Extreme ultraviolet sources and measurement tools for EUV-lithography and system development

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 large volume chip production starting in 2009. The EUV steppers will require an output power from the EUV source of 115 W at 13.5 nm for economic chip production. In addition, the EUV source must achieve rigorous specifications for debris emission and source facing condenser optics lifetime, source component lifetime, repetition rate, pulse-energy stability, plasma size and spatial emission stability, and spectral purity as a result of lithography system design constraints. Significant progress has been made in the development of laser produced plasma and gas discharge produced plasma based EUV sources as well as metrology tools to measure EUV radiation characteristics. As of today, the first EUV sources and measurement equipment are available to be used for EUV system, mask, optics and component as well as lithography process development. With the commercial availability of EUV-plasma sources other applications using short wavelength, XUV-radiation will be feasible in a laboratory environment. Some examples of XUV applications are discussed.