Abstract: A method includes moving a wafer stage to a first station on a table body of a lithography chamber; placing a wafer on a top surface of the wafer stage; emitting a first laser beam from a first laser emitter toward a first beam splitter on a first sidewall of the wafer stage, wherein a first portion of the first laser beam is reflected by the first beam splitter to form a first reflected laser beam, and a second portion of the first laser beam transmits through the first beam splitter to form a first transmitted laser beam; calculating a position of the wafer stage on a first axis based on the first reflected laser beam; after calculating the position of the wafer, moving the wafer stage to a second station on the table body; and performing a lithography process to the wafer.

Abstract: A system and a method for supplying target material in an EUV light source are provided. The system for supplying a target material comprises a priming assembly, a refill assembly and a droplet generator assembly. The priming is configured to transform the target material from a solid state to a liquid state. The refill assembly is in fluid communication with the priming assembly and configured to receive the target material in the liquid state from the priming assembly. Further, the refill assembly includes a purifier configured to purify the target material in the liquid state. The droplet generator assembly is configured to supply the target material in the liquid state from the refill assembly.

Abstract: A method for using an extreme ultraviolet radiation source is provided. The method includes assembling a first droplet generator onto a port of a vessel; ejecting a target droplet from the first droplet generator to a zone of excitation in front of a collector; emitting a laser toward the zone of excitation, such that the target droplet is heated by the laser to generate extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation; stopping the ejection of the target droplet; after stopping the ejection of the target droplet, disassembling the first droplet generator from the port of the vessel; after disassembling the first droplet generator from the port of the vessel, inserting a cleaning device into the vessel through the port; and cleaning the collector by using the cleaning device.

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source includes a collector associated with the vessel. The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source includes a plurality of vanes along walls of the vessel. Each vane includes a stacked vane segment, and the stacked vane segments for each vane are stacked in a direction of drainage of tin (Sn) in the vessel. The EUV source includes a thermal control system comprising a plurality of independently controllable heating elements, where a heating element is configured to provide localized control for heating of a vane segment of the stacked vane segments.

Abstract: Some implementations described herein provide a reticle cleaning device and a method of use. The reticle cleaning device includes a support member configured for extension toward a reticle within an extreme ultraviolet lithography tool. The reticle cleaning device also includes a contact surface disposed at an end of the support member and configured to bond to particles contacted by the contact surface. The reticle cleaning device further includes a stress sensor configured to measure an amount of stress applied to the support member at the contact surface. During a cleaning operation in which the contact surface is moving toward the reticle, the stress sensor may provide an indication that the amount of stress applied to the support member satisfies a threshold. Based on satisfying the threshold, movement of the contact surface and/or the support member toward the reticle ceases to avoid damaging the reticle.

Abstract: A coating is included on one or more components of a lithography system. The coating reduces surface roughness of the one or more surfaces, increases flatness of the one or more surfaces, and/or increases uniformity of the one or more surfaces. The coating may be formed on the one or more surfaces using one or more of the techniques described herein. The coating is configured to reduce adhesion of target material particles to the one or more surfaces, is configured to resist buildup of target material particles on the one or more surfaces, is configured to provide resistance against oxidation of the one or more surfaces, is configured to resist thermal damage of the one or more surfaces, and/or is configured to enable the lithography system to operate at higher operating temperatures, among other examples.

Abstract: Some implementations herein include a detection circuit and a fast and accurate in-line method for detecting blockage on a droplet generator head of an extreme ultraviolet exposure tool without impacting the flow of droplets of a target material through the droplet generator head. In some implementations described herein, the detection circuit includes a switch circuit that is configured in an open configuration, in which the switch is electrically open between two electrode elements. When an accumulation of the target material occurs across two or more electrode elements on the droplet generator head, the accumulation functions as a switch that closes the detection circuit. A controller may detect closure of the detection circuit.

Abstract: A wafer table inspection tool described herein is capable of being positioned over a wafer table while the wafer table is positioned in a bottom module of an exposure tool of a lithography system. The wafer table inspection tool is capable of quickly evaluating the condition of surface burls on the wafer table and evaluating cleaning performance of a cleaning operation in which the surface burls are cleaned.

Abstract: Some implementations described herein provide techniques and apparatuses for inspecting interior surfaces of a vessel of a radiation source for an accumulation of a target material. An inspection tool, including a laser-scanning system and a motor system supported by an elongated supported member, may be inserted into the vessel to generate an accurate three-dimensional profile of the interior surfaces. Use of the inspection tool is efficient, with short setup and scan times that substantially reduce a duration associated with evaluating the interior surfaces of the vessel for the accumulation.

Abstract: A plurality of hydrogen outlets are arrayed along a direction normal to a surface (such as a surface of a collector) of an extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) tool to increase a volume of hydrogen gas surrounding the surface. As a result, airborne tin is more likely to be stopped by the hydrogen gas surrounding the surface and less likely to bind to the surface. Fewer tin deposits results in increased lifetime for the surface, which reduces downtime for the EUV tool. Additionally, a control device may receive (e.g., from a camera and/or another type of sensor) an indication of levels of tin contamination on the surface and control flow rates to adjust a thickness of the hydrogen curtain. As a result, tin contamination on the collector is less likely to occur and will be more efficiently cleaned by the hydrogen gas, which results in increased lifetime for the surface and reduced downtime for the EUV tool.

Abstract: A system and a method for supplying target material in an EUV light source are provided. The system for supplying a target material comprises a priming assembly, a refill assembly and a droplet generator assembly. The priming is configured to transform the target material from a solid state to a liquid state. The refill assembly is in fluid communication with the priming assembly and configured to receive the target material in the liquid state from the priming assembly. Further, the refill assembly includes a purifier configured to purify the target material in the liquid state. The droplet generator assembly is configured to supply the target material in the liquid state from the refill assembly.

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photolithography system generates EUV light by irradiating droplets with a laser. The system includes a droplet generator with a nozzle and a piezoelectric structure coupled to the nozzle. The generator outputs groups of droplets. A control system applies a voltage waveform to the piezoelectric structure while the nozzle outputs the group of droplets. The waveform causes the droplets of the group to have a spread of velocities that results in the droplets coalescing into a single droplet prior to being irradiated by the laser.

Abstract: A method includes transferring a wafer over a wafer stage on a wafer table. The wafer table includes a table body, a wafer stage, a first sliding member, a second sliding member, a first cable, a first bracket and a second bracket, and a stopper. The second sliding member is movable along a first direction, in which the first sliding member is coupled to a track of the second sliding member, the first sliding member being movable along a second direction vertical to the first direction. The first bracket and the second bracket are connected by a leaf spring. The method includes moving the wafer stage toward the edge of the table body, such that the wafer stage pushes the first cable outwardly, such that the leaf spring is moved toward a first protective film on a surface of the stopper facing the leaf spring.

Abstract: In a method of cleaning a lithography system, during idle mode, a stream of air is directed, through a first opening, into a chamber of a wafer table of an EUV lithography system. One or more particles is extracted by the directed stream of air from surfaces of one or more wafer chucks in the chamber of the wafer table. The stream of air and the extracted one or more particle are drawn, through a second opening, out of the chamber of the wafer table.

Abstract: A lithography system includes a table body, a wafer stage, a first sliding member, a second sliding member, a first cable, a first bracket, a rail guide, and a first protective film. The first sliding member is coupled to the wafer stage. The second sliding member is coupled to an edge of the table body, in which the first sliding member is coupled to a track of the second sliding member. The first bracket fixes the first cable, the first bracket being coupled to a roller structure, in which the roller structure includes a body and a wheel coupled to the body. The rail guide confines a movement of the wheel of the roller structure. The first protective film is adhered to a surface of the rail guide, in which the roller structure is moveable along the first protective film on the surface of the rail guide.

Abstract: A method includes transporting a cleaning mask and a photomask into an enclosure of a lithography exposure apparatus, wherein the photomask includes a multilayered mirror structure, and the cleaning mask is free of the multilayered mirror structure; placing the cleaning mask on a reticle stage of the lithography exposure apparatus; and charging the cleaning mask to attract charged particles in the enclosure.

Abstract: Some implementations herein include a detection circuit and a fast and accurate in-line method for detecting blockage on a droplet generator head of an extreme ultraviolet exposure tool without impacting the flow of droplets of a target material through the droplet generator head. In some implementations described herein, the detection circuit includes a switch circuit that is configured in an open configuration, in which the switch is electrically open between two electrode elements. When an accumulation of the target material occurs across two or more electrode elements on the droplet generator head, the accumulation functions as a switch that closes the detection circuit. A controller may detect closure of the detection circuit.

Abstract: In a method executed in an exposure apparatus, a focus control effective region and a focus control exclusion region are set based on an exposure map and a chip area layout within an exposure area. Focus-leveling data are measured over a wafer. A photo resist layer on the wafer is exposed with an exposure light. When a chip area of a plurality of chip areas of the exposure area is located within an effective region of a wafer, the chip area is included in the focus control effective region, and when a part of or all of a chip area of the plurality of chip areas is located on or outside a periphery of the effective region of the wafer, the chip area is included in the focus control exclusion region In the exposing, a focus-leveling is controlled by using the focus-leveling data measured at the focus control effective region.

Abstract: A reticle is pre-heated prior to an exposure operation of a semiconductor substrate lot to reduce substrate to substrate temperature variations of the reticle in the exposure operation. The reticle may be pre-heated while being stored in a reticle storage slot, while being transferred from the reticle storage slot to a reticle stage of an exposure tool, and/or in another location prior to being secured to the reticle stage for the exposure operation. In this way, the reduction in temperature variation of the reticle in the exposure operation provided by pre-heating the reticle may reduce overlay deltas and misalignment for the semiconductor substrates that are processed in the exposure operation. This increases overlay performance, increases yield of the exposure tool, and increases semiconductor device quality.

Abstract: A radiation source apparatus includes a vessel, a laser source, a collector, and a reflective mirror. The vessel has an exit aperture. The laser source is at one end of the vessel and configured to excite a target material to form a plasma. The collector is disposed in the vessel and configured to collect a radiation emitted by the plasma and to direct the collected radiation to the exit aperture of the vessel. The reflective mirror is in the vessel and configured to reflect the laser beam toward an edge of the vessel.