EUV diffractive optical element for semiconductor wafer lithography and method for making same

• US 20080259458A1
• Filed: 04/18/2007
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: LaFontaine, Bruno M., Kye, Jongwook, Kim, Ryoung-Han
• Application Number:
  US11/788,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20080259458A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/576
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70091 Illumination settings, i.e. intensity distribution in the pupil plane or angular distribution in the field plane; On-axis or off-axis settings, e.g. annular, dipole or quadrupole settings; Partial coherence control, i.e. sigma or numerical aperture [NA]
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70158 Diffractive optical elements

Abstract

According to one exemplary embodiment, an EUV (extreme ultraviolet) optical element in a light path between an EUV light source and a semiconductor wafer includes a reflective film having a number of bilayers. The reflective film includes a pattern, where the pattern causes a change in incident EUV light from the EUV light source, thereby controlling illumination at a pupil plane of an EUV projection optic to form a printed field on the semiconductor wafer. The EUV optical element can be utilized in an EUV lithographic process to fabricate a semiconductor die.

Claims

1. An EUV (extreme ultraviolet) diffractive optical element in a light path between an EUV light source and a semiconductor wafer, said EUV diffractive optical element comprising:

a reflective film having a plurality of bilayers;

said reflective film including a pattern;

said pattern causing a change in incident EUV light from said EUV light source, thereby controlling illumination at a pupil plane of an EUV projection optic to form a printed field on said semiconductor wafer.

2. The EUV diffractive optical element of claim 1, wherein said pattern is formed by a fabrication process selected from the group consisting of lithography, film deposition, etching, lift-off, and direct patterning.

3. The EUV diffractive optical element of claim 1, wherein said pattern is etched through one or more of said plurality of bilayers of said reflective film.

4. The EUV diffractive optical element of claim 1, wherein said EUV diffractive optical element is utilized in an EUV lithographic process to fabricate a semiconductor die.

5. The EUV diffractive optical element of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of bilayers comprises a top layer situated over a bottom layer, wherein said top layer comprises silicon.

6. The EUV diffractive optical element of claim 5, wherein said bottom layer comprises molybdenum.

7. The EUV diffractive optical element of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of bilayers has a thickness approximately equal to ½

of a wavelength of EUV light.

8. The EUV diffractive optical element of claim 1, wherein said plurality of bilayers is greater than 50.

9. The semiconductor die of claim 4, wherein said semiconductor die is utilized in a circuit board.

10. An EUV (extreme ultraviolet) diffractive optical element in a light path between an EUV light source and a semiconductor wafer, said EUV diffractive optical element comprising:

a transmissive film including a pattern;

said pattern diffracting incident EUV light and generating a controlled illumination pattern at a pupil plane of an EUV projection optic to form a printed image on said semiconductor wafer.

11. The EUV diffractive optical element of claim 10, wherein said pattern is formed by utilizing a fabrication process selected from the group consisting of lithography, film deposition, etching, lift-off, and direct patterning.

12. The EUV diffractive optical element of claim 10, wherein said EUV diffractive optical element is utilized in an EUV lithographic process to fabricate a semiconductor die.

13. The semiconductor die of claim 12, wherein said semiconductor die is utilized in a circuit board as a part of an electronic system, said electronic system being selected from the group consisting of a wired communications device, a wireless communications device, a cell phone, a switching device, a router, a repeater, a codec, a LAN, a WLAN, a Bluetooth enabled device, a digital camera, a digital audio player and/or recorder, a digital video player and/or recorder, a computer, a monitor, a television set, a satellite set top box, a cable modem, a digital automotive control system, a digitally-controlled home appliance, a printer, a copier, a digital audio or video receiver, an RF transceiver, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a digital game playing device, a digital testing and/or measuring device, a digital avionics device, a medical device, and a digitally-controlled medical equipment.

14. A semiconductor die fabricated by utilizing an EUV diffractive optical element positioned in a light path between an EUV light source and a semiconductor wafer, said EUV diffractive optical element comprising:

a reflective film having a plurality of bilayers;

said reflective film including a pattern;

said pattern causing a change in incident EUV light from said EUV light source, thereby controlling illumination at a pupil plane of an EUV projection optic to form a printed field on said semiconductor wafer.

15. The EUV diffractive optical element of claim 14, wherein said pattern is formed by a fabrication process selected from the group consisting of lithography, film deposition, etching, lift-off, and direct patterning.

16. The EUV diffractive optical element of claim 14, wherein said pattern is etched through one or more of said plurality of bilayers of said reflective film.

17. The semiconductor die of claim 14, wherein each of said plurality of bilayers comprises a top layer situated over a bottom layer, wherein said top layer comprises silicon.

18. The semiconductor die of claim 17, wherein said bottom layer comprises molybdenum.

19. The semiconductor die of claim 14, wherein each of said plurality of bilayers has a thickness approximately equal to ½

of a wavelength of EUV light.

20. The semiconductor die of claim 14, wherein said semiconductor die is utilized in a circuit board as a part of an electronic system, said electronic system being selected from the group consisting of a wired communications device, a wireless communications device, a cell phone, a switching device, a router, a repeater, a codec, a LAN, a WLAN, a Bluetooth enabled device, a digital camera, a digital audio player and/or recorder, a digital video player and/or recorder, a computer, a monitor, a television set, a satellite set top box, a cable modem, a digital automotive control system, a digitally-controlled home appliance, a printer, a copier, a digital audio or video receiver, an RF transceiver, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a digital game playing device, a digital testing and/or measuring device, a digital avionics device, a medical device, and a digitally-controlled medical equipment.