Terbium-based extreme ultraviolet multilayers

We have fabricated periodic multilayers that comprise either Si/Tb or SiC/Tb bilayers, designed to operate as narrowband reflective coatings near 60 nm wavelength in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV). We find peak reflectance values in excess of 20% near normal incidence. The spectral bandpass of the best Si/Tb multilayer was measured to be 6.5 nm full width at half-maximum (FWHM), while SiC/Tb multilayers have a more broad response, of order 9.4 nm FWHM. Transmission electron microscopy analysis of Si/Tb multilayers reveals polycrystalline Tb layers, amorphous Si layers, and relatively large asymmetric amorphous interlayers. Thermal annealing experiments indicate excellent stability to 100 degrees C (1 h) for Si/Tb. These new multilayer coatings have the potential for use in normal incidence instrumentation in a region of the EUV where efficient narrowband multilayers have not been available until now. In particular, reflective Si/Tb multilayers can be used for solar physics applications where the coatings can be tuned to important emission lines such as O V near 63.0 nm and Mg X near 61.0 nm.     

Infrared suppression by hybrid EUV multilayer--IR etalon structures

We have developed a multilayer mirror for extreme UV (EUV) radiation (13.5?nm), which has near-zero reflectance for IR line radiation (10.6?μm). The EUV reflecting multilayer is based on alternating B4C and Si layers. Substantial transparency of these materials with respect to the IR radiation allowed the integration of the multilayer coating in a resonant quarter-wave structure for 10.6?μm. Samples were manufactured using magnetron sputtering deposition technique and demonstrated suppression of the IR radiation by up to 3 orders of magnitude. The EUV peak reflectance amounts 45% at 13.5?nm, with a bandwidth at FWHM being 0.284?nm. Therefore such a mirror could replace conventional multilayer mirrors to suppress undesired spectral components in monochromatic imaging applications, including EUV photolithography.     

Surface phenomena related to mirror degradation in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography

One of the most promising methods for next generation device manufacturing is extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, which uses 13.5 nm wavelength radiation generated from freestanding plasma-based sources. The short wavelength of the incident illumination allows for a considerable decrease in printed feature size, but also creates a range of technological challenges not present for traditional optical lithography. Contamination and oxidation form on multilayer reflecting optics surfaces that not only reduce system throughput because of the associated reduction in EUV reflectivity, but also introduce wavefront aberrations that compromise the ability to print uniform features. Capping layers of ruthenium, films ∼2 nm thick, are found to extend the lifetime of Mo/Si multilayer mirrors used in EUV lithography applications. However, reflectivities of even the Ru-coated mirrors degrade in time during exposure to EUV radiation. Ruthenium surfaces are chemically reactive and are very effective as heterogeneous catalysts. In the present paper we summarize the thermal and radiation-induced surface chemistry of bare Ru exposed to gases; the emphasis is on H₂O vapor, a dominant background gas in vacuum processing chambers. Our goal is to provide insights into the fundamental physical processes that affect the reflectivity of Ru-coated Mo/Si multilayer mirrors exposed to EUV radiation. Our ultimate goal is to identify and recommend practices or antidotes that may extend mirror lifetimes.     

低原子序数材料窄带多层膜的研制

为研制极紫外波段窄带多层膜反射镜,采用低原子序数材料组合设计了30.4 nm波长处Mg/SiC,Si/SiC,Si/B4C和Si/C多层膜反射镜,并与极紫外波段传统的Mo/Si多层膜反射镜进行对比。采用直流磁控溅射技术制备了这些多层膜,在国家同步辐射实验室辐射与计量光束线完成了多层膜反射率测量,测量结果表明:Mg/SiC多层膜的带宽最小,为1.44 nm,且反射率最高,为44%;而Mo/Si多层膜的反射率仅为24%,带宽为3.11 nm。实验结果证明了采用低原子序数材料组成的多层膜的带宽要比常规多层膜窄,该方法可以应用于极紫外波段高分辨研究。     

Secondary electron yield measurements of carbon covered multilayer optics

Carbon contamination on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) optics has been observed in EUV lithography. In this paper, we performed in situ monitoring of the build-up and removal of carbon contamination on Mo/Si EUV multilayers by measuring the secondary electron yield as a function of primary electron energy. An electron beam with an energy of 2 keV was used to simulate the EUV radiation induced carbon contamination. For a clean EUV multilayer, the maximum secondary electron yield is about 1.5 electrons per primary electron at a primary electron energy of 467 eV. The maximum yield reduced to about 1.05 at a primary electron energy of 322 eV when the surface was covered by a non-uniform carbon layer with a maximum thickness of 7.7 nm. By analyzing the change in the maximum secondary electron yield with the final carbon layer thickness, the limit of detection was estimated to be less than 0.1 nm.     

帽层对极紫外多层膜反射特性影响分析

介绍了在极紫外波段，利用帽层材料来减少多层膜反射镜因外部环境干扰而造成的反射率降低，使多层膜光学元件能够长时间稳定工作.计算了在139nm波长处Mo/Si极紫外多层膜反射镜在表面镀制不同帽层材料时的理论最大反射率，利用单纯形调优法，对帽层和多层膜的周期厚度进行优化，同时把分层理论用于多层膜帽层优化,可使多层膜的反射率得到进一步提高.分析了在加入帽层前后多层膜外层电场强度的分布变化情况. 关键词： 多层膜 反射率 帽层 极紫外     

中心波长为13．9nm的正入射Mo／Si多层膜

用由铜靶激光等离子体光源等组成的反射率计对自行设计的周期厚度为7.14nm的120层Mo/Si多层膜进行极紫外(EUV)波段反射率测量。由于多层膜层数增加所引起的吸收、膜层界面之间的扩散以及镀膜过程中的膜厚控制误差或表面被氧化(污染)等原因,正入射Mo/Si多层膜在13.9nm处的反射率低于理论计算值73.2%,最后用原子力显微镜(AFM)测量其表面粗糙度为σ=0.401nm。     

多层膜聚光镜对Schwarzschild显微镜成像均匀性的影响

 提出了利用多层膜聚光镜提高Schwarzschild显微镜成像均匀性的方法。设计了聚光镜的光学结构,使80%的等离子体辐射能量会聚在约0.8 mm直径的范围内。根据成像系统的工作波长和光线在聚光镜表面的入射角度,设计了Mo/Si周期多层膜,制备了聚光镜光学元件,膜层周期厚度为9.64 nm,周期数为30,对18.2 nm波长的峰值反射率为51.7%。利用所设计的聚光镜作为照明系统,对Schwarzschild物镜进行了网格成像实验。结果表明:在1.2 mm视场内可以实现2.5 μm的空间分辨力,并且完全消除了物镜中心遮拦所造成的像面光强分布不均匀性。     

Reflective phase shift measurement of the Mo/Si multilayer mirror in extreme ultraviolet region

The reflective phase shift of multilayer mirror is one important property required in EUV lithography and attosecond pulses experiments. The reflective phase shift of the periodic Mo/Si multilayer mirror was characterized by combining the reflectivity with total electron yield signal at the synchrotron radiation in Hefei. The multilayer was fabricated using direct current magnetic sputtering method. Using the wavelet transform approach, the period and each layer thickness were obtained, the small angle X-ray reflective data from X-ray diffractometer were fitted using these data as the mutilayer's initial structure. The TEY signal of the multilayer is coincided with the surface electron field of the multilayer. A thick Si layer was used to eliminate the effect of the multilayer's surface layer on the TEY signal. The retrieved difference in reflected phase from the incident phase was obtained combining the reflectivity with the total electron yield signal and it is similar with the calculated phase shift of the multilayer.     

Phase defect inspection of multilayer masks for 13.5 nm optical lithography using PEEM in a standing wave mode

We report on recent developments of an “at wavelength” full-field imaging technique for defect inspection of multilayer mask blanks for extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL). Our approach uses photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) in a near normal incidence mode at 13.5 nm wavelength to image the photoemission induced by the EUV wave field on the multilayer blank surface. We analyze buried defects on Mo/Si multilayer samples down to a lateral size of 50 nm and report on first results obtained from a six inches mask blank prototype as prerequisite for industrial usage.     

极紫外多层膜技术研究进展

在极紫外波段,任何材料都表现出极强的吸收特性,因此,采用多层膜实现高反射率是构建正入射式光学系统的唯一途径。本文总结了极紫外多层膜的发展进程,叙述了制备极紫外多层膜的关键技术(磁控溅射、电子束蒸发、离子束溅射)以及它们涉及的相关设备。由于多层膜反射式光学元件主要应用于极紫外光刻与极紫外天文观测,文中重点讨论了极紫外光刻系统对多层膜性能的要求,镀膜过程中的面形精度和热稳定性等问题;同时介绍了极紫外天文观测中使用的多层膜的特点,特别讨论了多层膜光栅的制备技术和亟待解决的问题。     

基于评价函数的极紫外多层膜反射式起偏器和检偏器设计

 基于三种不同评价函数,利用全局优化算法设计了极紫外波段高性能反射式多层膜偏振元件。通过比对不同评价函数的设计结果,分析了评价函数、工作角度及膜层数对反射式多层膜偏振片性能的影响,确定了极紫外多层膜反射式偏振片设计的角度选择、膜层数选择及评价函数选择标准。为解决传统的单一性能优化造成的偏振度损失的问题,构造了偏振比对数结合反射率的评价函数,该方法设计的偏振元件性能优于传统优化方法设计的结果。     

Fabrication and characterization of EUV multilayer mirrors optimized for small spectral reflection bandwidth

Our aim was to produce EUV multilayer mirrors with a small spectral bandwidth ΔE≤3 eV at 70 eV peak energy using UHV electron beam evaporation by varying the thickness ratio (Γ=) between the absorber layer and the bilayer. The deposition process was controlled by in situ soft X-ray reflectometry, and ion-beam polishing as well as substrate-heating methods were applied to reduce the interface roughness. The reflection properties of the Mo–Si multilayer mirrors prepared were characterized by hard and soft X-ray reflectometry and details of the multilayer structure were revealed from cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. Received: 22 September 2000 / Accepted: 4 October 2000 / Published online: 30 November 2000     

Design of X-ray super-mirrors using simulated annealing algorithm

An adaptive local search-based simulated annealing (ALSA) algorithm is proposed for the design of the wide band-pass multilayer optical elements operating in the hard and soft X-ray wavelength ranges. At present the SA algorithm has been kept as simple as possible and its performance is being studied before a series of modifications are made to tailor the SA algorithm to optimize super-mirror for particular applications. The algorithm has also been developed with two specific areas in mind: a W/C broad angle super-mirror for hard X-ray applications and a Mo/Si wide band super-mirror operating at normal incidence in the EUV spectral region. The design results show that the ALSA algorithm method has the flexibility to design a wide range of multilayer structures and in comparison to other techniques has good results although computationally more intensive.     

Space solar telescope in soft X-ray and EUV band

In this paper we have reviewed our achievements in soft X-ray and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) optics. Up to now, the research system of soft X-ray and EUV optics has been established, including light sources, detectors, calibrations, optical testing and machining of super smooth mirrors, and fabrications of multilayer film mirrors. Based on our achievements, we have developed two types of solar space telescopes for the soft X-ray and EUV space solar observations. One is an EUV multilayer normal incident telescope array including 4 different operation wavelength telescopes. The operation wavelengths of the EUV telescope are 13.0, 17.1, 19.5 and 30.4 nm. The other is a complex space solar telescope, which is composed of an EUV multilayer normal incident telescope and a soft X-ray grazing incident telescope. The EUV multilayer normal incident telescope stands in the central part of the soft X-ray grazing incident telescope. The normal incident telescope and the grazing incident telescope have a common detector. The different operation wavelengths can be changed by rotating a filter wheel.     

极端远紫外光刻的等离子体光源及其光学性质研究进展

现代技术的飞速发展需要集成电路不断小型化，因而开发下一代光刻光源以满足小型化的要求成为当前的一项紧迫任务。目前工业界确定的下一代光刻光源是波长为13．5nm的极端远紫外（EUV）光源，它能够把光刻技术扩展到32nm以下的特征尺寸，氙和锑材料的等离子体光源被认为是这种光源的最佳候选者。文章在介绍EUV光刻原理和EUV光源基本概念的基础上，讨论了目前研究得最多、技术最成熟的激光产生的和气体放电产生的等离子体EUV光源，对EUV光源的初步应用进行了简单介绍，并着重对氙和锑材料产生的等离子体发射性质和吸收性质的实验与理论研究进展进行了详细介绍与讨论。目前的理论研究进展表明，统计物理模型还不能很好地预测氙和锑等离子体的发射与吸收光谱，因此迫切需要发展细致能级物理模型，以得到更为精确的等离子体光学性质参数，并用于指导实验设计。提高EUV转换效率。     

Record high extreme-ultraviolet efficiency at near-normal incidence from a multilayer-coated polymer-overcoated blazed ion-etched holographic grating

We have measured the extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) efficiency of a polymer-overcoated blazed ion-etched holographic test grating. The grating had a magnetron-sputtered Mo2C/Si multilayer coating matched to the grating blaze angle of 2.78 degrees. At an angle of incidence of 5.6 degrees and a wavelength of 15.79 nm, the measured efficiency peaks in the second outside order at 29.9%. The derived groove efficiency is 53.0%. To the best of our knowledge these are the highest values obtained yet at EUV wavelengths from a holographic ion-etched blazed grating.     

月基极紫外相机多层膜反射镜

月基极紫外相机用于月球表面对地球等离子体层辐射出的30.4 nm谱线进行成像观测,多层膜反射镜是月基极紫外相机的重要光学元件。根据月基极紫外相机技术参数,选择了B₄C/Mg,B₄C/Mg₂Si,B₄C/Al,B₄C/Si,Mo/Si等材料,对其周期厚度、材料比例、周期数等参数进行优化。计算了以上材料组合在30.4 nm的反射率曲线。考虑到月球环境的特殊性和材料的物理化学性质,从中选择出Mo/Si和B₄C/Si两种组合,利用磁控溅射进行镀制。Mo/Si和B₄C/Si多层膜在30.4 nm反射率分别达到15.3%和22.8%。     

13 nm窄带Si/Mo/C多层膜反射镜

基于多层膜准单色覆盖50~1500 eV能谱的多能点发射光谱测量系统可获得聚龙一号装置Z-pinch等离子体X射线源的能谱结构和总能量等信息。考虑装置的条件,在13 nm处的多层膜需要工作在掠入射角60。常规的Mo/Si多层膜尽管反射率最高,但其带宽较大,不能满足多层膜准单色的要求。因此提出将Mo和C共同作为多层膜的吸收层材料与Si组成Si/Mo/C多层膜,可使反射率降低较小而带宽明显减小。采用磁控溅射方法制备了Si/Mo/C多层膜,其掠入射X射线反射测量表面多层膜的结构清晰完整,同步辐射工作条件下反射率测量,得到Si/Mo/C多层膜在13 nm处和掠入射角60时的反射率为56.5%,带宽为0.49 nm（3.7 eV）。     

Development of Al-based multilayer optics for EUV

We report on the development of multilayer optics for the extreme ultra-violet (EUV) range. The optical performance of Al-based multilayer mirrors is discussed with regard to promising reflectivity and selectivity characteristics and the problems of the interfacial roughness for this type of multilayers. We demonstrate a possibility to reduce the average roughness by introducing additional metal layer (W or Mo) rather than depositing a buffer layer at each interface. We have prepared and tested Al/SiC, Al/W/SiC and Al/Mo/SiC multilayers of various periods for the spectral range from 15 to 40 nm, which is the range of increasing interest for high-order harmonic generation, synchrotron radiation and astrophysics. The structure of the three-component systems has been optimized in order to obtain the best reflectivity for each wavelength within the spectral range. We have shown that introduction of refractory metal in Al-based periodic stack can improve the optical performance of multilayer reflecting coatings designed for the EUV applications.