IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,073,766
Granted Patent B2
US 11,073,766 · App. 16/042,453 · Granted Jul 27, 2021

Reflective optical element and optical system for EUV lithography having proportions of substances which differ across a surface

Inventor: Christoph Nottbohm (Ulm, DE)
Assignee: CARL ZEISS SMT GMBH
G03F7/70316G02B5/0891G03F1/24G03F7/70216G03F7/70966G21K1/062G02B5/0883G21K2201/067
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,073,766
App. No.
16/042,453
Granted
Jul 27, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A reflective optical element for the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) wavelength range having a multi-layer system extending over an area on a substrate. The system includes layers ( 54, 55 ′) made of at least two different materials with different real parts of the refractive index in the EUV arranged alternately. A layer of one of the two materials forms a stack with the layer or layers arranged between this layer and the nearest layer of the same material with increasing distance from the substrate. In at least one stack ( 53 ′), the material of the layer ( 55 ′) with the lower real part of the refractive index and/or the material of the layer ( 54 ) with the larger real part of the refractive index is a combination ( 551, 552 ) made of at least two substances.

Claims (23)

1. A reflective optical element for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) wavelength range, comprising:

a substrate having a surface, and

a multilayer system that extends over the surface of the substrate,

wherein the multilayer system comprises at least two alternating layers

composed of at least two different materials with mutually differing real parts of the refractive index at a wavelength in the EUV wavelength range,

wherein a given one layer of one of the at least two materials and a further layer or layers arranged between the given one layer and another layer, which is closest at an increasing distance from the substrate, of a same material as the material of the given one layer form a stack,

wherein, in the stack, the material of the layer with the lower real part and/or the material of the layer with the higher real part of the refractive index is a combination of at least two substances,

wherein respective proportions of the at least two substances in the combination differ between at least one partial surface of the multilayer system and a remaining surface of the multilayer system.

2. The reflective optical element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the partial surface and the remaining surface form an entire surface of the multilayer system, wherein the reflective optical element is configured for different angles of incidence of EUV radiation over the entire surface of the multilayer system, and wherein the proportions of the at least two substances vary in dependence on the different angles of incidence.

3. The reflective optical element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the proportions of the at least two substances vary continuously.

4. The reflective optical element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein in the stack, the material of the layer with the lower or the higher real part of the refractive index is a combination of exactly two substances.

5. The reflective optical element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in the stack, the layer with the lower or the higher real part of the refractive index is constructed from sub-layers from the at least two substances, and wherein respective thicknesses of the sub-layers over the at least one partial surface are different than are sub-layer thicknesses over the remaining surface of the multilayer system.

6. The reflective optical element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in the stack, the material of the layer with the lower or the higher real part of the refractive index has a mixture ratio of the at least two substances which is different over the at least one partial surface than is a mixture ratio of the at least two substances over the remaining surface of the multilayer system.

7. The reflective optical element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a total thickness and/or a ratio of a thickness of the layer with the lower real part of the refractive index to a total thickness of the stack over the at least one partial surface differs from a total thickness of the stack over the remaining surface of the multilayer system.

8. The reflective optical element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the material of at least one of the alternating layers varies in density.

9. The reflective optical element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the material with the higher real part of the refractive index is silicon, the material with the lower real part of the refractive index is molybdenum, and the at least two substances are selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, ruthenium, niobium, scandium, titanium, carbon, and carbide.

10. The reflective optical element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the material with the higher real part of the refractive index is silicon, the material with the lower real part of the refractive index is ruthenium, and the at least two substances are selected from the group consisting of silicon, boron carbide, beryllium, boron, and carbon.

11. An optical system for EUV lithography having a reflective optical element as claimed in claim 1 .

12. An EUV lithography apparatus having a reflective optical element as claimed in claim 1 .

13. The reflective optical element as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising further stacks, wherein, in each of the further stacks, a material of a layer with a lower real part and/or a material of a layer with a higher real part of the refractive index is a combination of at least two further substances, and

wherein respective proportions of the at least two further substances in the combination of the further substances differ between at least one further partial surface of each of the further stacks and at least one remaining surface of each of the further stacks.

14. The optical system as claimed in claim 13 , configured for receiving extreme ultraviolet radiation incident on the reflective optical element with an angle of incidence that varies over a total surface of the multilayer system, wherein the proportions of the at least two substances vary in accordance with the angle of incidence.

15. An EUV lithography apparatus having an optical system as claimed in claim 13 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 6, 2018
From: NOTTBOHM, CHRISTOPH
To: CARL ZEISS SMT GMBH
Reel/Frame 047422/0840 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 102016200814.5 · Jan 21, 2016 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTEP2017050835 · Jan 16, 2017
Related Publication 20180329308A1 · Nov 15, 2018
Cited By (1)
US 12,661,422