Toward streaked collective Thomson scattering measurements on an extreme ultraviolet plasma light source

We show through forward modeling calculations that streaked collective Thomson scattering measurements are feasible on laser-produced tin plasmas generated under conditions relevant for extreme ultraviolet lithography. Using a 532 nm probe laser beam, the feasibility of simultaneous measurements of electron plasma wave (EPW) and ion acoustic wave (IAW) spectra is investigated. Absolute photon counts for laser scattering off both waves are calculated. Probe laser electron heating and bremsstrahlung background radiation effects are accounted for. While a large spatiotemporal region can be successfully probed based on the IAW feature, only one measurement location can be accessed through the EPW as a result of the low signal to noise ratio. A portable/traveling tabletop system is proposed.

Automated summary

We demonstrate the feasibility of streaked collective Thomson scattering measurements on laser-produced tin plasmas for extreme ultraviolet lithography. A probe laser beam with a wavelength of 532 nm is used to simultaneously measure the electron plasma wave (EPW) and ion acoustic wave (IAW) spectra. Absolute photon counts for laser scattering off both waves are calculated, taking into account probe laser electron heating and bremsstrahlung background radiation effects. While a large spatiotemporal region can be probed based on the IAW feature, the low signal to noise ratio restricts the EPW measurements to only one location. We propose a portable/traveling tabletop system for practical implementation.