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Development of the European free-electron laser at ELETTRA as a VUV research facility

Deliverables

An optimised mirror has been developed based on an evaporated stack of pure fluoride, to provide the high reflectivity, protected with a dense sputtered (IBS) SiO2 layer allowed a stable lasing at 180 nm. The progress could only be achieved at LZH after a thorough optimisation of the whole deposition procedure. For the deposition different deposition plants have to be combined to deposit first the fluoride stack with highest quality and subsequently the oxide protection layer with a vanishing absorption in the oxide material. These mirror systems showed a minimum degradation after the irradiation experiment. Applications outside the consortium are the use of such mirror system under harsh environmental conditions. Such mirrors could be employed as end mirrors in excimer laser systems (ArF). Usually the reactive environment of the fluoride laser gas reduces the durability of optical components inside the resonator. Currently lifetime investigations are ongoing. A further important application field are the use of the dense protection coatings for the new stepper systems with water immersion fluid in semiconductor lithography. The IBS protection layer delivers pinhole free and stable dielectric layers. Finally, medical applications will benefit of the development. Especially in the use of direct contacted UV and VUV optics to a humid/wet environment.

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