Infineon Technologies Ag

Sematech, Inc.

Infineon Technologies LLC

Advanced Micro Devices Corporation

Freescale Semiconductor,inc.

Qimonda Ag

Freescale

Stefan Wurm

Siegfried Schwarzl

Vivek Bakshi

Manfred Engelhardt

Jenspeter Rau

Thomas White

Kevin Kemp

Nora V Edwards

A semiconductor device includes a workpiece and a first material layer disposed over the workpiece. The first material layer has a first number of atoms at a surface. A seed layer is disposed over the first material layer. The seed layer includes a chemisorbed monolayer of a second number of atoms at the surface having a surface coverage of at least 0.5 such that the ratio of the number of first atoms at the surface to the number of second atoms at the surface is no more than 2:1. The second atoms of the seed layer include oxygen or nitrogen.

Dense seed layer and method of formation

A reflector structure suitable for extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) is provided. The structure comprises a substrate having a multi-layer reflector. A capping layer is formed over the multi-layer reflector to prevent oxidation. In an embodiment, the capping layer is formed of an inert oxide, such as AlO, HfO, ZrO, TaO, YO-stabilized ZrO, or the like. The capping layer may be formed by reactive sputtering in an oxygen environment, by non-reactive sputtering wherein the materials are sputtered directly from the respective oxide targets, by non-reactive sputtering of the metallic layer followed by full or partial oxidation (e.g., by natural oxidation, by oxidation in oxygen-containing plasmas, by oxidation in ozone (O), or the like), by atomic level deposition (e.g., ALCVD), or the like.

Passivation of multi-layer mirror for extreme ultraviolet lithography

Methods of forming dense seed layers and structures thereof are provided. Seed layers including a monolayer of molecules having a density of about 0.5 or greater may be manufactured over a metal layer, resulting in a well-defined interface region between the metal layer and a subsequently formed material layer. A seed layer including a monolayer of atoms is formed over the metal layer, the temperature of the workpiece is lowered, and a physisorbed layer is formed over the seed layer, the physisorbed layer including a weakly bound layer of first molecules. A portion of the first molecules in the physisorbed layer are dissociated by irradiating the physisorbed layer with energy, the dissociated atoms of the first molecules being proximate the seed layer. The workpiece is then heated, causing integration of the dissociated atoms of the first molecules of the physisorbed layer into the seed layer and removing the physisorbed layer.

Systems and methods for in-situ reflectivity degradation monitoring of optical collectors used in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography processes are described. In one embodiment, a method comprises providing a semiconductor lithography tool employing an EUV source optically coupled to a collector within a vacuum chamber, the collector providing an intermediate focus area, measuring a first signal at the EUV source, measuring a second signal at the intermediate focus area, comparing the first and second signals, and monitoring a reflectivity parameter of the collector based upon the comparison. In another embodiment, a method comprises emitting a signal from a non-EUV light source optically coupled to the collector, measuring a signal reflected by the collector, and monitoring a reflectivity parameter of the collector based upon a comparison between the emitted and measured signals.

Systems and methods for in-situ reflectivity degradation monitoring of optical collectors used in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography processes

Systems and methods for monitoring and controlling the operation of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) sources used in semiconductor fabrication are disclosed. A method comprises providing a semiconductor fabrication apparatus having a light source that emits in-band and out-of-band radiation, taking a first out-of-band radiation measurement, taking a second out-of-band radiation measurement, and controlling the in-band radiation of the light source, at least in part, based upon a comparison of the first and second out-of-band measurements. An apparatus comprises a detector operable to detect out-of-band EUV radiation emitted by an EUV plasma source, a spectrometer coupled to the electromagnetic detector and operable to measure at least one out-of-band radiation parameter based upon the detected out-of-band EUV radiation, and a controller coupled to the spectrometer and operable to monitor and control the operation of the EUV plasma source based upon the out-of-band measurements.

Systems and methods for monitoring and controlling the operation of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light sources used in semiconductor fabrication

Reticle stages for lithography systems and lithography methods are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a lithography reticle stage includes a first region adapted to support a first reticle, and at least one second region adapted to support a second reticle.

Reticle stages for lithography systems and lithography methods

A substrate labeling system includes a first laser assembly having a first laser and a first lens, a second laser assembly having a second laser and a second lens, and a controller for directing the first laser and the second laser incident on a portion of a subsurface of a substrate to mark the substrate without generating particle defects on a surface of the substrate.

Lithography mask substrate labeling system

A reflective material is heated to reduce internal stress, and then a capping layer is formed over the reflective material. Heating the reflective material reduces the internal stress of the reflective material. Because the reflective material has reduced internal stress, a more continuous, stable and reliable capping layer is formed that is not subject to stress induced degradation over time due to the relaxing internal stress of the underlying reflective material. Thus, the capping layer remains intact and protects the reflective material residing beneath the capping layer from exposure to contaminants.

Methods of forming capping layers on reflective materials

Method for determining a mean radiation power of electromagnetic radiation of a radiation source, the radiation being intensity-modulated with modulation frequency &#x3c9;, in a predetermined time interval. The method provides a reflector designed to reflect electromagnetic radiation of the radiation source and electromagnetic radiation of a test radiation source, irradiates a predetermined area of the reflector with the source electromagnetic radiation, at least partially irradiates the predetermined area of the reflector with electromagnetic radiation of the test radiation source, measures a &#x3c9;-modulated power component P(t) of a reflected test radiation power P(t) of an electromagnetic radiation of the test radiation source, the radiation being reflected from the area, in the predetermined time interval, determines a mean value of the measured &#x3c9;-modulated power component P(t) of the reflected test radiation power P(t) in the predetermined time interval, and determines the mean radiation power from the relationship where a is a predetermined constant.

Method for determining a radiation power and an exposure apparatus

An EUV Lithography mask, a fabrication method, and use method thereof is provided. A preferred embodiment comprises a substrate, a Bragg reflector disposed upon the substrate, a buffer disposed upon the Bragg reflector, and an absorber layer disposed upon the buffer. The materials in the mask have selected magnetic properties. In a preferred embodiment, the buffer is a hard magnetic material, and the absorber is a soft magnetic material. Another preferred embodiment includes a mask manufacturing method further including a mask step. In a preferred embodiment, an electron mirror microscope is used to inspect the mask by imaging its topography with respect to its magnetic properties in an applied magnetic field.

EUV magnetic contrast lithography mask and manufacture thereof

A device generates and/or influences electromagnetic radiation from a plasma, for the lithographic production of semiconductor elements. For example, the device generates and/or reflects EUV-radiation for EUV-lithography. In a first example, a magnetic means () generates at least one inhomogeneous magnetic field () and is provided as means for the targeted screening of at least one surface of the device () and/or another component () from the charge carriers in the plasma ().

Device for generating and/or influencing electromagnetic radiation from a plasma

Methods of forming dense seed layers and structures thereof. Seed layers comprising a monolayer of molecules having a density of about 0.5 or greater may be manufactured over a metal layer, resulting in a well defined interface region between the metal layer and a subsequently formed material layer. A seed layer comprising a monolayer of atoms is formed over the metal layer, the temperature of the workpiece is lowered, and a physisorbed layer is formed over the seed layer, the physisorbed layer comprising a weakly bound layer of first molecules. A portion of the first molecules in the physisorbed layer are dissociated by irradiating the physisorbed layer with energy, the dissociated atoms of the first molecules being proximate the seed layer. The workpiece is then heated, causing integration of the dissociated atoms of the first molecules of the physisorbed layer into the seed layer and removing the physisorbed layer.

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

Stefan Wurm