modeless amplifier signal.

The present application is directed to a homogeneous laser light source and includes at least one modeless seed source configured to output at least one modeless seed signal, at least one amplifier in communication with and configured to receive the modeless seed signal from the seed source and output at least one modeless amplifier signal, and at least one nonlinear optical generator configured to receive the amplifier signal and generate at least one modeless harmonic output signal in response to the modeless amplifier signal, wherein the wavelength of the harmonic output signal is different than a wavelength of the modeless amplifier signal.

Aspects of the present disclosure may address the problem of coupling an input signal to a high-power laser device, where the output impedance of the device providing the input signal and the laser device input impedance differ. A coupler according to aspects of the present disclosure may be a capacitive coupler that may include parallel concentric coils, which may be comprised of wire or metal plate coils, or parallel plates, which may, in turn, be connected in series with a variable capacitive element. According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, parallel concentric coils and/or parallel plates may be arranged in parallel, and the input signal to the capacitive coupler may be switched to one or the other. The switching may be automated, based on frequency content or amplitude of the input signal.