Particle beam driven light source, lithographic apparatus and detection apparatus

Abstract

The invention relates to a light source driven by a particle beam, a photoetching device and a detection device. The light source comprises: a particle source for generating a particle beam; the focusing system is used for focusing the particle beam and transmitting the particle beam to a target material, and the target material is excited by the focused particle beam to emit a radiation beam in an XUV or EUV wave band; and the optical module is used for filtering the radiation beam so as to output the filtered radiation beam.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of lasers, and more particularly to a particle beam-driven light source and a lithography apparatus and a detection apparatus including the same. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, the rapid development in fields such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, mobile communication, and the Internet of Things has strongly demanded advanced high-end chips, and the manufacturing capacity of chips is marked by advanced process technology nodes. Currently, extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography based on 13.5 nm is the mainstream lithography technology for realizing mass production of process technology nodes smaller than 7 nm. Implementing the 13.5 nm lithography process requires extremely high-precision optical elements, coating processes, and mask preparation technologies. Among them, detecting the reflectivity, imaging quality, wavefront aberration, and mask defects of optical elements all require the use of a light source with the same wavelength of 13.5 nm. For the development of shorter-wavelength lithography processes such as 10 nm and 6 nm, the XUV band lithography process also requires a detection light source with the same wavelength. For traditional EUV light sources, synchrotron radiation light sources have adjustable bands but are costly (hundreds of millions of yuan), have limited machine time, and have a huge overall floor area (the area of a single beamline station is small). LPP light sources have strong power (IF>250W) but have fixed bands, high costs (hundreds of millions of yuan), and large devices. DPP light sources have small devices, moderate power (PF in the order of 10W), but short continuous working hours (in the order of hours) and high costs (tens of millions of yuan). HHG light sources can work for a long time but have extremely low power (in the order of μW) and high costs (tens of millions of yuan). CN114624959A discloses a scheme for generating extreme ultraviolet radiation by laser hitting a solid target. This scheme is essentially based on the interaction between an ultra-strong and ultra-short pulse and matter to generate a plasma, and then generates a broad spectrum from the γ-ray band to the UV band through the inverse Compton effect. The spectral width is very wide (>50 nm). The conversion efficiency of this scheme from laser energy to EUV is extremely low (in the same order of magnitude as HHG). In addition, this scheme requires a femtosecond laser with a high peak power, generates pulsed light, and it is very difficult to increase the overall repetition rate very high, and the conversion efficiency of electrical energy to the laser is very low.

[0003] Therefore, how to design a light source with a lower cost, compact structure, and in the XUV to EUV band is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To solve the above problems, an exemplary embodiment of the present application provides a particle beam-driven light source, including: a particle source for generating a particle beam; a focusing system for focusing the particle beam and transmitting it to a target material, where the target material is excited by the focused particle beam to emit a radiation beam in the XUV or EUV band; and an optical module for filtering the radiation beam to output a filtered radiation beam.

[0005] The light source of the present application can be used to output an extreme ultraviolet radiation beam for extreme ultraviolet lithography, or can be used to output a radiation beam having a wavelength substantially the same as that of the extreme ultraviolet lithography process as a detection light source, which is beneficial to detecting the reflectivity, imaging quality, wave aberration, and mask defects of the optical elements used in the extreme ultraviolet lithography process.

[0006] Furthermore, the particle source includes a power supply and a discharge generator connected to the power supply. The discharge generator generates the particle beam under the drive of the power supply, and the particle beam includes an electron beam or an ion beam.

[0007] Furthermore, the current range of the particle beam is between 1 μA and 100 A, and the voltage range of the particle beam is between 0.1 kV and 100 kV.

[0008] Furthermore, the focusing system includes an electromagnetic mirror for adjusting at least one of the range, focusing size, and transverse and longitudinal intensity distributions of the particle beam.

[0009] Furthermore, the light source further includes a beam current regulation module for controlling the particle source and the focusing system to achieve the regulation of at least one of the voltage, current intensity, focusing size, and emission state of the particle beam.

[0010] Furthermore, the target includes at least one of the following: Si, SiC, Sn, B, Be, or a composite thereof.

[0011] Furthermore, the light source further includes: a target support for supporting the target; and a driving assembly for driving the target support to translate and / or rotate.

[0012] Furthermore, the light source further includes a robotic arm configured to replace the target with different targets.

[0013] Furthermore, the light source further includes a baffle disposed between the target and the optical module, wherein the baffle has a light passing opening for restricting the divergence angle of the radiation beam emitted from the target to the optical module.

[0014] Furthermore, the baffle includes a material that attenuates X-rays.

[0015] Furthermore, the light source further includes a vacuum chamber, wherein the particle source and the focusing system are located outside the vacuum chamber, the target and the optical module are located inside the vacuum chamber, and the vacuum chamber has a particle beam interface for receiving the particle beam for transmission to the target.

[0016] Further, the interior of the vacuum chamber has a lower degree of vacuum than the exterior of the vacuum chamber.

[0017] Further, the vacuum chamber has a user interface for outputting the filtered radiation beam to the outside of the vacuum chamber.

[0018] Further, the optical module is also used for focusing the radiation beam.

[0019] Further, the optical module includes a reflective focusing mirror, and the surface of the reflective focusing mirror is coated with a high-reflectivity film in the XUV or EUV band.

[0020] Further, the high-reflectivity film includes a Mo / Si multilayer film or a Mo / Be multilayer film.

[0021] This application also provides a lithography apparatus, including the light source as described above.

[0022] This application also provides a detection apparatus, including the light source as described above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are some embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings, where:

[0024] Figure 1 Fig. shows a schematic block diagram of a particle beam-driven light source 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0025] Figure 2 Fig. shows a curve graph of the fluorescence radiation mechanism caused by beam bombardment and the central wavelengths of K-layer and L-layer radiation.

[0026] Figure 3 Fig. shows a schematic diagram of a particle beam-driven light source 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0027] Figure 4 Fig. shows an example of an optical element that can be used in a particle beam-driven light source 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0028] Figure 5 Fig. shows a schematic block diagram of an apparatus including a particle beam-driven light source according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0029] To make the above objects, features, and advantages of the present application more apparent and understandable, the following provides a detailed description of the specific embodiments of the present application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0030] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to facilitate a thorough understanding of the present application. However, the present application may be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Those skilled in the art can make similar generalizations without departing from the spirit of the present application. Therefore, the present application is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0031] Secondly, the present application is described in detail in conjunction with schematic diagrams. When elaborating on the embodiments of the present application, for ease of explanation, the cross-sectional views showing the device structure will be enlarged locally out of proportion, and the schematic diagrams are merely examples and should not limit the scope of protection of the present application herein. In addition, in actual production, three-dimensional spatial dimensions including length, width, and depth should be included.

[0032] Readers are cautioned to note all documents and literature submitted simultaneously with this specification and open to public inspection of this specification, and the content of all such documents and literature is incorporated herein by reference. Unless otherwise directly stated, all features disclosed in this specification (including any appended claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features for achieving the same, equivalent, or similar purposes. Therefore, unless otherwise clearly stated, each feature disclosed is only an example of a group of equivalent or similar features.

[0033] As used herein, the terms "above...", "below...", "between...", and "on..." refer to the relative position of this layer with respect to other layers. Similarly, for example, a layer deposited or placed above or below another layer may be in direct contact with the other layer or may have one or more intermediate layers. In addition, a layer deposited or placed between layers may be in direct contact with these layers or may have one or more intermediate layers. In contrast, the first layer "on" the second layer is in contact with the second layer. In addition, the relative position of one layer with respect to other layers is provided (assuming deposition, modification, and removal of thin films with respect to the starting substrate without considering the absolute orientation of the substrate).

[0034] Unless otherwise defined, technical terms or scientific terms used in the claims and the specification shall have the ordinary meanings as understood by those of ordinary skill in the technical field to which this application pertains. The terms "first", "second" and similar words used in the patent application specification and claims of this application do not denote any order, quantity or importance, but are only used to distinguish different components. Words such as "a" or "an" do not denote a quantity limitation, but mean that there is at least one. Words such as "comprising" or "including" mean that the elements or items appearing before "comprising" or "including" cover the elements or items listed after "comprising" or "including" and their equivalent elements, without excluding other elements or items. Words such as "connected" or "coupled" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, nor are they limited to direct or indirect connections.

[0035] In the present disclosure, a structure may be referred to as "configured to" or "capable of" performing certain tasks, even if the structure is not currently being operated. For example, a "particle source configured to / capable of generating a particle beam" is intended to encompass a particle source having components that perform that function during operation, even if the particle source is not currently in use (e.g., not powered on).

[0036] In this application, unless otherwise specified, all the embodiments and preferred embodiments mentioned herein may be combined with each other to form new technical solutions. In this application, unless otherwise specified, all the technical features and preferred features mentioned herein may be combined with each other to form new technical solutions.

[0037] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B may represent: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this article generally represents an "or" relationship between the associated objects before and after.

[0038] The particle beam-driven light source provided according to an embodiment of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0039] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 in which Figure 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a particle beam-driven light source 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of this application; Figure 2 shows the mechanism of fluorescence radiation caused by beam bombardment and the central wavelengths of the K-layer and L-layer radiation centers. The particle beam-driven light source 100 may include a particle source 110, a focusing system 120, and an optical module 130.

[0040] The particle source 110 can generate a particle beam. The focusing system 120 can focus the particle beam and transmit it to the target 10. The target 10 is excited by the focused particle beam to emit a radiation beam in the XUV band and / or EUV band. In this application, the band from 1 nm to 10 nm is defined as the XUV band, and the band from 10 nm to 20 nm is defined as the EUV band. The technical principle of generating the radiation beam is as Figure 2 shown. By bombarding atoms with an intense particle beam, the high-energy particle beam collides with the outer layer of the atomic nucleus to excite electrons to higher energy states, and photons in the EUV-XUV band are released in the form of fluorescence radiation. The radiation beam generated in this way has a relatively low spectral width (between 3 nm and 5 nm) and can be continuous light, which is different from the scheme of generating extreme ultraviolet radiation by laser hitting a solid target in both technical principle and effect. As an example, the central wavelength of the K-layer electron radiation generated by bombarding Be with particles is 11 nm, the K-layer of B is 6.8 nm, and the L-layer of Si is 13.5 nm. Through a composite, the corresponding central wavelength can be shifted accordingly. For example, the central wavelength of the L-layer of SiC is 12.8 nm. Therefore, the wavelength can be changed by replacing the target material. Thus, in some embodiments of this application, the target 10 may include materials whose K-layer radiation or L-layer radiation corresponds to the XUV or EUV band, such as including at least one of the following: Si, SiC, Sn, B, Be, or their composites. Additionally, the target 10 can be solid, colloidal (gel), or fluid.

[0041] The optical module 130 can filter the radiation beam to output a filtered radiation beam. In some embodiments of this application, the optical module 130 can transmit or reflect radiation beams of specific wavelengths (i.e., the reflectivity or transmittance depends on the wavelength) so that the filtered radiation beam has a desired spectral width. As an example, the spectral width can be 1 nm ± 5%, 1 nm ± 4%, 1 nm ± 3%, 1 nm ± 2%, or 1 nm ± 1%, etc.

[0042] The design of the particle beam-driven light source 100 of this application innovatively uses a particle beam to drive a light source in the XUV or EUV band, which can be used to output an extreme ultraviolet radiation beam for extreme ultraviolet lithography, or can be used to output a radiation beam with a wavelength substantially the same as that of the extreme ultraviolet lithography process to be used as a detection light source. Compared with traditional extreme ultraviolet light sources, the particle beam-driven light source of this application has advantages such as low cost, compactness, and stable operation for a long time.

[0043] Refer to Figure 3 , which shows a schematic diagram of the particle beam-driven light source 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0044] As shown in the figure, the particle source 110 may include a power supply 111 and a discharge generator 112 connected to the power supply 111. The discharge generator 112 may generate a particle beam under the drive of the power supply 111. For example, the power supply 111 may be a high-voltage power supply, and the discharge generator 112 may include a high-current electron gun or a high-current ion gun. Thus, the particle beam may include an electron beam or an ion beam. The triggering of the particle beam may be continuous or pulsed.

[0045] In some embodiments of the present application, the power range of the discharge generator 112 (high-current electron gun or high-current ion gun) may be between 100 μW and 10 MW. When the power of the discharge generator 112 is small (for example, between 1 kW and 650 kW), the power output by the light source 100 is low, which is more suitable for use as a detection light source in extreme ultraviolet lithography processes. When the power of the discharge generator 112 is large (for example, between 650 kW and 10 MW), the power output by the light source 100 is high and can be used for extreme ultraviolet lithography.

[0046] In some embodiments of the present application, the current range of the particle beam (electron beam or ion beam) may be between 1 μA and 100 A, and the voltage range may be between 0.1 kV and 100 kV.

[0047] In some embodiments of the present application, the focusing system 120 may be an electromagnetic focusing system and include electromagnetic mirrors for adjusting at least one of the range, focusing size, and transverse and longitudinal intensity distributions of the particle beam.

[0048] In some embodiments of the present application, the light source 100 may further include a beam current regulation module (not shown). The beam current regulation module may be respectively connected to the corresponding components in the particle source 110 and the focusing system 120 to control the particle source 110 and the focusing system 120 to achieve the regulation of at least one of the voltage, current intensity, focusing size, and emission state of the particle beam.

[0049] See Figure 3 , the light source 100 may further include a target support 140 and a mechanical drive assembly 150. The target support 140 may be used to support the target 10 to facilitate the placement and stability of the target 10, while the mechanical drive assembly 150 may be used to drive the target support 140 to translate or rotate. Long-term bombardment of the same position of the target 10 by a high-current particle beam will cause significant damage to this position of the target 10. Therefore, in order to reduce or avoid damage to the target 10, the position of the target 10 bombarded by the high-current particle beam can be changed. The change may be periodic, for example, translating or rotating the target 10 at regular intervals, or the change may also be continuous, for example, continuously rotating the target 10 during use.

[0050] In some embodiments of the present application, the light source 100 may further include a robotic arm (not shown). The robotic arm can be used to replace the target. For example, the robotic arm can be configured to remove the target from the target support 140 and then move a different target onto the target support 140, thereby adjusting the output wavelength of the light source 100.

[0051] In this embodiment, the optical module 130 may include one or more reflective focusing mirrors, and the surfaces of the reflective focusing mirrors are coated with a high-reflectivity film in the XUV or EUV band. As an example, the high-reflectivity film may include a Mo / Si multilayer film or a Mo / Be multilayer film.

[0052] The light source 100 may further include a baffle 160 disposed between the target 10 and the optical module 130. The baffle 160 has a light passing opening for restricting the divergence angle of the radiation beam emitted from the target 10 to the optical module 130. For example, the light passing opening may be a slit or a through hole, etc. With the aid of the baffle 160, the radiation beam having a specific divergence angle emitted from the target 10 can pass through the light passing opening in the baffle 160 and reach the optical module 130, while the radiation beam having an undesired divergence angle is blocked. In this way, the light field distribution of the radiation beam output from the light source 100 can be regulated.

[0053] In a preferred embodiment, the baffle 160 may include a material that attenuates X-rays. The radiation in the X-ray band has a strong penetration ability. If the useless X-rays emitted from the target 10 penetrate the light-blocking portion of the baffle 160, it may reduce the beam quality of the light output from the light source 100. Therefore, it is desirable that the baffle 160 has the ability to attenuate the radiation in the X-ray band. For example, the material forming the baffle 160 may include lead, tungsten, ferroalloy, concrete, aluminum, etc.

[0054] To reduce effects such as light scattering and diffraction to improve the beam quality of the light output from the light source 100, the light source 100 may also be located in a vacuum environment. In a vacuum environment, there are almost no diffraction and scattering phenomena for the particle beam and the radiation beam, and the direction and shape of the beam can be maintained more accurately. Further, since the radiation beam emitted from the target 10 is more susceptible to the atoms / molecules of the substances in the air and generates diffraction or scattering, the light source 100 can be designed as a multi-stage vacuum. For example, the particle source and the focusing system associated with the particle beam are in a first vacuum environment, while the target and the optical module associated with the radiation beam are in a second vacuum environment. The first vacuum environment has a weaker degree of vacuum, while the second vacuum environment has a stronger degree of vacuum.

[0055] In view of this, the light source 100 may further include a vacuum chamber 200. The particle source 110 and the focusing system 130 are located outside the vacuum chamber 200, while the target 10 and the optical module 130 are located inside the vacuum chamber 200. The vacuum chamber 200 may have a particle beam interface 210 for receiving a particle beam for transmission to the target 10. The interior of the vacuum chamber 200 has a lower vacuum level (i.e., lower atmospheric pressure, smaller gas molecule density) than the exterior of the vacuum chamber 200. The vacuum chamber 200 may have a suction interface (not shown) connected to a pumping pump. The vacuum chamber 200 may also have a user interface 220 for outputting a filtered radiation beam to the outside of the vacuum chamber 200 as an output port of the light source 100. The vacuum chamber 200 may also have a maintenance interface for performing maintenance on the interior of the vacuum chamber 200, or may also serve as an access for replacing the target. For example, if it is desired to replace the target in the vacuum chamber 200, the vacuum chamber 200 can be depressurized, and then the target can be removed via the maintenance interface and a new target can be placed inside the vacuum chamber 200.

[0056] In an alternative embodiment, the target support 140, the mechanical drive assembly 150, the robotic arm, and a plurality of replaceable targets may also be located inside the vacuum chamber 200. When a target is desired, the robotic arm can remove the old target from the target support 140 and then move the new target onto the target support 140. In this way, the target can be replaced without depressurizing the vacuum chamber 200 to achieve wavelength switching of the radiation beam.

[0057] In the above embodiment, after a high-intensity particle beam source generator inputs a large number of electrons or ions into the vacuum cavity, they interact with the target, and EUV or XUV light is generated by exciting electron-state fluorescence radiation. The radiation baffle screens the light beam with a specific divergence angle and absorbs the useless X-ray band radiation. Subsequently, the reflective light source collection system focuses the light source to a specific size and spot shape required by subsequent users.

[0058] In other embodiments of the present application, the optical module 130 may include a first optical element and a second optical element. The first optical element may be used to focus the radiation beam emitted by the target 10, while the second optical element may be used to reflect or transmit the radiation beam of a specific wavelength. The first optical element may be a lens or a lens group.

[0059] The second optical element can be formed by a plurality of nanostructural features. The size of each nanostructural feature can be on the order of magnitude approximately the same as the wavelength used in extreme ultraviolet applications. For example, the nanostructural features can have a size of approximately 13.5 nm, a size of approximately 11 nm, or a size of approximately 6.8 nm. In some embodiments, the features can be structural features having a size on the order of 10 to 20 nm. In another embodiment, the second optical element can have structural features in the range of 1 nm to 10 nm. These features can be referred to as nanoscale features. The nanoscale features can be one-dimensional, two-dimensional, or three-dimensional. The structural features can reduce the bulk electromagnetic absorption of the second optical element. For example, in some applications, the nanoscale features can be approximately correlated with the wavelength of the radiation used in the application.

[0060] The nanoscale features can include, for example, periodic or semi-periodic, quasi-periodic or aperiodic structures or repeating or repeated elements. The periodic structure can be a one-dimensional, two-dimensional or three-dimensional structure. The structure can be part of a layered structure or located on a substrate. The structure can be planar or non-planar or free-form. Examples of periodic structures include 2D or 3D arrays of nanoparticles, helical structures, Swiss roll structures. The nanoscale features can be any shape of any size, such as but not limited to, layers, films, spheres, blocks, pyramids, rings, porous structures, cylinders, linked shapes, shells, free-form shapes, chiral structures, hemispheres, segments, or any combination thereof.

[0061] The second optical element can include, for example, a graded structure. For example, a layered structure of any size, where some of the layers within the second optical element have an increased or decreased length, depth, thickness, period, or repeating unit relative to the previous layer. In one embodiment, if the layers are arranged in a way that produces a graded refractive index, a customized optical response is produced for a wider wavelength or angle range. The structure can be part of a layered structure or located on a substrate. The substrate can be planar or non-planar or free-form.

[0062] Figure 4 An embodiment showing a 3D array with voids is shown. The second optical element 400 can include gaps or voids 420 of any shape. These gaps or voids can be distributed throughout the second optical element 400 in any size and can have a size ranging from 0.01 nanometers to microns. The gaps or voids can be filled with fluid, liquefied gas, single-atom material, organic material, polymer, or be vacuum. The second optical element 400 can include diaphragms, self-standing structures or elements, or partially supported structures or features, or support structures. These features can be supported by structures or components. The gaps can be periodic or random in distribution. The gaps can include O 2 、H 2 、He、N2 , Ar, CO 2 or other gases including non-inert gases. An example is a 3D periodic array of metal balls 410 with air gaps. If the system is under vacuum, these gaps may also include vacuum. The second optical element 400 may also include micron or nanostructured features of single-atom materials. Some examples of single-atom materials include graphene, graphite, molybdenum sulfide, and carbon nanotubes. Single-atom materials can be used as optical elements or elements of thermal management or cooling mechanisms. Single-atom materials can be used in combination with other materials such as metals, dielectrics, semiconductors. It can form part of a layered structure, periodic structure, multi-dimensional or free-form structure, or can be located on a substrate.

[0063] The second optical element 400 may also include micron or nanostructured features of polymers. The polymer can also be a sacrificial material, or a soft template method or a scaffolding structure. In some embodiments, the polymer can be removed, leaving gaps or voids in the material. These gaps or voids can form structural features in the material. In other embodiments, the polymer can remain in the second optical element 400. The polymer can be a photoresist. The polymer can also be irradiated and exposed by a laser or a two-photon or more-photon laser process.

[0064] The second optical element 400 may include nanoscale features made of metals, semiconductors, alloys, dielectrics, compounds, gases, liquids, or combinations thereof. These nanoscale structures can be engineered to reduce the absorption of the second optical element 400 at one or more wavelength bands. Metals can include, for example, gold, silver, platinum, molybdenum, beryllium, ruthenium, rhodium, niobium, palladium, copper, lanthanum. Composite materials can include, for example, silicon, silicon dioxide, boron carbide, carbon, organic materials, biological materials, germanium, polymers or single-atom materials, liquids or gases or other elements, alloys or compounds, or vacuum. In this case, any one of the materials can have a small absorption as described by the imaginary part of the refractive index, where one material has more than the other.

[0065] The second optical element 400 may have nano-sized structures and features that form an array or are periodic in one, two, or three dimensions, such as, but not limited to, photonic crystals, plasmonic crystals, metamaterials, chiral structures, or sub-wavelength structures. The features of the tunable array are optimized for wavelength, spectral bandwidth, photonic bandgap angle acceptance, reflectivity including average reflectivity (when averaged over a spectral range), transmission, absorption, scattering, and electromagnetic enhancement factors, resonances, or interaction modes. The structure can provide a cavity for slowing down the group velocity of light to increase electromagnetic interactions, or form a waveguide or cavity where some electromagnetic nodes are enhanced and some are prohibited. In the case of prohibited propagation modes, this can be used to form a selective or omnidirectional mirror with tunable peak wavelength and spectral bandwidth properties. The cavity can also be used to enhance the conversion of light from infrared to EUV, as required in two-photon or more photon processes, or in a light source that emits EUV radiation from infrared excitation (e.g., a plasma source).

[0066] The nano-scale features of the second optical element 400 can be configured, for example, as a 3D hexagonal packing array. The 3D hexagonal packing array can include a metal. The metal can be, for example, gold, silver, ruthenium, molybdenum, silicon, germanium, or platinum, palladium, or other metals.

[0067] The nano-scale features of the second optical element 400 can include, for example, a helical structure. The helical structure can be a metal, such as gold, silver, ruthenium, molybdenum, silicon, germanium, or platinum.

[0068] The nano-scale features of the second optical element 400 can be composed, for example, using graphene, or Mo-graphene (Mo-graphene). These nano-scale features can include a graphene double helix structure.

[0069] The second optical element 400 can include periodic one-dimensional, two-dimensional, or three-dimensional structures that are engineered to have low absorption of electromagnetic radiation at selected wavelengths, such as EUV wavelengths.

[0070] In some embodiments of the present application, multiple nano-structural features in the second optical element 400 can A) improve the reflectivity of the second optical element 400 to a desired wavelength to be greater than 70%; B) improve the transmittance of the second optical element 400 to a desired wavelength to be greater than 4%; or C) control the absorption of electromagnetic radiation at a desired wavelength, and the multiple nano-structural features can be configured to reduce or increase the bulk electromagnetic absorption.

[0071] The present application also provides a device. As Figure 5As shown, the device 500 may include the light source 100 described above. In one embodiment, the device 500 may be a lithography device configured to be used in an extreme ultraviolet lithography process. In another embodiment, the device 500 may be a detection device configured to detect at least one characteristic of an optical element. The characteristics of the optical element may include reflectivity, imaging quality, wave aberration, or defects, etc. The particle beam-driven light source according to the exemplary embodiments of the present application has been described in detail above. The present application proposes a light source that uses a particle beam to drive the generation of light in the XUV or EUV band, which can be used to output an extreme ultraviolet radiation beam for extreme ultraviolet lithography, or can be used to output a radiation beam having substantially the same wavelength as the extreme ultraviolet lithography process as a detection light source, which is beneficial for detecting the reflectivity, imaging quality, wave aberration, and mask defects of the optical elements used in the extreme ultraviolet lithography process. Compared with the traditional extreme ultraviolet light source, the particle beam-driven XUV-EUV band light source of the present application has the advantages of low cost (in the millions), compactness (almost desktop-sized), adjustable power, long-term stable operation (>24h), and no pollution.

[0072] Based on the empirical formulas of the K-layer and L-layer radiation transition probabilities and radiation efficiencies, the conversion efficiency of the K-layer can reach 10 -4 , while the conversion efficiency of the L-layer can reach 10 -5 . Based on this, a 10kW-class electron gun or ion gun system (about 500,000 in an industrial scenario) can obtain a 1W-class XUV light source or a 100mW-class EUV light source, with a significant cost reduction compared to the traditional EUV light source (in the tens of millions), and free switching between the XUV and EUV bands can be achieved by replacing the target material. By adjusting the beam focusing pattern and focusing intensity, the intensity distribution, divergence angle, and spectrum of the radiation light source can be manipulated. In addition, since the beam gun driven by industrial gas discharge is relatively stable (power volatility <0.1%), has a long service life (>1500h), and the overall structure is compact (about 150mm×400mm), it can be well applied to miniaturized detection scenarios.

[0073] Although the present application has been described with reference to the current specific embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should recognize that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present application, and various equivalent changes or substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the present application. Therefore, as long as the changes and modifications of the above embodiments are within the scope of the spirit of the present application, they will fall within the scope of the claims of the present application.

[0074] It should be understood that this specification will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Additionally, in the foregoing detailed description, it can be seen that various features are combined in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of the disclosure should not be construed as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. On the contrary, as reflected by the appended claims, the inventive subject matter lies in less than all of the features of a single disclosed embodiment. Accordingly, the appended claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment.

[0075] The mention of one embodiment or embodiments in this description is intended that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the circuit or method. The phrase "in an embodiment" appearing throughout the specification need not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

Claims

1. A particle beam-driven light source, comprising: a particle source for generating a particle beam; a focusing system for focusing the particle beam and transmitting it to a target, wherein the target is excited by the focused particle beam to emit a radiation beam in the XUV and / or EUV wavelength bands; and an optical module for filtering the radiation beam to output a filtered radiation beam.

2. The light source according to claim 1, characterized in that the particle source includes a power supply and a discharge generator connected to the power supply, and the discharge generator generates the particle beam under the drive of the power supply, and the particle beam includes an electron beam or an ion beam.

3. The light source according to claim 2, characterized in that the current range of the particle beam is between 1 μA and 100 A, and the voltage range of the particle beam is between 0.1 kV and 100 kV.

4. The light source according to claim 1, characterized in that the focusing system includes an electromagnetic mirror for adjusting at least one of the range, the focusing size, and the transverse and longitudinal intensity distributions of the particle beam.

5. The light source according to claim 1, characterized in that the light source further includes a beam current regulation module for controlling the particle source and the focusing system to achieve regulation of at least one of the voltage, the current intensity, the focusing size, and the emission state of the particle beam.

6. The light source according to claim 1, characterized in that the target includes at least one of the following: Si, SiC, Sn, B, Be, or a composite thereof.

7. The light source according to claim 1, characterized in that the light source further includes: a target support for supporting the target; and a driving assembly for driving the target support to translate and / or rotate.

8. The light source according to claim 1, characterized in that the light source further includes: a robotic arm configured to replace the target with different targets.

9. The light source according to claim 1, characterized in that the light source further includes a baffle disposed between the target and the optical module, and the baffle has a light passing opening for restricting the divergence angle of the radiation beam emitted from the target to the optical module.

10. The light source according to claim 9, characterized in that the baffle includes a material for attenuating X-rays.

11. The light source according to claim 1, characterized in that the light source further includes a vacuum chamber, wherein the particle source and the focusing system are located outside the vacuum chamber, the target and the optical module are located inside the vacuum chamber, and the vacuum chamber has a particle beam interface for receiving the particle beam for transmission to the target.

12. The light source according to claim 11, characterized in that the inside of the vacuum chamber has a lower vacuum degree than the outside of the vacuum chamber.

13. The light source according to claim 11, characterized in that the vacuum chamber has a user interface for outputting the filtered radiation beam to the outside of the vacuum chamber.

14. The light source according to claim 13, characterized in that The optical module is also used to focus the radiation beam, wherein the optical module includes a reflective focusing mirror, and a high-reflectivity film in the XUV or EUV band is coated on the surface of the reflective focusing mirror.

15. The light source according to claim 14, characterized in that the high-reflectivity film includes a Mo / Si multilayer film or a Mo / Be multilayer film.

16. A lithography apparatus comprising a light source according to any one of claims 1-15.

17. A detection apparatus comprising a light source according to any one of claims 1-15.

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