Self-Healing EUV Optical Element Gap Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
EUV lithography systems face damage to reflective coatings due to oxidation and contamination from residual gases, leading to reduced reflectivity and performance issues.
Innovation Solution
An optical element with a self-healing intermediate layer comprising reactive materials like vanadium boride and glass, which forms a reaction product with penetrating gases to seal gaps in the capping layer, preventing further diffusion and damage to the reflective coating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a capping layer is applied to protect the reflective coating, then oxidation resistance is improved, but gaps may form in the capping layer allowing gas penetration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of penetrating gases into a beneficial self-healing mechanism. The reactive material in the intermediate layer reacts with the penetrating gas to form a reaction product that seals the gap, transforming the gas penetration from a damage pathway into a trigger for protective seal formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical element performs self-protection through the self-healing intermediate layer. When gaps form in the capping layer, the reactive material automatically reacts with penetrating gases to seal the gaps without external intervention, enabling the system to repair itself dynamically.
2Reliability
If a static protective layer is used to prevent oxidation, then protection is maintained, but the system requires complex dynamic protective layers for self-healing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for complex external dynamic protective systems by embedding the self-healing capability directly into the intermediate layer structure. The reactive material is permanently integrated in the intermediate layer, allowing automatic gap sealing without external dynamic protective layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The reactive material is pre-positioned in the intermediate layer during manufacturing. When gaps form in the capping layer, the reactive material is already in place to immediately react with penetrating gases, providing preliminary protection before damage can occur to the reflective coating.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the intermediate layer reacts with penetrating gases to seal gaps, then gap sealing is improved, but the reflective coating may still be exposed to damage
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate layer serves as a mediator between the capping layer and the reflective coating. It contains reactive material that intercepts penetrating gases before they can reach the reflective coating, sealing gaps and preventing direct exposure of the reflective coating to harmful gases.
Solution Approach 2:
The reactive material in the intermediate layer is positioned to act as a preliminary barrier. When gaps form in the capping layer, the reactive material immediately reacts with penetrating gases, creating a seal before the gases can penetrate further to damage the reflective coating.
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 self-healing mechanism effectively reduces oxidation damage and maintains reflectivity by sealing gaps in the capping layer without the need for dynamic protective layers, using existing gases present in the EUV lithography system.
Implementation Method 1
The intermediate layer comprises at least one reactive material which, together with an activating gas penetrating through a gap in the capping layer, forms a reaction product sealing the gap
Implementation Method 2
a reflective coating applied to the substrate, said coating reflecting the EUV radiation
Implementation Method 3
The capping layer is formed from a material that resists oxidation and corrosion, e.g. Ru, Zr, Rh, Pd
Data Source
AI summary
An optical element (1) for reflecting EUV radiation (4) includes: a substrate (2); a coating (3) applied to the substrate (2), which coating reflects the EUV radiation (4); a top layer (5) protecting the reflective coating (3), which top layer is applied to the reflective coating (3); and an intermediate layer (6) having at least one reactive material (7) which, together with an activating gas (O2) penetrating through a gap (5a) in the top layer 95), forms at least one reaction product (8) sealing the gap (5a). A related EUV lithography system has at least one such reflective optical element (1), and a related method for sealing a gap (5a) in the top layer (5) of such an optical element (1) are also disclosed.