An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photolithography system detects debris travelling from an EUV generation chamber to a scanner. The photolithography system includes a detection light source and a sensor. The detection light source outputs a detection light across a path of travel of debris particles from the EUV generation chamber. The sensor senses debris particles by detecting interaction of the debris particles with the detection light.

A photolithography system utilizes tin droplets to generate extreme ultraviolet radiation for photolithography. The photolithography system irradiates the droplets with a laser. The droplets become a plasma and emit extreme ultraviolet radiation. An array of sensors sense the extreme ultraviolet radiation and charged particles emitted by the droplets. A control system analyses sensor signals from the sensors and adjusts plasma generation parameters responsive to the sensor signals.

An extreme ultra violet (EUV) light source apparatus includes an excitation laser inlet port configured to receive an excitation laser, and a first mirror configured to reflect the excitation laser that passes through a zone of excitation. A metal droplet is irradiated by the excitation laser.

A target droplet source for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source includes a droplet generator configured to generate target droplets of a given material. The droplet generator includes a nozzle configured to supply the target droplets in a space enclosed by a chamber. The target droplet source further includes a sleeve disposed in the chamber distal to the nozzle. The sleeve is configured to provide a path for the target droplets in the chamber.

In a method of generating extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation in a semiconductor manufacturing system one or more streams of a gas is directed, through one or more gas outlets mounted over a rim of a collector mirror of an EUV radiation source, to generate a flow of the gas over a surface of the collector mirror. The one or more flow rates of the one or more streams of the gas are adjusted to reduce an amount of metal debris deposited on the surface of the collector mirror.

An extreme ultra violet (EUV) radiation source apparatus includes a collector, a target droplet generator for generating a tin (Sn) droplet, a rotatable debris collection device and a chamber enclosing at least the collector and the rotatable debris collection device. The rotatable debris collection device includes a first end support, a second end support and a plurality of vanes, ends of which are supported by the first end support and the second end support, respectively. A surface of at least one of the plurality of vanes is coated by a catalytic layer, which reduces a SnH.sub.4 to Sn.

An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photolithography system generates EUV light by irradiating droplets with a laser. The system includes a droplet generator with a nozzle and a piezoelectric structure coupled to the nozzle. The generator outputs groups of droplets. A control system applies a voltage waveform to the piezoelectric structure while the nozzle outputs the group of droplets. The waveform causes the droplets of the group to have a spread of velocities that results in the droplets coalescing into a single droplet prior to being irradiated by the laser.

An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source and a method for patterning a resist layer on a substrate using the EUV light source are disclosed. For example, the EUV light source includes a droplet generator, a droplet catcher, a laser source, a plurality of vanes, and a bucket. The droplet generator is to generate tin droplets. The droplet catcher is opposite to the droplet generator to catch the tin droplets. The laser source is to generate a laser beam striking the tin droplets to form a plasma. The plurality of vanes are arranged around an axis to collect tin debris created from the plasma. The bucket is connected to the vanes and includes a cover, a vane bucket, and a heater. The cover has an opening. The vane bucket is surrounded by the cover. The heater is on a sidewall of the cover and spaced apart from the droplet catcher.

There is provided a light source device for outputting an extreme ultraviolet light source based on an electron beam and a metal droplet, comprising: a chamber; an electron beam emission unit including a cathode electrode and a plurality of emitters, each of which contains a carbon-based material and which are arranged over the cathode electrode in such a manner as to be spaced apart from each other, the electron beam emission unit generating an electron beam within the chamber; an anode electrode positioned within the chamber, but in a manner that is spaced apart from the electron beam emission unit; and a droplet generation device injecting a metal droplet into a space between the electron beam emission unit and the anode electrode within the chamber, wherein, within the chamber, the metal droplet is ionized by the electron beam proceeding toward the anode electrode, thereby generating plasma, and extreme ultraviolet is generated from the plasma.

An extreme ultraviolet light generation chamber device includes a chamber in which a target substance irradiated with laser is turned into plasma and extreme ultraviolet light is generated, a tank configured to store the target substance, a nozzle having an internal space which communicates with the tank and the chamber, an exhaust device configured to exhaust the chamber, a supply device configured to supply a purge gas to the chamber, a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure in the chamber, and a processor. Here, the processor causes, before the target substance is melted, the exhaust device to exhaust a gas from the chamber, and after the gas is exhausted, performs supply operation to cause the supply device to supply the purge gas into the chamber and exhaust operation to cause the exhaust device to exhaust the purge gas from the chamber.