Development status of gas discharge produced plasma Z-pinch EUV sources for use in beta-tools and high volume chip manufacturing tools

摘要

In the paper we report about the progress made at XTREME technologies in the development of EUV sources based ongas discharge produced plasma (GDPP) technologies as well as the integration of collector optics. Optics from differentsuppliers were integrated to the source and the performance of the radiation in the intermediate focus and in the far fieldbehind the intermediate focus were determined using newly developed metrology tools.To improve the source performance in the development program for beta exposure tools and high volume manufacturingexposure tools both tin and xenon have been investigated as fuel for the EUV sources. Development progress in porousmetal cooling technology as well as pulsed power circuit design has led to GDPP sources with xenon fuel continuouslyoperating with an output power of 200 W in 2π sr at 4500 Hz repetition rate. With tin fuel an output power of 400 W in2π sr was obtained leaving all other conditions unaltered with respect to the xenon based source. The performance of thexenon fueled sources is sufficiently good to fulfill all requirements up to the beta tool level. The required power of 10-20 W in the intermediate focus region at etendue between 3 and 5 mm2sr was demonstrated by using a xenon basedsource.The status of the integration of the sources with grazing incidence collector optics is discussed in detail. Images usingvisible light or EUV light in the intermediate focus region or in the far field behind the intermediate focus are presentedfor the first time. EUV pulse to pulse energy and stability has been measured out of the source and in the intermediatefocus. Data on debris reduction show that lifetime expectations for beta-tools will be met.