Described herein is an improved target for use in a pulsed induced plasma X-ray lithography system. The target is formed as a disk shaped base having a series of concentric grooves formed on the side thereof incident to the focused laser beam. A plurality of small holes are fabricated through the base to the facing wall of the groove against which the laser beam is focused and a film, of a polyimide or silicon nitride material, covers the hole. A thin layer of metal target material is then placed on the film aligned with each hole. The thickness of the metal is selected to be sufficient to allow the complete ablation of the material during the existence of the X-ray emitting plasma. In this manner, a minimal amount of debris, either in the form of molten droplets or evaporated metal material, will be generated. The angle of the incident, or facing, side of the grooves is selected to be at an angle so that both the laser beam optical elements and the X-ray mask are positioned in an area where few, if any, molten droplets of debris are emitted. Such an angle may be 45.degree. with respect to the plane in which the target substrate is moved while placing different target areas in incident with the laser beam. Such an target also allows the angle at which the laser beam is focused at the target to be approximately 65.degree. from the alignment of the focal spot on the target and the vertical line to the mask. This angle, in turn, allows a slower lens and less optical coating to be used on the optical elements beyond the lens.
A lithographic apparatus includes a source for generating radiation, an illumination system for conditioning the radiation, a patterning device for patterning the conditioned radiation, and a projection system for projecting the patterned radiation onto a target portion of a substrate. The illumination system includes a debris mitigating system for mitigating debris particles that are released with the generation of radiation, and an optical system for collecting the radiation. The debris mitigation system is arranged to directly evaporate the debris particles, or to directly charge the debris particles, or to directly produce a plasma out of the debris particles, or any combination thereof, in a path along which the radiation propagates from the source to the optical system.
Capillary discharge extreme ultraviolet lamp sources for EUV microlithography and other applications. The invention covers operating conditions for a pulsed capillary discharge lamp for EUVL and other applications such as resist exposure tools, microscopy, interferometry, metrology, biology and pathology. Techniques and processes are described to mitigate against capillary bore erosion, pressure pulse generation, and debris formation in capillary discharge-powered lamps operating in the EUV. Additional materials are described for constructing capillary discharge devices fore EUVL and related applications. Further, lamp designs and configurations are described for lamps using gasses and metal vapors as the radiating species.
A sputtering chamber has a target that moves with an orbital motion relative to an ion beam. An X-Y assembly allows for target movement in both the horizontal and vertical directions. The X-Y assembly has a base plate, an intermediate plate, and a target mounting plate that attaches to the target. The plates are connected together by bearing blocks that slide along rails in the X and Y directions. A rotating shaft has gears that rotate a center shaft through the base and intermediate plates. The rotating center shaft has an arm on its end that attaches to the target mounting plate. The arm produces an orbital movement of the target. Rather than simply rotating the target around the center shaft, the center of the target orbits around the center of the center shaft. Ion-beam wear is spread across the target surface, extending target life and improving deposition uniformity.
Method and apparatus for producing extreme ultra violet (EUV) and soft x-ray radiation from an ultra-low debris plasma source are disclosed. Targets are produced by the free jet expansion of various gases through a temperature controlled nozzle to form molecular clusters. These target clusters are subsequently irradiated with commercially available lasers of moderate intensity (10.sup.11 -10.sup.12 watts/cm.sup.2) to produce a plasma radiating in the region of 0.5 to 100 nanometers. By appropriate adjustment of the experimental conditions the laser focus can be moved 10-30 mm from the nozzle thereby eliminating debris produced by plasma erosion of the nozzle.
Methods for making pulsed and continuous discharge plasma light sources for extreme ultraviolet(EUV) projection lithography and soft-x-ray microscopy as well as other applications are disclosed. A first light source of doubly ionized lithium ions emits over a narrow bandwidth of approximately 13.5 nm. A second light source of beryllium ions radiates at approximately 7.60 nm. A third light source of boron ions radiates at approximately 4.86 nm, and a fourth light source of carbon ions radiates at approximately 3.38 nm. Preferred embodiments of apparatus for generating pulsed and continuous discharge sources are disclosed.
