双脉冲激光锡等离子体光源的碎屑动力学研究

极紫外光刻是下一代大容量集成电路制造中最有发展前景的技术之一,而碎屑的减缓及阻挡一直是极紫外光刻光源研究中亟需解决的关键问题。研究了双纳秒激光脉冲辐照锡靶产生的等离子体碎屑的动力学演化。结果表明,等离子体碎屑强烈依赖于预脉冲的能量及其与主脉冲的时间延迟,当预脉冲能量为30 mJ, 双脉冲时间间隔150 ns情况下,大部分锡离子的能量从2.47 keV降低到0.40 keV,降低了6.1倍,碎屑得到了有效抑制。通过对碎屑动能角分布的测量,发现此方法可以有效减缓全角度范围的激光锡等离子体碎屑,并且越接近靶材法线方向,碎屑的动能减少得越多。     

Gd靶激光等离子体6.7nm光源的实验研究

本文对Gd靶激光等离子体极紫外光源进行了实验研究, 在 6.7 nm附近获得了较强的辐射, 并研究了6.7 nm 附近光辐射随打靶激光功率密度变化的规律以及收集角度对极紫外辐射的影响. 同时, 对平面Gd靶激光等离子光源的离子碎屑角分布进行了测量, 发现从靶面的法线到沿着靶面平行方向上Gd离子数量依次减少. 进一步研究结果表明采用0.9 T外加磁场的条件下可取得较好的Gd 离子碎屑阻挡效果.     

Effect of prepulse laser wavelength on EUV emission from CO2 reheated laser-produced Sn plasma

We investigated the role of prepulse laser wavelength on extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) emission and ionic debris generation. A 6 ns Nd:YAG laser operating at 266 nm was used to generate a pre-plasma that was then reheated by a 35 ns CO₂ laser pumping pulse at 10.6 μm. At an ideal delay time, improvement in EUV conversion efficiency (CE) of up to 30 % was seen compared to the CE from the pumping pulse alone. It was also shown that the most probable Sn ion kinetic energies were reduced significantly with the use of a prepulse, however, ion fluence increased. These results were compared to those obtained using a 1064 nm prepulse.     

2D parameter optimization of Ne-like Cr x-ray laser on slab

A method of studying a non-equilibrium x-ray laser plasma is developed by extending the existing one-dimensional similarity equations to the case of two-dimensional plasma study in the directions perpendicular to the slab and along a focal line. With this method the characteristics of pre-plasma are optimized for transient neon-like Cr x-ray laser. It is found that when the duration and the intensity of 1.053μm pre-pulse are 1.2ns and 6.5 TW/cm² respectively with a delay time of 1.5ns, the temperature and the temperature discrepancy each approach a proper state, which will provide a uniform distribution of properly ionized neon-like Cr ions before the arrival of pumping pulse.     

EUV radiation characteristics of a CO2 laser produced Xe plasma

A CO₂ laser-driven Xe liquid jet plasma has been studied with respect to its usability as a EUV lithography light source. A short-pulse TEA-CO₂ master oscillator power amplifier system (MOPA) and a pre-pulse Nd:YAG laser were used for the plasma generation. The dependence of EUV plasma parameters, e.g., conversion efficiency, plasma image, in-band and out-of-band spectra, on the delay time between the pre-pulse and the main pulse laser was investigated. A maximum conversion efficiency of 0.6% was obtained at a delay time of about 200 ns. In addition, characteristics of fast ions were measured by the time-of-flight method. The peak energy of the fast ion energy distribution decreased significantly at delay times longer than 200 ns. This result is very promising with respect to a collector mirror lifetime extension by magnetic field mitigation. PACS 52.50.Jm     

Demonstration of Mo Soft X-Ray Lasers with a Grazing Incidence Pumping Scheme in the XL-II Facility

A Ni-like Mo soft x-ray laser （SXRLs） operating at 18.9nm has been demonstrated by employing a grazing incidence pumping scheme with 120m^3 in the 200ps pre-pulse and 140mJ in the 200fs main pulse. The SXRL gain is estimated to be 1.5-3cm^-1 when a grazing incidence angle of 14° is applied. Numerical simulations are also performed to investigate the dynamics of the ion distribution. It is found that a high intensity at 2.4× 10^14 W/cm^2 of the 200fs main pulse could heat the pre-plasma rapidly to an appropriate temperature for population inversion, and could compensate for the shortage of the total pump energy to a certain extent.     

激励软X光激光的毛细管预-主脉冲放电装置

 介绍了主脉冲和预脉冲的产生电路、预-主脉冲延时触发的方案以及对预-主脉冲的联调结果。毛细管放电X光激光装置经改造后，抑制了原有电流幅值过大的预脉冲，外加预脉冲发生器可以提供幅值几十A的预脉冲。预 主脉冲的联调结果表明，预脉冲的电流为20A，主脉冲的第一个峰的峰值电流为40.1kA，前沿为26.6ns，脉宽38ns，预-主脉冲之间的触发延时在3～50μs之间可调。     

Protons and carbon ions acceleration in the target-normal-sheath-acceleration regime using low-contrast fs laser and metal-graphene targets

fs pulsed lasers at an intensity of the order of 10¹⁸ W/cm², with a contrast of 10⁻⁵, were employed to irradiate thin foils to study the target-normal-sheath-acceleration (TNSA) regime. The forward ion acceleration was investigated using 1/11 µm thickness foils composed of a metallic sheet on which a thin reduced graphene oxide film with 10 nm thickness was deposited by single or both faces. The forward-accelerated ions were detected using SiC semiconductors connected in time-of-flight configuration. The use of intense and long pre-pulse generating the low contrast does not permit to accelerate protons above 1 MeV because it produces a pre-plasma destroying the foil, and the successive main laser pulse interacts with the expanding plasma and not with the overdense solid surface. Experimental results demonstrated that the maximum proton energies of about 700 keV and of 4.2 MeV carbon ions and higher were obtained under the condition of the optimal acceleration procedure. The measurements of ion energy and charge states confirm that the acceleration per charge state is measurable from the proton energy, confirming the Coulomb–Boltzmann-shifted theoretical model. However, heavy ions cannot be accelerated due to their mass and low velocity, which does not permit them to be subjected to the fast and high developed electric field driving the light-ion acceleration. The ion acceleration can be optimized based on the laser focal positioning and on the foil thickness, composition, and structure, as it will be presented and discussed.     

Non-uniform Influence of Prepulse Duration on a Nickel-Like Mo X-Ray Laser in XLIII

An experiment on a transient nickel-like Mo x-ray laser in the extreme light III (XL III) laser facility is analyzed, based on the two-dimensional hydrodynamic evolutions of a plasma under a non-uniform incident laser. Influences of the pulse duration and intensity on plasma scale length, electron density, temperature, as well as their distributions are investigated, based on which the pre-pulse character and delay time are determined according to the parameters of laser line focus on XLIII. It is found that the optimal intensity of the pre-pulse is 1.0TW/cm² with a duration of 500ps; a well modified pre-plasma can be obtained after 1.6ns under low quality line focus in the lab.     

Bi靶激光等离子体极紫外光源以及碎屑辐射特性研究

激光等离子体极紫外光源具有体积小、稳定性高和输出波长可调节等优势,在极紫外光刻领域发挥着重要的作用。Bi靶激光等离子体极紫外光源在波长9～17 nm范围内具有较宽的光谱,可应用于制造极紫外光刻机过程中所需的极紫外计量学领域。利用平像场光谱仪和法拉第杯对Bi靶激光等离子体极紫外光源以及离子碎屑辐射特性进行了实验研究。在单脉冲激光打靶条件下,实验中观察到Bi靶激光等离子极紫外光谱在波长12.3 nm处出现了一个明显的凹陷,其对应着Si L-edge的吸收,是Bi元素光谱的固有属性。相应地在波长为11.8和12.5 nm位置处产生了两个宽带的辐射峰。研究了两波长光谱特性以及辐射强度随激光功率密度的变化。结果表明,在改变聚焦光斑大小实现不同激光功率密度（0.7×1010～3.1×1010 W·cm-2）过程中,当功率密度为2.0×1010 W·cm-2时两波长处的光辐射最强,其原因归结为Bi靶极紫外光辐射强度受激光能量用于支撑等离子膨胀的损失和极紫外光被等离子体再吸收之间的平衡制约所致。在改变激光能量实现不同激光功率密度过程中,由于烧蚀材料和产生两波长所需高阶离子随着功率密度的增加而增加,增强了两波长处的光辐射。进一步,研究了双脉冲激光对Bi靶极紫外光谱辐射特性影响,实验发现双脉冲打靶下原来在单脉冲打靶时出现在波长13～14 nm范围内的凹陷消失。最后,对单脉冲激光作用Bi靶产生极紫外光源碎屑角分布进行了测量。结果表明,当探测方向从靶面法线方向移动到沿着靶面方向上的过程中,探测到Bi离子动能依次减小,并且离子动能随激光脉冲能量降低而呈线性减小。此项研究有望为我国在研制极紫外光刻机过程所需的计量学领域提供技术支持和打下夯实的基础。     

用于等离子体诊断的ps激光探针

 ps激光探针作为激光等离子体诊断的探针光源，它是通过两次倍频和两次受激喇曼散射，将波长为1 054nm、脉宽约为1ns激光转换成波长为308nm、脉宽小于30ps的紫外光。研究结果表明：探针光系统输出能量大于1mJ，脉宽小于30ps，均匀性较好，运行成功率大于90%，满足了激光等离子体诊断的要求。     

激光诱导Ti等离子体电子温度的实验研究

室温,常压下,利用Nd∶YAG脉冲激光器产生的波长为1 064 nm, 脉宽12 ns,能量分别180, 230和280 mJ的脉冲激光冲击Ti靶,使用中阶梯光栅光谱仪检测了三种激光能量下对应的光谱。调节延时器DG645的延迟时间,检测了延迟0～500 ns时间范围内Ti等离子体对应激光能量下的发射光谱,分析光谱,可以得到了九条不同的的TiⅠ 和TiⅡ等离子体谱线,证明在该实验条件下,Ti靶能够充分吸收能量电离且离子谱线具有不同的演化速率,利用Saha-Boltzmann法计算并分析Ti等离子体电子温度,实验结果表明：相同的延迟时间,激光能量越大,谱线相对强度越大,电子温度越高,谱线相对强度的变化量随激光能量的变化量增大而增大;在延时0～150 ns内,三种激光能量下的等离子体电子温度和谱线的相对强度都随延迟时间的增加而快速下降,其中280 mJ激光能量下的等离子体电子温度和谱线强度下降速率较快;在150～250 ns范围内,电子温度和谱线强度均随延迟时间的增加有一个缓慢的上升,180 mJ激光能量下的等离子体电子温度和谱线强度的上升速率较快。250～500 ns范围内,三种激光能量下的电子温度和谱线强度均随延迟时间的增加而缓慢下降。     

Laser-produced plasma helium-like titanium Kα x-ray source and its application to Rayleighben-Taylor instability study

Several experiments are performed on the ShenGuang-II laser facility to investigate an x-ray source and test radiography concepts. X-ray lines emitted from laser-produced plasmas are the most practical means of generating these high intensity sources. By using a time-integrated space-resolved keV spectroscope and pinhole camera, potential helium-like titanium Kα x-ray backlighting (radiography) line source is studied as a function of laser wavelength, ratio of pre-pulse intensity to main pulse intensity, and laser intensity (from 7.25 to ～11.3× 10¹⁵ W/cm²⁾. One-dimensional radiography using a grid consisting of 5 μm Au wires on 16 μm period and the pinhole-assisted point projection is tested. The measurements show that the size of the helium-like titanium Kα source from a simple foil target is larger than 100 μm, and relative x-ray line emission conversion efficiency ξ_x from the incident laser light energy to helium-like titanium K-shell spectrum increases significantly with pre-pulse intensity increasing, increases rapidly with laser wavelength decreasing, and increases moderately with main laser intensity increasing. It is also found that a gold gird foils can reach an imaging resolution better than 5-μm featured with high contrast. It is further demonstrated that the pinhole-assisted point projection at such a level will be a novel two-dimensional imaging diagnostic technique for inertial confinement fusion experiments.     

Simulations of grazing-incidence pumped Ni-like Sn X-ray laser at 11.9 nm

Grazing-incidence pumped Ni-like Sn X-ray laser media at 11.9 nm (4d-4p, J = 0-1) is modelled using code EHYBRID and a post-processor code. The required atomic data are obtained using the Cowan code. In this study the pre-formed plasma is pumped on longitudinal direction with a grazing angle. Detailed simulations were performed to optimize the driving laser configurations. Relatively high gain is produced for the Ni-like Sn X-ray laser at 11.9 nm with long pre-pulse and short main pulse drive energy of only 100 mJ on 4 mm slab targets. Using low intensity pre-pulse prior to long pulse decreases the electron density gradient. X-ray resonance lines between 13 and 25 Å emitted from tin plasma have been simulated using post-processor coupled with EHYBRID. The ratio of these resonance lines can be used to measure electron temperature of the laser produced Sn plasma.     

啁啾匹配OPCPA方案用于消除超短激光脉冲的预脉冲

采用了一种利用啁啾匹配光参量啁啾脉冲放大（OPCPA）技术来消除泵浦脉冲时间窗口内的预脉冲的方法,并对该方法展开了数值模拟研究。分析了泵浦光脉冲形状、预脉冲提前时间等因素对预脉冲消除效果以及信噪比提升情况的影响。通过与传统的非共线OPCPA方案对比,发现啁啾匹配OPCPA方案可以消除掉离主脉冲更近的预脉冲,且它对预脉冲的消除效果受泵浦光脉冲形状的影响较小。     

A review of Ni-like X-ray laser experiments undertaken using the VULCAN laser at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

Recent progress using the VULCAN laser at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory to pump X-ray lasing in nickel-like ions is reviewed. Double pulse pumping with ∼100 ps pulses has been shown to produce significantly greater X-ray laser output than single pulses of duration 0.1–1 ns. With double pulse pumping, the main pumping pulse interacts with a pre-formed plasma created by a pre-pulse. The efficiency of lasing increases as there is a reduced effect of refraction of the X-ray laser beam due to smaller density gradients and larger gain volumes, which enable propagation of the X-ray laser beam along the full length of the target. The record shortest wavelength saturated laser at 5.9 nm has been achieved in Ni-like dysprosium using double pulse pumping of 75 ps duration from the VULCAN laser. A variant of the double pulse pumping using a single ∼100 ps laser pulse and a superimposed short ∼1 ps pulse has been found to further increase the efficiency of lasing by reducing the effects of over-ionisation during the gain period. The record shortest wavelength saturated laser pumped by a short ∼1 ps pulse has been achieved in Ni-like samarium using the VULCAN laser operating in chirped pulse amplified (CPA) mode. Ni-like samarium lases at 7.3 nm.     

飞秒激光烧蚀硅表面产生等离子体的发射光谱研究

对中心波长为800 nm,脉宽为100 fs的激光脉冲烧蚀空气中硅(111)产生的等离子体发射光谱进行了时间和空间分辨研究. 结果表明,在等离子体羽膨胀初期(小于50 ns时间范围内),等离子体发射光谱主要由连续光谱构成,此后连续光谱强度逐渐减弱,线状光谱开始占主导地位;在羽体膨胀过程中离子谱线的存在时间短于原子谱线的存在时间. 由时间分辨发射光谱发现在羽体膨胀过程中等离子体辐射波长存在红移现象,波长红移量随时间演化呈二次指数衰减. 最后给出等离子体发射光谱谱线强度的时空演化规律. 关键词： 飞秒激光 脉冲激光烧蚀 等离子体 发射光谱     

超强激光与固体气体复合靶作用产生高能氦离子

激光氦离子源产生的MeV能量的氦离子因有望用于聚变反应堆材料辐照损伤的模拟研究而得到关注.目前激光驱动氦离子源的主要方案是采用相对论激光与氦气射流作用加速高能氦离子,但这种方案在实验上难以产生具有前向性和准单能性、数MeV能量、高产额的氦离子束,而这些氦离子束特性是材料辐照损伤研究中十分关注的.不同于上述激光氦离子产生方法,我们提出了一种利用超强激光与固体-气体复合靶作用产生氦离子的新方法.利用这种方法,在实验上,采用功率密度5×10~(18)W/cm~2的皮秒脉宽的激光脉冲与铜-氦气复合靶作用,产生了前向发射的2.7 MeV的准单能氦离子束,能量超过0.5 MeV的氦离子产额约为10~(13)/sr.二维粒子模拟显示,氦离子在靶背鞘场加速和类无碰撞冲击波加速两种加速机理共同作用下得到加速.同时粒子模拟还显示氦离子截止能量与超热电子温度成正比.     

激光能量对激光诱导Cu等离子体特征辐射强度、电子温度的影响

利用Nd:YAG激光(波长1 064 nm,脉宽10 ns)烧蚀金属Cu靶获得等离子体 .改变激光脉冲能量,观测到Cu的原子谱线和离子谱线随激光脉冲能量有不同的变化关系, 但都在330 mJ/pulse时,谱线强度达到最大,随后在330 mJ～370 mJ/pulse间出现一小平台 ,能量继续增加,各谱线强度减小.同时,使用烧蚀Cu靶产生的五条原子谱线(465.11 nm,5 10.55 nm,515.32 nm,521.82 nm,529.25 nm)的相对强度,在局部热力学平衡近似下,利用B oltzmann图的最小二乘法拟合,测定了不同激光能量下Cu等离子体的电子温度.随激光能量的增加,电子温度近似单调地从1.02×104 K上升到1.46×104 K后,反而有所下降.     

Electron energy spectrum in the field-ionized plasma

In this article, the effect of ionization on the energy spectrum of electrons within the interaction of a laser pulse with hydrogen atoms is investigated using particle-in-cell simulation codes. The results show that the behaviour of electrons' energy distribution function in the field-ionized plasma, which occurred due to the field ionization, compared with that in the pre-plasma strongly depends on the pulse shape. For short rise-time pulses (here 30 fs), due to the rapid enhancement of laser electric field, ionization occurs quickly, and as a result, there is not much difference in the electron energy in both the media. However, for pulses with rise time of 40 fs, in the pre-plasma state, the electron population reaches higher energies compared with the field-ionized plasma state. The main reason for this difference is the nonlinear wave breaking that happens earlier due to density inhomogeneity in the field-ionized plasma. On the other hand, at longer rise-time pulses (here 60 and 70 fs), electrons achieve higher energies in the field-ionized plasma than those in the case of pre-plasma. In this case, because of density fluctuations in the field-ionized plasma, the Raman backscattered radiations are seeded by a strong initial noise at the earlier times and the Mendonca condition for chaos threshold is met sooner. Therefore, the electrons gain more energy through the stochastic mechanism that is in agreement with chaotic nature of the motion.