Patent · US Expired

Diffractive element in extreme-UV lithography condenser

US6118577A · kind A · utility

40Cited by
11References
26Claims
0Family size

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Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 6, 1998
Grant dateSep 12, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 6, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S359/90
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Condensers having a mirror with a diffraction grating in projection lithography using extreme ultra-violet significantly enhances critical dimension control. The diffraction grating has the effect of smoothing the illumination at the camera's entrance pupil with minimum light loss. Modeling suggests that critical dimension control for 100 nm features can be improved from 3 nm to less than about 0.5 nm.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.