IP Library Granted Patent US 8,050,380
Granted Patent B2
US 8,050,380 · App. 12/387,625 · Granted Nov 1, 2011

Zone-optimized mirrors and optical systems using same

Assignee: Media Lario, S.r.L.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,050,380
App. No.
12/387,625
Granted
Nov 1, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A zone-optimized mirror (MZ) for reflecting extreme ultraviolet (EUV) or X-ray radiation ( 18 ) includes a reflective surface (S) having two or more substantially discrete zones (Z 1 , Z 2 , . . . Zn) that include respective coatings (C 1 , C 2 , . . . Cn). Each coating is configured to optimally reflect a select range of incident angles of the radiation incident thereon. An EUV optical system ( 10 ) and an EUV lithography system ( 200 ) that includes at least one zone-optimized mirror are also disclosed.

Claims (36)

1. A zone-optimized mirror for reflecting extreme ultraviolet (EUV) or X-ray radiation, comprising:

a contiguous reflective surface having two or more substantially discrete zones that include respective different coatings, with each coating configured to reflect a select range of incident angles of the EUV or X-ray radiation incident thereon; and

wherein at least one of the coatings consists of a single layer of material, and wherein at least one of the other coatings consists of either a single layer of material or multiple layers of material.

2. The zone-optimized mirror according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the coatings consists of a single layer of Mo, and at least one of the other coatings consists of a single layer of Ru.

3. The zone-optimized mirror according to claim 1 , wherein the materials are selected from the group of materials comprising: Mo, Ru and Si.

4. The zone-optimized mirror according to claim 1 , wherein the contiguous reflective surface has a shape defined by a section of an ellipsoid.

5. The zone-optimized mirror according to claim 1 , wherein the contiguous reflective surface is supported by an electroformed monolithic structure.

6. The zone-optimized mirror according to claim 1 , wherein adjacent zones are connected by a smoothly varying transition region.

7. The zone-optimized mirror according to claim 1 , wherein each zone has a spatially varying reflectivity.

8. An imaging system for imaging extreme ultraviolet (EUV) or X-ray radiation, comprising at least one zone-optimized mirror of claim 1 .

9. The zone-optimized mirror of claim 1 , wherein the mirror includes a first plurality of zones that optimally reflect respective grazing incident angular ranges, and a second plurality of zones that optimally reflect respective normal incidence angular ranges.

10. A collector for collecting extreme ultraviolet (EUV) or X-ray radiation from a radiation source, comprising:

one or more mirrors arranged about an optical axis extending through the radiation source, with at least one of said one or more mirrors being a zone-optimized mirror having a contiguous reflective surface with two or more substantially discrete zones, with each zone having a different coating, with the different coatings respectively configured to optimally reflect a select range of angles of the EUV or X-ray radiation incident thereon; and

wherein at least one of the coatings consists of a single layer of material, and wherein at least one of the other coatings consists of either a single layer of material or multiple layers of material.

11. The collector according to claim 10 , consisting of four to six concentrically arranged mirrors each defined by a section of an ellipsoid, wherein at least two of the mirrors are zone-optimized mirrors.

12. The collector according to claim 11 , wherein:

the next-to-outermost mirror includes three zones; and

the outermost mirror includes two zones.

13. The collector according to claim 12 , wherein:

the next-to-outermost zone-optimized mirror is configured to selectively reflect a first range of grazing incident angles α between about 20° and about 25°; and

the outermost zone-optimized mirror is configure to selectively reflect a second range of grazing incident angles a between about 33° and about 41°.

14. The collector according to claim 10 , wherein the one or more mirrors define a two conjugate foci, and wherein radiation traveling between the two foci undergo no more than one reflection.

15. The collector according to claim 10 , wherein adjacent zones are defined by a smoothly varying reflectivity transition region.

16. An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) or X-ray lithography system for illuminating a reflective mask, comprising:

a source of EUV or x-ray radiation;

a collector optical system according to claim 10 configured to receive and form collected radiation; and

an optical condenser configured to receive the collected radiation and form condensed radiation for illuminating the reflective mask.

17. The EUV or X-ray lithography system of claim 16 for forming a patterned image on a photosensitive semiconductor wafer, further comprising:

a projection optical system arranged downstream of the reflective mask and configured to receive reflected light from the reflective mask and form the patterned image on the photosensitive semiconductor wafer.

18. A method of forming a zone-optimized mirror for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) or X-ray wavelength radiation, comprising:

a) dividing a mirror surface into a number n ≧2 of zones Zn;

b) determining for each zone Zn a corresponding incidence angular range of incidence angles for radiation incident on the mirror surface;

c) determining an optimal coating Cn for each zone Zn that substantially optimizes a reflectivity Rn of radiation for the corresponding incidence angular range; and

d) forming a contiguous reflective surface by depositing for each zone Zn the corresponding coating Cn that substantially optimizes the reflectivity Rn, wherein at least one of the coatings consists of a single layer of material, and wherein at least one of the other coatings consists of either a single layer of material or multiple layers of material.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein adjacent zones are connected by a transition region having a smoothly varying reflectivity.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising combining a plurality of zone-optimized mirrors each formed by performing acts a) through d) to form an EUV or X-ray optical system.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 5, 2009
From: ZOCCHI, FABIO; KOOLS, JACQUES
To: MEDIA LARIO, S.R.L.
Reel/Frame 022687/0495 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100284511A1 · Nov 11, 2010