ABSTRACT
The authors present a study on the dimensional characterization of nanoscale line gratings by spectroscopic reflectometry in the extreme ultraviolet spectral range (5 nm to 20 nm wavelength). The investigated grating parameters include the line height, the line width, the sidewall angle and corner radii. The study demonstrates that the utilization of shorter wavelengths in state-of-the-art optical scatterometry provides a high sensitivity with respect to the geometrical dimensions of nanoscale gratings. Measurable contrasts are demonstrated for dimensional variations in the sub-percent regime, down to one tenth of a nanometer and one tenth of a degree in absolute terms. In an experimental validation of the method, it is shown that reflectance curves can be obtained in a stand-alone setup using the broadband emission of a discharge produced plasma as the source of EUV radiation, demonstrating the potential scalability of the method for industrial uses. Simulated reflectance curves are fit to the experimental curves by variation of the grating parameters using rigorous electromagnetic modeling. The obtained grating parameters are cross-checked by a scanning electron microscopy analysis.
ABSTRACT
Spatially resolved extreme ultraviolet reflectometry is presented in application to a local characterization of thin non-uniform contamination layers. Sample reflectivity mapping is performed, demonstrating high chemical sensitivity of the technique. Amorphous Al2O3 and carbon are determined as the contaminants of the studied silicon wafer. The results correlate with those obtained by energy-filtering photoemission electron microscopy. A laboratory tool is developed that is capable of multi-angle (2°-15°) and spectrally broadband (9.5-17 nm) extreme ultraviolet reflectometry at grazing incidence combined with a reduced sample illumination spot size, enabling spatially resolved metrology. A minimum EUV spot size of 25×30 µm in the sample plane is achieved experimentally.
ABSTRACT
In this Letter, the authors present a design study on YAG:Ce scintillator plates with a microstructured and coated surface. The goal of the study is to improve the outcoupling efficiency and to optimize the directionality of the scintillation light with respect to indirect image detection in the extreme ultraviolet spectral range (5-50 nm wavelength). In a geometric optical simulation, a gain in outcoupling efficiency by over a factor of 4 is shown while the directionality of the scintillation light is improved with respect to state-of-the-art plane scintillator plates.