Imec’s AttoLab is the first industrial laboratory capable of watching the ultrafast dynamics of photoresists following 13.5 nm, EUV exposure, and for emulating high-numerical-aperture (high-NA) exposure on 300-mm wafers using two-beam EUV interference. The two respective beamlines are powered by a laser-based high-harmonic generation EUV source. Its capabilities have recently been proven by imaging 20 nm pitch lines and spaces using Lloyd’s Mirror interference lithography. In parallel, time-averaged and time-resolved techniques for studying the ultrafast dynamics of photoresists after EUV exposure, coherent diffractive imaging to study resist interfaces, and more sophisticated interference lithography techniques for printing sub-22 nm pitches on full 300-mm wafers are being developed. Taking advantage of the bright and short EUV pulses now available at imec, we will be able to contribute to a smooth transition towards next generation high-NA lithography.
Recently, imec has installed and commissioned an industrial, ultrafast EUV materials characterization and lithography lab, imec’s AttoLab, with a primary aim to explore limits of photoresist performance and their associated ultrafast chemistries. Here, we demonstrate, for the first time, the use of a table-top, high-harmonic EUV system (KM Labs, XUUS4) to perform interference lithography of sub-22-nm pitch patterns in an Inpria MOx resist via a Lloyd’s mirror interference lithography (IL) tool. Analysis of SEM images enables us to identify potential sources of image blur, which we attribute to out-of-sync vibrations, flare, spectral purity, and laser stability. Nevertheless, these results confirm the ability of table-top, high-harmonic EUV sources to print lithographic patterns below a 22-nm pitch. In future work, we plan to investigate sub-20-nm patterning in different resist formulations, as well as expand the lithographic capabilities in AttoLab to perform IL on full 300-mm wafers.
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