EUV Scanner Contamination Structures with Electronegative Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Contaminants from the EUV generation process accumulate on sensitive optical surfaces within the scanner, leading to corruption of photolithography processes and reduced effectiveness of integrated circuits.
Innovation Solution
Implement contamination reduction structures with a highly electronegative surface material to attract and decompose contaminants, maintaining the cleanliness of optical surfaces and preventing accumulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If EUV light is generated by irradiating droplets with a laser beam, then small feature sizes can be produced, but contaminants accumulate on optical surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes contaminants from the optical path by introducing a separate gas flow that carries contaminants away from the optical surfaces, isolating the harmful byproducts from the sensitive components
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a mediator gas (such as nitrogen or oxygen) that interacts with the contaminants, carrying them away from the optical surfaces and preventing direct accumulation on sensitive components
2Reliability
If contaminants accumulate on optical surfaces, then photolithography process is corrupted, but cleaning processes are costly and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by continuously removing contaminants before they can accumulate on optical surfaces, preventing contamination rather than addressing it after the fact, thus avoiding cleaning operations entirely
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes continuous contaminant removal through ongoing gas flow during the EUV generation process, maintaining constant protection of optical surfaces rather than periodic cleaning
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 effectively captures and decomposes contaminants, ensuring uninterrupted EUV photolithography processes and improving wafer yields and integrated circuit performance by avoiding costly and time-consuming cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
irradiating droplets of selected materials with a laser beam. The energy from the laser beam causes the droplets to enter a plasma state
Implementation Method 2
The energy from the laser beam causes the droplets to enter a plasma state. In the plasma state, the droplets emit EUV light
Implementation Method 3
The collector reflects the EUV light to a scanner
Implementation Method 4
The structures have a surface material that is highly electronegative and that attracts and decomposes the contaminants
Implementation Method 5
attracts and decomposes the contaminants within the scanner
Data Source
AI summary
An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photolithography system includes a scanner that directs the EUV light onto an EUV reticle. The photolithography system includes one or more contamination reduction structures positioned within the scanner and configured to attract and decompose contaminant particles within the scanner. The contamination reduction structure includes a surface material that is highly electronegative.