RADIATION SOURCE

摘要

A radiation source (60) suitable for providing a beam of radiation to an illuminator of a lithographic apparatus. The radiation source comprises a nozzle configured to direct a stream of fuel droplets (62) along a trajectory (64) towards a plasma formation location (66). The radiation source is configured to receive a first amount of radiation (68) such that the first amount of radiation is incident on a fuel droplet (62a) at the plasma formation location, and such that the first amount of radiation transfers energy into the fuel droplet to generate a modified fuel distribution (70), the modified fuel distribution having a surface. The radiation source is also configured to receive a second amount of radiation (72) such that the second amount of radiation is incident on a portion of the surface (70a) of the modified fuel distribution, the second amount of radiation having a p-polarized component with respect to the portion of the surface; and such that the second amount of radiation transfers energy to the modified fuel distribution to generate a radiation generating plasma, the radiation generating plasma emitting a third amount of radiation (74). The radiation source further comprises a collector (CO) configured to collect and direct at least a portion of the third amount of radiation. The radiation source is configured such that the second amount of radiation propagates in a first direction, the first direction being non-parallel to a normal to the portion of the surface of the modified fuel distribution.