退火对电子束热蒸发193nm Al2O3/MgF2反射膜性能的影响

设计并镀制了193nm Al2O3/MgF2反射膜,对它们在空气中分别进行了250-400℃的高温退火,测量了样品的透射率光谱曲线和绝对反射率光谱曲线.发现样品在高反射区的总的光学损耗随退火温度的升高而下降,而后趋于饱和.采用总积分散射的方法对样品在不同退火温度下的散射损耗进行了分析,发现随着退火温度的升高散射损耗有所增加.因此,总的光学损耗的下降是由于吸收损耗而不是散射损耗起主导作用.对Al2O3材料的单层膜进行了同等条件的退火处理,由它们光学性能的变化推导出它们的折射率和消光系数的变化,从而解释了相应

光刻机系统中193nm薄膜的研究进展

193nm的ArF准分子激光光刻可将特征线宽推进到0．10μm。重点介绍了193nm薄膜的研究进展及影响薄膜性能的主要因素，并对具体的研究方向进行了总结。

高反射率193nm Al2O3／MgF2反射膜的实验研究

用电子束热蒸发方法在熔融石英基底上沉积了Al2O3和MgF2两种材料的单层膜，研究了两种材料的光学特性，采用光度法计算并给出了薄膜材料在180～230nm的折射率n／和消光系数k的色散曲线。以两种材料作为高低折射率材料组合，采用1／4波长规整膜系设计并镀制了193nm的高反射膜，反射膜在退火后的反射率在193nm达到96％以上。结果表明在一定工艺条件下Al2O3和MgF2两种材料能够在193nm获得较好的光学性能，适用于高反射膜的制备。

低损耗193nm增透膜

计算了适用于193nm增透膜设计与制备的基底与薄膜材料的光学常数,并在此基础上对193nm增透膜进行了设计、制备与性能分析.发现基底材料的吸收损耗对增透膜元件的影响很大,超过一定值时,增透膜元件的设计透过率将达不到理想水平.对单面增透膜的设计与制备结果表明,当吸收损耗降低到一定程度,散射损耗成为不可忽略的因素.采用热舟蒸发方法实现了性能良好的193nm减反射膜,剩余反射率在0.2%以下.

高反射率193nm反射膜的实现

对应用于193nm反射膜的基底材料、薄膜材料、沉积技术与主要沉积工艺参数进行了分析与优化选择，在此基础上进行了193nm反射膜的设计、制备及后处理，实现了时间稳定性与环境稳定性良好的193nm反射膜，反射率达98％以上。

高性能193nm反射膜的制备与误差分析

分析了膜厚控制误差对反射膜设计曲线的影响，发现高低折射率材料厚度反方向变化时（高折射率膜层厚度增加，低折射率膜层厚度减小），反射膜的反射率变化不明显，设计的膜系结构对这种膜厚变化方式的制造误差宽容。在此基础上制备了193nm反射膜，结果表明退火前光学损耗相对较大，实验结果与理论计算结果存在一定差距，并且散射损耗在总的光学损耗中所占比例很小，而吸收损耗占光学损耗的主要部分，起主导作用。退火后光学损耗明显下降，实验结果与理论计算结果更为接近，193nm反射膜的反射率达98％以上。散射损耗增加至接近吸收损耗的水平，不过在总的光学损耗中仍然占比较小的比例。说明当吸收损耗下降到一定程度时，散射损耗所起的作用也是不可忽视的。

低损耗193nm反射膜的设计

采用1/4规整膜系,从电场强度、吸收损耗及散射损耗的分布几个方面,对影响193 nm反射膜性能的因素进行了分析。以分析结果为基础,对低损耗193 nm反射膜的设计进行了探讨。结果表明:在空气侧的外膜层中电场强度较大,随着层数向内过渡,电场强度迅速减小;高折射率材料膜层的吸收损耗明显高于低折射率材料膜层的吸收损耗,而且靠近空气侧最外层的高折射率膜层的吸收损耗最大;按由外层向内层过渡的方向,吸收损耗迅速减小,减小的速度与高低折射率材料折射率的比值相关;表面散射损耗与两种材料的折射率比值成正比,但折射率比值减小后只能通过增加膜层数来获得一定的反射率,而这样又会使表面粗糙度增加,并且引入其它的损耗。因此,选择折射率差值适当大一些的材料对降低散射损耗是有利的。设计了27层膜堆的193 nm反射膜,设计反射率在98%以上。

浸没式光刻技术的研究进展

浸没式光刻技术是将某种液体充满投影物镜最后一个透镜的下表面与硅片之间来增加系统的数值孔径，可以将193nm光刻延伸到45nm节点以下。阐述了浸没式光刻技术的原理，讨论了液体浸没带来的问题，最后介绍了浸没式光刻机的研发进展。

High Precision Plasma Etch for Pattern Transfer: Towards Fluorocarbon Based Atomic Layer Etching

A basic requirement of a plasma etching process is fidelity of the patterned organic materials. In photolithography, a He plasma pretreatment (PPT) based on high ultraviolet and vacuum ultraviolet (UV/VUV) exposure was shown to be successful for roughness reduction of 193nm photoresist (PR). Typical multilayer masks consist of many other organic masking materials in addition to 193nm PR. These materials vary significantly in UV/VUV sensitivity and show, therefore, a different response to the He PPT. A delamination of the nanometer-thin, ion-induced dense amorphous carbon (DAC) layer was observed. Extensive He PPT exposure produces volatile species through UV/VUV induced scissioning. These species are trapped underneath the DAC layer in a subsequent plasma etch (PE), causing a loss of adhesion. Next to stabilizing organic materials, the major goals of this work included to establish and evaluate a cyclic fluorocarbon (FC) based approach for atomic layer etching (ALE) of SiO2 and Si; to characterize the mechanisms involved; and to evaluate the impact of processing parameters. Periodic, short precursor injections allow precise deposition of thin FC films. These films limit the amount of available chemical etchant during subsequent low energy, plasma-based Ar+ ion bombardment, resulting in strongly time-dependent etch rates. In situ ellipsometry showcased the self-limited etching. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirms FC film deposition and mixing with the substrate. The cyclic ALE approach is also able to precisely etch Si substrates. A reduced time-dependent etching is seen for Si, likely based on a lower physical sputtering energy threshold. A fluorinated, oxidized surface layer is present during ALE of Si and greatly influences the etch behavior. A reaction of the precursor with the fluorinated substrate upon precursor injection was observed and characterized. The cyclic ALE approach is transferred to a manufacturing scale reactor at IBM Research. Ensuring the transferability to industrial device patterning is crucial for the application of ALE. In addition to device patterning, the cyclic ALE process is employed for oxide removal from Si and SiGe surfaces with the goal of minimal substrate damage and surface residues. The ALE process developed for SiO2 and Si etching did not remove native oxide at the level required. Optimizing the process enabled strong O removal from the surface. Subsequent 90% H2/Ar plasma allow for removal of C and F residues.