Guido Hergenhan

EUV source power and lifetime: the most critical issues for EUV lithography

Semiconductor chip manufacturers are expecting to use extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography for high volume manufacturing of DRAMs and ICs starting by the end of this decade. Among all the technologies and modules which have to be developed EUV sources at 13.5 nm are considered to be the most critical issue. Specifically the required output power of 115 W at the entrance of the illuminator system in combination with the required lifetimes of source components and collector optics make the source technology critical for EUV lithography. The present paper gives an update of the development status of EUV light sources at XTREME technologies, a joint venture of Lambda Physik AG, Goettingen, and Jenoptik LOS GmbH, Jena, Germany. Results on both laser produced plasma (LPP) and gas discharge produced plasma (GDPP), the two major technologies in EUV sources, are given. The LPP EUV sources use xenon-jet target systems and pulsed lasers with 500 W average power at up to 10 kHz developed at XTREME technologies. The maximum conversion efficiency from laser power into EUV in-band power is 1.0 % into 2p solid angle. 2.0 W EUV radiation is generated at 13.5 nm in 2p sr solid angle. The small source volume of < 0.3 mm diameter will allow large collection angles of 5 sr. The intermediate focus power is estimated to 1 W. Collector mirror lifetime tests showed 5 million pulses lifetime without debris mitigation. With debris mitigation in place lifetimes of more than 1 billion pulses are estimated. For the next generation of higher power EUV LPP sources a laser driver has been tested at 1.3 kW average laser power. This will lead to 5 W EUV power in intermediate focus. The GDPP EUV sources use the Z-pinch principle with efficient sliding discharge pre-ionization. Prototype commercial gas discharge sources with an EUV power of 35W in 2p sr were already delivered for integration into EUV microsteppers. These sources are equipped with a debris-filter which results in an optics lifetime exceeding 100 million discharges at 1 kHz repetition frequency. The same lifetime was achieved for the components of the discharge system itself. The progress in the development of high-power discharge sources resulted in an EUV power of 150 W in continuous operation at 4.5 kHz repetition rate by implementation of porous metal cooling technology. The EUV plasma has a FWHM-diameter of 0.5 mm and a FWHM-length of 1.5 mm. The intermediate focus power is calculated to be in the range of 15 W - 20 W, depending somewhat on the transmission of the optical path to the intermediate focus and on the etendue specification. The typical fluctuations of the EUV energy are standard deviation s<5% without any active stabilization. Discharge sources with Sn as emitter were investigated as more efficient alternative to Xenon. Estimates regarding Sn sources reveal the potential of achieving 65 W intermediate focus power by using developed porous metal cooling technology. Improvement of cooling could open the path to 115 W of power for high volume manufacturing using EUV lithography. However, Sn-sources are technologically risky und much less advanced than Xe sources, since fuel-handling and debris mitigation is much more challenging in comparison to Xe-sources. GDPP and LPP sources still compete for the technology of high volume manufacturing sources for EUV lithography. Optimization potential of the etendue of the optical system of EUV scanners will certainly influence any technology decision for HVM sources.

Progress on Xe-DPP source development for alpha phase

EUVL source development at XTREME technologies benefits from the learning gained in previous developments for EUV Micro Exposure and Alpha Tools. Field data available from operation of these tools represent the basis for continuous improvement in core technology areas such as plasma generation and forming, component reliability, debris mitigation and optical performance. Results from integration and first operation of alpha tool sources are presented in the areas power performance, component lifetime and debris mitigation efficiency. The analysis results and simulation work of the realized EUV source concept are discussed and innovative concepts for component and module improvements are introduced. In term of intermediate focus power, 4W has been achieved. Moreover the factor of 1.6 higher IF power to previous results has been implied to demonstrate capability for the achievement of more than 5W. For the Beta-tool and HVM source generations a joint development work between XTREME technologies and Philips EUV is introduced. The related work is content of another presentation of this conference.

High-power sources for EUV lithography: state of the art

The availability of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light sources, measurement tools and integrated test systems is of major importance for the development of EUV lithography for use in high volume chip manufacturing which is expected to start in 2009. The estimates of cost of an EUV exposure tool in combination with sophisticated throughput models leads to a throughput of 120 wafers per hour necessary for economic use of EUV lithography. Concluding from that light sources are necessary which deliver an EUV output power of 115 W at 13.5 nm at the entrance of the illuminator system. The power requirement in combination with the required lifetimes of source components and collector optics make the source technology the most critical issue to be solved when developing EUV lithography. The present paper gives an update of the development status of EUV light sources at XTREME technologies, a joint venture of Lambda Physik AG, Goettingen, and Jenoptik LOS GmbH, Jena, Germany. Results on both laser produced plasma (LPP) and gas discharge produced plasma (GDPP), the two major technologies in EUV sources, are given. The LPP EUV sources use xenon-jet target systems and pulsed lasers with 500 W average power at up to 10 kHz developed at XTREME technologies. The maximum conversion efficiency from laser power into EUV in-band power is 1.0% into 2π solid angle. 2.0 W EUV radiation is generated at 13.5 nm in 2π sr solid angle. The small source volume of < 0.3 mm diameter will allow large collection angles of 5 sr. The intermediate focus power is estimated to 1 W. Collector mirror lifetime tests showed 5 million pulses lifetime without debris mitigation. With debris mitigation in place lifetimes of more than 1 billion pulses are estimated. For the next generation of higher power EUV LPP sources a laser driver has been tested at 1.3 kW average laser power. This will lead to 5 W EUV power in intermediate focus. The GDPP EUV sources use the Z-pinch principle with efficient sliding discharge pre-ionization. Prototype commercial gas discharge sources with an EUV power of 35W in 2π sr were already delivered for integration into EUV microsteppers. These sources are equipped with a debris-filter which results in an optics lifetime exceeding 100 million discharges at 1 kHz repetition frequency. The same lifetime was achieved for the components of the discharge system itself. The progress in the development of high-power discharge sources resulted in an EUV power of 150 W in continuous operation at 4.5 kHz repetition rate by implementation of porous metal cooling technology. The EUV plasma has a FWHM-diameter of 0.5 mm and a FWHM-length of 1.5 mm. The intermediate focus power is calculated to be in the range of 15 W - 20 W, depending somewhat on the transmission of the optical path to the intermediate focus and on the etendue specification. The typical fluctuations of the EUV energy are standard deviation σ<5% without any active stabilization. Discharge sources with Sn as emitter were investigated as more efficient alternative to Xenon. Estimates regarding Sn sources reveal the potential of achieving 65 W intermediate focus power by using developed porous metal cooling technology. Improvement of cooling could open the path to 115 W of power for high volume manufacturing using EUV lithography. However, Sn-sources are technologically risky und much less advanced than Xe sources, since fuel-handling and debris mitigation is much more challenging in comparison to Xe-sources. GDPP and LPP sources still compete for the technology of high volume manufacturing sources for EUV lithography. Optimization potential of the etendue of the optical system of EUV scanners will certainly influence any technology decision for HVM sources.

EUV source development for high-volume chip manufacturing tools

Xenon-fueled gas discharge produced plasma (DPP) sources were integrated into Micro Exposure Tools already in 2004. Operation of these tools in a research environment gave early learning for the development of EUV sources for Alpha and Beta-Tools. Further experiments with these sources were performed for basic understanding on EUV source technology and limits, especially the achievable power and reliability. The intermediate focus power of Alpha-Tool sources under development is measured to values above 10 W. Debris mitigation schemes were successfully integrated into the sources leading to reasonable collector mirror lifetimes with target of 10 billion pulses due to the effective debris flux reduction. Source collector mirrors, which withstand the radiation and temperature load of Xenon-fueled sources, have been developed in cooperation with MediaLario Technologies to support intermediate focus power well above 10 W. To fulfill the requirements for High Volume chip Manufacturing (HVM) applications, a new concept for HVM EUV sources with higher efficiency has been developed at XTREME technologies. The discharge produced plasma (DPP) source concept combines the use of rotating disk electrodes (RDE) with laser exited droplet targets. The source concept is called laser assisted droplet RDE source. The fuel of these sources has been selected to be Tin. The conversion efficiency achieved with the laser assisted droplet RDE source is 2-3x higher compared to Xenon. Very high pulse energies well above 200 mJ / 2&pgr; sr have been measured with first prototypes of the laser assisted droplet RDE source. If it is possible to maintain these high pulse energies at higher repetition rates a 10 kHz EUV source could deliver 2000 W / 2&pgr; sr. According to the first experimental data the new concept is expected to be scalable to an intermediate focus power on the 300 W level.