Using isotopically specified fluids as optical elements
Fluidic optical elements and systems use isotopically specified fluids for processing light passing therethrough. The isotopic composition of the fluid may be adjusted to vary the optical properties. The properties of the isotopically specified fluid may be monitored and adjusted to obtain the desired optical characteristics of the fluidic optical element. In one embodiment, a method of optically processing light includes directing light through an optical element that includes an isotopically specified fluid disposed in a confined space. The isotopically specified fluid is selected to provide a preset desired effect on the light directed therethrough for optically processing the light.
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This is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/311,247 filed Dec. 20, 2005, which in turn is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/US2004/021159 filed Jun. 30, 2004, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/484,276 filed Jul. 1, 2003. The disclosures of these applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
BACKGROUNDThe invention relates generally to optical systems and elements and, more particularly, to the use of isotopically specified, fluids as optical elements including applications in immersion lithography.
An exposure apparatus is one type of precision assembly that is commonly used to transfer images from a reticle onto a semiconductor wafer during semiconductor processing. A typical exposure apparatus includes an illumination source, a reticle stage assembly that retains a reticle, an optical assembly (sometimes referred to as a projection lens), a wafer stage assembly that retains a semiconductor wafer, a measurement system, and a control system. The resist coated wafer is placed in the path of the radiation emanating from a patterned mask and exposed by the radiation. When the resist is developed, the mask pattern is transferred onto the wafer. In microscopy, extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation is transmitted through a thin specimen to a resist covered plate. When the resist is developed, a topographic shape relating to the specimen structure is left.
Immersion lithography is a technique that can enhance the resolution of projection lithography by permitting exposures with numerical aperture (NA) greater than one, which is the theoretical maximum for conventional “dry” systems. By filling the space between the final optical element and the resist-coated target (i.e., wafer) with an immersion fluid, immersion lithography permits exposure with light that would otherwise be totally internally reflected at an optic-air interface. Numerical apertures as high as the index of the immersion liquid (or of the resist or lens material, whichever is least) are possible. Liquid immersion also increases the wafer depth of focus, i.e., the tolerable error in the vertical position of the wafer, by the index of the immersion liquid compared to a dry system with the same numerical aperture. Immersion lithography thus has the potential to provide resolution enhancement equivalent to the shift from 248 to 193 nm. Unlike a shift in the exposure wavelength, however, the adoption of immersion would not require the development of new light sources, optical materials, or coatings, and should allow the use of the same or similar resists as conventional lithography at the same wavelength. In an immersion system where only the final optical element of the optical assembly and its housing and the wafer (and perhaps the stage as well) are in contact with the immersion fluid, much of the technology and design developed for conventional tools in areas such as contamination control, carry over directly to immersion lithography.
The immersion fluid in an immersion lithography system serves as a fluidic optical element. Fluids can also be used to form optical elements such as those inside the optical assembly of an exposure apparatus. The use of a fluid as an optical element raises certain issues and challenges but also provides new opportunities.
SUMMARYEmbodiments of the invention are directed to fluidic optical elements and systems using isotopically specified fluids for processing light passing therethrough. The isotopic composition of the fluid may be adjusted to vary the optical properties. The properties of the isotopically specified fluid may be monitored and adjusted to obtain desired optical characteristics of the fluidic optical element. Examples of such properties include the isotopic composition, index of refraction, temperature, and pressure. Water has optical properties that are suitable as the immersion fluid in an immersion lithography system. Water further has mechanical properties such as low viscosity and surface tension characteristics that render it particularly desirable for use in immersion lithography. The index of refraction of an immersion fluid plays a role in the imaging during lithography. Generally, an immersion fluid having a higher index of refraction is more desirable. The heavier isotopes of water can provide a desired higher index of refraction.
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a method of optically processing light comprises directing light through an optical element that includes an isotopically specified fluid disposed in a confined space. The isotopically specified fluid is selected to provide a preset desired effect on the light directed therethrough for optically processing the light.
In some embodiments, the isotopically specified fluid comprises one or more isotopes of a fluid. The isotopically specified fluid may comprise a plurality of isotopes of a fluid, and an isotopic composition of the fluid is monitored. The method further comprises adjusting amounts of the plurality of isotopes of the fluid to change the isotopic composition based on the monitored isotopic composition of the fluid. The method may also comprise adjusting amounts of the plurality of isotopes of the fluid to form a variable isotopic composition of the fluid to provide variable optical characteristics of the optical element.
In specific embodiments, the isotopically specified fluid comprises one or more isotopes of water. The method further comprises positioning the optical element in an immersion lithography apparatus at a location between an optical assembly and a substrate to be processed by lithography, wherein the light is directed through the optical assembly and the optical element to the substrate. The isotopically specified fluid of the optical element has a first index of refraction and the confined space is provided in a container comprising a material having a second index of refraction that is different from the first index of refraction. The method further comprises recirculating the isotopically specified fluid between the confined space of the optical element and a recirculation reservoir. The method may also comprise controlling at least one of a temperature, a pressure, and an isotopic composition of the isotopically specified fluid in the optical element. The confined space is provided in a container which comprises fused silica. The light has a wavelength of about 193 nm or greater.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an optical element comprises a container and an isotopically specified fluid disposed in the container. The isotopically specified fluid is selected to provide a preset desired effect on a light directed therethrough for optically processing the light.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an optical system for processing a substrate comprises an optical assembly spaced from a substrate by a space and an optical element disposed in the space between the optical assembly and the substrate. The optical element includes an isotopically specified fluid selected to provide a preset desired effect on a light directed therethrough for optically processing the light.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe invention will be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of exemplary embodiments in which like reference numerals designate like elements and in which:
As used herein, the term “isotopically specified fluid” refers to a fluid of defined chemical composition, where the molecules making up the fluid are distinguished by the specific isotopes of their elemental constituents, the corresponding molecular weight, and their concentration in the fluid. For example, for the case of water, the basic molecular constituent is H2O and the fluid would be characterized by information similar to the following:
Only stable isotopes are listed in Table 1. Radioactive isotopes, for the case of water, are short lived enough that they are not likely to be present in a high enough concentration to be significant. In other fluids however, radioactive isotopes may have to be considered as well. Table 1 is representative of “normal water” which contains approximately 0.015% heavy water. The concentrations labeled “<10−5” represent levels below which no significant change in refractive index occurs. In the case of water, a change of approximately 10−5 may change the refractive index by about 1 ppm which is assumed to be insignificant for the present application. For other fluids and applications the level of significant concentration would have to be determined.
The fluidic optical element 30 has two materials, namely, the material of the isotopically specified fluid 32 and the material of the container 34. This makes it possible to correct for chromatic aberrations or spectral dispersions. Some prior optical elements rely on the introduction of calcium fluoride into fused silica or a similar glass material to form a solid optical element. While calcium fluoride provides suitable optical properties, it is difficult and expensive to produce due to its crystalline nature and it introduces certain undesirable material properties such as intrinsic birefringence, as well as additional birefringence arising from mechanical stress in the optical element. The isotopically specified fluid 32 in the fluidic optical element 30 may replace the use of calcium fluoride in some prior optical elements.
The closed and open flow systems of
The system for providing the isotopically specified fluid to the immersion lithography system 110 is preferably a closed immersion fluid control system, where the fluid is recovered and recycled after exposure of a wafer. This is highly desirable because it is important to maintain the isotopic composition and thus the fluid's optical properties, and because at least some of the isotopes are likely to be rare and expensive. Even the vapor from the fluid should be recovered. A system with many of the desired characteristics is described in PCT Application No. PCT/US04/10055, entitled Environmental System Including Vacuum Scavenge For An Immersion Lithography Apparatus, filed Mar. 29, 2004. Additional components may be used to ensure the purity and/or optical properties of the fluid. Some change in isotopic composition may occur from small differences in chemical reactivities or physical properties among the isotopes. Also some impurities may be introduced into the fluid. The chemical and isotopic composition can be monitored, for example, using either optical or mass spectroscopy. Alternatively, the optical properties such as the refractive index can be monitored using a refractometer, and appropriate isotopic molecular constituents added to maintain the property at a constant value. Since impurities may affect the refractive index, this method may maintain a constant index even though the basic chemical composition of the fluid is changing.
The isotopically specified fluid is selected to provide a preset desired effect on a light directed therethrough for optically processing the light, for example, to perform a lithography procedure. The isotopically specified fluid may include a plurality of isotopes of a fluid. The fluid should not react with surrounding components such as the container of the fluidic optical element, the neighboring optical components, and substrates with which the fluid has contact. Water is particularly suitable for certain applications in lithography. Water is generally stable and nonreactive with other optical components and substrates. If water forms part of the optics in a system such as a lithography system, the optical properties of water will need to be known to almost ppm accuracy. The optical properties of water are being measured.
Water may play an important role in immersion lithography. Water has very low optical absorption at wavelengths as short as 193 nm which is the wavelength of an ArF beam. Water has a relatively low viscosity. Thus wafer stage motion and vibrations may not couple through the water to the projection lens to an unacceptable extent. It is important to monitor the isotopic purity or composition of water, because the different isotopes can have significantly different optical properties. First, different sources of water may have slightly different isotopic compositions, leading to possibly significant differences in optical properties. Second, the index of refraction of water can be varied significantly by varying the isotopic composition, which may allow some amount of tuning of the projection optics design. Third, water tuned to an appropriate index of refraction may be introduced elsewhere in the projection optics, to tune the optics further. Because the optical dispersion of water differs from that of fused silica, some amount of chromatic correction is possible.
The refractive indices of the water isotopes are not well determined at the short wavelengths used in optical lithography. The refractive indices for the various isotopes of water are estimated here from the Lorentz-Lorenz model of molecular polarizability:
(n2−1)/(n2+2)=Aρ,
where n is the index of refraction, ρ is the density, and A is an empirical constant. If one assumes that A is the empirical constant for ordinary water, the isotope effect arises basically from changes in the density. Ordinary water is presumed to be H216O. Normal “heavy” water D2O is taken to be D216O, where D is deuterium (2H), the heavy isotope of hydrogen. Of course, there are other isotopes including HDO and heavier isotopes of oxygen, 17O and 18O, that will add to the density effect. At a temperature of 30° C. for a wavelength of 193 nm, the constant A for ordinary water is about 0.262936. Table 2 shows the calculated results of the index of refraction for different isotopes of water. The index of refraction of an immersion fluid plays a role in the imaging during lithography. Generally, an immersion fluid having a higher index of refraction is more desirable. The heavier isotopes of water may provide the desired higher index of refraction.
The above model cannot represent a complete description of the optical properties of the water isotopes, because it neglects differences in the molecular energy levels among the isotopes. Therefore Table 2 represents an approximation. Better measurements of the refractive index of the water isotopes are desirable to confirm or adjust these numbers. The differences in the indices of refraction among the isotopes also cause some difference in the optical absorption of the different isotopes.
The natural abundance of heavy water is about 0.015%. This causes a change of about 8 ppm in the refractive index from that of pure H2O, possibly a significant difference.
It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. There are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and apparatus of the invention.
Claims
1. A liquid used in a liquid immersion lithography apparatus, the liquid comprising one or more isotopes of a liquid, wherein an isotopic composition of the liquid has been adjusted to provide desired optical characteristics.
2. The liquid according to claim 1, wherein the isotopic composition has been adjusted by adjusting amounts of a plurality of isotopes.
3. The liquid according to claim 1, wherein the optical characteristics include a refractive index.
4. The liquid according to claim 3, wherein the refractive index of the liquid is greater than about 1.45.
5. The liquid according to claim 1, wherein the liquid comprises one or more isotopes of water.
6. The liquid according to claim 1, wherein the isotopes include one or more heavy isotopes.
7. The liquid according to claim 6, wherein the one or more heavy isotopes include deuterium.
8. The liquid according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is enriched with heavy isotopes.
9. The liquid according to claim 8, wherein a proportion of at least one heavy isotope is at least doubled in comparison with the natural isotope distribution of the liquid.
10. The liquid according to claim 8, wherein the liquid is enriched with deuterium.
11. The liquid according to claim 10, wherein more than 1% of the molecules contained in the liquid contain deuterium.
12. The liquid according to claim 11, wherein more than 80% of the molecules contained in the liquid contain deuterium.
13. The liquid according to claim 13, wherein more than 99% of the molecules contained in the liquid contain deuterium.
14. The liquid according to claim 13, wherein more than 99 molar % of the liquid consists of heavy water.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 23, 2007
Publication Date: Aug 23, 2007
Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION (Tokyo)
Inventor: Michael Sogard (Menlo Park, CA)
Application Number: 11/790,018
International Classification: G03B 27/42 (20060101);