Patent Publication Number: US-2022236461-A1

Title: Euv collector mirror

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This is a Continuation of International Application PCT/EP2020/075493, which has an international filing date of Sep. 11, 2020, and the disclosure of which is incorporated in its entirety into the present Continuation by reference. This Continuation also claims foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) to and also incorporates by reference, in its entirety, German Patent Application DE 10 2019 215 829.3 filed on Oct. 15, 2019. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to an EUV collector mirror for use in an EUV projection exposure apparatus employing extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light. 
     BACKGROUND 
     An illumination optical unit with such a collector is known from DE 10 2013 002 064 A1 and from US 2019/0094699 A1. A collector mirror is known from U.S. Pat. No. 10,101,569 B2. Further EUV collector mirror embodiments are known from DE 10 2019 200 698 A1. 
     SUMMARY 
     It is an object of the present invention to develop an EUV collector mirror enabling a higher conversion efficiency between the energy of pump light of a laser discharged produced plasma (LDPP) EUV light source on the one hand and the resulting usable EUV energy on the other. 
     According to the invention, this object is achieved by an EUV collector mirror comprising the features specified in the independent claims. 
     According to one formulation of the invention, it has been realized that a grating structure that is configured to retroreflect pump light emanating from a source region of the LDPP source enables a high conversion efficiency from pump light energy into usable EUV light energy. The retroreflective pump light again is used in the source region for conversion to usable EUV light. 
     In particular, such retroreflecting pump light grating structure on the EUV collector mirror avoids the necessity of a Pre-Pulse/Main Pulse scheme of the pump light source as is known from prior art. This facilitates the construction of the pump light laser source. In particular, it is not necessary to preshape a target of the LDPP source, e.g. a tin droplet, with a Pre-Pulse for increasing the conversion efficiency of the Main Pulse conversion into the usable EUV light. This leads to a cost reduction with respect to the construction of a source collector module including the light source on the one hand and the EUV collector mirror on the other. The effectively used pump light energy as compared with conventional Pre-Pulse/Main Pulse schemes can be increased significantly, e.g. about a number of 50% or even 100%. 
     In particular, a spherical target can be used to be impinged upon the pump light without the need of specifically further shaping. 
     The pump light grating structure may be a blazed grating. A blaze angle may be optimized for a 0 th  or for a +/−1 st  order of retroreflective diffraction of the pump light wavelength. A pitch of the pump light grating structure varies over the rreflection surface of the EUV collector mirror in order to adapt the retroreflective properties to the angle of incidence condition of the pump light rays impinging upon the pump light grating structure. 
     In case of a reflection surface of the EUV collector mirror being rotationally symmetric with respect to a rotational symmetry axis, the pitch may increase with increasing distance of the grating structures to such symmetry axis or, in another embodiment, the pitch may decrease with increasing distance. In a further embodiment, a dependency between the pitch and such distance of the grating structures to the symmetry axis may be non-monotonic. 
     The pump light grating structure may include two or more different height levels, i.e. may be realized as a two-step grating or as a multi-step grating. 
     Pump light wavelengths according to preferred embodiments have been proved to be particularly suitable for efficiently producing usable EUV illumination light. 
     A pitch, e.g. a grating period, according to preferred embodiments satisfy the retroreflecting conditions for the pump light wavelength. The pitch depends on the angle of incidence of the pump light on the reflection surface. Such angle of incidence depends upon the distance between the impingement point of the respective pump light ray on the reflection surface to an axis of rotational symmetry. As a result, the pitch depends upon the distance of a reflection surface area carrying the pump light grating structure to such axis of symmetry. With increasing distance to the axis of symmetry, the pitch may decrease. 
     A typical dimension of the pitch may be in the range between 0.1 mm to 2 mm, in particular between 0.2 mm and 1.0 mm, more in particular between 0.5 mm and 0.9 mm. 
     Reflectivities according to preferred embodiments can be achieved by using a proper pump light grating structure. The reflection surface of the EUV collector mirror may carry a high reflective coating which is optimized mainly for high reflection of the usable EUV illumination light. Such reflective coating also may be optimized for high reflection of the pump light wavelength. 
     The advantages of a source collector module according to preferred embodiments are those explained above with respect to the EUV collector mirror. 
     The same holds for a pump light source according to further preferred embodiments. 
     A pulse duration and/or a pulse rise time according to various preferred embodiment proved to show a particularly high conversion efficiency. 
     The advantages of an illumination optics, of a projection exposure apparatus, of a production method, and of a micro- and/or nanostructured component as detailed in further embodiments are those which previously were discussed with respect to the EUV collector mirror, the source collector mirror module and the pump light source. 
     In particular, a semiconductor component, for example a memory chip, may be produced using the projection exposure apparatus. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to the drawing. In said drawing shows: 
         FIG. 1  schematically a projection exposure apparatus for EUV microlithography; 
         FIG. 2  in a meridional section an EUV collector mirror including a light path of pump light coming from a pump light source; 
         FIG. 3  schematically a magnified section of a reflection surface showing a pump light grating structure configured to retroreflect pump light impinging upon the pump light grating structure from a source region back to this source region, wherein a retroreflected pump light ray path for a +1 st  order of diffraction and also for a −1 st  order of diffraction is shown. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A projection exposure apparatus  1  for microlithography comprises a light source module  2  for EUV illumination light and/or imaging light  3 , which will be explained in yet more detail below. Such light source module  2  also is denoted as a source collector module. A light source of the light source module  2  is an EUV light source, which produces light in a wavelength range of e.g. between 5 nm and 30 nm, in particular between 5 nm and 15 nm. The illumination light and/or imaging light  3  is also referred to as used EUV light below. 
     In particular, the EUV light source may be a light source with a used EUV wavelength of 13.5 nm or a light source with a used EUV wavelength of 6.9 nm or 7 nm. Other used EUV wavelengths are also possible. A beam path of the illumination light  3  is depicted very schematically in  FIG. 1 . 
     An illumination optical unit  6  serves to guide the illumination light  3  from the light source to an object field  4  in an object plane  5 . Said illumination optical unit comprises a field facet mirror FF depicted very schematically in  FIG. 1  and a pupil facet mirror PF disposed downstream in the beam path of the illumination light  3  and likewise depicted very schematically. A field-forming mirror  6   b  for grazing incidence (GI mirror; grazing incidence mirror) is arranged in the beam path of the illumination light  3  between the pupil facet mirror PF, which is arranged in a pupil plane  6   a  of the illumination optical unit, and the object field  4 . Such a GI mirror  6   b  is not mandatory. 
     Pupil facets (not depicted in any more detail) of the pupil facet mirror PF are part of a transfer optical unit, which transfer, and in particular image, field facets (likewise not depicted) of the field facet mirror FF into the object field  4  in a manner superposed on one another. An embodiment known from the prior art may be used for the field facet mirror FF on the one hand and the pupil facet mirror PF on the other hand. By way of example, such an illumination optical unit is known from DE 10 2009 045 096 A1. 
     Using a projection optical unit or imaging optical unit  7 , the object field  4  is imaged into an image field  8  in an image plane  9  with a predetermined reduction scale. Projection optical units which may be used to this end are known from e.g. DE 10 2012 202 675 A1. 
     In order to facilitate the description of the projection exposure apparatus  1  and the various embodiments of the projection optical unit  7 , a Cartesian xyz-coordinate system is indicated in the drawing, from which system the respective positional relationship of the components illustrated in the figures is evident. In  FIG. 1 , the x-direction runs perpendicular to the plane of the drawing into the latter. The y-direction extends to the left in  FIG. 1  and the z-direction extends upward in  FIG. 1 . The object plane  5  extends parallel to the xy-plane. 
     The object field  4  and the image field  8  are rectangular. Alternatively, it is also possible for the object field  4  and the image field  8  to have a bent or curved embodiment, that is to say, in particular, a partial ring shape. The object field  4  and the image field  8  have an x/y-aspect ratio of greater than 1. Therefore, the object field  4  has a longer object field dimension in the x-direction and a shorter object field dimension in the y-direction. These object field dimensions extend along the field coordinates x and y. 
     One of the exemplary embodiments known from the prior art may be used for the projection optical unit  7 . What is imaged in this case as an object is a portion of a reflection mask  10 , also referred to as reticle, coinciding with the object field  4 . The reticle  10  is carried by a reticle holder  10   a . The reticle holder  10   a  is displaced by a reticle displacement drive  10   b.    
     The imaging by way of the projection optical unit  7  is implemented on the surface of a substrate  11  in the form of a wafer, which is carried by a substrate holder  12 . The substrate holder  12  is displaced by a wafer or substrate displacement drive  12   a.    
       FIG. 1  schematically illustrates, between the reticle  10  and the projection optical unit  7 , a ray beam  13  of the illumination light  3  that enters into said projection optical unit and, between the projection optical unit  7  and the substrate  11 , a ray beam  14  of the illumination light  3  that emerges from the projection optical unit  7 . An image field-side numerical aperture (NA) of the projection optical unit  7  is not reproduced to scale in  FIG. 1 . 
     The projection exposure apparatus  1  is of the scanner type. Both the reticle  10  and the substrate  11  are scanned in the y-direction during the operation of the projection exposure apparatus  1 . A stepper type of the projection exposure apparatus  1 , in which a stepwise displacement of the reticle  10  and of the substrate  11  in the y-direction is effected between individual exposures of the substrate  11 , is also possible. These displacements are effected synchronously to one another by an appropriate actuation of the displacement drives  10   b  and  12   a.    
       FIG. 2  shows a meridional section of an EUV collector mirror  15  which is part of the light source module  2 , in a meridional section. A reflection surface  16  of the EUV collector mirror  15  serves to reflect the illumination light which is not shown in  FIG. 2  impinging on the reflection surface  16  from a source region  17  to the subsequent EUV illumination optical unit  6 . To this end, the reflection surface  16  has an ellipsoidal shape which is rotationally symmetric with respect to an optical axis  18 . The source region  17  is arranged in one focal region of the ellipsoidal shape of the reflection surface  16 . An intermediate focus not shown in  FIG. 2  which serves to discriminate the usable EUV illumination light  3  from other wavelengths and also from debris is located at the other focal point of this ellipsoidal shape. 
       FIG. 3  shows a magnified section of the reflection surface  16  of the EUV collector mirror  15 . Schematically shown in this magnified view is a pump light grating structure  19  including periodically alternating positive structures  20  (“mountains”) and negative structures  21  (“valleys”). Such periodicity of the grating structure  19  is characterized by a grating pitch p. 
     The pump light grating structure  19  is configured to retroreflect pump light  22  (compare also  FIG. 2 ) impinging upon the pump light grating structure  19  from the source region  17  back to the source region. 
     The pump light  22  is emitted from a pump light source  23  as shown schematically in  FIG. 2 . The pump light source  23  is a CO 2  laser source producing pump light having a wavelength around 10 μm, e.g. a pump light wavelength of 10.6 μm. Alternatively, the pump light source  23  may be a Nd based solid state laser source, e.g. a Nd:YAG laser producing a pump light wavelength around 1 μm, e.g. a pump light wavelength of 1.064 μm. The wavelength of the pump light  22  deviates from the wavelength of the illumination light  3 , i.e. from the wavelength of the usable EUV light. 
     The pump light  22  is pulsed. The pump light source  23  is a MOPA (master oscillator power amplifier) laser source. 
     The collimated pump light  22  passes through a through hole  24  arranged in the reflection surface  16  of the EUV collector mirror  15  and impinges on a tin droplet  25  arranged in the source region  17  to produce the illumination light  3  not shown in  FIG. 2 . The light path of the pump light  22  from the pump light source  23  to the source region  17  is collinear with the optical axis  18  of the reflection surface  16  of the EUV collector mirror  15 . 
     The tin droplet  25  has a spherical shape, i.e. has no pancake shape when being impinged upon by the pump light  22 . 
     Part of the pump light  22  impinging upon the tin droplet  25  is absorbed by the tin droplet  25 . Another part of the impinging pump light  22  is reflected from the tin droplet  25 . Beam paths of such reflected pump light  22  are exemplified shown as pump light rays  22   r  in  FIG. 2 . Due to the spherical shape of the tin droplet  25 , the reflected pump light rays  22   r  impinge upon the reflection surface  16  over a wide area thereof which carries the pump light grating structure  19  as schematically shown in  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 3  also shows schematically the retroreflecting conditions of one exemplified reflected pump light rays  22   r . Such pump light ray  22   r  impinges upon the reflection surface  16  with an angle of incidence α which is also denoted as θ r . Such angle of incidence θ r  depends upon the radial distance of an impingement point IP of the pump light ray  22   r  on the reflection surface  16  from the optical axis  18 . Such distance between the impingement point IP and the optical axis  18  in  FIG. 3  is denoted as r. 
     The pitch p of the pump light grating structure  19  varies over the reflection surface  16  depending on the distance r of the respective positive and negative structures  20 / 21  to the optical axis according to the following equation: 
         p ( r )=λ PL /2 sin(θ r )
     Here   p(r) denotes the pitch of the pump light grating structure  19  dependent on the distance r between the respective impingement point IP and the optical axis  18 ;   λ PL  denotes the wavelength of the pump light  19 ;   θ r  denotes the angle of incidence of the respective pump light ray  22   r  on the reflection surface  16 , i.e. the angle between the incoming pump light ray  22   r  on the one hand and a normal to a section of a main surface of the reflection surface  16  around the respective impingement point IP.   

     A small angle of incidence θ r  according to the above equation leads to a larger pitch p and, vice versa, a large angle of incidence θ r  leads to a smaller pitch p. Depending on the incidence geometry, i.e. depending on the arrangement of the reflection surface  16 , its curvature and the position of the source region, this leads to the following variants regarding the dependency of the pitch from the distance r of the respective rating structures  20 / 21  to the optical axis  18 :
         The variation of the pitch p may be such that the pitch increases with increasing distance r;   the variation of the pitch p may be such that the pitch decreases with increasing distance r;   the pitch p may depend non-monotonically on the distance r.       

     The pitch of the pump light grating structure  19  satisfies for the +1 st  order of diffraction the retroreflecting condition for each of the pump light rays  22   r . Consequently, all of the pump light rays  22   r  impinging on the pump light grating structure  19  on the reflection surface  16  of the EUV collector mirror  15  are retroreflected as shown in  FIG. 2  and, exemplified for one of the pump light rays  22   r  also in  FIG. 3 . 
     In addition,  FIG. 3  also shows a diffracted beam of the −1 st  order of diffraction. 
     The pump light grating structure  19  is blazed for the +1 st  order of reflection of the pump light ray  22   r  which is not shown in  FIG. 3 . Thus, the +1 st  order of diffraction carries almost all of the energy of the incoming pump light ray  22   r . 
     The retroreflected pump light rays  22   r  again impinge upon the tin droplet  25  increasing therefore the pumping efficiency of the light source module  2 . 
     The individual pulses of the pump light  19  have a pulse duration (full width half max) below 50 ns, preferably below 40 ns, preferably below 30 ns, preferably below 20 ns, preferably below 10 ns, preferably below 8 ns, preferably below 5 ns. 
     In particular, a rise time of the pump light pulse between a low light level which is less than 10% of the maximum pulse intensity and a high light level which is more than 80% of the maximal pulse intensity is below 15 ns, below 10 ns, or even below 5 ns. Such short pulse duration and/or such small rise time leads to a good conversion efficiency from the pump light energy into the energy of the usable EUV illumination light  3 . 
     The pump light grating structure  19  has a reflectivity for the pump light  22  which is larger than 50%. In particular, such reflectivity is in the range between 50% and 90% and can be in the range between 60% and 85% or in the range between 65% and 75%. 
     By interaction of the pump light  19  with the tin droplet  25 , the usable EUV illumination light  3  is produced having a wavelength of e.g. 6.5 nm or 13 nm. 
     In order to produce a microstructured or nanostructured component, the projection exposure apparatus  1  is used as follows: First, the reflection mask  10  or the reticle and the substrate or the wafer  11  are provided. Subsequently, a structure on the reticle  10  is projected onto a light-sensitive layer of the wafer  11  with the aid of the projection exposure apparatus  1 . Then, a microstructure or nanostructure on the wafer  11 , and hence the structured component, is produced by developing the light-sensitive layer.