DOI: 10.3390/atoms11090118 ISSN:
Extreme Ultraviolet Radiation Sources from Dense Plasmas
Klaus Bergmann- Condensed Matter Physics
- Nuclear and High Energy Physics
- Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
The concept of dense and hot plasmas can be used to build up powerful and brilliant radiation sources in the soft X-ray and extreme ultraviolet spectral range. Such sources are used for nanoscale imaging and structuring applications, such as EUV lithography in the semiconductor industry. An understanding of light-generating atomic processes and radiation transport within the plasma is mandatory for optimization. The basic principles and technical concepts using either a pulsed laser or a gas discharge for plasma generation are presented, and critical aspects in the ionization dynamics are outlined within the framework of a simplified atomic physics model.