Solid-State-Laser-Produced Microdroplet-Tin Plasma Sources of Extreme Ultraviolet Radiation

Laser-produced tin plasmas are used for the generation of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light for state-of-the-art nanolithography. Currently, CO2-gas lasers operating at 10-micrometer wavelength are used to drive the EUV-emitting plasma but with further developments regarding their output power, solid-state lasers operating at shorter, mid-infrared wavelengths may present a viable alternative. Such novel laser systems may provide a significantly higher efficiency in converting electrical power to laser light. We use an extensive diagnostic toolset to characterize and understand the physics of solid-state-laser-driven plasma light sources at the atomic level.