IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,488,567
Granted Patent B2
US 10,488,567 · App. 15/801,693 · Granted Nov 26, 2019

Faceted mirror for EUV projection lithography and illumination optical unit with same

Inventors: Thomas Fischer (Aalen, DE); Sarina Wunderlich (Oberkochen, DE)
Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
G02B5/0891G02B5/09G02B5/10G02B26/0833G03F7/70075G03F7/70091G03F7/70116G03F7/70558
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,488,567
App. No.
15/801,693
Granted
Nov 26, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A facet mirror for EUV projection lithography has a plurality of facets for reflecting EUV illumination light. At least some of the facets are in the form of alignment facets and have a reflection surface, the edge contour of which is aligned along two alignment coordinates of an overall facet arrangement. The reflection surface of at least one of the alignment facets has a surface shape that exhibits different curvatures along two axes of curvature. The axes of curvature are tilted about a finite axis tilt angle relative to the alignment coordinates of the overall facet arrangement. The result is a facet mirror with increased EUV throughput, particularly for prolonged operation of a projection exposure apparatus that is equipped therewith.

Claims (60)

1. A facet mirror, comprising:

a plurality of facets configured to reflect EUV illumination light,

wherein:

at least some of the facets comprise alignment facets;

the alignment facets comprise a reflection surface with an edge contour aligned along two alignment coordinates of an overall facet arrangement;

the reflection surface of at least one of the alignment facets comprises a surface shape that exhibits different curvatures along two axes of curvature;

the two axes of curvature are tilted about a finite axis tilt angle with respect to the alignment coordinates of the overall facet arrangement; and

each of the alignment facets has a contiguous reflection surface.

2. The facet mirror of claim 1 , wherein:

the alignment facets comprise first and second alignment facets;

the reflection surface of first and second alignment facets comprise surface shapes exhibiting different curvatures along two axes of curvature; and

the axis tilt angles of the first and second alignment facets differ.

3. The facet mirror of claim 1 , wherein the finite axis tilt angle is at least one degree.

4. The facet mirror of claim 1 , wherein a greater radius of curvature of the reflection surface is infinite.

5. The facet mirror of claim 1 , wherein both radii of curvature of the reflection surface are finite.

6. The facet mirror of claim 1 , wherein:

the alignment facets comprise first and second alignment facets;

the reflection surface of first and second alignment facets comprise surface shapes exhibiting different curvatures along two axes of curvature;

the axis tilt angles of the first and second alignment facets differ; and

the finite axis tilt angle is at least one degree.

7. The facet mirror of claim 6 , wherein a greater radius of curvature of the reflection surface is infinite.

8. The facet mirror of claim 6 , wherein both radii of curvature of the reflection surface are finite.

9. The facet mirror of claim 1 , wherein:

the alignment facets comprise first and second alignment facets;

the reflection surface of first and second alignment facets comprise surface shapes exhibiting different curvatures along two axes of curvature;

the axis tilt angles of the first and second alignment facets differ; and

a greater radius of curvature of the reflection surface is infinite.

10. The facet mirror of claim 9 , wherein both radii of curvature of the reflection surface are finite.

11. The facet mirror of claim 1 , wherein:

the alignment facets comprise first and second alignment facets;

the reflection surface of first and second alignment facets comprise surface shapes exhibiting different curvatures along two axes of curvature;

the axis tilt angles of the first and second alignment facets differ; and

both radii of curvature of the reflection surface are finite.

12. The facet mirror of claim 1 , wherein a difference between the radii of curvature is between 20 mm and 60 mm.

13. The facet mirror of claim 1 , wherein the radii of curvature are between 200 mm and 2000 mm.

14. An illumination optical unit, comprising:

a facet mirror according to claim 1 ,

wherein the illumination optical unit is configured to illuminate an object field with illumination light.

15. An illumination system, comprising:

a light source; and

an illumination optical unit comprising a facet mirror according to claim 1 ,

wherein the illumination optical unit is configured to illuminate an object field with illumination light generated by the light source.

16. An optical system, comprising:

an illumination optical unit comprising a facet mirror according to claim 1 ; and

a projection optical unit,

wherein the illumination optical unit is configured to illuminate an object field with illumination light, and the projection optical unit is configured to image the object field into an image field.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a light source;

an illumination optical unit comprising a facet mirror according to claim 1 ; and

a projection optical unit,

wherein the illumination optical unit is configured to illuminate an object field with illumination light generated by the light source, the projection optical unit is configured to image the object field into an image field, and apparatus is a projection exposure apparatus.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising:

an object holder comprising an object displacement drive configured to displace an object in the object field along an object displacement direction; and

a wafer holder comprising a wafer displacement drive configured to displace a wafer in synchronization with the object displacement drive.

19. A method of using a projection exposure apparatus comprising an illumination optical unit and a projection optical unit, the method comprising:

using the illumination optical unit to illuminate a lithography mask; and

using the projection optical unit to project at least a portion of the illuminated lithography mask onto a light-sensitive material,

wherein the illumination optical unit comprises a facet mirror according to claim 1 .

20. A method of aligning a facet of a facet mirror, the facet mirror comprising a plurality of facets configured to reflect EUV illumination light, at least some of the facets being alignment facets which comprise a reflection surface with an edge contour aligned along two alignment coordinates of an overall facet arrangement, the reflection surface of a first alignment facet having a surface shape that exhibits different curvatures along two axes of curvature, the method comprising:

aligning the two axes of curvature of the reflection surface of the first alignment facets by tilting the two axes of curvature about a finite axis tilt angle with respect to the alignment coordinates of the overall facet arrangement.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 17, 2017
From: FISCHER, THOMAS; WUNDERLICH, SARINA
To: CARL ZEISS SMT GMBH
Reel/Frame 044164/0261 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2015 208 514 · May 7, 2015 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTEP2016059219 · Apr 26, 2016
Related Publication 20180074236A1 · Mar 15, 2018