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In this contribution we describe a laser plasma source for Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) based on a Xe-cluster target. Although Xe-clusters as target systems for EUVL are known for some time, no attempts have been made for a systematic study of the influence of the laser parameters on the EUV-emission at a well defined Xe-aggregation. The MBI burst mode laser used offers some unique features: Within one burst (duration 800 μs) the repetition rate of single laser pulses can be adjusted between 30 and 1000 kHz. The average power per burst is about 5 kW at the maximum energy of 4 J/burst. The pulse duration of a single pulse can be adjusted from the ps- to ns-range. We have examined the EUV-emission from the Xe-cluster target within one burst of the laser as a function of single pulse intensity and repetition rate. Based on the measured EUV-spectra the conversion efficiency at 13.4 nm wavelength in dependence on pulse duration in the range from 30 ps to 3 ns were estimated.

In this article we describe a laser plasma source for Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) based on a liquid water jet target. Although jet targets are known for some time now, no attempts have been made to prove the functionality of the target under conditions similar to an EUVL production-line facility, that means illumination with high average power laser systems (in the multi-kW regime) at repetition rates in the kHz region. Such systems are currently under development. We used the MBI-burst laser to simulate these extreme illumination conditions. We examined the hydrodynamic stability of the target as a function of the laser repetition rate at different average laser powers (0.6kW and 5kW per burst). Additionally, the dependence of the conversion efficiency on pulse duration in the range from 30ps to 3ns was investigated. From our results one can conclude parameters for future design of driver lasers for EUVL systems.

The unique combination of an intense heavy ion beam accelerator and a high energy laser opens the possibility of exploring new physics taking advantage of the synergy of both facilities. A variety of new fields can be addressed with this combination in plasma physics, atomic physics, nuclear- and astro-physics as well as material research. In addition, using CPA-technology, laser pulses with a pulse power of up to a petawatt opens the door to explore the regime of fully relativistic plasmas. Therefore the Gesellschaft fuer Schwerionenforschung is augmenting the current high intensity upgrade of the heavy ion accelerator facility with the construction of PHELIX. Designed with two pulse-generating front ends and send to multiple experimental areas PHELIX will serve as a highly versatile laser system for various applications. In this report, we present the design of the laser system and some key experiments that can be performed with this combination for the first time.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

We discuss the results of the studies of Z-pinch sources for photolithographic applications developed by Lambda Physik. We also report the results of fundamental investigations pursued by Fraunhofer-Institut fuer Lasertechnik. Friedrich- Schiller Universitat Jena, Max-Born Institut Berlin, and Gustav August Universitat Gottingen. The later efforts are supported by German government and steered by the industrial consortium led by Lambda Physik.

We have developed a compact laser system capable of amplifying nanosecond-scale pulses form a few picojoules to 20J. The system has a 40-mm clear aperture and a 37-mm working aperture for high-energy output. We measured less than 1 wave phase distortion over full 37-mm aperture for a pulse with 18-J output energy at a shot repetition rate of one shot every 10 min. In experiments with a 30-mm diam beam, a flat-top spatial profile with 4 percent rms over the entire beam diameter was demonstrated for a 1-ns pulse with 20_j output energy. The amplifier has a net gain up to 1013 and fits easily on a 5-ft X 14-ft optical table.

We report on the MBI User Facility at BESSY II, presently under construction, which is dedicated to study the dynamics of photo-induced processes by combining laser and synchrotron pulses. In this paper we focus on the synchronization of a modelocked ultrafast Ti:sapphire laser to the Berlin electron storage ring for synchrotron radiation (BESSY). Two different techniques have been applied -- one based on a digital phase comparator and the other based on analog high-harmonic mixing. Both schemes may be easily adjusted to either single, multi- or hybrid-bunch operation of the synchrotron. Moreover, the temporal accuracy of the synchronization unit suitably matches the widths of the synchrotron pulses (some ten picoseconds) to be expected at BESSY II. Therefore, the currently performed test experiments at BESSY I provide the basis for time- resolved photon-induced experiments which combine laser and SR-undulator pulses in a pump-probe scheme at BESSY II. This facility will be available within the first half of 1999.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

A collisionally excited transient population inversion XUV-laser on [Ne]-like titanium has been realized using a table top terawatt laser. At the lasing wavelength of 32.6 nm a high gain value of 19 plus or minus 1.4 cm -1 has been obtained using plasma columns of 2 to 5 mm length.