The life-time of normal incidence collectors used in LPP EUV sources has been computationally investigated. A two-dimensional/
axisymmetric hydrodynamic-particle code is used to model the plasma expansion from the laser-droplet
interaction up to the collector optic. The plasma is formed from the interaction of a Nd:YAG laser, operating at the
fundamental frequency, with 50μm tin droplets. The simulation results show non-uniform mass-density distributions at
the end of the laser pulse. As the expansion continues up to the collector, the non-uniformities continue to develop. Sn5+
is the most energetic ion impinging on the collector, with kinetic energies up to 7keV. The sputtering yields for Sn ions
onto Mo and Si show a strong dependence on both the ion energy and their impact angle. The deposition of neutral tin
atoms on the collector has also been assessed with a large scale hydrodynamic simulation. These results are used to
investigate the build-up of tin vapor at the irradiation site.
KEYWORDS: Extreme ultraviolet, Extreme ultraviolet lithography, Monte Carlo methods, Plasmas, Mica, Manufacturing, Mirrors, Particles, Temperature metrology, Cooling systems
The leading candidate for the manufacture of next generation semi-conductor devices is extreme ultraviolet lithography,
with laser-produced plasmas as a candidate 13.5nm light source. A primary challenge for continuous operation is
elimination of the debris load on the collector, without compromising the radiation intensity at the intermediate focus. A
novel combination of thermal management and debris mitigation is developed in order to reduce the deformation and
degradation of collector optics. This patent-pending novel debris mitigation technique enables the continuous operation
of the source. The paper shows atomic force microscope measurements of the collector surface deposition. The debris
mitigation system run at 50% design operating condition gives 90% debris mitigation effectiveness. The average
temperature of the cooled collector is 36.5°C at the design point, with a peak-to-peak difference of 0.8°C. The collector
geometry, after being adapted to compensate the thermal deformation, yields a spot size of 30μm at IF. Computational
simulations, using ETH's multi-scale computational tools, complement the presented experimental results.
The life-time of the collection optics of an LPP EUV source is computationally studied. The near-field (radiating layer,
micrometer scale) and far-field (optics, meter scale) radiation and particle dynamics are investigated with a twodimensional/
axisymmetric coupled hydrodynamic-particle code, which is used together with an atomic physics code to
predict the laser-plasma processes. The droplet target is found to have a conversion efficiency of 2.2%. The nonuniformity
of the initial plasma expansion is detailed. In the far field study, the neutral and ion distributions are projected
on a normal incidence mirror. Ions up to Sn4+ reach the mirror. Fast neutrals mostly deposit in the central region of the
mirror, while ions erode the outer region. The simulated ion kinetic energies, which are in the range of a few keV volts
match experimental values. The local time durations for a reflectivity drop from 70% to 60% are in the range of 2.5 to 4
hours. The extension of the life-time of the collection optics up to 30'000 hours requires either a 4 order of magnitude
reduction of the ion flux or a 5-fold reduction of the ion kinetic energies. In order to fulfill the EUVL source requirement
of continuous operation, an effective mitigation scheme for fast ions and neutrals is mandatory.
The conversion efficiency and potential for debris of planar and spherical targets of laser-produced tin-plasmas for use in
a high-volume manufacturing EUVL source collector module are computationally examined. A Nd:YAG laser beam is
used to irradiate the targets under different irradiances and pulse durations. A two-dimensional/axisymmetric
hydrodynamic code, an atomic physics code and an analytical model are used to perform simulations of the laser-plasma
processes. The predicted conversion efficiencies are in good agreement with data reported from experiments. The
optimum laser parameters yield maximum conversion efficiencies of 1.86% and 1.45%, respectively for the planar and
spherical targets. However, the spherical target is best suited for low cost-of-ownership, as it has significantly lower
neutral debris compared to the planar target. The key finding of this work is that the laser produced plasmas of both
planar and spherical targets are non-uniform. These non-uniformities must be accounted for in the design of collection
optics and debris mitigation schemes.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.