The development of suitable radiation sources is a major challenge for extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL). For the optimization of these sources and for the determination of the parameters needed for the system design and the system integration these sources have to be characterized in terms of the absolute in-band power, the spectral distribution in the EUV spectral region and the out-band spectral regions, the spatial distribution of the emitting volume and the angular distribution of the emission. Also the source debris has to be investigated. Therefore, JENOPTIK Mikrotechnik GmbH is co-operating with the Laser Laboratorium Göttingen, the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) and the AIXUV GmbH in developing ready-for-use metrology tools for EUVL source characterization and optimization. The set of the tools employed for EUV-source characterization is presented in detail as well as concepts of for calibration and measurement procedures.
Compact, flexible laboratory sources offer advanced flexibility in developing components for EUV-lithography by supplementing beamlines at storage rings. Hence, they are the basis for transferring EUV-metrology and technology to individual, industrial and university R&D labs. Laboratory sources have features similar to the sources planned for EUVL production on one hand and offer high flexibility like storage ring beamlines on the other hand. Discharge based EUV sources offer some flexibility, which allow for tuning of the spectral and spatial characteristics of their emission. Depending on the system complexity sources can be supplied in various forms ranging from low budget semi-manual systems over OEM components to fully automatic stand-alone sources. As power scaling has been demonstrated by just adding higher power generators and cooling, these sources can be matched to various levels of flux requirements. AIXUV's discharge based EUV-sources have been used as beaml ine supplement for tasks closely connected with the development of EUV-Lithography. Examples are: development of tools for EUV source characterization (prototype testing, qualification and calibration), "in-band-EUV" open frame resist exposure, reflectometry of EUV mask blanks and EUV mirrors and for basic research using XUV radiation as thin film analytics and EUV microscopy
The availability of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light sources, measurement tools and integrated test systems is of major importance for the development ofEUV lithography for use in large volume chip production starting in 2009. The EUV steppers will require an output power from the EUV source of 115 W at 1 3.5 nm for economic chip production. In addition, the EUV source must achieve rigorous specifications for debris emission and source facing condenser optics lifetime, source component lifetime, repetition rate, pulse-energy stability, plasma size and spatial emission stability, and spectral purity as a result oflithography system design constraints. Significant progress has been made in the development of laser produced plasma and gas discharge produced plasma based EUV sources as well as metrology tools to measure EUV radiation characteristics. As of today, the first EUV sources and measurement equipment are available to be used for EUV system, mask, optics and component as well as lithography process development. With the commercial availability of EU V-plasma sources other applications using short wavelength, XUV-radiation will be feasible in a laboratory environment. Some examples of XUV applications are discussed.
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