NIST researches EUV radiation source for electronics manufacturing.

Integrated-circuit manufacturers require increasingly shorter wavelength radiation in order to print increasingly smaller features on semiconductor wafers. Near-term development is focused on systems employing excimer-laser radiation at 193 nm and 157 nm. However, in the longer term, industry research is focused on systems employing 13 nm extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation, for which multilayer mirrors are particularly efficient. The technology roadmap calls for a radiation source based upon 10-times ionized xenon gas ([Xe.sup.10+]), which has strong emission at 13 nm. However, in previous studies using low-resolution instruments, its true spectrum in this region was not well measured.

NIST scientists have used the NIST 10.7 m grazing-incidence spectrograph to record the first high-resolution spectrum of [Xe.sup.10+]. The spectra were obtained by puffing a small amount of xenon into a low-inductance vacuum spark. In the observed spectrum, fine details of the many-lined spectrum were revealed for the first time. The most prominent of the individual spectral lines were analyzed and classified as to their origins in the energy levels of the [Xe.sup.10+] ion. The data should be of great help for modeling and optimization of an effective EUV lithography source.

CONTACT: Joseph Reader, [phone]; [e-mail].