To enable cost-effective scaling of technology nodes and extend Moore’s law for at least another decade, ASML has been developing the High NA EUV platform. With an increase of the numerical aperture (NA) from 0.33NA to 0.55NA, High NA EUV will bring multiple benefits to the semiconductor market, such as reduction of process complexity, yield improvement and higher resolution. This will be done while maximizing 0.33NA(NXE) and 0.55 NA (EXE) platforms commonality, making this an evolutionary step on EUV technology. This paper gives an overview of the progress and status of the first High NA EUV platform, the EXE:5000, through its different development and build phases.

Speaker: Jara Garcia-Santaclara, ASML Netherlands B.V.

The latest generation of ZEISS PROVE neXT tools from Carl Zeiss comes with an illumination wavelength of 193nm and a higher NA of 0.8 to provide inherent repeatability and resolution advantages on smaller features. Here, we will demonstrate the performance of a fleet of ZEISS PROVE neXT tools in terms of their reproducibility, accuracy, and matching as well as their readiness to meet the requirements of upcoming technology nodes. All application cases will be reviewed and discussed from a mask shop point of view.

Speaker: Roman Schmeissner, Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH

In this paper, we present the use of Aerial images from the high-NA AIMS® EUV for calibrating mask model parameters of a Tachyon™ high-NA OPC model. We acquired high-NA Aerial images at Zeiss. The measurements included patterns such as line-space patterns for optical proximity and linearity variation, a diverse set of contact-hole patterns, tip-to-tip patterns, SRAFs, and curvilinear patterns. We then analyzed the data with the Tachyon™ platform to derive essential imaging and mask parameters such as image log slope (ILS), peak intensity (Imax), CD through focus and dose, and pattern shift through focus.  

Speaker:  Nitesh Pandey, ASML US PT

Speaker: Richard J.F. van Haren, ASML Netherlands B.V.

AIMS® EUV is a unique tool in the EUV mask infrastructure. It allows qualification of the mask printing performance in the aerial image under scanner equivalent conditions. For emulation of the high NA EUV scanner, ZEISS upgraded the existing 0.33 NA AIMS® EUV platform. The system can now emulate both 0.33 NA isomorphic scanners as well as 0.55 NA anamorphic scanners. We present the concept of AIMS® EUV high NA with focus on the emulation of a wafer defocus in the anamorphic high NA scanner. Besides defect review applications, this enables aerial image based high NA imaging studies.

Speaker: Klaus Gwosch, Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH

NXE scanners with NA 0.33 are the current workhorses for high-volume manufacturing. At the same time, ZEISS and ASML are preparing the final steps for the introduction of High-NA EUV, with NA 0.55 and an optical resolution of 8nm half-pitch. We report on the status and outlook of the NA 0.33 optics and will recap the concept of the High-NA optics, including central obscuration and anamorphic imaging. We provide an update of the High-NA optics program at ZEISS, including manufacturing and metrology of mirrors, as well as the integration and status of the High-NA illuminator and projection optics.

Speaker: Jörg Zimmermann, Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH