METHOD AND DEVICE FOR GENERATING OPTICAL RADIATION BY MEANS OF ELECCTRICALLY OPERATED PULSED DISCHARGES

摘要

The present invention relates to a method and device for generating optical radiation (18), in particular EUV radiation or soft x-rays, by means of electrically operated discharges. A plasma (15) is ignited in a gaseous medium between at least two electrodes (1, 2), wherein said gaseous medium is produced at least partly from a liquid material (6), which is applied to one or several surface (s) moving i the discharge space and is at least partially evaporated by one or several pulsed energy beam(s) (9). At least two consecutive pulses (16) are applied withi a time interval of each electrical discharge onto said surface (s). The delay between and/or the pulse energy of said consecutive pulses is controlled to stabilize the position of an emission center of the plasma (15).