Yukio Watanabe

Key components development progress updates of the 250W high power LPP-EUV light source

Gigaphoton Inc. is developing a CO2-Sn-LPP EUV light source based on unique and original technologies including a high power CO2laser with 15 nanosecond pulse duration, a solid-state pre-pulse laser with 10 picosecond pulse duration, a highly stabilized droplet generator, a precise laser-droplet shooting control system and a debris mitigation system using a magnetic field. In this paper, an update of the development progress of our 250W CO2-Sn-LPP EUV light source and of the key components is presented.

Development of high-power ArF/F2 laser platform for VUV microlithography

New light source technology for ArF lithography under 65nm node is introduced. That is “GigaTwin” platform based on “Injection Lock” technology. The new product named GT40A is 60W (4000Hz, 15mJ), 0.18pm high power ultra narrowed ArF laser. The “Injection Lock” technology provides higher performance and lower CoO. GT40A has enabled the target of more than 60ns pulse duration by natural long pulse and optical pulse stretcher. Combination of “Injection Lock” technology and Gigaphoton’s key technologies; “Higher resolution” technology, “Magnetic bearing” technology and “G-electrode” technology promise durable and reliable performance of GT40A. These technologies enable the target of chamber maintenance interval more than 12 billion pulses. The GT40A will be release into market by 4Q 2004. We introduce latest development data of GT40A, which is developed new high power “Injection Lock” laser platform for VUV/DUV lithography system.

High-power LPP-EUV source with long collector mirror lifetime for high volume semiconductor manufacturing

We have been developing CO2-Sn-LPP EUV light source which is the most promising solution as the 13.5nm high power light source for HVM EUVL. Unique and original technologies such as; combination of pulsed CO2 laser and Sn droplets, dual wavelength laser pulses shooting and mitigation with magnetic field have been developed in Gigaphoton Inc. We have developed first practical source for HVM; “GL200E” 17) in 2014. We have proved high average power CO2 laser more than 20kW at output power cooperate with Mitsubishi electric cooperation16). Pilot#1 is up running and its demonstrates HVM capability; EUV power recorded at111W average (117W in burst stabilized, 95% duty) with 5% conversion efficiency for 22hours operation in October 201621). Recently we have demonstrated, EUV power recorded at113W in burst stabilized (85W in average, 75% duty), with 5% conversion efficiency during 143hours operation. Also the Pilot#1 system recorded 64% availability and idle time was 25%. Availability is potentially achievable at 89% (2weeks average), also superior magnetic mitigation has demonstrated promising mirror degradation rate (= −0.5%/Gp) above 100W level operation with dummy mirror test22). Very low degradation (= − 0.4%/Gp) of actual collector mirror reflectance has been demonstrated above 100W level operation (in burst) with magnetic mitigation EUV source.