Mo/Si and Mo/Be multilayer thin films on Zerodur substrates for extreme-ultraviolet lithography

Multilayer-coated Zerodur optics are expected to play a pivotal role in an extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) lithography tool. Zerodur is a multiphase, multicomponent material that is a much more complicated substrate than commonly used single-crystal Si or fused-silica substrates. We investigate the effect of Zerodur substrates on the performance of high-EUV reflectance Mo/Si and Mo/Be multilayer thin films. For Mo/Si the EUV reflectance had a nearly linear dependence on substrate roughness for roughness values of 0.06-0.36 nm rms, and the FWHM of the reflectance curves (spectral bandwidth) was essentially constant over this range. For Mo/Be the EUV reflectance was observed to decrease more steeply than Mo/Si for roughness values greater than approximately 0.2-0.3 nm. Little difference was observed in the EUV reflectivity of multilayer thin films deposited on different substrates as long as the substrate roughness values were similar.     

C/Si multilayer mirrors for the 25-30-nm wavelength region

We report a new material combination, C/Si, for normal-incidence multilayer mirrors in the wavelength region 25-30 nm. The multilayers, fabricated by ion-beam-sputtering deposition, were characterized by near-normal-incidence reflectance measurements by using a discharge source and a grazing-incidence monochromator. The highest measured near-normal-incidence reflectance was R = 23% (25.6 nm), R = 20% (28.3 nm), R = 25% (30.4 nm) at incident angles of 10 degrees , 12 degrees , and 4 degrees , respectively. The multilayers were also characterized by transmission electron microscopy, which revealed sharp layer interfaces and low interfacial roughness.     

Fluid jet polishing of optical surfaces

We present a new finishing process that is capable of locally shaping and polishing optical surfaces of complex shapes. A fluid jet system is used to guide a premixed slurry at pressures less than 6 bars to the optical surface. We used a slurry comprising water and 10% #800 SiC abrasives (21.8 mum) to reduce the surface roughness of a BK7 sample from 350 to 25 nm rms and to vary the shape of a polished sample BK7, maintaining its surface roughness of 1.6 nm rms, thereby proving both the shaping and polishing possibilities of the presented method.     

The role of energetic ions in the development of multilayered X-ray reflection optics: An overview

Multilayer systems at nanometre scale have been applied as spectroscopic elements for wavelengths >1 nm and optical reflection systems in the short-wavelength region (<100 nm). Main requirements are a high optical contrast for the multilayer components in the wavelength region of application and a density profile with sharp interfaces between the components. Two sources are responsible for interface roughness, the development of surface roughness during deposition of the multilayer components and intermixing of these components at the interfaces. Etching a freshly deposited layer by low-energy ions has demonstrated to be successful in reducing the surface roughness of W on C, Ni on C and Si on Mo. Implantation of low-energy N⁺ ions into Si has been applied to reduce the chemical reactivity at the interface with Ni. Formation of a carbide interlayer by implantation of Si with C⁺ ions successfully prevented intermixing of the Mo on Si interfaces, improving the thermal stability of Mo/Si multilayers. Finally, a combination of implantation and annealing was applied to form Si/SiC multilayers.     

Mo/Si multilayer-coated ruled blazed gratings for the soft-x-ray region

Two Mo/Si multilayer-coated blazed gratings have been fabricated for operation at soft-x-ray wavelengths above the Si L edge, λ ≥ 12.4 nm, at (near) normal incidence. The sawtooth profile of the grating structure was mechanically ruled into a 200-nm Au film that was deposited onto a plane glass substrate. To smooth the rough Au surface and to prevent interdiffusion of the Au film with the upper Mo/Si multilayer, a carbon film was evaporated onto the Au grating surface of one of the gratings before the deposition of the multilayer coating. We matched the multilayer grating, working on blaze in the third diffraction order, in which an absolute diffraction efficiency of 3.4% at a wavelength of 14 nm was measured, whereas only 1.1% was achieved for a similar grating (without a carbon interlayer). These efficiencies are higher than those obtained for other ruled blazed gratings reported in the literature. As a result of the multilayer and grating periodicity, the wavelength of diffraction can be tuned bya rotation of the grating, which is important for application in a soft-x-ray monochromator.     

Survey of Ti-, B-, and Y-based soft x-ray-extreme ultraviolet multilayer mirrors for the 2- to 12-nm wavelength region

We have performed an experimental investigation of Ti-, B(4)C-, B-, and Y-based multilayer mirrors for the soft x-ray?extreme ultraviolet (XUV) wavelength region between 2.0 and 12.0 nm. Eleven different material pairs were studied: Ti/Ni, Ti/Co, Ti/Cu, Ti/W, B(4)C/Pd, B/Mo, Y/Pd, Y/Ag, Y/Mo, Y/Nb, and Y/C. The multilayers were sputter deposited and were characterized with a number of techniques, including low-angle x-ray diffraction and normal incidence XUV reflectometry. Among the Ti-based multilayers the best results were obtained with Ti/W, with peak reflectances up to 5.2% at 2.79 nm at 61° from normal incidence. The B(4)C/Pd and B/Mo multilayer mirrors had near-normal incidence (5°) peak reflectances of 11.5% at 8.46 nm and 9.4% at 6.67 nm, respectively, whereas a Y/Mo multilayer mirror had a maximum peak reflectance of 25.6% at 11.30 nm at the same angle. The factors limiting the peak reflectance of these different multilayer mirrors are discussed.     

Surface finish requirements for soft x-ray mirrors

We have examined the correlations between direct surface-finish metrology techniques and normalincidence, soft x-ray reflectance measurements of highly polished x-ray multilayer mirrors. We find that, to maintain high reflectance, the rms surface roughness of these mirrors must be less than ~ 1 ? over the range of spatial frequencies extending approximately from 1 to 100 μm(-1)1 (i.e., spatial wavelengths from 1 μm to 10 nm). This range of spatial frequencies is accessible directly only through scanning-probe metrology. Because the surface-finish Fourier spectrum of such highly polished mirrors is described approximately by an inverse power law (unlike a conventional surface), bandwidth-limited rms roughness values measured with instruments that are sensitive to only lower spatial frequencies (i.e., optical or stylus profileres) are generally uncorrelated with the soft x-ray reflectance and can lead to erroneous conclusions regarding the expected performance of substrates for x-ray mirrors.     

Thermal and stress studies of normal incidence Mo/B4C multilayers for a 6.7 nm wavelength

Wavelength, reflectance, and stress stability of Mo/B(4)C multilayers were studied as a function of postdeposition annealing up to 900 °C. These multilayers are of interest as normal incidence coatings for wavelengths above the boron K-absorption edge. Mo/B(4)C multilayers deposited at low sputtering pressure have high compressive stress. Zero stress can be achieved at 360 °C-370 °C, but annealing at <200 °C is sufficient to reduce stress by ～40%. This stress relaxation is accompanied with a multilayer period expansion of ～0.02 nm and a <0.5% decrease in normal incidence reflectivity. The multilayer period remains stable up to ～600 °C, while intrinsic stress changes from compressive to tensile. A four-layer model with amorphous molybdenum and boron carbide layers separated by amorphous layers of molybdenum borides (Mo(x)B(y)) is presented. These interlayers are present already in the as-deposited state and continue to grow with increasing temperature. Their presence lowers the optical contrast and the achievable reflectivity. However, they also increase multilayer thermal stability. At temperatures >600 °C, a noticeable decrease in reflectivity associated with the phase transition from amorphous to crystalline molybdenum boride is observed. This is accompanied with an increase in interface and surface roughness and a change in stress as a function of temperature.     

Mo/B4C/Si multilayer-coated photodiode with polarization sensitivity at an extreme-ultraviolet wavelength of 13.5 nm

A silicon photodiode coated with an interface-engineered Mo/Si multilayer was developed as a polarization sensitive detector. The Mo/B4C/Si multilayer was designed to reflect 13.5-nm extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) radiation at an incident angle of 45 degrees, at which the maximum polarization sensitivity occurs. The sensitivity of this specially coated photodiode and its polarization responses were determined by measurement of the reflectance and transmittance of the multilayer coating with synchrotron radiation. The Mo/B4C/Si multilayer was found to reflect 69.9% of the s-polarized radiation and only 2.4% of the p-polarized radiation, thus transmitting approximately 0.2% s-polarized radiation and 8.4% p-polarized radiation at a 13.5-nm wavelength and a 45 degrees angle of incidence. A polarization ratio, (Tp - Ts)/(Tp + Ts), of 95% was achieved with sufficiently high sensitivity from this photodiode. This result demonstrates the high polarization sensitivity and the usefulness of multilayer-coated photodiodes as novel EUV polarimeters.     

Experimental comparison of extreme-ultraviolet multilayers for solar physics

We compare the reflectance and stability of multilayers comprising either Si/Mo, Si/Mo2C, Si/B4C, Si/C, or Si/SiC bilayers, designed for use as extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) reflective coatings. The films were deposited by using magnetron sputtering and characterized by both x-ray and EUV reflectometry. We find that the new Si/SiC multilayer offers the greatest spectral selectivity at the longer wavelengths, as well as the greatest thermal stability. We also describe the optimization of multilayers designed for the Solar-B EIS instrument. Finally, we compare experimental reflectance data with calculations and conclude that currently available optical constants cannot be used to adequately model the performance of many of these multilayers.     

Interface roughness in Mo/Si multilayers

In this work we present a study of surface roughness development at the molybdenum-on-silicon and silicon-on-molybdenum interfaces in Mo/Si multilayers as employed in Extreme UV lithography. Thin Mo/Si multilayers, with layer thicknesses of 3–5 nm, were deposited using electron beam evaporation. The effect of ion treatment on the surface roughness was studied by X-ray reflectometry and transmission electron microscopy. Without ion treatment we observed build up of correlated roughness. The roughness development is shown here to depend strongly on the thickness of the crystalline Mo layer. Independent of the Mo ratio in a period, we show that a minimal amount of ion treatment is required to smoothen the multilayer roughness, which is also confirmed by EUV reflectivity measurements. At high ion energies the layers become smoother due to a larger ion penetration depth. The higher penetration depth is also shown to initiate additional interdiffusion and structural changes at buried interfaces.     

Sub-diffraction-limited multilayer coatings for the 0.3 numerical aperture micro-exposure tool for extreme ultraviolet lithography

Multilayer coating results are discussed for the primary and secondary mirrors of the micro-exposure tool (MET): a 0.30 NA lithographic imaging system with a 200 microm x 600 microm field of view at the wafer plane, operating in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) region at an illumination wavelength around 13.4 nm. Mo/Si multilayers were deposited by DC-magnetron sputtering on large-area, curved MET camera substrates. A velocity modulation technique was implemented to consistently achieve multilayer thickness profiles with added figure errors below 0.1 nm rms demonstrating sub-diffraction-limited performance, as defined by the classical diffraction limit of Rayleigh (0.25 waves peak to valley) or Marechal (0.07 waves rms). This work is an experimental demonstration of sub-diffraction- limited multilayer coatings for high-NA EUV imaging systems, which resulted in the highest resolution microfield EUV images to date.     

High reflectivity multilayer for He-II radiation at 30.4 nm

SiC/Mg and B(4)C/Mo/Si multilayers were designed for He-II radiation at 30.4 nm. These multilayers were prepared by use of a direct current magnetron sputtering system and measured at the National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, China. The measured reflectivities were 38.0% for the SiC/Mg multilayer at an incident angle of 12 deg and 32.5% for the B(4)C/Mo/Si multilayer at 5 deg, respectively. A dual-function multilayer mirror was also designed by use of the aperiodic SiC/Mg multilayer. Annealing experiments were performed to investigate the thermal stability of the SiC/Mg multilayer. The interface of the SiC/Mg multilayer before and after annealing was studied by electron-induced x-ray emission spectra, which evidences the absence of thermal reaction products at the interfaces after annealing.     

Efficiency calibration of the first multilayer-coated holographic ion-etched flight grating for a sounding rocket high-resolution spectrometer

We have fabricated the four flight gratings for a sounding rocket high-resolution spectrometer using a holographic ion-etching technique. The gratings are spherical (4000-mm radius of curvature), large (160 mm x 90 mm), and have a laminar groove profile of high density (3600 grooves/mm). They have been coated with a high-reflectance multilayer of Mo/Si. Using an atomic force microscope, we examined the surface characteristics of the first grating before and after multilayer coating. The average roughness is approximately 3 A rms after coating. Using synchrotron radiation, we completed an efficiency calibration map over the wavelength range 225-245 A. At an angle of incidence of 5 degrees and a wavelength of 234 A, the average efficiency in the first inside order is 10.4 +/- 0.5%, and the derived groove efficiency is 34.8 +/- 1.6%. These values exceed all previously published results for a high-density grating.     

Investigation of thermal stability of Mo thin-films as the buffer layer and various Cu metallization as interconnection materials for thin film transistor-liquid crystal display applications

Cu/Mo/Si multi-layer structures were fabricated to investigate diffusion behaviors and thermal stability between Cu and Mo. Physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition, electroplating and electrolessplating were used to grow 100 nm thick Cu films as interconnection materials, and radio-frequency sputtering system was introduced to grow 37.5 nm thick Mo films as a buffer layer. All Cu/Mo/Si multi-layer specimens were annealed at 350 to 700 °C for 30 min. When the annealing temperature was over 600 °C, the Cu diffused through Mo into Si, and the Cu₃Si phase and Mo-Si intermetallic compounds formed at the Mo/Si interface. The diffusion mechanism is the grain boundary diffusion. The results indicate that Cu film deposited by PVD had best crystallinity, lower roughness, large adhesive energy and resistivity. The values of the resistivity, diffusion activity energy and large adhesive energy are 5.47 μΩ-cm, 0.948 eV and 2.46 N/m, respectively.     

Multilayer-coated laminar grating with 16% normal-incidence efficiency in the 150-A wavelength region

We characterized a laminar grating with a Mo/Si multilayer coating by using synchrotron radiation and atomic force microscopy. The grating substrate had 2400 grooves/mm, 40-A groove depth, and 2080-A groove width. The microroughness of the grating substrate was 5 A rms. The multilayer coating was optimized to have peak normal-incidence reflectance at a wavelength near 150 A. For an angle of incidence of 10 degrees the peak grating efficiency was 16.3% in the +1 order and 15.0% in the -1 order. The efficiency in the zero order was lower by a factor of 40 owing to the excellent matching of the groove depth and groove width to the wavelength of the incident radiation. By dividing the grating efficiencies by the measured reflectance of the multilayer coating, we obtained inferred groove efficiencies of 34% and 32% in the +1 and -1 orders, respectively.     

Study of normal incidence of three-component multilayer mirrors in the range 20-40 nm

We study theoretically and experimentally the increase of normal incidence reflectivity generated by addition of a third material in the period of a standard periodic multilayer, for wavelengths in the range 20 to 40 nm. The nature and thickness of the three materials has been optimized to provide the best enhancement of reflectivity. Theoretical reflectivity of an optimized B4C/Mo/Si multilayer reaches 42% at 32 nm. B4C/Mo/Si multilayers have been deposited with a magnetron sputtering system and a reflectivity of 34% at 32 nm has been measured on a synchrotron radiation source.     

Reflective performance of Ir film in vacuum ultraviolet wavelength region

This paper theoretically and experimentally investigates the reflective performance of Ir films in the vacuum ultraviolet wavelength region. Ir reflecting layers of different thicknesses on various substrates are calculated and fabricated by the ion-beam-sputtering technique. Their reflectance in the 115 nm to 140 nm wavelength region was measured continuously by a reflectometer located at the National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory. The testing results show that the reflectance of Si substrates is quite sensitive to the deposited Ir layer thickness, while the reflectance on a quartz or a BK7 glass substrates is higher. The energy of the sputtering ion beam exerts a significant influence on the reflectance of the layer, and the postannealing can cause a substantial decrease in the reflectance. For normal incidence, the reflectance of an Ir film on BK7 glass can reach as high as 30%.     

Magnetorheological nanofinishing of BK7 glass for lens manufacturing

BK7 is a high-quality crown glass which is used where additional benefits such as temperature sensitive applications of fused silica glass are not required. Due to very low inclusion content with extremely low bubbles, BK7 glass can find its application in lens manufacturing. The present work focuses on nanofinishing of the BK7 glass specimen for ratifying its utility in practical application. A programmable logic controlled 3-axis motions are fed to the magnetorheological (MR) rotating tool for finishing the glass specimen. MR polishing fluid used for nanofinishing consists of deionized water, magnetic iron particles, and cerium oxide powder. Under the influence of magnetic field, the stiffened MR polishing fluid is assisted in reducing the surface roughness of glass up to nanolevel range. Optical properties such as transmittance, absorbance, and reflectance of finished BK7 glass are analyzed and found suitable for lens manufacturing. Results of higher surface quality with excellent finishing are obtained by the present MR finishing process. After 90?min of finishing, the surface roughness values R_a and R_q are reduced to 17 and 27?nm from the initial values of 41 and 57?nm, respectively. To study the surface morphology, scanning electron microscopy is performed on BK7 glass.     

Extreme-ultraviolet Mo/Si multilayer mirrors deposited by radio-frequency-magnetron sputtering

Mo/Si multilayer mirrors with a high reflectance at normal incidence in the 130-135-? spectral region have been deposited by rf magnetron sputtering. A new and quick technique was used to calibrate the deposition rates. Characterization by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and grazing-incidence x-ray diffraction (XRD) indicated good thickness control of the deposition process and low interface roughness. However, the TEM and, indirectly, the XRD reflectance measurements, indicated that the interfaces are asymmetric. A brief review discussing the origin of the modulation of the Bragg peak intensities in the XRD reflectance is given. An analytical formula was derived for periodic multilayers that describes the effect of asymmetric interfaces on the amplitude of the Bragg peak modulation. Theoretically, in XRD reflectance measurements, any asymmetry in the interdiffusion of the Mo-Si interfaces results in a decrease of the usual amplitude modulation of the Bragg peaks. Extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) reflectance measurements were also made with synchrotron radiation on a new high-resolution reflectometer. The near-normal-incidence peak reflectances measured at λ = 134 ? were ~ 59% for the best multilayer mirrors. Good fits to both XRD and XUV reflectance measurements have been obtained with a model that allows for interface asymmetry.