Technology of Extreme Ultraviolet Radiation

Overview

While not much time has passed since extreme ultraviolet radiation (EUV) might have been the most unknown range on the electromagnetic spectrum, it rapidly became the most important eneabler for the future of computing devices, starting with the smartphone, tablet, or laptop you currently use to read this text.

In this course you will get to know EUV and its role in the semiconductor industry where EUV lithography is used to produce the smallest and most complex nanostructures used as integrated circuits. You will learn about the technological challenges that entailed the introduction of EUV into its current industrial application, from the search for a proper radiation source, the complexity of optical systems, and the necessity to put the whole system into vaccum tight chambers.

Get fascinated by the sheer power of interdisciplinar research that allowed EUV technology to become one of the most important technologies of the 21st century and become part of our journey to push the limits of nanostructuring als well as nanometrology.

Syllabus

Week 1: A comprehensive introduction to the motivation and basic principles for EUV technology with a deep dive into the
basics of (EUV) optics.

Week 2: After introducing the basic principles of radiation generation and radiation properties, the major source types for EUV radiation are introduced including a discussion on their advantages for different applications.

Week 3: The basic principles of optics are introduced with emphasis on principles necessary to understand the major optical components used in EUV optics.

Week 4: The major optical components used in EUV optical systems are introduced including multilayer and grazing incidence mirrors, pinholes, transmission filters, Fresnel zone plates, and diffraction gratings.

Week 5: Basic principles and realization of photolithography is introduced regarding its history up to the the current EUV projection lithography systems with digressions to other EUV and nanolithography techniques.

Week 6: Basic optical metrological principles and the relevant technological realizations are introduced. The realization and application of spectrometry, reflectometry, scatterometry, and microscopy using EUV as probing radiation is discussed.