Abstract:
Die Erfindung betrifft ein Verfahren zum Verhindern des Durchtretens von kontaminierenden gasförmigen Stoffen (18) durch eine Öffnung (17b) in einer Einhausung (4a) einer EUV-Lithographieanlage (1), wobei in der Einhausung (4a) mindestens ein optisches Element zur Führung von EUV-Strahlung (6) angeordnet ist, und wobei das Verfahren umfasst: Erzeugen mindestens eines die kontaminierenden Stoffe (18, 18') umlenkenden, insbesondere deren Strömungsrichtung (Z) entgegen gerichteten Gasstroms (21 a, 21 b) im Bereich der Öffnung (17b). Der Gasstrom (21 a, 21 b) und die EUV-Strahlung (6) werden gepulst erzeugt und die Pulsrate des Gasstroms (21 a, 21 b) wird in Abhängigkeit von der Pulsrate der unter Einwirkung der gepulsten EUV-Strahlung (6) freigesetzten kontaminierenden Stoffe (18, 18') festgelegt, wobei beide Pulsraten insbesondere gleich groß sind, und wobei sich im Bereich der Öffnung (17b) die Gaspulse zeitlich mit den Pulsen der kontaminierenden Stoffe (18, 18') überlappen. Die Erfindung betrifft auch eine EUV-Lithographieanlage, an der das Verfahren durchgeführt werden kann.
Abstract:
An apparatus for providing a pulsed radiation beam has a radiation source providing a pulsed radiation beam at a constant pulse repetition frequency. A beam deflector in the path of the pulsed radiation beam is actuable to redirect the pulsed radiation beam cyclically towards each of a plurality of beam intensity modulators in turn. A beam recombiner combines modulated light from each of the plurality of beam intensity modulators in order to form the modulated pulsed radiation beam at the constant pulse repetition frequency.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus and to a microlithographic exposure method. A microlithographic projection exposure apparatus according to the invention comprises a pulsed light source (110, 210) for generating pulsed light, an illumination device (130, 230) and a projection objective, the illumination device (130, 230) illuminating an object plane of the projection objective and the object plane being imaged into an image plane of the projection objective by means of the projection objective, and at least one photoelastic modulator (120, 220) being arranged between the pulsed light source (110, 210) and the illumination device (130, 230).
Abstract:
A method of processing a polycrystalline film on a substrate includes generating a plurality of laser beam pulses, positioning the film on a support capable of movement in at least one direction, directing the plurality of laser beam pulses through a mask to generate patterned laser beams; each of said beams having a length l', a width w' and a spacing between adjacent beams d', irradiating a region of the film with the patterned beams, said beams having an intensity that is sufficient to melt an irradiated portion of the film to induce crystallization of the irradiated portion of the film, wherein the film region is irradiated n times; and after irradiation of each film portion, translating either the film or the mask, or both, a distance in the x- and y-directions, where the distance of translation in the y-direction is in the range of about l'/n-d, where d is a value selected to form overlapping the beamlets from the one irradiation step to the next, and where the distance of translation in the x-direction is selected such that the film is moved a distance of about ?' after n irradiations, where ?' = w' + d'.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to an apparatus for forming pattern on a radiation sensitive material comprising a source to form a radiation beam, a scanning element to scan at least one beam from said radiation source over said radiation sensitive material, a modulator to modulate said at least one beam during scanning according to an input pattern data file, where said modulation of the beam creates a coherent sub-image on the workpiece and several sub-images are non-coherently superposed to create a final image. The invention also relates to a method of patterning a wotkpiece and a workpiece as such.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a modular high repetition rate ultraviolet gas discharge laser (4) light source for a production line machine. The system includes an enclosed and purged beam path for delivery the laser beam to a desired location such as the entrance port of the production line machine. In preferred embodiments, the production line machine is a lithography machine (2) and two separate discharge chambers are provided, one of which is a part of a master oscillator producing a very narrow band send beam which is amplified in the second discharge chamber. The MOPA system is capable of output pulse energies approximately double the comparable single chamber laser system with greatly improved beam quality. A pulse stretcher more than doubles the output pulse length resulting in a reduction in pulse power (mJ/ns) as compared to prior art laser systems. This preferred embodiment is capable throughout the operating life of the lithography system, despite substantially degradation of optical components.
Abstract:
The present invention provides gas discharge laser systems capable of reliable long-term operation in a production line capacity at repetition rates in the range of 6,000 to 10,000 pulses per second. Preferred embodiments are configured as KrF, ArF and F 2 lasers used in photolithography. Improvements include a suction fan (555) in the immediate vicinity of the anode (542) to increase gas flow. The intake of the fan (555) is between the anode (542) and the insulating spacer (544B).
Abstract:
At scanning exposing, where an illuminating area (42R) on a mask (R) is illuminated by a pulse beam from a pulse light source (16) and the mask and a photosensitive object (W) are moved synchronously to transfer the pattern of the mask onto the object (W), a main controller (50) controls an exposure so as to maintain an exposure pulse number at a minimum exposure pulse number in a high−sensitivity area where the scanning speeds of the mask and the photosensitive object are set to a maximum scanning speed. The pulse light source (16) can change a pulse energy within a specified range and maintains an exposure pulse number at a minimum exposure pulse number within a range a pulse energy can be changed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a wasteful consumption of pulse and reduce costs. In addition, a restriction in energy consumption can extend the lives of a pulse light source and an optical system due to reduced loads.
Abstract:
A lithography system and method for cost-effective device manufacture that can employ a new "flash-on-the-fly" mode of operation is disclosed, wherein exposure fields are formed with single pulses of radiation. The system includes a pulsed radiation source (14), an illumination system (24), a mask (M), a projection lens (40) an a workpiece stage (50) that supports a workpiece (W) having an image-bearing surface (WS). A radiation source controller (16) and a workpiece stage position system (60), which includes a metrology device (62), are used to coordinate and control the exposure of the mask with radiation pulses so that adjacent radiation pulses form adjacent exposure fields (EF). Where pulse-to-pulse uniformity from the radiation source is lacking, a pulse stabilization system (18) may be optionally used to attain the desired pulse-to-pulse uniformity in exposure dose. The rapidity at which exposures can be made using a single radiation pulse allows for a very high throughput, which in turn allows for a small-image- field projection lens to be utilized in a cost-effective manner in the manufacture of devices such as semiconductor integrated circuits and the like. The system can also be used in the conventional "step-and-repeat" mode of operation, so that the system owner can decide the most cost-effective mode of operation for any given application.