ALF: a facility for x-ray lithography (II): a progress report

摘要

In our previous paper which we presented here two years ago, we described the ALF (Advanced Lithography Facility), IBM's new facility for X-ray lithography which was built as an addition to the Advanced Semiconductor Technology Center at IBM's semiconductor plant in Hopewell Jct., NY. At that time, we described the structure, its utilities, facilities and special features such as the radiation shielding, control room, clean room and vibration resistant design. The building has been completed and occupied. By the time this paper is presented the storage ring will be commissioned, the clean room occupied, and two beamlines with one stepper operational. In this paper we will review the successful completion of the facility with its associated hardware. The installation of the synchrotron will be described elsewhere. We will also discuss the first measurements of vibration, clean room cleanliness and the effectiveness of the radiation shielding. The ALF was completed on schedule and cost objectives were met. This is attributed to careful planning, close cooperation among all the parties involved from the technical team in IBM Research, the system vendor (Oxford Instruments of Oxford England) to the many contractors and subcontractors and to strong support from IBM senior management. All the planned building specifications were met and the facility has come on-line with a minimum of problems. Most important, the initial measurements show that the radiation shielding plan is sound and that with a few modifications the dose limit of 10% of background will be met. Any concerns about an electron accelerator and synchrotron in an industrial setting have been eliminated.