After a Three Year Covid Moratorium The Ultra Music Festival Returned to Miami in March 2022 - Your Weekend Assignment is to Catch Up on the Party

 The Ultra Music Festival returned to Miami in March 2022 some 90 days ago. For those unable to attend, a highly anticipated video of the festival was recently released on YouTube. After a moratorium due to the Covid epidemic, disk jockey David Guetta and a host of others returned this year to test the Miami power grid.  Guetta opened Miami's Ultra Music Festival with a multi-megawatt display of lasers, sound and excitement. Guetta’s performance (along with other veteran d-jays) wowed an audience who’d endured three years of Covid confinement. The resulting party is a must see (linked video at the bottom of this page).

Semicon West concludes this week in San Francisco. As the leading global trade show for semiconductor equipment manufacturers SEMI companies enable the consumer, entertainment and broadcast industries. I noted this phenomenon in a previous music festival blog entry from 2015, A Photonic Finish to the Year of Light 2015. [1]  As you view the 2022 music festival’s video link note the program time line at 3 minutes. With 4K resolution you can see small flashes of light emanating from within the crowd. Closer examination reveals the flashes to be multiple cell phone camera screens echoing light captured from the powerful strobes on the sound stage. I was amazed to note the resolution and sensitivity of imaging technology now available to consumers.  Pretty cool.  At 51:50 into the show an amazing laser display erupts (curious timing).

The Ultra Music Festival is an international event with attendees from all over the world. Traditionally the festival returns to Miami every year in March. The representative audience surrounding the stage is typically replete with flags from many nations.  David Guetta is from France and the tricolor is prominently displayed up front. This year our Ukrainian friends are recognized by large near-by buildings highlighted with blue and yellow light.

The 2022 Ultra Music Festival signals a return to post Covid normalcy. Viewing the video you’ll note that no one is wearing a Covid mask. In free Florida masks are optional. It’s heartening to once again see thousands of smiling faces having a great time. There were no demonstrations, violence or discouraging distractions, just one big celebration of music and unity the way the world is supposed to be.

I hope everyone had a successful week at Semicon West. Welcome home. Prop your feet up and enjoy David Guetta’s Ultra Music Festival performance. For best viewing you’ll need a large 4K display and surround sound headphones good for 20 Hz. I encourage you to sing along.  It’s a fun concert. If you search you can find several YouTube links to other artists appearing at the festival.

Be safe everyone.  Enjoy the show and have a great weekend!

Link to David Guetta at the Ultra Music Festival 2022. [2] (brief foul language comments).

Regards to all,

 
Thomas D. Jay
Semiconductor Industry Consultant
Thomas.Dale.Jay@gmail.com
TDJ Technology Group.com
Thomas D. Jay YouTube Channel



Corporate, private entities or publications referenced or linked in this article are the respective owners of their logos, trademarks, service marks, media content and intellectual property. Unless otherwise disclosed, Thomas D. Jay has no financial interest in companies referenced in blog articles or other published media communications. Thomas D. Jay is not a registered financial advisor.  No representation is made to either buy or sell securities. Opinions expressed by Thomas D. Jay are his own. Thomas D. Jay does not employ or otherwise utilize/authorize third party agents to express his opinions, represent his interests or conduct business on his behalf except where formally contractually designated.  Thomas D. Jay opts out of requests to share personal information or unidentifiable user data. Thomas D. Jay does not agree to indemnify or hold harmless vendors, clients or third parties to related contractual agreements and reserves the right to applicable legal remedies in lieu of arbitration.  Thomas D. Jay retains all copyright and moral rights to his published material, content and brand marketing, and shall in no case be represented, depicted or characterized by parties/entities other than his published "About Thomas D. Jay" descriptor. Contractual agreements are to be written and interpreted in the English language and are subject to the laws of the United States. These terms and conditions shall supersede any conflicting agreement. Clients, vendors and concerned parties should check my blog site at www.thomasdalejay.blogspot.com for periodic updates or changes to theses terms.

References and acknowledgements:

[1] Thomas D. Jay, Blog Article

A Photonic Finish to the Year of Light 2015

[2] YouTube, David Guetta, UMF TV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFIikcWbFRc&list=PLVMW-w8WazD4ff7X0ZOG5iXLi27IJKfhG&index=14

It's Time for the Next Step in EUV Evolution

ASML plans to introduce a new generation of EUV lithography systems with High-NA (high numeric aperture) capabilities. The new system design will enhance resolution but will require higher EUV power levels. Higher power levels might be achieved with current LPP (Laser Produced Plasma) source technology but further power scaling might be problematic. As nanometer scale geometries shrink further, existing complications from tin and hydrogen contamination will become more acute. Price estimates on new High-NA systems are estimated at $400-500 Million. Given the price premium, now might be an excellent time to upgrade EUV system performance with FEL (Free Electron Laser) source technology. FEL source technology could provide required power and uptime levels while eliminating tin and hydrogen contamination.

Free Electron Laser Fundamentals

Imagine that we might adjust and control a laser's wavelength using a concept similar to a radio's Variable Frequency Oscillator but with a different set of physics. By electronically tuning a laser's wavelength, we can produce EUV illumination while eliminating the need for specialized crystalline, gaseous or other lazing materials (such as tin currently used in EUV systems) and operate outside the spectral wavelength segments they are physically limited to. FEL technology can produce tunable wavelengths of light throughout the microwave, visible spectrum and x-ray regime. A free electron laser [1] is comprised of a large beamline/electron source which accelerates electrons to near the speed of light. On opposite sides of the electron beam line are interposed field coils of opposing polarity called undulators or "wigglers", which when energized establish a transverse sinusoidal field across the beam path. Electrons accelerated into the transverse field produce incoherent photons in a mixed assortment of sinusoidal wavelengths sometimes referred to as “bunches”, emitting photons at wavelengths determined by their acceleration and the transverse field strength (synchrotron radiation). By adjusting the electron beam energy or the magnetic field strength of the undulators, the wavelength of the emitted photons can be tuned selectively to produce coherent light. Variations on this concept have evolved as follows:

A Tunable SASE FEL

A SASE FEL is able to produce laser light over a broad range of spectrum without the requirement for conventional lazing materials such as ruby crystal or argon fluoride etc. In a tunable SASE (Self Amplified Spontaneous Emission) FEL, high energy source electrons passing through an undulator can produce an assortment of incoherent photons (initially at randomly different wavelengths) which become bunched in the transverse sine wave and interact via constructive or destructive interference, producing incidental derivative wavelengths (spontaneous emission). That is to say the bunched photons add and subtract their wavelength values from one another producing new sum/difference valued photons at the mathematically resulting wavelengths. When tuned to a specific wavelength of interest by adjusting the electron beam energy or the magnetic field strength of the undulators, such subsequently produced photons arrive in phase (at the same wavelength) and cumulatively intensify to release high energy coherent laser light (self amplification). While a very useful concept for a variety of applications, the spontaneous emission in a SASE FEL can propagate statistical artifacts resulting from the inherent mathematical sum/difference phenomenon, and consequently can produce a beam exhibiting limited shot to shot reproducibility. As such, the utility of a SASE FEL might be limited in applications which require extremely accurate dosimetry. The limited shot to shot reproducibility might also contribute to the dosimetry phenomenon known as “shot noise”.

A Tunable HGHG FEL

FEL performance can be modified and improved by utilizing an external seed laser as a source wavelength. The seed laser is a conventional laser utilizing a material such as ruby crystal (one example) to produce a monochromatic feed source of photons. In an HGHG (High Gain Harmonic Generation) FEL, the seed laser interacts with the electron beam as it propagates through the first undulator (called a modulator), tuned to the seed laser's wavelength. The resulting interaction with the seed laser induces coherent modulation of the electron beam energy, creating photon bunching as well as consequential harmonic propagation (photons which are the mathematical multiples of the seed laser's wavelength). The micro-bunched beam of photons are then injected into a long undulator tuned to the desired harmonic wavelength. The desired wavelength comprised of harmonically produced photons arrive in phase and cumulatively intensify to release high energy coherent light at the newer, shorter wavelength of interest. The high purity monochromatic spectra of an HGHG seed laser improves the system's shot to shot repeatability as its mode of operation does not incur the statistical deviation phenomena found in spontaneous emission spectra typically observed in a SASE FEL. As such, an HGHG FEL might be more advantageous for use in EUV applications requiring highly precise dosimetry, possibly reducing shot noise phenomenon.

The EUV Source Challenge Ahead

Large scale projects are underway to build FEL systems to accommodate a wide range of wavelengths and scientific applications. FEL is next generation laser technology and perhaps the best candidate to replace current LPP/EUV source designs. As ASML pursues High-NA system designs, higher EUV source power might be met with FEL source technology. The replacement of LPP (Laser Produced Plasma) could eliminate the process concerns with tin contamination, reactive hydrogen plasma and increase system uptime. Progress is being made on FEL designs for a wide range of applications. It’s time for the next step in EUV evolution.  [2]

Regards to all,
 
Thomas D. Jay
Semiconductor Industry Consultant
Thomas.Dale.Jay@gmail.com
TDJ Technology Group.com
Thomas D. Jay YouTube Channel



Corporate, private entities or publications referenced or linked in this article are the respective owners of their logos, trademarks, service marks, media content and intellectual property. Unless otherwise disclosed, Thomas D. Jay has no financial interest in companies referenced in blog articles or other published media communications. Thomas D. Jay is not a registered financial advisor.  No representation is made to either buy or sell securities. Opinions expressed by Thomas D. Jay are his own. Thomas D. Jay does not employ or otherwise utilize/authorize third party agents to express his opinions, represent his interests or conduct business on his behalf except where formally contractually designated.  Thomas D. Jay opts out of requests to share personal information or unidentifiable user data. Thomas D. Jay does not agree to indemnify or hold harmless vendors, clients or third parties to related contractual agreements and reserves the right to applicable legal remedies in lieu of arbitration.  Thomas D. Jay retains all copyright and moral rights to his published material, content and brand marketing, and shall in no case be represented, depicted or characterized by parties/entities other than his published "About Thomas D. Jay" descriptor. Contractual agreements are to be written and interpreted in the English language and are subject to the laws of the United States. These terms and conditions shall supersede any conflicting agreement. Clients, vendors and concerned parties should check my blog site at www.thomasdalejay.blogspot.com for periodic updates or changes to theses terms.


References and acknowledgements:

[1] Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free-electron_laser . 

[2] Thomas D. Jay, Blog Article

https://thomasdalejay.blogspot.com/2016/06/future-euvfel-strategy-beam-line.html