JPH0719668B2 - Plasma x-ray source - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a plasma X-ray source.

[Conventional technology]

The vacuum trigger gear of a vacuum trigger gear device having an outer conductor, a vacuum trigger gear, etc. has been conventionally used as a switch for a pulse high current circuit because it consumes less electrodes and can carry a large current. As described in JP-A-48-5545, a conventional vacuum trigger gear is provided with opposing main electrodes in a vacuum container, and a trigger electrode is provided on one of the main electrodes. The bird applies a pulse source between the electrode and the main electrode to cause discharge, and discharge between the main electrodes.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

Since the above-mentioned prior art does not consider reduction of the inductance of the vacuum trigger gear of the vacuum trigger gear device, it has a problem that it cannot be applied as a high-speed pulse source of a plasma X-ray source. Generally, for a plasma X-ray source, the electric field distortion type trigger gear described in JP-A-61-173496 is used. Since the electric field distortion type is large for high voltage and large current conduction and the switch inductance is large, a large number of switches are used in parallel to achieve current carrying capacity and low inductance. The vacuum trigger gear has a high voltage,
It is suitable for energizing large currents, but is expensive due to restrictions on the materials used, including degassing by heating at about 300 ° C. Also,
When it is applied to a plasma X-ray source, the discharge is repeated several times per second, so that it has a limited life and needs to be replaced easily.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to provide a plasma X-ray source capable of reducing the inductance of a vacuum trigger gear device and facilitating maintenance management. .

[Means for solving problems]

The above object is achieved by providing an external lead terminal at at least one end of both ends of the outer conductor, arranging the outer conductor coaxially with the vacuum trigger gear on the outer circumference of the vacuum trigger gear, and detachably forming the vacuum trigger gear. It

[Action]

Since an external conductor having an external lead terminal at least at one end thereof and a vacuum trigger gear provided at at least one end thereof with a freely attachable / detachable current collector are arranged coaxially, a coaxial electrode is formed. The inductance of the vacuum trigger gear device can be reduced. Further, since the vacuum trigger gear forming the central conductor is detachably formed, only the vacuum trigger gear of the central conductor needs to be replaced during the life of the vacuum trigger gear, so that maintenance management is easy and the replacement work time can be greatly shortened. Since the vacuum trigger gear of the central conductor is vacuum-heated and degassed and then sealed off, it is possible to use metals and insulating materials that can be used at room temperature other than the vacuum trigger gear.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on the illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the plasma X-ray source is equipped with a vacuum bank 3 which forms a discharge circuit together with a capacitor bank 1 and a discharge tube 2 for generating X-rays. The vacuum trigger gear device 3 has an outer conductor 4 and a vacuum trigger gear 5, and the vacuum trigger gear 5 includes a pair of opposing electrodes 6 and 7 provided in the vacuum container and at least one of the opposing electrodes 6 and 7. It has a trigger electrode 8 provided on the electrode 6. In the plasma X-ray source configured as described above, in this embodiment, the outer conductor 4 is provided with the outer lead-out terminals 9 on at least one ends of both ends of the outer conductor 4, and the outer circumference of the vacuum trigger gear 5 is arranged coaxially with the vacuum trigger gear 5. At the same time, the vacuum trigger gear 5 is detachably formed. By doing so, the vacuum trigger gear device has a low inductance and is easy to maintain and manage, and it is possible to obtain a plasma X-ray source that can reduce the inductance of the vacuum trigger gear device and also facilitate the maintenance and management. it can.

That is, capacitor bank 1, vacuum trigger gear device 3,
In the plasma X-ray source in which a discharge circuit is formed by the X-ray generation discharge tube 2 and the like, the generated X-rays are radiated into the exposure device 10 and exposed. X-ray generation discharge tube 2 and exposure apparatus 10
The structure is referred to in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-151945. The vacuum trigger gear device 3 has electrodes 6 and 7 and a trigger electrode 8 facing the outer conductor 4. The electrodes 6 and 7 facing each other are insulators 11, and the trigger electrode 8 is insulated by an insulator 12. ing. Vacuum trigger gear 5 and outer conductor 4
The external lead-out terminal 9a is fixed to this with an insulator (13). The vacuum trigger gear 5 is provided with a current collector 15 in the lower part thereof, and is configured to be detachable from a current collecting electrode 17 fixed to a terminal plate 16. A coaxial cable in which an insulator 18 is provided on the terminal plate 16 to insulate the collecting electrode 17 from the outer conductor 4 and to connect the respective conductors to the capacitor bank 1.
Hundreds of 19 are connected in the circumferential direction to reduce the inductance of the connection part. Similar to the lower part of the vacuum trigger gear device 3, hundreds of coaxial cables 19a are connected in the circumferential direction of the fixed external lead-out terminals 9, 9a, and connected to the high-voltage transmission plate 21 and the low-voltage transmission plate 22 through the cable duct 20. To be done. High,
The low voltage transmission plates 21 and 22 are insulated by an insulator 23. The inside of the X-ray generating discharge tube 2 is evacuated to a vacuum, and high and low voltage electrodes 24 and 25 are arranged inside. In the figure, 26 is a protective resistor.

When the capacitor bank 1 is charged with the plasma X-ray source configured as described above and the pulse source 27 is applied to the trigger electrode 8 of the vacuum trigger gear 5 and the external lead terminal 9a, the insulator provided in the vacuum trigger gear 5 Discharge is generated along the surface of 28, and plasma is generated between the electrodes 6 and 7 facing each other. As a result, discharge occurs between the opposing electrodes 6 and 7, is applied to the high and low voltage electrodes 24 and 25 for X-ray generation through the coaxial cable 19a, and discharge occurs between them. When a desired X-ray generating material is used for the high and low voltage electrodes 24 and 25, X-rays are generated during this time, and the pattern of the mask 30 in the exposure apparatus 10 is irradiated onto the silicon wafer 31 through the X-ray extraction window 29 to expose it. To be done.

In the plasma X-ray source, special consideration is given to the reduction of the inductance of the discharge circuit in order to improve the X-ray brightness. In particular, reducing the inductance of the vacuum trigger gear device 3 is an important issue. In this embodiment, the vacuum trigger gear stopper device 3 is used.
The coaxial structure is used to reduce the inductance and
Since only the vacuum trigger gear 5 can be heated and degassed and is detachable, maintenance management including replacement work due to life is easy.

Thus, according to the present embodiment, the vacuum trigger gear stopper device 3
Is coaxial, the inductance of the vacuum trigger gear device 3 can be reduced. Therefore, in addition to being able to improve the brightness of X-ray generation, it is economically advantageous because materials other than the vacuum trigger gear 5 that can be used at room temperature can be used, and only the vacuum trigger gear 5 can be detached.
Maintenance management is also easy and the replacement work at the end of the life can be greatly shortened.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the diameters of the electrodes 6a and 7a facing each other are increased to reduce the distance between them and the outer conductor (see FIG. 1), and the current circuit is regulated so that the vacuum trigger gear stopper device can be operated more than the above case. This is to reduce the inductance. In this case, since the inner surface of the electrode 7a can be used as the current collector 15a and the distance in the length direction can be shortened, the inductance can be reduced. Further, since the vacuum sealing valve 32 can also be provided on the atmosphere side in the electrode 6a, the space can be effectively used.

FIG. 3 shows still another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the discharge tube 2a for generating X-rays and the vacuum trigger gear device 3 are directly connected to each other to reduce the inductance of the high and low voltage transmission plates and the coaxial cable (see FIG. 1). The X-ray generating discharge tube 2a in the figure is a plasma focus discharge tube which is one type of plasma X-ray source, and is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-104548. The external lead-out terminals 9, 9a of the vacuum trigger gear device 3 are the above-mentioned first
As in the figure, it is connected to the capacitor bank with a coaxial cable. The inside of the plasma focus discharge tube 2a is evacuated, and then a gas for generating X-rays (neon, krypton, argon, etc.) is usually enclosed, and the trigger switch is operated to insulate the electrodes 6b and 7b coaxially opposite each other. 33 creeping discharges are generated,
The arc between the electrodes 6b and 7b advances magnetically to the tips of the electrodes 6b and 7b to pinch the plasma and generate X-rays. According to this embodiment, the inductance of the high and low voltage transmission plates can be omitted.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, the present invention provides a plasma X-ray source capable of reducing the inductance of the vacuum trigger gear device and facilitating maintenance and management, and reducing the inductance of the vacuum trigger gear device and facilitating maintenance and management. You can

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially longitudinal side view of an embodiment of the plasma X-ray source of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a vertical side view of a vacuum trigger gear of another embodiment of the plasma X-ray source of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a cutaway side view of still another embodiment of the plasma X-ray source of the present invention. 1 ... Capacitor bank, 2,2a ... X-ray generating discharge tube,
3 ... Vacuum trigger gear cutting device, 4 ... External conductor, 5 ...
… Vacuum trigger gears, 6,6a, 6b …… Electrodes, 7,7a, 7b ……
Electrode, 8 ... Trigger electrode, 9, 9a, ... External lead-out terminal, 15,
15a …… collector, 32 …… vacuum sealing valve.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A trigger gap device for forming a discharge circuit together with a capacitor bank and a discharge tube for generating X-rays,
The trigger gap device has an outer conductor and a trigger gap, and the trigger gap has a pair of opposing electrodes provided in the container and a trigger electrode provided on at least one of the opposing electrodes. In the plasma X-ray source, the external conductor is provided with external lead-out terminals at at least one ends of both ends thereof, and is arranged coaxially with the trigger gap on the outer periphery of the trigger gap, and the trigger gap is attached and detached. A plasma X-ray source characterized by being formed freely. 2. The plasma X-ray source according to claim 1, wherein the trigger gap is provided with a current collector that can be brought into and out of contact with at least one end thereof. 3. The plasma X-ray source according to claim 1, wherein the trigger gap is a vacuum trigger gap or a gas trigger gap. 4. The plasma X-ray source according to claim 1, wherein the trigger gap is configured with a vacuum sealing valve. 5. The plasma X-ray source according to claim 1, wherein the trigger gap device and the X-ray generating discharge tube are directly connected to each other.