Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to drawings. The same components are assigned the same reference numerals and their explanation is omitted.
The driver laser 1 is an oscillation-amplification type laser apparatus that generates a driving laser beam to be used to excite a target material. As the driver laser 1, various publicly known lasers (for example, ultra violet light laser such as KrF laser, XeF laser, etc., or infrared laser such as Ar laser, CO2 laser, YAG laser, etc.) can be used.
The EUV generation chamber 2 is a vacuum chamber in which EUV light is generated. In the EUV light generation chamber 2, a window 6 that allows a laser beam 20 generated by the driver laser 1 to pass through the inside of the EUV light generation chamber 2 is attached. Further, inside the EUV light generation chamber 2, a target ejection nozzle 3a, a target collection tube 7, and an EUV light collector mirror 8 are arranged.
The target material supply unit 3 supplies a target material to be used to generate EUV light into the EUV light generation chamber 2 via the target ejection nozzle 3a, which is a part of the target material supply unit 3. Among the supplied target materials, those not irradiated with a laser beam and no longer necessary are collected by the target collection tube 7. As a target material, various known materials (for example, tin (Sn), xenon (Xe), etc.) can be used. In addition, the state of the target material may be solid, liquid, or gas, and may be supplied to the space in the EUV light generation chamber 2 in various known states, such as a state of continuous flow (target ejection flow), a state of liquid drop (droplet), etc. For example, when a liquid xenon (Xe) is used as a target material, the target material supply unit 3 includes a gas tank for supplying a highly pure xenon gas, amass flow controller, a cooling device for liquefying the xenon gas, a target ejection nozzle, etc. In addition, when a droplet is generated, a vibrating device such as a piezo element etc. is added to the configuration including them.
The laser beam collecting optics 4 collects the laser beam output from the driver laser 1 so as to form the focus on an orbit of the target material. Thereby, the target material 9 is excited and turned into plasma, and the EUV light 21 is generated. The laser beam collecting optics 4 may be configured of one optical device (for example, a convex lens) or a plurality of optical devices. When the laser beam collecting optics 4 is configured of a plurality of optical devices, some of them may be arranged in the EUV light generation chamber 2.
The EUV light collector mirror 8 is, for example, a concave mirror, on the surface of which a Mo/Si film that reflects light of a wavelength of 13.5 nm with a high reflectance is formed, and reflects the generated EUV light 21 to collect and guide the EUV light to transmission optics. Further, the EUV light 21 is guided to exposure equipment, etc. via the transmission optics. In
Next, an EUV light source apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described.
As shown in
In the EUV light generation chamber 2, a parabolic concave mirror 43 and a parabolic concave mirror adjusting mechanism 44 that adjusts the position and angle (tilt angle) of the parabolic concave mirror 43 are arranged. As the substrate material of the parabolic concave mirror 43, synthetic quartz, Ca F2, Si, Zerodur®, Al, Cu, Mo, etc., can be used and it is preferable to apply anti-reflection (AR) coating of dielectric multilayer film to the surface of such a substrate.
Referring to
By enlarging the input light and then collecting the light as described above, it is possible to make a length of a back focus of the laser beam collecting optics 4 longer than the focal length of an optical device arranged at a light output side, that is, the parabolic concave mirror 43. Such optics is called Retrofocus™.
The EUV light collector mirror 8 is, for example, a concave mirror, on the surface of which a Mo/Si film that reflects light with a wavelength of 13.5 nm with a high reflectance is formed, and reflects the generated EUV light 21 in the rightward direction in the drawing to collect the EUV light 21 to the IF (intermediate focusing point). The EUV light 21 reflected by the EUV light collector mirror 8 passes through a gate valve 10 provided in the EUV light generation chamber 2 and a filter 11 that removes unnecessary light (electromagnetic wave or light with a wavelength shorter than that of the EUV light, light with a wavelength longer than that of the EUV light, for example, ultra violet light, visible beam, infrared light, etc.) from among the light generated from the plasma and causes only the desired EUV light, for example, light with a wavelength of 13.5 nm to be transmitted. The EUV light 21 collected to the IF (intermediate focusing point) is then guided to exposure equipment or the like via a transmission optics.
The EUV light source apparatus further includes purge gas supply units 31 and 32 each supplies a purge gas by ejecting the purge gas, a purge gas introduction path 33 that guides the purge gas ejected from the purge gas supply unit 31 to the surface of the window 6 at the inner side of the EUV light generation chamber 2, and a purge gas introduction path 34 that guides the purge gas ejected from the purge gas supply unit 32 to the reflecting surface of the parabolic concave mirror 43. As a purge gas, inactive gas, for example, Ar, He, N2, Kr, etc. is preferable.
Further, to the inner wall of the EUV light generation chamber 2, a purge gas chamber 50 is attached that surrounds the window 6, the parabolic concave mirror 43, and the parabolic concave mirror adjusting mechanism 44. The upper part of the purge gas chamber 50 in the drawing is tapered cylinder-shaped and at the top end thereof (upper part in the drawing), an opening 50a is provided, which allows the laser beam 20 reflected by the parabolic concave mirror 43 to pass through.
According to the present embodiment, the purge gas is sprayed to the surface of the window 6 at the inner side of the EUV light generation chamber 2 and the reflecting surface of the parabolic concave mirror 43. Since the purge gas shuts out the atoms and ions scattered from the plasma, it is possible to prevent the atoms and ions scattered from the plasma from reaching the surface of the window 6 at the inner side of the EUV light generation chamber 2 and the reflecting surface of the parabolic concave mirror 43. Due to this, it is possible to prevent the window 6 and the parabolic concave mirror 43 from deteriorating and the efficiency of generation of the EUV light 21 from decreasing. Ar has properties of absorbing electromagnetic wave (light) with a wavelength shorter than that of the EUV light 21. Because of this, in the case where Ar is used as a purge gas, it is possible to more effectively prevent the window 6 and the parabolic concave mirror 43 from deteriorating due to the electromagnetic wave (light) with a short wavelength generated from the plasma.
When the temperatures of the window 6 and the parabolic concave mirror 43 rise, the heat is conducted to the purge gas. Because of this, it is possible to prevent the window 6 and the parabolic concave mirror 43 from deteriorating due to heat and the efficiency of generation of the EUV light 21 from decreasing. Since the heated purge gas is suctioned by the vacuum pump 5 via the opening 50a of the purge gas chamber 50, it is unlikely that the temperature of the purge gas in the purge gas chamber 50 rises unlimitedly.
As described above, the purge gas ejected from the purge gas introduction paths 33 and 34 is suctioned by the vacuum pump 5. However, by providing the purge gas chamber 50, it is possible to maintain to some extent the density of the purge gas around the surface of the window 6 at the inner side of the EUV light generation chamber 2 and the parabolic concave mirror 43. Due to this, it is possible to more effectively prevent the window 6 and the parabolic concave mirror 43 from deteriorating. Further, with the ions scattered from the plasma, the inner wall and the structures of the EUV light generation chamber 2 are irradiated, and the atoms scattered from the inner wall and the structures by sputtering are shut out by the purge gas chamber 50. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the atoms scattered by sputtering from sticking to the surface of the window 6 at the inner side of the EUV light generation chamber 2 and the parabolic concave mirror 43. In addition, since the surface of the window 6 at the inner side of the EUV light generation chamber 2 does not face the plasma directly, it is unlikely that the surface is irradiated with the atoms and ions scattered from the plasma and it is possible to more effectively prevent the window 6 from deteriorating.
By enlarging the laser beam 20 by the concave lens 41, collimating the laser beam 20 by the convex lens 42, and collecting the laser beam 20 by the parabolic concave mirror 43, it is possible to increase the distance between the plasma and the parabolic concave mirror 43 and the distance between the plasma and the window 6. As described above, by increasing the distance between the plasma and the parabolic concave mirror 43 and the distance between the plasma and the window 6, it is possible to reduce the density of the atoms and ions that fly from the plasma to the parabolic concave mirror 43 and the density of the electromagnetic wave (light) with a short wavelength that reaches the parabolic concave mirror 43 from the plasma. Due to this, while maintaining the energy density of the laser beam 20 to generate plasma by reducing the size (spot size) of the laser beam 20, it is possible to prevent the reflecting surface of the parabolic concave mirror 43 from being sputtered by the ions that fly from the plasma, prevent the atoms that fly from the plasma from sticking to the reflecting surface of the parabolic concave mirror 43, and prevent the parabolic concave mirror 43 from deteriorating by absorbing the electromagnetic wave (light) with a short wavelength generated from the plasma.
Further, by enlarging the laser beam 20 by the concave lens 41 and collimating the laser beam 20 by the convex lens 42, it is possible to reduce the energy density of the laser beam 20 input to the window 6. Due to this, even if the window 6 deteriorates to some degree, it is possible to suppress the temperature of the laser beam 20 from rising and prevent the window 6 from breaking. In
In the present embodiment, the laser beam 20 collimated by the convex lens 42 enters the parabolic concave mirror 43, however, a plane mirror 45 may be further provided that reflects the laser beam collimated by the convex lens 42 toward the parabolic concave mirror 43 in the light path between the convex lens 42 and the parabolic concave mirror 43, as shown in
In order to adjust the alignment (position and tilt angle) of the parabolic concave mirror 43 close to the designed value, it is preferable to manufacture the concave lens 41, the convex lens 42, the window 6, and the parabolic concave mirror 43 integrally into one unit and finish the alignment of the parabolic concave mirror 43 before the unit is incorporated in the EUV light generation chamber 2, such that the designed laser beam collection performance can be obtained.
In addition, in the present embodiment, two lenses (the concave lens 41 and the convex lens 42) are used, however, three or more lenses may be used.
Next, an EUV light source apparatus according to a second embodiment will be described.
As shown in
As shown in
On the other hand, as shown in
Next, an EUV light source apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.
As shown in
In the EUV light generation chamber 13, a spherical concave mirror 47 and a spherical concave mirror adjusting mechanism 48 that adjusts the position and angle (tilt angle) of the spherical concave mirror 47 are arranged.
The laser beam 20 having been transmitted through the window 6 and input into the EUV light generation chamber 13 is reflected downward in the drawing by the spherical concave mirror 47 and collected on an orbit of the target material. Due to this, the target material is excited and turned into plasma, and thereby, the EUV light 21 is generated.
The EUV light collector mirror 8 reflects the generated EUV light 21 in the rightward direction in the drawing to collect the EUV light 21 to the IF (intermediate focusing point). The EUV light 21 reflected by the EUV light collector mirror 8 passes through the gate valve 10 and the filter 11 provided in the EUV light generation chamber 13. Then, the EUV light 21 collected to the IF (intermediate focusing point) is guided to the exposure equipment etc. via the transmission optics.
The EUV light source apparatus further includes the purge gas supply units 31 and 32, a purge gas introduction path 35 for guiding the purge gas ejected from the purge gas supply unit 31 to the surface of the window 6 at the inner side of the EUV light generation chamber 13, and a purge gas introduction path 36 for guiding the purge gas ejected from the purge gas supply unit 32 to the reflecting surface of the spherical concave mirror 47.
Further, in the EUV light generation chamber 13, a purge gas chamber 51, that surrounds the window 6, and a purge gas chamber 52, that surrounds the spherical concave mirror 47 and the spherical concave mirror adjusting mechanism 48, are arranged. The upper portion of the purge gas chamber 51 in the drawing is tapered cylinder-shaped, and at the top end thereof (upper side in the drawing), an opening 51a for allowing the laser beam 20 having been transmitted through the window 6 to pass through is provided. The lower portion of the purge gas chamber 52 in the drawing is tapered cylinder-shaped, and at the top end thereof (lower side in the drawing), an opening 52a for allowing the laser beam 20 transmitted through the window 6 and the laser beam 20 reflected by the spherical concave mirror 47 to pass through is provided.
According to the present embodiment, since the spherical concave mirror 47 serves to correct chromatic aberration of the concave lens 45 and the convex lens 46, it is possible to more effectively collect the laser beam 20 than when the parabolic concave mirror is used.
Next, an EUV light source apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described.
As shown in
The laser beam collecting optics 49 includes (i) a lens-barrel 49a, (ii) a concave lens 49b, convex lenses 49c and 49d arranged in the lens-barrel 49a, and (iii) a lens-barrel adjusting mechanism 49e. The laser beam 20 having entered the laser beam collecting optics 49 is enlarged by the concave lens 49b, collimated by the convex lens 49c, and collected by the convex lens 49d. The laser beam 20 collected by the convex lens 49d is transmitted through the window 6 and input into an EUV light generation chamber 14. The position and angle (tilt angle) of the lens-barrel 49a can be adjusted by the lens-barrel adjusting mechanism 49e.
In the EUV light generation chamber 14, an EUV light collector mirror 15, in the center of which a hole is formed, is arranged, and the laser beam 20 having entered the EUV light generation chamber 14 passes through the hole and is collected on an orbit of the target material. Due to this, the target material is excited and turned into plasma, and thereby, the EUV light 21 is generated.
The EUV light collector mirror 15 reflects the generated EUV light 21 in the rightward direction in the drawing to collect the EUV light 21 to the IF (intermediate focusing point). The EUV light 21 reflected by the EUV light collector mirror 15 passes through the gate valve 10 provided in the EUV light generation chamber 14 and the filter 11. The EUV light 21 collected to the IF (intermediate focusing point) is then guided to the exposure equipment or the like via the transmission optics.
The EUV light source apparatus further includes the purge gas supply unit 31, and a purge gas introduction path 37 for guiding the purge gas ejected from the purge gas supply unit 31 to the surface of the window 6 at the inner side of the EUV light generation chamber 14.
Further, to the inner wall of the EUV light generation chamber 14, a purge gas chamber 53 that surrounds the window 6 is attached. The right-hand part of the purge gas chamber 53 in the drawing is tapered cylinder-shaped, and at the top end thereof (on the right-hand side in the drawing), an opening 53a for allowing the laser beam 20 transmitted through the window 6 to pass through is provided.
In the present embodiment, the three lenses (the concave lens 49b, and the convex lenses 49c and 49d) are used, however, four or more lenses may be used to reduce aberration.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2006-263371 | Sep 2006 | JP | national |