Karine Le Guen

Structural properties of Al/Mo/SiC multilayers with high reflectivity for extreme ultraviolet light

We present the results of an optical and chemical, depth and surface study of Al/Mo/SiC periodic multilayers, designed as high reflectivity coatings for the extreme ultra-violet (EUV) range. In comparison to the previously studied Al/SiC system, the introduction of Mo as a third material in the multilayer structure allows us to decrease In comparison to the previously studied Al/SiC system with a reflectance of 37% at near normal incidence around 17 nm, the introduction of Mo as a third material in the multilayer structure allows us to decrease the interfacial roughness and achieve an EUV reflectivity of 53.4%, measured with synchrotron radiation. This is the first report of a reflectivity higher than 50% around 17 nm. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements are performed on the Al/Mo/SiC system in order to analyze the individual layers within the stack. ToF-SIMS and XPS results give evidence that the first SiC layer is partially oxidized, but the O atoms do not reach the first Mo and Al layers. We use these results to properly describe the multilayer stack and discuss the possible reasons for the difference between the measured and simulated EUV reflectivity values.

Optical and structural performance of the Al(1%wtSi)/Zr reflection multilayers in the 17–19nm region

Two kinds of Al/Zr (Al(1%wtSi)/Zr and Al(Pure)/Zr) multilayers for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) optics were deposited on fluorine doped tin oxide coated glass by using direct-current magnetron sputtering technology. The comparison of the two systems shows that the Al(1%wtSi)/Zr multilayers have the lowest interfacial roughness and highest reflectivity. Based on the X-ray diffraction, the performance of the two systems is determined by the crystallization of Al layer. To fully understand the Al(1%wtSi)/Zr multilayer, we built up a two-layer model to fit situation of the AFM images, and simulate the grazing incident x-ray reflection-measurements of multilayers with various periods (N = 10, 40, 60, 80). Below 40 periods, the roughness components are lowered. After 40 periods, both surface and interfacial roughness increase with the period number, and decrease the reflectance. According to transmission electron microscope images, the model can represent the variable structure of the system.

Comparison of Mg-based multilayers for solar He II radiation at 30.4 nm wavelength

Mg-based multilayers, including SiC/Mg, Co/Mg, B(4)C/Mg, and Si/Mg, are investigated for solar imaging and a He II calibration lamp at a 30.4 nm wavelength. These multilayers were fabricated by a magnetron sputtering method and characterized by x-ray reflection. The reflectivities of these multilayers were measured by synchrotron radiation. Near-normal-incidence reflectivities of Co/Mg and SiC/Mg multilayer mirrors are as high as 40.3% and 44.6%, respectively, while those of B(4)C/Mg and Si/Mg mirrors are too low for application. The measured results suggest that SiC/Mg, Co/Mg multilayers are promising for a 30.4 nm wavelength.

Enhancement of the reflectivity of Al/Zr multilayers by a novel structure

The reflectivity of Al/Zr multilayers is enhanced by the use of a novel structure. The Al layers are divided by insertion of Si layers. In addition, Si barrier layers are inserted at the Al/Zr interfaces (Zr-on-Al and Al-on-Zr). As a result, crystallization of the Al layer is inhibited and that of Zr is enhanced. In grazing incidence x-ray reflectometry, x-ray diffraction, and extreme ultraviolet measurements, the novel multilayers exhibit lower interfacial roughness compared with traditional multilayer structures, and their reflectivity is increased from 48.2% to 50.0% at a 5° angle of incidence. These novel multilayers also have potential applications in other multilayer systems and the semiconductor industry.

Characterization of Al and Mg alloys from their X-ray emission bands.

The valence states of Mg-Al alloys are compared to those of reference materials (pure Mg and Al metals, and intermetallics). Two methods based on X-ray emission spectroscopy are proposed to determine the phases and their proportion: first, by analyzing the Al valence spectra of the Mg-rich alloys and the Mg valence spectra of the Al-rich alloys; second, by fitting with a linear combination of the reference spectra the Al spectra of the Al-rich alloys and the Mg spectra of the Mg-rich alloys. This enables us to determine that Al and Al3Mg2 are present in the 0-43.9 wt% Al composition range and Mg and Al12Mg17 are present in the 62.5-100 wt% Al composition range. In the 43.9-62.5% Al range, the alloy is single phase and an underestimation of the Al content of the alloy can be estimated from the comparison of the bandwidth of the alloy spectrum to the bandwidths of the reference spectra.

Thermal stability of Mg/Co multilayer with B 4 C, Mo or Zr diffusion barrier layers

The efficiency of B(4)C, Mo and Zr barrier layers to improve thermal stability of Mg/Co multilayer up to 400 °C is investigated. Multilayers were deposited by direct current magnetron sputtering and characterized using X-ray and extreme ultraviolet reflection. The results suggest that B(4)C barrier layer is not effective due to drastic diffusion at Mg-B(4)C interface. Although introducing Mo barriers improves the thermal stability from 200 to 300 °C, it increases the interface roughness and thus degrades the optical performances. On the contrary, Zr barriers can significantly increase the thermal stability of Mg/Co up to 400 °C without optical performance degradation. Thus, Mg/Zr/Co/Zr is suitable for EUV applications requiring both optimal optical performances and heat resistance.

Feasibility considerations of a soft-x-ray distributed feedback laser pumped by an x-ray free electron laser

We discuss the feasibility of a soft-x-ray distributed feedback laser (DFL) pumped by an x-ray free electron laser (X-FEL). The DFL under consideration is a Mg/SiC bi-layered Bragg reflector pumped by a single X-FEL bunch at 57.4 eV, stimulating the Mg L2,3 emission at 49 eV corresponding to the 3s-3d →2p1/2,3/2 transition. Based on a model developed by Yariv and Yeh and an extended coupled-wave theory, we show that it would be possible to obtain a threshold gain compatible with the pumping provided by available X-FEL facilities.

Zr/Mg multilayer mirror for extreme ultraviolet application and its thermal stability

Zr/Mg multilayer mirror was proposed for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectral range and deposited by magnetron sputtering. Its thermal stability during annealing up to 600 °C was evaluated by EUV reflection measurements, x-ray analyses, and transmission electron microscopy and found superior to that of Y2O3/Mg, SiC/Mg, and Co/Mg. The reflectance of as-deposited Zr/Mg multilayer is 30.6% at wavelength of 30.4 nm. The reflectance slightly decreases with annealing temperature when not above 500 °C and eventually drops to 15.1% at 600 °C. The degradation of performance is attributed to roughening induced by strain relaxation rather than interdiffusion or alloy compound formation.

X‐ray fluorescence induced by standing waves in the grazing‐incidence and grazing‐exit modes: study of the Mg–Co–Zr system

The characterization of Mg-Co-Zr tri-layer stacks using X-ray fluorescence induced by X-ray standing waves, in both the grazing-incidence (GI) and the grazing-exit (GE) modes, is presented. The introduction of a slit in the direction of the detector improves the angular resolution by a factor of two and significantly improves the sensitivity of the technique for the chemical characterization of the buried interfaces. By observing the intensity variations of the Mg Kα and Co Lα characteristic emissions as a function of the incident (GI mode) or detection (GE mode) angle, it is shown that the interfaces of the Si/[Mg/Co/Zr] × 30 multilayer are abrupt, whereas in the Si/[Mg/Zr/Co] × 30 multilayer a strong intermixing occurs at the Co-on-Zr interfaces. An explanation of this opposite behavior of the Co-on-Zr and Zr-on-Co interfaces is given by the calculation of the mixing enthalpies of the Co-Mg, Co-Zr and Mg-Zr systems, which shows that the Co-Zr system presents a negative value and the other two systems present positive values. Together with the difference of the surface free energies of Zr and Co, this leads to the Mg/Zr/Co system being considered as a Mg/CoxZry bi-layer stack, with x/y estimated around 3.5.

Al/Zr multilayer mirror and its thermal stability for EUV application

Two kinds of Al/Zr (Al(1%wtSi)/Zr and Al(Pure)/Zr) multilayers in the region of 17-19nm were deposited on fluorine doped tin oxide coated glass by using direct-current magnetron sputtering technology. Based on the fitting data of grazing incident X-ray reflection and near-normal incident (EUV) reflectance, the interfacial roughness in the Al(1%wtSi)/Zr is lower than that in Al(Pure)/Zr because of the presence of silicon in Al. For the further characterization of Al(1%wtSi)/Zr multilayers, six samples deposited on Si substrates were annealed from 100 °C to 500 °C temperature in a vacuum furnace for 1 h. Based on the results of EUV and X-ray diffraction, the Al(1%wtSi)/Zr multilayer has a stable structure up to 200 °C, and keeps almost the similar EUV reflectivity as the non-annealed sample. After 300 °C, the amorphous of Al-Zr alloy is transformed to polycrystalline in the interface, which could be the reason for the decrease of EUV reflectivity. The polycrystalline Al-Zr compound does not destroy the multilayer completely even up to 500 °C.