Reviewed by Lexie CornerMar 24 2025
Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have recently developed a compact, solid-state laser system capable of producing coherent light with a wavelength of 193 nm. This wavelength is critical for photolithography, a technique used in modern electronic devices to etch intricate patterns onto silicon wafers.
Deep ultraviolet solid-state laser with a compact setup generates a vortex at 193 nm wavelength. Image Credit: Professor Hongwen Xuan, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Deep ultraviolet (DUV) lasers, with their short wavelengths and high photon energy, are essential in applications such as quantum technology, high-resolution spectroscopy, semiconductor lithography, and precision material processing. The new system offers improved coherence and lower power consumption compared to traditional gas discharge or excimer lasers, allowing for the development of more compact systems.
The system generates a 1030-nm laser using a homemade Yb: YAG crystal amplifier, operating at a repetition rate of 6 kHz. It consists of two components: one generates a 258-nm laser with an output power of 1.2 watts through fourth-harmonic generation, and the other pumps an optical parametric amplifier to produce a 1553 nm laser with a power of 700 mW. The desired 193-nm laser is created by combining these beams in cascaded LBO (lithium tri borate, LiB3O5) crystals, resulting in an average power of 70 milliwatts and a linewidth of less than 880 MHz.
Additionally, the researchers introduced a spiral phase plate to the 1553 nm beam before frequency mixing, creating a vortex beam with orbital angular momentum. This is the first solid-state laser to generate a vortex beam with a wavelength of 193 nm.
This laser system holds potential for use in wafer processing, defect inspection, quantum communication, and optical micromanipulation. It also shows promise for seeding hybrid ArF excimer lasers. Beyond enhancing semiconductor lithography's accuracy and efficiency, this breakthrough opens up new possibilities for advanced manufacturing processes and could significantly impact the development of electronic devices.
Journal Reference:
Zhang, Z., et al. (2025) Compact narrow-linewidth solid-state 193-nm pulsed laser source utilizing an optical parametric amplifier and its vortex beam generation. Advanced Photonics Nexus. doi.org/10.1117/1.APN.4.2.026011.