XLR 600i: recirculating ring ArF light source for double patterning immersion lithography

Vladimir Fleurov; Slava Rokitski; Robert Bergstedt; Hong Ye; Kevin O’Brien; Robert Jacques; Fedor Trintchouk; Efrain Figueroa; Theodore Cacouris; Daniel Brown; William Partlo

doi:10.1117/12.776927

17 March 2008 XLR 600i: recirculating ring ArF light source for double patterning immersion lithography

Vladimir Fleurov, Slava Rokitski, Robert Bergstedt, Hong Ye, Kevin O’Brien, Robert Jacques, Fedor Trintchouk, Efrain Figueroa, Theodore Cacouris, Daniel Brown, William Partlo

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 6924, Optical Microlithography XXI; 69241R (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.776927
Event: SPIE Advanced Lithography, 2008, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

Double patterning (DP) lithography is expected to be deployed at the 32nm node to enable the extension of high NA (≥1.3) scanner systems currently used for 45nm technology. Increasing the light source power is one approach to address the intrinsically lower throughput that DP imposes. Improved energy stability also provides a means to improve throughput by enabling fewer pulses per exposure slit window, which in turn enables the use of higher scanner stage speeds. Current excimer laser light sources for deep UV immersion lithography are operating with powers as high as 60W at 6 kHz repetition rates. In this paper, we describe the introduction of the XLR 600i, a 6 kHz excimer laser that produces 90W power, based on a recirculating ring technology. Improved energy stability is inherent to the ring technology. Key to the successful acceptance of such a higher power, or higher energy laser is the ability to reduce operating costs. For this reason, the recirculating ring technology provides some unique advantages that cannot be realized with conventional excimer lasers today. Longer intrinsic pulse durations that develop in the multi-pass ring architecture reduce the peak power that the optics are subjected to, thereby improving lifetime. The ring architecture also improves beam uniformity that results in a significantly reduced peak energy density, another key factor in preserving optics lifetime within the laser as well as in the scanner. Furthermore, in a drive to reduce operating costs while providing advanced technical capability, the XLR 600i includes an advanced gas control management system that extends the time between gas refills by a factor of ten, offering a significant improvement in productive time. Finally, the XLR 600i provides a novel bandwidth stability control system that reduces variability to provide better CD control, which results in higher wafer yields.

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Vladimir Fleurov, Slava Rokitski, Robert Bergstedt, Hong Ye, Kevin O’Brien, Robert Jacques, Fedor Trintchouk, Efrain Figueroa, Theodore Cacouris, Daniel Brown, and William Partlo "XLR 600i: recirculating ring ArF light source for double patterning immersion lithography", Proc. SPIE 6924, Optical Microlithography XXI, 69241R (17 March 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.776927

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