The global demand for computer chips continues to grow, driven by increasing digitalization around the world. The semiconductor industry requires reliable lithography machines with high throughput, high product yield and low production costs to meet this demand. Inside EUV lithography machines an EUV-induced hydrogen plasma is generated, which is essential to prevent carbon build-up on the optics. With increasing EUV source powers and repetition rates, the density of that plasma and the amount of scattered light will also increase.

Goal 1: Alternative, more cost-effective exposures

Consequently, scanner construction materials and optical components will be exposed to higher fluxes of ions, radicals and EUV photons. This increased exposure will increase the stress on the functional performance and lifetime of these elements. Hence, material and component performance should be studied in controlled EUV and plasma exposure tests, but setups equipped with EUV sources are scarce, complex and costly. The first goal of this project is to explore the possibility of using alternative, more cost-effective exposures, where properties of EUV photons and EUV-generated plasma are emulated with electron beams. Here we will experimentally investigate the similarities between plasmas generated by electrons and EUV photons. Moreover, we will build fundamental knowledge on the role of EUV photons and hydrogen plasma in EUV-induced damaging processes. The results will be used to establish optimal settings for electron beams in exposures emulating realistic scanner conditions.

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Goal 2: Optimizing materials testing with actual EUV radiation

The secondary goal is to explore options for optimizing materials testing with actual EUV radiation since it is expected that electron beam exposures will not be adequate for all EUV-induced damages.

Goal 3: EUV-testing with simplicity and low costs

Hence, we will investigate the possibility of building an EUV setup with a variable pulse frequency to increase capacity for EUV-testing and due to its simplicity and low costs such a setup could be used by academic partners.