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We present the results of an experimental study of soft X-ray (SXR) and extreme ultraviolet emission spectra of the plasma produced by exposing a plane solid beryllium target to laser radiation with broad frequency and angular spectra. SXR lines up to 1s – 9p of Be IV as well as the plasma continuum are recorded for a laser focal-spot intensity of 5.3 × 1013 W cm−2. To model the SXR beryllium plasma spectra, simulations are carried out using the INDHAUS programme and the FLYCHK code in the framework of local thermodynamic equilibrium model, which agree nicely with experimentally obtained results.

The results of a laser—matter interaction experiment are presented in the paper. Low-density volume-structured material (cellulose triacetate) is used as a target in the experiments. Low-density materials are of interest for both fundamental and applied research. The information on how the parameters of the target and laser radiation influence the penetration of laser radiation through the generated plasma layer is generalized. The energy, spatial, spectral, and temporal characteristics of the plasma of low-density cellulose triacetate targets are analyzed.

The energy spectrum and the distribution of the total charge over the ion energy are studied for plasma produced by partially coherent radiation of the neodymium glass laser with a power density of ~1013 W/cm2 in the focusing spot incident on continuous gadolinium (Gd) and aluminum(Al) plates. The spectra of plasma ions for gadolinium and aluminumtargets are presented at laser radiation energies of 2, 7, 20 J and 1 J, respectively. For the gadolinium target, an increase in the peak amplitudes in ion spectra with increasing influencing radiation energy and manifestations of higher-energy ions are observed. The difference in the ion emission for gadolinium and aluminum targets is also recorded at close radiation energies of 2 and 1 J, respectively.

The results of experimental measurements of the hydrodynamic efficiency of laser plasma for aluminum and copper targets are presented. The studies were performed on the “Kanal-2” laser setup system using the ballistic pendulum method. The pressure in the interaction chamber was 10−4 Torr, the pendulum length was 145 mm, the mass of the pendulum with a target was 7.2 g. At the half-height pulse duration of 2.5 ns, the power density on the target surface was ∼1013 W/cm2. In the case of aluminum target, the hydrodynamic efficiency coefficient increased from 1.5% to 4.5% with increasing laser pulse energy from 5 J to 10 J, whereas it remained at the level of 5% for the copper target.

Dynamics and spectral transmission of Al plasma produced by extreme ultraviolet (EUV) irradiation of 0.75-μm thick Al foil is investigated. The EUV radiation with the peak power density in the range of 0.19–0.54 TW/cm2 is provided by Z-pinch formed by W multiwire array implosion in the Angara-5-1 facility. Geometry of the experiment ensures that there are no plasma fluxes from the pinch toward the Al foil and plasma. The same EUV source is used as a back illuminator for obtaining the absorption spectrum of Al plasma in the wavelength range of 5–24 nm. It comprises absorption lines of ions Al4+, Al5+, Al6+, Al7+. Analysis of relative intensities of the lines shows that those ions are formed in dense Al plasma with a temperature of ∼20 eV. Dynamics of Al plasma has been investigated with transverse laser probing. We have also performed radiation-gas-dynamics simulations of plasma dynamics affected by external radiation, which includes self-consistent radiation transport in a plasma shell. The simulations show good agreement with an experimental absorption spectrum and with experimental data concerning plasma dynamics, as well as with the analysis of line absorption spectrum. This confirms the correctness of the physical model underlying these simulations.

The effect of induced transparency of thin Al foils radiatively heated by intense extreme ultraviolet (EVU) radiation has been observed. The radiation of the plasma of Z-pinches appearing under the compression of tungsten liners at the Angara-5-1 facility has been used as the radiation that heats the Al foil (peak illumination on the foil ~0.55 TW/cm2) and is transmitted through it. The photoabsorption has been studied in the formed aluminum plasma at temperatures of ~10–30 eV in the density range of ~1–20 mg/cm3 in the wavelength range of ~5–24 nm. Absorption lines of Al4+...7+ ions have been identified in the experimental spectrum. In addition, radiative gas-dynamic simulations of the foil heating and expansion have been performed taking into account radiation transfer processes.

Characteristics of a source of laser-induced radiation in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) range, obtained in a discharge between two jets of liquid tin, are investigated. The possibility of designing a high-brightness EUV source on this basis for employing in mask inspection techniques in projection EUV lithography is demonstrated. The average efficiency of converting the electric energy to radiation in the spectral range of 13.5 ± 0.135 nm is approximately 2%/2π sr with the size of emitting plasma 0.2 ± 0.35 mm. The possibility of producing a EUV source with a brightness of about 200 W (mm2 sr)-1 is demonstrated.

A centrifugal pump for transmitting molten metals and other liquids with a working temperature as high as 380°C is described. The pump ensures a head pressure of up to 9 atm and a flow rate of up to 1 m3/h. A rotary torque is transmitted from the electric motor to the turbine of the pump by means of the alternatingpole magnetic coupling. The compactness of the design is ensured by a vacuum gap between the “hot” inner and “cold” outer half-couplings. The pump is applied in high-power X-ray and extreme ultraviolet sources for forming liquid tin jets used as updated electrodes (in sources based on a discharge plasma) or a updated target (in sources based on a laser plasma), where it ensures velocities of tin jets of up to 15 m/s.

Soft X-ray spectra (30–70 A) of aluminum plasma have been measured in experiments carried out at the Kanal-2 laser facility at laser intensities of (1–7) × 1013 W/cm2. It is shown that the measured spectra satisfactory agree with those calculated using the RADIAN numerical code.

The results of the study of laser plasma generated by nanosecond laser radiation with controlled spatial coherence incident on various targets containing gadolinium are presented. X-ray radiation of such plasma is studied using an X-ray diagnostic system developed and fabricated by the authors. Metal gadolinium, gadolinium oxide, gadolinium and aluminum alloy, and aluminum were used as targets. The electron temperature of generated plasma and the efficiency of laser-to-X-ray radiation conversion are estimated; the emitting region sizes are determined. Particular attention is paid to the study of laser plasma spectra in the X-ray region near the wavelength of 6.7 nm.

Experimental results on the spatial distribution of X-ray radiation of the plasma generated by nanosecond laser radiation incident on a target made of carbon nanotubes are presented and compared with the results obtained for solid-state magnesium targets.

An experimental study of oxide reduction at the surface of ruthenium layers on top of multilayer mirrors and thin Ru/Si films is presented. Oxidation and reduction processes were observed under conditions close to those relevant for extreme ultraviolet lithography. The oxidized ruthenium surface was exposed to a low-temperature hydrogen plasma, similar to the plasma induced by extreme ultraviolet radiation. The experiments show that hydrogen ions are the main reducing agent. Furthermore, the addition of hydrogen radicals increases the reduction rate beyond that expected from simple flux calculations. We show that low-temperature hydrogen plasmas can be effective for reducing oxidized top surfaces. Our proof-of-concept experiments show that an in situ, EUV-generated plasma cleaning technology is feasible.

The results of investigation of a capillary discharge plasma, used as a source of intense VUV radiation and soft X-rays, are presented. The plasma was generated during the discharge of low-inductance condensers in a gas-filled ceramic capillary. Intense line radiation was observed in a broad spectral range (30-400 A) in various gases (CO2, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe). The absolute radiation yield for the xenon discharge was ~5 mJ (2π sr)-1 pulse-1 within a spectral band of width 9 A at 135 A. Such a radiation source can be used for various practical applications, such as EUV projection lithography, microscopy of biological objects in a 'water window', reflectometry, etc.

Molecular contamination of a grazing incidence collector for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography was experimentally studied. A carbon film was found to have grown under irradiation from a pulsed tin plasma discharge. Our studies show that the film is chemically inert and has characteristics that are typical for a hydrogenated amorphous carbon film. It was experimentally observed that the film consists of carbon (~70 at. %), oxygen (~20 at. %) and hydrogen (bound to oxygen and carbon), along with a few at. % of tin. Most of the oxygen and hydrogen are most likely present as OH groups, chemically bound to carbon, indicating an important role for adsorbed water during the film formation process. It was observed that the film is predominantly sp3 hybridized carbon, as is typical for diamond-like carbon. The Raman spectra of the film, under 514 and 264 nm excitation, are typical for hydrogenated diamond-like carbon. Additionally, the lower etch rate and higher energy threshold in chemical ion sputtering in H2 plasma, compared to magnetron-sputtered carbon films, suggests that the film exhibits diamond-like carbon properties., 18 pages, 10 figures

Cleaning of contamination of optical surfaces by amorphous carbon (a-C) is highly relevant for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. We have studied the mechanisms for a-C removal from a Si surface. By comparing a-C removal in a surface wave discharge (SWD) plasma and an EUV-induced plasma, the cleaning mechanisms for hydrogen and helium gas environments were determined. The C-atom removal per incident ion was estimated for different sample bias voltages and ion fluxes. It was found that H2 plasmas generally had higher cleaning rates than He plasmas: up to seven times higher for more negatively biased samples in EUV-induced plasma. Moreover, for H2, EUV-induced plasma was found to be 2-3 times more efficient at removing carbon than the SWD plasma. It was observed that carbon removal during exposure to He is due to physical sputtering by He+ ions. In H2, on the other hand, the increase in carbon removal rates is due to chemical sputtering. This is a new C cleaning mechanism for EUV-induced plasma, which we call 'EUV-reactive ion sputtering'. © 2014 IOP Publishing Ltd.

A new approach for discharge-produced plasma (DPP) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) sources based on the usage of two liquid metallic alloy jets as discharge electrodes has been proposed and tested. Discharge was ignited using laser ablation of one of the cathode jets. A system with two jet electrodes was tested at a repetition rate of 1 to 5 kHz with dissipated electrical power up to 20 kW. Radiating spectra, time characteristics, and conversion efficiency are similar to conventional DPP schemes with rotating wheels. In the first experiments, the Ga:Sn eutectic alloy, which is liquid at room temperature, was circulating in a closed loop. The high velocity of the jets (30 m/s 30 m/s ) ensures a renewed electrode surface for every shot, for a repetition rate frequency of up to 30 to 50 kHz, and provides effective heat transportation from the discharge zone. Modeling and experiments demonstrate that the proposed scheme is able to dissipate up to 200 kW of electrical power without overheating the nozzles and tin surface. It was found that the flexible electrode configuration allows the channeling of essential parts of debris plasma in directions opposite to the EUV collector.

Emission of radiation at short wavelengths demands hot plasmas, which are readily produced by the pinch effect. This term describes the self-constriction accompanied by heating of discharges by the magnetic field B of the current I in a discharge plasma. Pinching starts when the magnetic field pressure B2∕2μ0 exceeds the plasma particle pressure p, and it stops when the two are equal; this condition describes a magnetically confined plasma column. There are two complementary geometries: the linear, or Z, pinch and the Θ pinch (Fig. 6.1). Both are axially symmetric. In the Z pinch the current flows along the axis (Z direction) and the plasma is confined by the azimuthal magnetic field of the current. In the second arrangement an azimuthal current (in the Θ direction) is induced in the plasma column by a rapidly varying current in a single-turn coil around the discharge vessel, and the confining magnetic field is parallel to the axis. Both discharges are operated in a pulsed mode, since the high currents required can conveniently be supplied only by discharging properly designed capacitor banks. Operation in pulsed mode is useful also for other reasons: the lifetime of hot plasma columns is limited by plasma losses at the ends of the column on the one hand, and on the other hand these plasmas are prone to hydromagnetic instabilities, which are extremely serious in the case of the Z pinch. However, the transformation of electrical energy into plasma is rather inefficient in Θ-pinch devices of short length; thus nearly all discharge-based EUV sources employ the linear geometry. A typical Z-pinch discharge proceeds as follows: high voltage is applied to the electrodes of the discharge tube, and after breakdown the current starts to flow in a thin cylindrical low-temperature plasma shell adjacent to the insulating wall. This current produces a corresponding magnetic field outside the shell, which accelerates the plasma like a piston or a slug toward the axis till it stagnates on the axis. For rough estimates, modeling of the compression employing a simple “snowplow” model suffices, although a detailed description of the plasma state requires solving MHD equations combined with kinetic codes for ionization and population of the atomic species, taking into account also radiative transport. A cylindrical shock wave running ahead of the piston is characteristic of fast discharges. Several calculations are presented in this book; see, for example, Chapter 11. In this chapter we focus on the development of a magnetically confined plasma cylinder consisting of strongly radiating ions after it has been formed on the axis. In this state, energy is transferred to the plasma mainly by Joule heating.