Extreme ultraviolet (euv) source and a substrate processing apparatus including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025076776-A1
Application number	US-202418595753-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 5, 2024
Priority date	Sep 1, 2023
Publication date	Mar 6, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source includes a housing providing a light-collecting space having a cone shape becoming narrower in a first direction, an EUV collector disposed at a first end portion of the housing and including a reflection surface disposed toward the light-collecting space, and an exhaust pipe coupled to the housing and providing an exhaust flow path connected to the light-collecting space, wherein the exhaust pipe extends from the housing and forms an acute angle with the housing toward a second end portion of the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source comprising:
a housing providing a light-collecting space having a cone shape becoming narrower in a first direction; an EUV collector disposed at a first end portion of the housing and including a reflection surface disposed toward the light-collecting space; and an exhaust pipe coupled to the housing and providing an exhaust flow path connected to the light-collecting space, wherein the exhaust pipe extends from the housing and forms an acute angle with the housing toward a second end portion of the housing.

2 . The EUV source of claim 1 , wherein a center portion of an outlet at which the exhaust flow path is connected to the light-collecting space is disposed below a center portion of the light-collecting space extending in the first direction.

3 . The EUV source of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a lower housing to which the EUV collector is connected,
wherein the lower housing comprises a plurality of housing through-holes spaced apart from each other at equal distances and disposed around the light-collecting space.

4 . The EUV source of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises:
a lower housing to which the EUV collector is connected; an upper housing disposed on the lower housing; and an intermediate focus cap disposed on the upper housing and configured to allow a passage of EUV light received from the EUV collector.

5 . The EUV source of claim 4 , wherein an inner surface of the intermediate focus cap has a stepped shape.

6 . The EUV source of claim 1 , wherein the exhaust flow path extends in a direction forming an acute angle with the first direction.

7 . The EUV source of claim 1 , further comprising a scrubber connected to the exhaust flow path and configured to purify a residue exhausted from the light-collecting space.

8 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
a chamber; an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source disposed in the chamber and configured to generate EUV light; an optical rig disposed in the chamber and configured to provide the EUV light generated from the EUV source to a reticle, and from the reticle to a substrate; a substrate chuck disposed in the chamber and configured to support the substrate; and a reticle stage disposed in the chamber and configured to hold the reticle, wherein the EUV source comprises: a housing providing a light-collecting space that narrows in a first direction; an EUV collector disposed at a first end portion of the housing and including a reflection surface disposed toward the light-collecting space; and an exhaust pipe coupled to the housing and providing an exhaust flow path connected to the light-collecting space, wherein the exhaust pipe extends from the housing and forms an acute angle with the housing toward a second end portion of the housing, and wherein a center portion of an outlet at which the exhaust flow path meets the light-collecting space is disposed below a center portion of the light-collecting space extending in the first direction.

9 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the reticle stage comprises:
a plasma source, and wherein the plasma source is configured to provide plasma onto the reticle stage to electrically neutralize the reticle charged by the EUV source.

10 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the reticle stage further comprises:
a reticle chuck, and wherein the plasma source is disposed outside the reticle chuck.

11 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the housing comprises:
a lower housing; and an upper housing connected to the lower housing.

12 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the lower housing comprises a plurality of housing through-holes penetrating the lower housing and connected to the light-collecting space.

13 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the housing further comprises:
an intermediate focus cap disposed on the upper housing at a second end portion of the housing and configured to allow a passage of EUV light received from the EUV collector, and wherein the intermediate focus cap has a cone shape becoming narrower in the first direction.

14 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a scrubber connected to the exhaust pipe and configured to purify residue in the exhaust flow path, wherein the scrubber comprises a pump used to move the residue.

15 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the reflection surface has a parabolic shape and is disposed at the lower housing at the first end portion of the housing.

16 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the acute angle is less than about 900.

17 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the optical rig comprises: a plurality of optical systems configured to reflect the EUV light.

18 . The substrate processing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the light-collecting space becomes narrower in the first direction.

19 . An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source comprising:
a housing providing a light-collecting space having a cone shape becoming narrower in a first direction; an EUV collector disposed at a first end portion of the housing and including a reflection surface disposed toward the light-collecting space; an intermediate focus cap disposed at a second end portion of the housing; and an exhaust pipe coupled to the housing and providing an exhaust flow path connected to the light-collecting space, wherein the exhaust pipe extends from the housing and forms an acute angle with the housing toward the second end portion of the housing, and wherein a center portion of an outlet at which the exhaust flow path is connected to the light-collecting space is disposed closer to the second end portion of the housing than the first end portion.

20 . The EUV source of claim 19 , wherein a center portion of the outlet at which the exhaust flow path is connected to the light-collecting space is disposed below a center portion of the light-collecting space extending in the first direction.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hong Seungpyo
• KIM SungHyup
• Lee Injae
• Yoon Daegeun
• Um Taewoong

Classifications

• H05G2/008

  involving an energy-carrying beam in the process of plasma generation · CPC title

• G03F7/70175

  Lamphouse reflector arrangements or collector mirrors, i.e. collecting light from solid angle upstream of the light source · CPC title

• G03F7/70916

  Pollution mitigation, i.e. mitigating effect of contamination or debris, e.g. foil traps · CPC title

• G03F7/70033 Primary

  by plasma extreme ultraviolet [EUV] sources · CPC title

• G03F7/70233

  Optical aspects of catoptric systems, i.e. comprising only reflective elements, e.g. extreme ultraviolet [EUV] projection systems · CPC title