摘要 |
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for generating EUV radiation from a gas discharge plasma. The object of the invention, to generate EUV radiation from a gas discharge plasma by with is optimized conversion efficiency of the EUV emission while locally limiting the electric discharge channel, is met in that a channel-generating beam of pulsed high-energy radiation is supplied in at least two partial beams which are focused in a pulse-synchronized manner into a superposition region along a spacing axis between the electrodes, and an electrically conductive discharge channel is generated along the superposition region due to an ionization at least of a buffer gas present in the discharge space, wherein the pulsed high-energy radiation of the channel-generating beam is triggered in such a way that the discharge channel is generated before a discharge current pulse has reached its maximum value. |