EUV light source

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9161426-B2
Application number	US-201414568519-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2014
Priority date	Jul 23, 2012
Publication date	Oct 13, 2015
Grant date	Oct 13, 2015

Abstract

An EUV light source for a projection exposure apparatus for EUV projection lithography includes a first electron beam device in the form of an electron beam supply device. The light source furthermore includes an EUV generation device supplied with an electron beam by the electron beam supply device. The light source furthermore includes a second electron beam device in the form of an electron beam disposal device which disposes of an electron beam in the beam path downstream of the EUV generation device. At least one of the electron beam devices on the one hand and the EUV generation device on the other hand are arranged in rooms which are situated one above the other and separated by a building ceiling. At least one electron beam passage is arranged in the building ceiling. This results in an electron beam-based EUV radiation source with the possibility of a manageable operational outlay.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A light source, comprising:
a first electron beam device configured to supply an electron beam;
an EUV generation device configured to receive the electron beam;
a second electron beam device configured to dispose the electron beam,
wherein:
the second electron beam device is downstream of the EUV generation device along a path of the electron beam through the light source during use of the light source;
the light source is configured so that, during use:
at least one of the electron beam devices is in a first room of a building;
the EUV generation device is in a second room separated from the first room by a ceiling of the building; and
the ceiling of the building has an electron beam passage.

2. The light source of claim 1 , wherein the first and second electron beam devices are arranged on the same side of the ceiling of the building.

3. The light source of claim 1 , wherein the electron beam passage is a vacuum passage.

4. The light source of claim 3 , further comprising an electron beam guide in a region of the vacuum passage.

5. The light source of claim 4 , wherein the electron beam guide is configured so that an angle of the beam relative to a plane of the ceiling of the building through the passage is at least 45°.

6. The light source of claim 5 , wherein the angle is 90°.

7. The light source of claim 1 , further comprising an S-shaped electron beam guide between the EUV generation device and at least one of the first and second electron beam devices.

8. The light source of claim 1 , further comprising a U-shaped electron beam guide between the EUV generation device and at least one of the first and second electron beam devices.

9. The light source of claim 8 , wherein the at least one electron beam device which is connected to the EUV generation device via the U-shaped electron beam guide overlaps with the EUV generation device in a vertical direction.

10. The light source of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of magnets configured to interact with the electron beam between the first and second electron beam devices.

11. The light source of claim 1 , wherein the light source is a free electron laser.

12. The light source of claim 1 , wherein, during use of the light source, the electron beam has a time-averaged current of one milliAmp.

13. The light source of claim 1 , wherein the EUV generation device comprises an undulator.

14. The light source of claim 1 , wherein the light source is configured so that, during use of the light source, the light beam has a section that is circular.

15. The light source of claim 14 , wherein the circular section of the electron beam path has a radius of deflection that is between 0.5 meter and 10 meters.

16. An illumination system, comprising:
a light source according to claim 1 ;
an illumination optical unit configured to illuminate an object field using illumination light generated by the light source,
wherein the illumination optical unit is configured to be on the same building level as the EUV generation device.

17. An apparatus, comprising:
a light source according to claim 1 ;
an illumination optical unit configured to illuminate an object field using illumination light generated by the light source; and
a projection optical unit configured to image the object field into an image field,
wherein the apparatus is an EUV microlithography projection exposure apparatus.

18. A method of using an apparatus comprising a light source, an illumination optical unit and a projection optical unit, the method comprising:
using the illumination system to illuminate a structure on a reticle with light provided by the light source; and
using the projection optical unit to image at least a portion of the illuminated structure of the reticle onto a light-sensitive material,
wherein the light source is a light source according to claim 1 .

19. A building having a first room, a second room, and a ceiling separating the first and second rooms, the building comprising:
a light source, comprising:
a first electron beam device configured to supply an electron beam;
an EUV generation device configured to receive the electron beam;
a second electron beam device configured to dispose the electron beam,

wherein:
the second electron beam device is downstream of the EUV generation device along a path of the electron beam through the light source during use of the light source;
at least one of the electron beam devices is in the first room;
the EUV generation device is in the second room; and

the ceiling of the building has an electron beam passage.

Assignees

• Zeiss Carl Smt Gmbh

Inventors

• Patra Michael

Classifications

• H05G2/008 Primary

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

• H05G2/00

  Apparatus or processes specially adapted for producing X-rays, not involving X-ray tubes, e.g. involving generation of a plasma (X-ray lasers H01S4/00) · CPC title

• G03F7/70025

  by lasers · CPC title

• H01S3/0903

  Free-electron laser · CPC title

• G03F7/70008 Primary

  Production of exposure light, i.e. light sources · CPC title