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Dr. Burn-Jeng Lin, Dean of the College of Semiconductor Research and Academicians of Academia Sinica-Happiness Follows Dedication of Your Mind [ 下載 PDF ]

Claire Lin

EUV Key Components and Technologies

Special Issue Introduction of “EUV Key Components and Technologies” [ 下載 PDF ]

Bor-Yuan Shew

EUV Interferometric Lithography Technologies [ 下載 PDF ]

Po-Hsiung Chen, Chun-Hung Lin, Rai-Shung Liu

In the area of the semiconductor manufacturing process, the metallic-containing EUV negative resist is a high-potential material for future technology nodes. The material can be evaluated by EUV interference lithography (EUV-IL). EUV-IL plays an important role in the development of high-resolution resists before applying them to the projection optical systems for industrial applications. The current EUV-IL setup, developed at Taiwan Light Source (TLS) 21B2 EUV beamline in the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC), employs a highquality, self-fabricated transmission grating EUV mask. This setup successfully achieves line/space patterns down to 25 nm half-pitch, making it suitable for advanced EUV resist screening and significantly contributing to both scientific and industrial research.

Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography Mask Inspection Technologies [ 下載 PDF ]

Chien-Lin Lee, Jia-Syun Cai, Kuen-Yu Tsai

This article introduces the current developments and prospects of inspection technologies which are necessary for the fabrication of EUV mask with a reflective multilayer structure. It can utilize many similar procedures and instruments used in the traditional optical mask processes into the design and manufacture of EUV mask one. In this article, it begins with a brief introduction and comparison, and also points out several particular aspects of EUV mask inspection. After that, it makes a further investigation about the inspection technologies throughout the fabrication of EUV mask blank. Finally, it indicates the direction of future development.

High-reflective Cylindrical-nanostructure Multilayer Mirrors for Extreme Ultraviolet Radiation [ 下載 PDF ]

Chih-Chung Wang, Chao-Te Lee, Jia-Han Li

This article introduces the current developments and prospects of inspection technologies which are necessary for the fabrication of EUV mask with a reflective multilayer structure. It can utilize many similar procedures and instruments used in the traditional optical mask processes into the design and manufacture of EUV mask one. In this article, it begins with a brief introduction and comparison, and also points out several particular aspects of EUV mask inspection. After that, it makes a further investigation about the inspection technologies throughout the fabrication of EUV mask blank. Finally, it indicates the direction of future development.

Sensing and Imaging of Extreme Ultraviolet Radiations: A New Application of Fluorescent Nanodiamonds [ 下載 PDF ]

Pei Jie Wu, Huan-Cheng Chang, Teng-I Yang

The semiconductor industry relies on Moore's Law to drive the advancement of transistor performance. Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography is a key technology in achieving this goal. EUV radiations have short wavelengths (10－121 nm), allowing manufacturers to etch nanoscale circuit patterns on chips, thus advancing semiconductor technology and ensuring the continued relevance of Moore's Law. With the availability of various types of EUV light sources, beam diagnostics of the radiations has become critical, rendering the detector a crucial component. This article discusses an innovative EUV sensing and imaging device that uses fluorescent nanodiamond (FND) films as a scintillator to convert EUV light into visible light and produce images. The diamond-based scintillator is not damaged by high-energy radiations and is useful for assessing beam quality and monitoring its spatial positions, providing comprehensive information for indepth analysis and wide-range applications.

Multi-functional Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography Component Inspection Platform [ 下載 PDF ]

Wen-Hao Cho, Pin-Jiun Wu, Chien-Lin Lee, I-Chih Huang, Chao-Te Lee, Kuen-Yu Tsai, Jia-Han Li

Advanced semiconductor manufacturing has transitioned from the 193 nm ArF light source to the 13.5 nm extreme ultraviolet (EUV) era, which has been accompanied by comprehensive changes in optical systems, mask materials, photoresists. In response to this technological transformation, our team has established an extreme ultraviolet lithography component inspection platform to provide inspection services for key components such as masks, resists, and mirrors. Through the development of extreme ultraviolet inspection technologies, we aim to assist the domestic semiconductor industry in overcoming material and process challenges in EUV manufacturing, accelerating the development of advanced process technologies.

EUV Metrology and Measurement Uncertainties [ 下載 PDF ]

Yi-Chen Chuang, Cheng-Hsien Chen

To support the development of advanced EUV lithography for the semiconductor industry in Taiwan, an EUV calibration system for photodiodes’ spectral responsivity was established by the National Measurement Laboratory (NML). This EUV spectral responsivity calibration system is the first radiometric calibration system in the EUV region in Taiwan. This system utilizes the EUV radiation generated from synchrotron radiation light source provided by the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC). Some calibration procedures have been tested and compared. And strategies to reduce measurement uncertainties were also studied. In this article, the EUV spectral calibration system will be introduced, including the calibration principles, metrological traceability, and uncertainty evaluation details. Through the establishment of metrology standard, local foundries could tune the exposure parameters of an EUV exposure machine with more certain knowledge, and thus could simplify the dose calibration processes and save energy consumption.

Tabletop Coherent EUV Light Source - High Harmonic Generation Driven by Ultrafast Laser Excitation [ 下載 PDF ]

Ming-Chang Chen

Recently, there has been significant attention on ultrafast, coherent X-ray science and technology, especially tabletop X-rays generated by high harmonic generation (HHG). These femtosecond to attosecond X-ray pulses enable scientists to observe and understand chemical reactions, nano-material structures, and dynamic processes in biological molecules with unprecedented temporal and spatial resolution. This review will delve into the fundamental concepts and historical discoveries of high harmonic generation, emphasizing its critical role in experimental design, particularly the challenges in generating high-intensity, isolated attosecond pulses. Additionally, it will discuss the significant applications of these techniques in observing time-resolved electron reactions and spatially resolving nanostructures, which are indispensable in current research.

An Overview of Accelerator-based EUV Sources [ 下載 PDF ]

Wai-Keung Lau, Zong-Kai Liu, Hao-Wen Luo

In recent years, the semiconductor industry has achieved significant advancements in highvolume manufacturing, largely due to the stable and reliable implementation of extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) technology. Current commercial EUVL systems primarily utilize laserdriven plasma (LPP) sources with a 13.5-nanometer wavelength, which are crucial for meeting the demands of high-volume wafer production. However, these systems face technical challenges, such as the increasing demand of EUV radiation power and lens contamination. This article reviews the current state of accelerator-based light source technology and its potential applications in EUVL. Accelerator-based light sources, particularly synchrotron radiation and free electron lasers (FELs), have attracted significant interest with the rise of photon science. Synchrotron radiation, emitted by high-energy electrons in a magnetic field, is characterized by a wide frequency band, high brightness, and excellent collimation, making it a vital tool in various scientific research fields. FELs, which generate high-intensity coherent radiation through the interaction of electron beams with electromagnetic wave in undulator magnetic field, offer advantages such as higher radiation power and minimal contamination. The development of FELs requires several key technologies, including low-emittance electron sources, magnetic electron bunch compressors, and microwave linear accelerators. These technologies are critical for providing FELs with the highbrightness relativistic electron beams necessary to achieve high EUV power. As the semiconductor industry's demand for high-power EUV radiation sources grows, the application of acceleratorbased technologies in the EUV spectrum has gained increasing attention. This article explores the principles of synchrotron radiation and FELs, delves into their technical implementations, and examines the potential of energy recovery linear accelerators (ERL) and steady-state microbunching (SSMB) technologies in the development of high-power EUV radiation sources.

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Introduction to Ensemble Diffraction Microscopy Under Super-resolution [ 下載 PDF ]

Ning-Jung Chen, Chien-Chun Chen

Coherent diffraction microscopy (CDM) is a microscopy imaging technique that utilize coherent light sources to image micromaterials at atomic resolution without the need for crystals. However, due to the lack of high-angle scattering signals, the spatial resolution is often limited to several nanometers. To overcome the limitations of spatial resolution, we propose ensemble diffraction microscopy (EDM). This technique not only enhances imaging resolution but also accommodates various light sources and diverse samples. This article introduces the theoretical derivation of EDM from the beginning and demonstrate the feasibility of this technique using different light sources. Subsequently, it will showcase the successful imaging of both inorganic and organic nanoparticles using coherent diffraction microscopy. Finally, the conclusion will summarize the potential of this technique in materials crystallography.