Abstract: A radiation source apparatus includes a vessel, a laser source, a collector, a horizontal obscuration bar, and a reflective mirror. The vessel has an exit aperture. The laser source is configured to emit a laser beam 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 reflect the collected radiation to the exit aperture of the vessel. The horizontal obscuration bar extends from a sidewall of the vessel at least to a position between the laser source and the exit aperture of the vessel. The reflective mirror is in the vessel and connected to the horizontal obscuration bar.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system including a radiation source and an EUV control system integrated with the radiation source. The EUV control system includes a 3-dimensional diagnostic module (3DDM) designed to collect a laser beam profile of a laser beam from the radiation source in a 3-dimensional (3D) mode, an analysis module designed to analyze the laser beam profile, a database designed to store the laser beam profile, and an EUV control module designed to adjust the radiation source. The analysis module is coupled with the database and the EUV control module. The database is coupled with the 3DDM and the analysis module. The EUV control module is coupled with the analysis module and the radiation source.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, a reflective optical element arranged in the vacuum chamber and configured to reflect an extreme ultra-violet (EUV) light, and a cleaning module positioned in the vacuum chamber. the cleaning module is operable to provide a mitigation gas flowing towards the reflective optical element and provide a hydrogen-containing gas flowing towards the reflective optical element. The mitigation gas mitigates, by chemical reaction, contamination of the reflective optical element.

Abstract: Example implementations described herein include a laser source and associated methods of operation that can balance or reduce uneven beam profile problem and even improve plasma heating efficiency to enhance conversion efficiency and intensity for extreme ultraviolet radiation generation. The laser source described herein generates an auxiliary laser beam to augment a pre-pulse laser beam and/or a main-pulse laser beam, such that uneven beam profiles may be corrected and/or compensated. This may improve an intensity of the laser source and also improve an energy distribution from the laser source to a droplet of a target material, effective to increase an overall operating efficiency of the laser source.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for a lithography exposure process are described. The method includes irradiating a target droplet with a laser beam to create an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light. The methods utilized and the apparatuses include two or more collectors for collecting the generated EUV light and reflecting the collected EUV light to a focal point of one of the collectors. In some embodiments, one of the two collectors includes a ring-shaped collector.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system that includes a radiation source having a laser device configured with a mechanism to generate an EUV radiation. The method includes collecting a laser beam profile of a laser beam from the laser device in a 3-dimensional (3D) mode; collecting an EUV energy distribution of the EUV radiation generated by the laser beam in the 3D mode; performing an analysis to the laser beam profile and the EUV energy distribution, resulting in an analysis data; and adjusting the radiation source according to the analysis data to enhance the EUV radiation.

Abstract: A method includes: depositing a mask layer over a substrate; directing first radiation reflected from a central collector section of a sectional collector of a lithography system toward the mask layer according to a pattern; directing second radiation reflected from a peripheral collector section of the sectional collector toward the mask layer according to the pattern, wherein the peripheral collector section is vertically separated from the central collector section by a gap; forming openings in the mask layer by removing first regions of the mask layer exposed to the first radiation and second regions of the mask layer exposed to the second radiation; and removing material of a layer underlying the mask layer exposed by the openings.

Abstract: A method includes irradiating debris deposited in an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system with laser, controlling one or more of a wavelength of the laser or power of the laser to selectively vaporize the debris and limit damage to the EUV) lithography system, and removing the vaporized debris.

Abstract: An extreme ultra violet (EUV) radiation source apparatus includes a collector, a target droplet generator for generating a tin (Sn) droplet, a rotatable debris collection device and a chamber enclosing at least the collector and the rotatable debris collection device. The rotatable debris collection device includes a first end support, a second end support and a plurality of vanes, ends of which are supported by the first end support and the second end support, respectively. A surface of at least one of the plurality of vanes is coated by a catalytic layer, which reduces a SnH4 to Sn.

Abstract: A method of extreme ultraviolet lithography includes: generating within a source vessel extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light by striking a stream of droplets of target material shot across the source vessel with pulses from a laser to create a plasma from which EUV light is emitted; directing the generated EUV light out of the source vessel through an intermediate focus cap along a pathway toward a reticle of a scanner; creating a longitudinal mechanical wave extending across the pathway; and exposing a photoresist layer on a semiconductor substrate to pattern a circuit layout by the generated EUV light.

Abstract: An extreme ultra violet (EUV) radiation source apparatus includes a collector, a target droplet generator for generating a tin (Sn) droplet, a rotatable debris collection device and a chamber enclosing at least the collector and the rotatable debris collection device. The rotatable debris collection device includes a first end support, a second end support and a plurality of vanes, ends of which are supported by the first end support and the second end support, respectively. A surface of at least one of the plurality of vanes is coated by a catalytic layer, which reduces a SnH4 to Sn.

Abstract: A method for a lithography exposure process is provided. The method includes irradiating a target droplet with a laser beam to create an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light. The method further includes reflecting the EUV light with a collector. The method also includes discharging a cleaning gas over the collector through a gas distributor positioned next to the collector. A portion of the cleaning gas is converted to free radicals before the cleaning gas leaves the gas distributor, and the free radicals are discharged over the collector along with the cleaning gas.

Abstract: A method includes: removing debris on a collector of a lithography equipment by changing physical structure of the debris with a cleaner, the cleaner being at a temperature less than about 13 degrees Celsius; forming a cleaned collector by exhausting the removable debris from the collector; and forming openings in a mask layer on a substrate by removing regions of the mask layer exposed to radiation from the cleaned collector.

Abstract: A method includes irradiating debris deposited in an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system with laser, controlling one or more of a wavelength of the laser or power of the laser to selectively vaporize the debris and limit damage to the EUV) lithography system, and removing the vaporized debris.

Abstract: A method includes: depositing a mask layer over a substrate; directing radiation reflected from a collector of a lithography system toward the mask layer according to a pattern; blocking a portion of the radiation by a blocking structure, the blocking structure being attached to a reflector of the lithography system; forming openings in the mask layer by removing regions of the mask layer exposed to the radiation; and removing material of a layer underlying the mask layer exposed by the openings.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Impurities in a liquefied solid fuel utilized in a droplet generator of an extreme ultraviolet photolithography system are removed from vessels containing the liquefied solid fuel. Removal of the impurities increases the stability and predictability of droplet formation which positively impacts wafer yield and droplet generator lifetime.

Abstract: A method of extreme ultraviolet lithography includes: generating within a source vessel extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light by striking a stream of droplets of target material shot across the source vessel with pulses from a laser to create a plasma from which EUV light is emitted; directing the generated EUV light out of the source vessel through an intermediate focus cap along a pathway toward a reticle of a scanner; creating a longitudinal mechanical wave extending across the pathway; and exposing a photoresist layer on a semiconductor substrate to pattern a circuit layout by the generated EUV light.

Abstract: A photolithography system utilizes tin droplets to generate extreme ultraviolet radiation for photolithography. The photolithography system irradiates the droplets with a laser. The droplets become a plasma and emit extreme ultraviolet radiation. The photolithography system senses contamination of a collector mirror by the tin droplets and adjusts the flow of a buffer fluid to reduce the contamination.

Abstract: In a method of generating extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation in a semiconductor manufacturing system one or more streams of a gas is directed, through one or more gas outlets mounted over a rim of a collector mirror of an EUV radiation source, to generate a flow of the gas over a surface of the collector mirror. The one or more flow rates of the one or more streams of the gas are adjusted to reduce an amount of metal debris deposited on the surface of the collector mirror.