Method, apparatus and system for using free-electron laser compatible EUV beam for semiconductor wafer processing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9392679-B2
Application number	US-201414562570-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2014
Priority date	Dec 5, 2014
Publication date	Jul 12, 2016
Grant date	Jul 12, 2016

Abstract

At least one method, apparatus and system for providing an extreme ultraviolet beam for processing semiconductor wafers are disclosed. A level of the EUV beam is monitored. A determination is made as to whether the level of the EUV beam is below a predetermined level. In response to determining that the level of the EUV beam is below the predetermined level, a determination is made as to whether the output of at least one of the first or second laser devices has decreased from an initial level. The output of the at least one of the first or second laser devices is increased in response to determining that the output of at least one of the first or second laser devices has decreased from an initial level.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
generating a first laser portion from a first free electron laser (FEL) source, wherein generating said first laser portion comprises accelerating a first electron bunch in a first superconducting accelerator configured to direct the first electron bunch in a rotational path within said superconducting accelerator and into a first undulator configured in parallel to said accelerator;
generating a second laser portion from a second FEL source, wherein generating said second laser portion comprises accelerating a second electron bunch in a second superconducting accelerator configured to direct the second electron bunch in a counter-rotational path with respect to the first laser portion within said second laser portion superconducting accelerator and into a second undulator configured in parallel to said accelerator;
combining said first laser portion and said second laser portion to generate an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) beam; and
providing said EUV beam to a plurality of processing tools.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
monitoring a level of said EUV beam;
determining whether said level of said EUV beam is below a predetermined level;
determining, in response to determining that said level of said EUV beam is below said predetermined level, whether the output of at least one of said first or second laser devices has decreased from an initial level; and
increasing the output of said at least one of said first or second FEL sources in response to determining that said output of at least one of said first or second FEL sources has decreased from an initial level.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein
providing the first laser portion using the first FEL source comprises providing 50% of the energy of said EUV beam; and
providing the second laser portion using the second FEL source comprises providing 50% of the energy of said EUV beam.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein combining said first laser portion and said second laser portion comprises combining said first and second laser portions using a laser collimating device to collimate said first and second laser portions into said EUV beam.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein combining said first laser portion and said second laser portion comprises providing the outputs from said first and second undulators into a collimating device for collimating the outputs from said first and second undulators to generate said EUV beam.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing said EUV beam to a fab-beamline interface for providing said EUV beam to said plurality of processing tools.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein combining said first laser portion and said second laser portion comprises switching between said first laser portion and said second laser portion to provide said EUV beam.

Assignees

• Globalfoundries Inc

Inventors

• Hosler Erik Robert

Classifications

• G21K1/067 Primary

  using surface reflection, e.g. grazing incidence mirrors, gratings (multilayer mirrors G21K1/062) · CPC title

• H05G2/0086

  Optical arrangements for conveying the laser beam to the plasma generation location · CPC title

• H05G2/0084 Primary

  Control of the laser beam · CPC title

• H01S3/0071

  Beam steering, e.g. whereby a mirror outside the cavity is present to change the beam direction · CPC title

• H05G2/008 Primary

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