Compact plasma focus soft x-ray source with high repetition rate and high intensity

Sing Lee; Paul Choon Keat Lee; Guan Zhang; X. Feng; Adrian Serban; Mahe Liu; Terence Kin Shun Wong; C. Selvam; A. Thang

doi:10.1117/12.280531

14 August 1997 Compact plasma focus soft x-ray source with high repetition rate and high intensity

Sing Lee, Paul Choon Keat Lee, Guan Zhang, X. Feng, Adrian Serban, Mahe Liu, Terence Kin Shun Wong, C. Selvam, A. Thang

Proceedings Volume 3183, Microlithographic Techniques in IC Fabrication; (1997) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.280531
Event: ISMA '97 International Symposium on Microelectronics and Assembly, 1997, Singapore, Singapore

Abstract

We have developed two compact plasma focus devices operating in neon with high repetition rate capacity to be used as a repetitive pulse soft x-ray (SXR) source for lithography. A single capacitor module 1-1-1 was used to test high repetitive rate capability and was observed to produce soft x-rays in the wavelength range of 0.8-1.4 nm at up to 10 Hz. The discharge current rises in 1.2 us to peak value of 140 kA at 15 kV charge. The soft x-ray yield varies with the pressure of working gas, the value and polarity of voltage applied to capacitor.On the basis of this module we have designed a our module test system for SXR designated as the NX1. The peak discharge current is 270 kA when the capacitor bank is charged to 12kV. It produces 100J of soft x-ray per shot in single shot mode, in the wavelength range of 0.8 to 1.4nm and a spot size of below 1mm viewed end on. With a repetitive rate of up to 3Hz this gives 300W of average SXR power. The NX2 is a second system that has been designed and constructed. It will be operated at peak currents in excess of 300kA into water-cooled electrodes at repetitive rates up to 20Hz to produce 300W SXR in burst durations of up to 5 minutes. It is estimated that with such a SXR yield into a well designed beamline and a reasonably sensitive resist an exposure could be made in less than 10 seconds. Pushing such x-ray sources further to 2 kW output will make their intensity sufficient for SXR lithography with reasonably high throughput to be of industrial interest.

Citation Download Citation

Sing Lee, Paul Choon Keat Lee, Guan Zhang, X. Feng, Adrian Serban, Mahe Liu, Terence Kin Shun Wong, C. Selvam, and A. Thang "Compact plasma focus soft x-ray source with high repetition rate and high intensity", Proc. SPIE 3183, Microlithographic Techniques in IC Fabrication, (14 August 1997); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.280531

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available