Ultra-smooth layer ultraviolet lithography mirrors and blanks, and manufacturing and lithography systems therefor

US9417515B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Applied Materials, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Soumendra N. Barman · Stanford, US
• Cara Beasley · Scotts Valley, US
• Abhijit Basu Mallick · Palo Alto, US
• Ralf Hofmann · Heidenheim, DE
• Nitin K. Ingle · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 23, 2013
• Grant date: Aug 16, 2016
• Expiry date: Jul 3, 2034

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G21K2201/067
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An extreme ultraviolet mirror or blank production system includes: a first deposition system for depositing a planarization layer over a semiconductor substrate; a second deposition system for depositing an ultra-smooth layer over the planarization layer, the ultra-smooth layer having reorganized molecules; and a third deposition system for depositing a multi-layer stack over the ultra-smooth layer. The extreme ultraviolet blank includes: a substrate; a planarization layer over the substrate; an ultra-smooth layer over the planarization layer, the ultra-smooth layer having reorganized molecules; a multi-layer stack; and capping layers over the multi-layer stack. An extreme ultraviolet lithography system includes: an extreme ultraviolet light source; a mirror for directing light from the extreme ultraviolet light source; a reticle stage for placing an extreme ultraviolet mask blank with a planarization layer and an ultra-smooth layer over the planarization layer; and a wafer stage for placing a wafer.