Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a high-speed method of detecting a particle on an arbitrary pattern. SOLUTION: A thermal radiation from a mask MA is detected using a system and a method. A debris particle D on the mask MA is heated, but not cooled rapidly like a peripheral mask. Radiations emitted from the particle D and mask MA are different in wavelength because of the resulting temperature difference. Therefore, the thermal radiation is detected to detect presence of the particle D deposited on the mask. When the particle D is detected, the mask MA can be cleaned. COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an alternative contaminant trap suitable for an EUV apparatus with a hydrogen or similar atmosphere. SOLUTION: A contaminant trap is used in an EUV radiation source apparatus. An EUV radiation beam is generated and focused through a low pressure gaseous atmosphere into a virtual source point. The EUV radiation creates a plasma in the low pressure hydrogen atmosphere through which it passes. A contaminant trap including electrodes is located in or around radiation beam as it approaches the virtual source point. A DC biasing source is connected to the electrodes to create an electric field oriented to deflect out of the beam path contaminant particles that have been negatively charged by the plasma. Additional RF electrodes and/or an ionizer enhance the plasma to increase the charging of the particles. The deflecting electrodes can be operated with RF bias for a short time, to ensure dissipation of the enhanced plasma. COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a high-speed method of detecting a particle on an arbitrary pattern. SOLUTION: A camera 30 detects a radiation from a mask MA to form an image, but a focal plane FP of the image is in front of the mask MA. An arbitrary particle D on the mask MA is put in focus. A pattern on the mask MA, however, is out of focus. Consequently, the presence and position of the particle D on the mask MA having the arbitrary pattern can be detected. The depth of focus of the camera 30 is small and the focal plane FP is not twice as far away from a surface of the patterning device as the depth of focus. COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inspection method and apparatus capable of eliminating problems of an existing inspection method and apparatus. SOLUTION: In an aspect, an inspection method is disclosed for detecting the presence or absence of a defect on an object comprising a recess having a physical depth. The method includes: a step of directing radiation at the object, the radiation having a wavelength that is substantially equal to twice the optical depth of the recess; a step of detecting radiation that is re-directed by the object or by a defect on the object; and a step of determining the presence or absence of a defect from the re-directed radiation. COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
A method (500) for cleaning an article such as a EUV (extreme ultraviolet) lithography reticle is provided. The method includes evacuating a cleaning chamber and loading the article to be cleaned into the cleaning chamber (510); preparing the environment of the chamber (520) by connecting the cleaning chamber to a vapor source while controlling pressure in the cleaning chamber to a predetermined pressure; controlling a temperature of the article relative to a temperature of the vapor source so as to form a liquid film (530) over the article and over particles present on the article; isolating the cleaning chamber from the vapor source; evaporating the liquid film (540) by exposing the cleaning chamber to one or more condensing surfaces whose temperature is lower than that of the article, the evaporating liquid transporting at least a portion of the particles away from the article, which is then unloaded from the chamber (560). The cleaning steps (520) to (540) can be repeated (550) as desired. An electrostatic trap may be provided to capture particles released by the evaporation. The cleaning technique can be used in a lithographic apparatus and in manufacturing a device having critical surfaces, such as a wafer, a semiconductor film, or surface of an apparatus employed in the manufacture of a semiconductor device.
Abstract:
A system for removing contaminant particles from the path of the beam of EUV radiation is provided in which at least a first AC voltage is provided to a pair of electrodes on opposite sides of the path of the beam of EUV radiation as a first stage of a regime of voltages and, as a second stage of the regime of voltages, a DC voltage is provided to the electrodes.
Abstract:
An optical assembly serves the purpose of being mounted in a projection exposure apparatus (101) for EUV microlithography and comprises at least one vacuum chamber (70, 71, 68a), at least one optical element (6, 7; 65, 66; 63) arranged in the vacuum chamber (70, 71, 68a), the optical element (6, 7; 65, 66; 63) having an optical surface (18) which may be impinged upon by a useful beam bundle (3) of the projection exposure apparatus (101), and a cleaning device (72) for cleaning the optical surface (18). The cleaning device (72) is configured to perform particle cleaning of the optical surface (18) at a gas pressure within the vacuum chamber (70,71, 68a) which is higher than a vacuum pressure (p0) for performing an exposure operation with the projection exposure apparatus (101). The result is an optical assembly capable of providing optical elements having an optical surface which may be impinged upon by a useful beam bundle which can be cleaned reliably from foreign particles.
Abstract:
Disclosed is a membrane transmissive to EUV radiation, which may be used as a pellicle or spectral filter in a lithographic apparatus. The membrane comprises one or more high doped regions wherein said membrane is doped with a dopant concentration greater than 1017 cm-3, and one or more regions with low (or no) doping. The membrane may have a main substrate having low doping and one or more additional layers, wherein said high doped regions are comprised within some or all of said additional layers.
Abstract:
Disclosed is a membrane transmissive to EUV radiation, which may be used as a pellicle or spectral filter in a lithographic apparatus. The membrane comprises one or more high doped regions wherein said membrane is doped with a dopant concentration greater than 1017 cm-3, and one or more regions with low (or no) doping. The membrane may have a main substrate having low doping and one or more additional layers, wherein said high doped regions are comprised within some or all of said additional layers.