Semiconductor market demand for improved performance at lower cost continues to drive enhancements in excimer light source technologies. Multi-patterning lithography solutions to extend deep-UV (DUV) immersion have driven requirements such as higher throughput and higher efficiencies to maximize the utilization of leading-edge lithography equipment. Three key light source parameters have direct influence on patterning performance – energy, wavelength and bandwidth stability – and they have been the primary areas of continuous improvement. With 14nm node development, a number of studies have shown the direct influence of bandwidth stability on CD uniformity for certain patterns and geometries, leading to the desire for further improvements in this area. More recent studies also examined the impact of bandwidth on 10nm logic node patterning [1]. Alongside these drivers, increasing cost per patterning layer continues to demand further improvements in operating costs and efficiencies from the lithography tools, and the light source can offer further gains in these areas as well. This paper introduces several light source technologies that are embodied in a next-generation light source, the Cymer XLR® 700ix, which is an extension of the ring laser architecture introduced 8 years ago. These technologies enable a significant improvement in bandwidth stability as well as notable reductions in operating costs through more efficient gas management algorithms and lower facilities costs.
Semiconductor market demand for improved performance at lower cost continues to drive enhancements in excimer
light source technologies. Increased output power, reduced variability in key light source parameters, and improved
beam stability are required of the light source to support immersion lithography, multi-patterning, and 450mm wafer
applications in high volume semiconductor manufacturing. To support future scanner needs, Cymer conducted a
technology demonstration program to evaluate the design elements for a 120W ArFi light source. The program was
based on the 90W XLR 600ix platform, and included rapid power switching between 90W and 120W modes to
potentially support lot-to-lot changes in desired power. The 120W requirements also included improved beam
stability in an exposure window conditionally reduced by 20%. The 120W output power is achieved by efficiency
gains in system design, keeping system input power at the same level as the 90W XLR 600ix. To assess system to
system variability, detailed system testing was conducted from 90W – 120W with reproducible results.
Coherent cw operation has been obtained with a 10x4 array of Grating Surface Emitting (GSE) lasers consisting of 40 lasers and 50 emitting sections. The array is a GaAs quantum well device, grown on an A1GaAs substrate, operating at 861 nm to which the substrate is transparent. It is mounted p-down to metallized traces on a BeO slab to provide isolated electrical contacts and thermal contact to a simple chilled-water cooler. A single spectral line 0.5 A wide indicates coupling of the 40 laser sections. More detailed measurements on a section of an array containing ten laterally coupled lasers, 20 outputs, show that it is operating at a junction temperature of 30°C, has a line width of 0.1 5A, and a measured coherence of <75%. The expected wavelength stabilization with temperature due to the DBR grating is found, with a value of =0.6A/°C. An array of 4 longitudinally coupled lasers produced a line width of 130MHz and evidence of high coherence.
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.