Cleaning a structure surface in an EUV chamber

US11347154B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• ASML NETHERLANDS B.V. · NL

Inventors

• Chunguang Xia · San Diego, US
• Jonghoon Baek · San Jose, US
• John Tom Stewart, IV · Escondido, US
• Andrew David LaForge · Poway, US
• Deniz Van Heijnsbergen · San Diego, US
• David Robert Evans · San Diego, US
• Nina Vladimirovna Dziomkina · Eindhoven, NL
• Yue Ma · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 12, 2019
• Grant date: May 31, 2022
• Expiry date: Feb 12, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H05H1/463
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

In some general aspects, a surface of a structure within a chamber of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source is cleaned using a method. The method includes generating a plasma state of a material that is present at a location adjacent to a non-electrically conductive body that is within the chamber. The generation of the plasma state of the material includes electromagnetically inducing an electric current at the location adjacent the non-electrically conductive body to thereby transform the material that is adjacent the non-electrically conductive body from a first state into the plasma state. The plasma state of the material includes plasma particles, at least some of which are free radicals of the material. The method also includes enabling the plasma particles to pass over the structure surface to remove debris from the structure surface without removing the structure from the chamber of the EUV light source.