Other

University of California

Euv Limited Liability Corporation

Euv Llc.

John S Taylor

James Allen Folta

Henry N Chapman

Claude Montcalm

Thomas W Barrett

Scott Daniel Hector

Alan R Stivers

Eberhard A Spiller

Pawitter J S Mangat

Matthew A Thompson

Patrick G Kofron

William Man-Wai Tong

A process is provided for producing near-perfect optical surfaces, for EUV and soft-x-ray optics. The method involves polishing or otherwise figuring the multilayer coating that has been deposited on an optical substrate, in order to correct for errors in the figure of the substrate and coating. A method such as ion-beam milling is used to remove material from the multilayer coating by an amount that varies in a specified way across the substrate. The phase of the EUV light that is reflected from the multilayer will be affected by the amount of multilayer material removed, but this effect will be reduced by a factor of 1&#x2212;n as compared with height variations of the substrate, where n is the average refractive index of the multilayer.

Figure correction of multilayer coated optics

A multi-axis conveyor comprises a telescoping, articulating beam supported from a platform. A belt support assembly, comprising a plurality of belt support plates connected by telescoping, articulating joints and two end rollers provides support for a closed, flexible belt loop. A control system provides hydraulic fluid to hydraulic cylinders to telescope individual beam segments of the articulating beam and hydraulic motors for positioning multi-axis joints connecting the beam segments to position the end of the conveyor in the desired length and the desired horizontal and vertical position.

Multi-axis adjustable conveyor

A laterally adjustable conveyor utilizes a belt support assembly consisting of a plurality of pivoting support plates connected by pivots for sliding support of a flexible belt. A plurality of support stands provide support for the pivot plates from the floor or other supporting surface. A belt drive provides motive power for the flexible belt. A lateral adjustment assembly provides a means to position the back end laterally with respect to the front end of the conveyor by rotating pivot plates about plate pivots.

Laterally adjustable conveyor

A method is disclosed for the implementation of phase shifting masks for EUV lithography. The method involves directly etching material away from the multilayer coating of the mask, to cause a refractive phase shift in the mask. By etching into the multilayer (for example, by reactive ion etching), rather than depositing extra material on the top of the multilayer, there will be minimal absorption loss associated with the phase shift.

Etched-multilayer phase shifting masks for EUV lithography

Figure errors are corrected on optical or other precision surfaces by changing the local density of material in a zone at or near the surface. Optical surface height is correlated with the localized density of the material within the same region. A change in the height of the optical surface can then be caused by a change in the localized density of the material at or near the surface.

Correction of localized shape errors on optical surfaces by altering the localized density of surface or near-surface layers

Spherical and non-spherical optical elements produced by standard optical figuring and polishing techniques are extremely expensive. Such surfaces can be cheaply produced by diamond turning; however, the roughness in the diamond turned surface prevent their use for EUV lithography. These ripples are smoothed with a coating of polyimide before applying a 60 period Mo/Si multilayer to reflect a wavelength of 134 &angst; and have obtained peak reflectivities close to 63%. The savings in cost are about a factor of 100.

Low-cost method for producing extreme ultraviolet lithography optics

A method and apparatus is disclosed for transporting a large number of live poultry from one location to another. Using a tray, the birds are loaded and transported to the new location where the tray is lifted upward and/or laterally into a position for unloading which is convenient relative to the features present at the new location. When the apparatus reaches the new location, a gate on the leading edge of the tray is opened and the birds are forcibly moved across the floor of the tray through the open gate and into the desired location. Movement of the birds is caused in one disclosed embodiment by equipping the tray with a slippery floor and tilting the tray toward the open gate. In one alternative disclosed embodiment, movement of the birds is caused by equipping the floor of the tray with a conveyor belt and a rake to gently push the birds toward the open gate. In this manner, the time and rigor of the manual labor required to accomplish the task of relocating the birds is reduced, thereby improving the overall efficiency of the relocation task. This method and apparatus also reduce the physical stress on the birds caused by repeated manual handling, thereby improving overall bird health and reducing the delay in the onset of egg laying caused by the relocation task. In our disclosed embodiment, the portable apparatus is powered by motive means, equipped with a steering mechanism, and designed to fit between the rows of a standard commercial poultry house. According to the disclosed embodiment, the tray is manipulated using hydraulic cylinders.

Method and apparatus for relocating live poultry

A process for creating a mask substrate involving depositing: 1) a coating on one or both sides of a low thermal expansion material EUVL mask substrate to improve defect inspection, surface finishing, and defect levels; and 2) a high dielectric coating, on the backside to facilitate electrostatic chucking and to correct for any bowing caused by the stress imbalance imparted by either other deposited coatings or the multilayer coating of the mask substrate. An film, such as TaSi, may be deposited on the front side and/or back of the low thermal expansion material before the material coating to balance the stress. The low thermal expansion material with a silicon overlayer and a silicon and/or other conductive underlayer enables improved defect inspection and stress balancing.

Coatings on reflective mask substrates

A non-contact polishing tool that combines two orthogonal slurry flow geometries to provide flexibility in altering the shape of the removal footprint. By varying the relative contributions of the two flow geometries, the footprint shape can be varied between the characteristic shapes corresponding to the two independent flow regimes. In addition, the tool can include a pressure activated means by which the shape of the brim of the tool can be varied. The tool can be utilized in various applications, such as x-ray optical surfaces, x-ray lithography, lenses, etc., where stringent shape and finish tolerances are required.

Growing community of inventors

Livermore, CA, United States of America

John S Taylor