6-mirror-system EUV projection optics design with NA of 0.4 plus was improved and the residual wavefront error was
much reduced. Apodization is an issue for such high-NA EUV projection optics. Broad-band multilayer mirror can solve
the problem. Broad-band multilayer mirrors were developed. Measured reflectivity performance of these multilayers was
in good agreement with the designed performance. We have decided the measures to control contaminations of optics in
HVM EUV exposure tools.
Contamination control of optics is one of critical issues for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. EUV irradiation
under a carbon-containing environment causes carbon contaminations on mirror surfaces. We investigated irradiance
dependency of contaminating rates of some contaminants using a synchrotron radiation of Saga Light Source (SAGALS).
Decane's contaminating rate increased proportionally with irradiance, while perfluorohexane's contaminating rate
was almost constant at a higher irradiance than 10 mW/cm2. We then introduced a simple model: contamination reaction
occurs when photons are supplied onto contaminants which are supplied and adsorbed on mirrors, and the lesser of their
supplying rates determines the contaminating rate. At a lower irradiance, since contaminants are sufficiently supplied,
the photon supply determines the contaminating rate. At a higher irradiance, since photons are sufficiently supplied, the
contaminant supply determines the contaminating rate, which is independent of irradiance and depends on contaminant's
partial pressure. We also investigated irradiance dependency of cleaning rates of carbon contamination by oxidative gas
and incorporated it into the model. We applied the contamination/cleaning model to an existing exposure tool, EUV1.
The transmittance degradation history agreed well with the calculation.
Exposure performance of projection optics with different flare level was compared in EUV1. Ultimate resolution of
EUV1 was evaluated using alternate phase shift mask and resist modulation was obtained down to 16nmL/S. Modeling
of carbon contamination growth and cleaning was established based on exposure experiments using a synchrotron
source. Based on the modeling, in-situ cleaning condition using oxygen in EUV1 was optimized. As a result, carbon
contamination growth in EUV1 was completely suppressed. Optical design of projection optics with numerical aperture
of over 0.4 was investigated. 6-mirror system with central obscuration seems to be promising. EUV actinic wavefront
metrology scheme without using a synchrotron source, which can be used as on-body wavefront metrology, was
developed and its practicality was demonstrated.
Flare is a critical impact on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. Flare can be calculated by integrating flare point
spread function (PSF) within the bright field. Flare PSF is defined as (1-TIS)δ(r)+PSFSC(r); where TIS, total integrated
scatter, is traditonally defined as integration of PSFSC to infinity, and r is distance on wafer. PSFSC is traditionally derived from power spectral density (PSD) of surface roughness of mirrors of optics. However, the amount of scatter
light depends on mirror PSDs, while a portion of scatter light having a larger scatter angle cannot reach wafer; this
means there is energy loss in optics. Hence TIS should be defined as total amount of as-scattered light, while PSFSC
should be defined as amount of light reaching wafer for use to calculate image intensity. We then introduced two PSFs:
PSFSC and PSFSC0. PSFSC0 is directly derived from mirror PSDs and used to calculate TIS. PSFSC is derived based on
amount of light reaching wafer taking obscuration inside optics into account. We also applied other considerations:
release of approximation in domain conversion from PSD to PSF, and scatter extinct effect by multilayer. Using these
considerations we can calculate flare behaviors which agree well with experiments.
The full-field extreme ultraviolet (EUV) exposure tool named EUV1 is integrated and exposure experiments are started with a numerical aperture of the projection optics of 0.25, and conventional partial coherent illumination with a coherence factor of 0.8. 32-nm elbow patterns are resolved in a full arc field in static exposure. In a central area, 25-nm line-and-space patterns are resolved. In scanning exposure, 32-nm line-and-space patterns are successfully exposed on a full wafer. Wavefront error of the projection optics is improved to 0.4-nm rms. Flare impact on imaging is clarified, dependent on flare evaluation using the Kirk test. Resolution enhancement technology (RET) fly-eye mirrors and reflection-type spectral purity filters (SPFs) are investigated to increase throughput. High-NA projection optics design is also reviewed.
Full-field EUV exposure tool named EUV1 integrated and exposure experiments were started with the numerical aperture of the projection optics of 0.25 and conventional partial coherent illumination with the coherence factor of 0.8. 32nm elbow patterns were resolved in full arc field in static exposure. In the central area 25nm line-and-space patterns were resolved. In scanning exposure, 32nm line-and-space patterns were successfully exposed on a full wafer. Wavefront error of the projection optics was improved to 0.4nmRMS. Flare impact on imaging was clarified depend on the flare evaluation using Kirk test. RET fly's eye mirrors and reflection-type SPF are investigated to increase throughput. High-NA projection optics design is also reviewed.
Full-field EUV exposure tool named EUV1 integrated and exposure experiments were started with the numerical aperture of the projection optics of 0.25 and conventional partial illumination with coherence factor of 0.8. 32nm elbow patterns were resolved in full arc field in static exposure. In the central area 25nm line-and-space patterns were resolved. In scanning exposure, 32nm line-and-space patterns were successfully exposed on a full wafer. Wavefront error of the projection optics was improved to 0.4nmRMS. Flare impact on imaging was clarified depend on the flare evaluation using Kirk test. Metal oxide capping layer and oxygen injection method were developed for the contamination control in EUV exposure tools. High-NA projection optics design is also reviewed.
Final adjustment of EUV1 projection optics was completed and its performance was evaluated. Wavefront error of
0.6nmRMS in average through the exposure field was achieved. The maximum and minimum wavefront errors in the
whole field were 0.8nmRMS and 0.3nmRMS, respectively. Flare of the projection optics was estimated from the
measured power spectrum density (PSD) of each aspheric mirror of the projection optics. The flare value for Kirk
pattern with the radius of 1μm was estimated to be about 10%. Completed projection optics was installed into the main
body of EUV1. Optimization of polishing process was further pursued. Consequently, LSFR of 38pmRMS, MSFR of
80pmRMS and HSFR of 68pmRMS were achieved. Assemble of the illumination-optics unit for EUV1 was completed
and its performance was evaluated using an illumination-optics test stand. Irradiation uniformity on the mask plane,
pupil fill and so on were measured with the test stand using a visible light and EUV radiation. Completed illumination-optics
unit was installed into the main body of EUV1. Reflection-type spectral purity filter (SPF) and high-NA
projection-optics design were investigated as new R&D items for the future optics of EUV exposure tools.
Nikon is now conducting a development of the full-field EUV exposure tools for EUVL process development named
EUV1, which will be delivered in 2007. Polishing and coating of six different kinds of mirrors for the projection optics
of EUV1 were finished and adjustment of the projection optics has been started. Sophisticated polishing process for
aspheric mirrors, which can reduce LSFR, MSFR and HSFR down to less than 0.1nmRMS simultaneously, were
developed. Process conditions of Mo/Si multilayer coatings have been optimized to obtain high reflectivity, low internal
stress and graded coating simultaneously. Wavefront error of the projection optics under adjustment process is now
3nmRMS. We will try to achieve a wavefront error of less than 1nmRMS by further precise adjustment. Fabrication
process of fly's eye mirrors, which is a key device of illumination optics of EUV1, was developed. All the mirrors of the
illumination optics for EUV1 were finished and evaluation of its performance using an illumination-optics test stand has
been started. Development and fabrication of both the projection optics and the illumination optics for EUV1 are
satisfactorily in progress.
Three sets of projection optics (Sets 1, 2, and 3) were fabricated to the mark of a wave front error (WFE) of less than 1 nm. The RMS WFE is 7.5 nm for Set 1, 1.9 nm for Set 2, and at most 0.9 nm for Set 3. In addition, the RMS mid-spatial frequency roughness (MSFR), which affects flare, is 0.34 nm for Set 2 and 0.17 nm for Set 3. This paper discusses the current lithographic performance of HINA, especially the evaluation of flare and the replication of fine-pitch patterns. Several EUV masks were fabricated to evaluate the effects of flare and to replicate fine-pitch patterns. In the case of Set 2 optics, 90 nm lines and spaces were barely delineated using a bright-field mask due to the RMS MSFR of 0.34 nm, and replication of 70 nm lines and spaces were achieved using a dark-field mask. Since the RMS WFE and the RMS MSFR for Set 3 optics are half as much as that for Set 2 optics, the lithographic performance of HINA is markedly improved. 50 nm lines and spaces of non-chemically-amplified resist were delineated with the illumination condition of a partial coherence, σ, of 0.8 and 45 nm lines and spaces were delineated with the annular illumination condition of outer σ of 0.8 and inner σ of 0.5. In addition ultimate resolution of 30 nm lines and spaces of chemically-amplified resist was performed under the coherent illumination condition of σ of 0.0.
We developed a high-numerical-aperture EUV exposure tool (HiNA). HiNA is equipped with an illumination system, projection optics, a mask stage and a wafer stage in the vacuum chamber. The projection optics consist of two aspherical mirrors (M1 and M2). The numerical aperture of the optics is 0.3. Thus far, we fabricated two sets of projection optics (set-1 and set-2). The wavefront errors of set-1 and set-2 were 7.5nm rms and 1.9nm rms, respectively. We developed the third set of projection optics (set-3), the target wavefront error of which was less than 1nm rms. In set-3, we also attempted to reduce flare. We completed the mirror polishing, coating and mirror adjustment of set-3. Using a new polishing method, we successfully reduced low-spatial-frequency roughness (LSFR), mid-spatial-frequency roughness (MSFR) and high-spatial-frequency roughness (HSFR) simultaneously. The predicted wavefront error calculated from the LSFR number was 0.69nm rms. MSFR, which strongly affects the flare of the optics, was significantly reduced to less than 0.2nm rms. The estimated flare was 7%, which is significantly reduced to one-fourth that of set-2. The wavefront error of set-3 was measured with the visible-light point diffraction interferometer (PDI) after coating and assembly. The wavefront error measured after adjustment and cramping of the adjustment system was 0.90nm rms, which is less than one-half the wavefront error of set-2.
Aspherical mirror fabrication of HiNA set-3 projection optics was completed. By using a new polishing method, we successfully reduced low spatial frequency roughness (LSFR), mid spatial frequency roughness (MSFR) and high spatial frequency roughness (HSFR) compared with HiNA set-1 and set-2 projection optics. MSFR, which strongly affects the flare of the optics, was remarkably reduced to less than 0.2nm rms. HiNA projection optical system with the numerical aperture of 0.3 consists of two aspheric mirrors (M1 and M2). We had already fabricated two sets of the HiNA projection optics. The wavefront error (WFE) of the set-1 optics was 7.5nm rms and that of the set-2 optics was 1.9nm rms. We tried to reduce the WFE and flare in the set-3 optics. The target number of WFE of the set-3 optics was less than 1nm rms. The LSFR, MSFR and HSFR of the M1 of the set-3 optics were 0.25nm rms, 0.17nm rms and 0.10nm rms, respectively. The LSFR and MSFR are almost half values compared with those of the M1 for the set-2 optics. The HSFR was also reduced from 0.13nm rms (set-2) to 0.10nm rms (set-3). The LSFR and MSFR of the M2 were 0.25nm rms and 0.20nm rms, respectively. The estimated wavefront error calculated from these LSFR numbers is 0.7nm rms.
We have developed a high numerical aperture (NA) small-field exposure system (HiNA) for EUV exposure process development. NA of projection optics of EUV exposure tools for 45-nm node lithography is expected to be around 0.25, which is higher than that previously expected (0.1). HiNA has compatible illumination system, which can be switched to partial coherent illumination and coherent illumination by changing some optical elements. Coherent illumination system was prepared for a high contrast imaging but the uniformity of intensity is less than that of partial coherent illumination. A reflected-type fly*fs-eye element was adopted for partial coherent illumination, which can provide uniformity of both coherency and intensity simultaneously. The coherency of the partial coherent illumination is 0.8. HiNA projection optics consists of two aspheric mirrors, with the NA and the imaging field of 0.3 and 0.3×0.5mm2, respectively. We fabricated two sets of projection-optics. Although the wavefront error of set-1 optics was 7nmRMS, that of set-2 optics was improved to 1.9nmRMS, which was measured with a point diffraction interferometer (PDI) using He-Ne laser. The wavefront error of the set-2 optics was improved by using a new mirror mount mechanism. The mount system consists of several board springs made of super invar in order to minimize the deformation of mirrors by mounting stress. The projection optics of the set-2 has a remote controlled mirror adjustment mechanism which has five degrees of freedom (X,Y,Z,X-Tilt and Y-Tilt). The position of the concave secondary mirror was adjusted precisely with measuring the wavefront error using PDI.
An experimental extreme UV (EUV) interferometer (EEI) using an undulator light source was designed and constructed for the purpose of developing wavefront measurement technology with the exposure wavelength of the projection optics of EUV lithography systems. EEI has the capability of performing five different EUV wavefront metrology methods.
We investigated the effects of oxygen and nitrogen atoms on stress reduction in low-stress multilayers developed by us. It was considered that the presence of non-argon atoms in molyndenum layers caused the stress change in the multilayers, because in the ion-beam polishing (IBP) of low-stress multilayers, we found that air was mixed with the argon gas for IBP with an assisting ion source. We analyzed the composition of the low-stress multilayer with oxygen- and nitrogen-mixed gas in the depth direction and detected oxygen and nitrogen atoms near the surface of the molybdenum layers. We also used an in situ stress monitoring system developed by us and investigated the contribution to stress reduction of each process with/without oxygen and nitrogen. We found that there were thresholds for both oxygen gas flow rate and thickness oxygen-doped molybdenum layers (i.e., molybdenum oxide layers) to suppress the compressive stress change in silicon layers. It was considered that the molybdenum oxide layers functioned as barrier layers to impede the formation of the interdiffusion layers causing strain, resulting in the suppression of the compressive stress change in subsequent silicon layers.
We developed an in-situ stress monitoring system using variable electrostatic capacitance with a Si wafer cantilever as the moveable electrode of a parallel capacitor. The stress behaviors during the deposition of thick molybdenum (Mo) single layers, conventional molybdenum/silicon (Mo/Si) multilayers and low-stress multilayers (Mo/Si multilayers modified using sub-multilayering and ion beam polishing (IBP)) were observed. In the case of a Mo single layer, at an early stage of deposition to about 40 Angstroms thickness the partial stress was tensile, and after that the partial stress became compressive. In the case of conventional Mo/Si multilayers, a modulation of stress was observed. After Mo-layer deposition the partial stress became tensile, whereas after Si-layer deposition it became compressive, leading to a compressive total stress. In the case of the low-stress multilayers that we developed, we observed the suppression of compressive stress changes of the Si-layer after the IBP of the Mo surface. The control of the partial stress changes of each layer will make it possible to control the total stress of multilayers.
EUV lithography is a successor to DUV/VUV lithography, and is the final photon base lithography technology. The concept of EUV scanners for 50nm node and below is considered by clarifying the similarities and differences between EUV scanners and DUV scanners. Illumination optics, projection optics, wafer alignment sensors and wafer focus sensors are examined. And the throughput model, overlay budget and focus budget are introduced. The concrete design of illumination optics and the requirements for sources are described. Numerical aperture, magnification and field size are discussed. EUV scanners for 50nm node and below are realized.
We have successfully developed a simple, laboratory-sized EUV reflectometer EUMOR (extreme Ultraviolet Monochromatic Reflectometer). A CO2 gas-jet-target laser-plasma source was employed as the EUV source for EUMOR. EUMOR uses a single line emission at the wavelength of 12.98 nm from a CO2 gas-jet-target laser-plasma source without a grating, therefore it can achieve simultaneous high spectral resolution and high throughput. The intensity of EUV emission from the CO2 gas-jet target laser-plasma was quantitatively evaluated, and the EUV flux that irradiated the surface of a sample was estimated to be 5x10(superscript 5 photons/shot. Four Mo/Si multilayer mirrors which were deposited under the same conditions with different layer periods were measured by EUMOR. The parameters of these multilayer mirrors, which were obtained by parameter fitting to the measured angular distribution of the reflectivity, showed good agreement with each other, demonstrating the reliability of EUMOR data.
In order to evaluate the performance of multilayer optics, we have successfully developed a simple, laboratory-sized reflectometer that can be operated readily on a routine basis. This reflectometer makes use of a single line emission at the wavelength of 12.98 nm from a CO2 gas-jet laser-plasma x-ray source that can be readily operated on a routine basis. Our reflectometer achieved repeatability of less than +/- 0.8% in reflectivity measurements. The peak reflectivity of a sample determined by calculation based on multilayer mirror parameters obtained from our reflectometer was within +/- 1.3% of that obtained by an SR-based reflectometer. These results confirm that our reflectometer performs well enough to evaluate multilayer optics.
Modified molybdenum/silicon (Mo/Si) multilayers were deposited by ion beam sputtering (IBS). We obtained low-stress multilayers by sub-multilayering each Mo-layer into a trilayer of Mo/Ru (ruthenium)/Mo, and argon (Ar) ion beam polishing (IBP) after each Mo-layer deposition. Conventional Mo/Si multilayers have compressive stress of about -450 MPa, while the low-stress multilayers which we have developed have tensile stress of +14 MPa, on average. The method used is not a heating process such as annealing, thus it does not cause irreversible deformation of the precisely-figured mirror substrates of optics. It is expected that the application of low-stress multilayers to mirrors for reflection of light with a wavelength of 13 nm will make it possible to compose optics without worsening optical properties due to deformation of substrates by the stress of multilayer coatings.
A three-aspherical-mirror system for Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography has been developed. The aspherical mirrors were fabricated using the computer controlled optical surfacing (CCOS) process and a phase shift interferometer. The mirrors have a figure error of 0.58 nm and surface roughness of 0.3 nm. In order to obtain a high efficiency mirror, M1 and M2 were coated with a graded d-spacing Mo/Si multilayer and mirror M3 was coated with a uniform d-spacing Mo/Si multilayer. The peak reflectivity is 65% at the wavelength of 13.5 nm. The wavelength matching of each mirror spans 0.45 nm. The mirrors were aligned with a Fizeau-type phase shift interferometer, and a final wavefront error of less than 3 nm was achieved. Exposure experiments carried out at new Subaru synchrotron facility revealed that this system is capable of replicating a 56 nm pattern in a 10 mm X 1 mm exposure field.
We have assembled and aligned projection optics for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. The projection optics consists of three aspherical mirrors. First, the positions of the mirrors were coarsely adjusted using the side and back surface of the mirrors. Next, the mirrors were finely aligned to minimize the wavefront errors which were measured by an interferometer. The adjustable axes were selected according to the results of the analysis of the allowable error range. The compensation values for each adjustable axis were calculated by commercially available ray-tracing software. After the alignment procedure, the wavefront error of 3 nm RMS was achieved.
Extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) is one of the candidates to fabricate a sub-0.1 micrometer-pattern. We have developed an Engineering Test Stand (ETS-0) which consists of three aspherical mirrors imaging optics for EUVL. This optics meets the specification of sub-0.1 micrometer generation. The key technology of EUVL is a development of reduction optics. The requirements of both figure error and surface roughness are less than 0.3 nm, and the wave-front error (WFE) of optical system has to be reached to be less than (lambda) /14 rms, where (lambda) is the exposure wavelength. Therefore, the high-precision fabrication and alignment techniques for the optics are required. We have developed the alignment procedure of three-aspherical-mirror optics to minimize the WFE, by the Fizeau-type interferometer using He-Ne laser ((lambda) equals 632.8 nm) and by the ray trace program (CODE-V). Namely, we have found the effective mirror-adjustment-axis to realize the high-precision alignment. The effective axis is decided by the priority for the adjustment axis. The priority is lead by two methods. One method is decided by the contribution to the WFE reduction that was calculated by CODE-V. The other method is decided by the correlation between the amount of decentration (shift for X-axis or Y-axis direction), despacing (shift for Z-axis direction), tilt of each mirror and the F.Z.- coefficients. The mirror is adjusted in the order of the priority of mirror axis. As a result, the WFE of 3 nm RMS has been achieved by using this alignment procedure in three- aspherical-mirror optics.
In order to investigate industrial applications of synchrotron radiation, Hyogo Prefecture is constructing a synchrotron radiation (SR) ring at the SPring-8 site. It will operate at an electron energy of 1.5 GeV. In September, 1998, the ring will be commissioned when the SPring-8 injector begins feeding electrons into it. We developed a beam line for EUVL under the industrial applications program. In addition, we are developing a three-spherical- mirror system for EUVL. The specifications of the exposure tool target the 0.1-micrometers generation on the SIA road map. This tool consists of illumination optics, a scanning and alignment mechanism, 3-aspherical-mirror optics, and a load- lock chamber for exchanging wafers. The exposure tool is installed in a thermal chamber located at the end of the beamline. Using this system, we plan to develop a 0.1-micrometers process and fabricate MOS devices with feature sizes of 0.1- micrometers and below.
We present the development status of the normal incidence XUV multilayer mirrors for XUV Doppler telescope, which observes coronal velocity fields of the whole sun. The telescope has two narrow band-pass multilayer mirrors tuned to slightly longer and shorter wavelengths around the Fe XIV line at 211.3 Angstrom. From the intensity difference of the images taken with these two bands, we can obtain Dopplergram of 1.8 MK plasma of the whole sun. It is required that the multilayer has high wavelength-resolution ((lambda) /(Delta) (lambda) approximately 30 per mirror), anti-reflection coating for intense He II 304 angstrom emission line and high d-spacing uniformity of approximately 1%.
KEYWORDS: Silicon, Reflectivity, Molybdenum, Sputter deposition, X-rays, Ion beams, Interfaces, Transmission electron microscopy, Chemical species, Analytical research
Molybdenum/silicon multilayers were deposited by ion beam sputtering and radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. X-ray reflection, transmission electron microscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy studies were performed to characterize these multilayers. There was a difference in soft x-ray reflectivity. The reason for the difference was found to be the difference in the thickness of silicide layers which were formed at each interface of the multilayers.
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