Observation of plasma inflows in laser-produced Sn plasma and their contribution to extreme-ultraviolet light output enhancement
Abstract Plasma dynamics are governed by electron density (n e), electron temperature (T e), and radiative energy transfer as well as by macroscopic flows. However, plasma flow-velocity fields (v flow) inside laser-produced plasmas (LPPs) have rarely been measured, owing to their small sizes (< 1...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2023-02-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-28500-8 |
| _version_ | 1811171686100238336 |
|---|---|
| author | Kentaro Tomita Yiming Pan Atsushi Sunahara Kouichiro Kouge Hakaru Mizoguchi Katsunobu Nishihara |
| author_facet | Kentaro Tomita Yiming Pan Atsushi Sunahara Kouichiro Kouge Hakaru Mizoguchi Katsunobu Nishihara |
| author_sort | Kentaro Tomita |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Plasma dynamics are governed by electron density (n e), electron temperature (T e), and radiative energy transfer as well as by macroscopic flows. However, plasma flow-velocity fields (v flow) inside laser-produced plasmas (LPPs) have rarely been measured, owing to their small sizes (< 1 mm) and short lifetimes (< 100 ns). Herein, we report, for the first time, two-dimensional (2D) v flow measurements of Sn-LPPs (“double-pulse” scheme with a CO2 laser) for extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) light sources for semiconductor lithography using the collective Thomson scattering technique, which is typically used to measure n e, T e, and averaged ionic charge (Z) of plasmas. Inside the EUV source, we observed plasma inflow speed exceeding 104 m/s magnitudes toward a plasma central axis from its peripheral regions. The time-resolved 2D profiles of n e, T e, Z, and v flow indicate that the plasma inflows maintain the EUV source at a temperature suitable (25 eV < T e < 40 eV) for EUV light emission at a high density (n e > 3 × 1024 m−3) and for a relatively long time (> 10 ns), resulting increment of total EUV light emission. These results indicate that controlling the plasma flow can improve EUV light output and that there is potential to increase the EUV output further. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T17:19:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-40a383b9716d4af1a1482149478b75d4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T17:19:13Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-40a383b9716d4af1a1482149478b75d42023-02-05T12:12:15ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-02-0113111310.1038/s41598-023-28500-8Observation of plasma inflows in laser-produced Sn plasma and their contribution to extreme-ultraviolet light output enhancementKentaro Tomita0Yiming Pan1Atsushi Sunahara2Kouichiro Kouge3Hakaru Mizoguchi4Katsunobu Nishihara5Division of Quantum Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido UniversityInterdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu UniversityCenter for Materials Under eXtreme Environment (CMUXE), School of Nuclear Engineering, Purdue UniversityGigaphoton Inc.Gigaphoton Inc.Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka UniversityAbstract Plasma dynamics are governed by electron density (n e), electron temperature (T e), and radiative energy transfer as well as by macroscopic flows. However, plasma flow-velocity fields (v flow) inside laser-produced plasmas (LPPs) have rarely been measured, owing to their small sizes (< 1 mm) and short lifetimes (< 100 ns). Herein, we report, for the first time, two-dimensional (2D) v flow measurements of Sn-LPPs (“double-pulse” scheme with a CO2 laser) for extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) light sources for semiconductor lithography using the collective Thomson scattering technique, which is typically used to measure n e, T e, and averaged ionic charge (Z) of plasmas. Inside the EUV source, we observed plasma inflow speed exceeding 104 m/s magnitudes toward a plasma central axis from its peripheral regions. The time-resolved 2D profiles of n e, T e, Z, and v flow indicate that the plasma inflows maintain the EUV source at a temperature suitable (25 eV < T e < 40 eV) for EUV light emission at a high density (n e > 3 × 1024 m−3) and for a relatively long time (> 10 ns), resulting increment of total EUV light emission. These results indicate that controlling the plasma flow can improve EUV light output and that there is potential to increase the EUV output further.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-28500-8 |
| spellingShingle | Kentaro Tomita Yiming Pan Atsushi Sunahara Kouichiro Kouge Hakaru Mizoguchi Katsunobu Nishihara Observation of plasma inflows in laser-produced Sn plasma and their contribution to extreme-ultraviolet light output enhancement Scientific Reports |
| title | Observation of plasma inflows in laser-produced Sn plasma and their contribution to extreme-ultraviolet light output enhancement |
| title_full | Observation of plasma inflows in laser-produced Sn plasma and their contribution to extreme-ultraviolet light output enhancement |
| title_fullStr | Observation of plasma inflows in laser-produced Sn plasma and their contribution to extreme-ultraviolet light output enhancement |
| title_full_unstemmed | Observation of plasma inflows in laser-produced Sn plasma and their contribution to extreme-ultraviolet light output enhancement |
| title_short | Observation of plasma inflows in laser-produced Sn plasma and their contribution to extreme-ultraviolet light output enhancement |
| title_sort | observation of plasma inflows in laser produced sn plasma and their contribution to extreme ultraviolet light output enhancement |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-28500-8 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kentarotomita observationofplasmainflowsinlaserproducedsnplasmaandtheircontributiontoextremeultravioletlightoutputenhancement AT yimingpan observationofplasmainflowsinlaserproducedsnplasmaandtheircontributiontoextremeultravioletlightoutputenhancement AT atsushisunahara observationofplasmainflowsinlaserproducedsnplasmaandtheircontributiontoextremeultravioletlightoutputenhancement AT kouichirokouge observationofplasmainflowsinlaserproducedsnplasmaandtheircontributiontoextremeultravioletlightoutputenhancement AT hakarumizoguchi observationofplasmainflowsinlaserproducedsnplasmaandtheircontributiontoextremeultravioletlightoutputenhancement AT katsunobunishihara observationofplasmainflowsinlaserproducedsnplasmaandtheircontributiontoextremeultravioletlightoutputenhancement |