EUV Lighting Device Multilayer Reflection Zone Plate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional EUV lighting devices for semiconductor manufacturing are complex, expensive, and difficult to manufacture and maintain due to their numerous optical components, which complicates the defect inspection of EUV blank masks and increases development expenses.
Innovation Solution
An EUV lighting device utilizing a multilayer reflection zone plate with an EUV reflection multilayer film and a zone plate pattern, which adjusts light intensity and distribution by varying the absorber's height or duty cycle, emulating the illuminator of an exposure machine and providing uniform illumination for EUV inspection systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional EUV lighting devices use multiple EUV optical components (at least five), then illumination performance can be achieved, but device complexity increases and manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple optical functions (illumination, focusing, and pattern projection) into a single integrated lighting device that uses a single EUV light source and optical path. This merging eliminates the need for multiple separate EUV optical components while maintaining illumination performance, directly resolving the contradiction between illumination performance and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting device is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: generating EUV light, focusing it onto the mask, and projecting the pattern onto the wafer through a unified optical system. This multi-functionality reduces the overall component count while achieving the required illumination performance.
2Illumination intensity
If conventional EUV lighting devices use at least five EUV optical components, then illumination can be provided, but manufacturing and installation difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple optical components into a single integrated lighting device with a unified optical path, the patent significantly reduces manufacturing and installation complexity. The single integrated design eliminates the need for precise alignment and assembly of multiple separate EUV optical components, making manufacturing and installation much easier while maintaining full illumination capability.
3Illumination intensity
If conventional EUV lighting devices use multiple optical components, then illumination performance is maintained, but development expenses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple expensive EUV optical components into a single integrated lighting device, reducing development expenses. By consolidating the optical system into one unit with a single light source and unified optical path, the patent eliminates the need for separate development, testing, and validation of multiple independent components, thereby reducing overall development costs while maintaining illumination performance.
4Illumination intensity
If conventional EUV lighting devices use at least five EUV optical components, then illumination can be achieved, but maintenance difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating multiple optical components into a single lighting device with a unified optical path, the patent simplifies maintenance. Instead of needing to service and align multiple separate EUV optical components, the integrated design allows for easier diagnostics, repair, and replacement of the entire lighting system as a single unit, while maintaining full illumination capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution reduces the number of components, shortens development time, and lowers expenses while enhancing light harvesting efficiency and inspection performance by creating a more efficient and cost-effective EUV lighting system for semiconductor manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
a multilayer reflection zone plate having an EUV reflection multilayer film, which is a planar substrate, and a zone plate pattern. The EUV lighting device radiates EUV light output from the EUV light source to the multilayer reflection zone plate, acquires 1st diffraction light reflected
Implementation Method 2
a multilayer reflection zone plate having an EUV reflection multilayer film, which is a planar substrate, and a zone plate pattern. The EUV lighting device radiates EUV light output from the EUV light source to the multilayer reflection zone plate, acquires 1st diffraction light reflected
Data Source
AI summary
An EUV lighting device for metrology and inspection of an EUV mask in an EUV exposure process of a semiconductor device manufacturing process includes: an EUV light source for outputting EUV light with a wavelength ranging from 5 nm to 15 nm; and a multilayer reflection zone plate having an EUV reflection multilayer film, which is a planar substrate, and a zone plate pattern. The EUV lighting device radiates EUV light output from the EUV light source to the multilayer reflection zone plate, acquires 1st diffraction light reflected, and creates EUV illumination light.