Abstract. Background: The resolution capability of EUV lithography has reached parity with e-beam, raising the possibility that maskless EUV could supplant e-beam for mask writing and low-volume wafer patterning. Aim: We outline a maskless EUV scanner design with a 13.5-nm operating wavelength and numerical aperture of 0.55. Approach: A microlens array partitions radiation from a commercial laser-produced plasma EUV source into ∼2 million individual beams, which are focused to separate, diffraction-limited focal points on a writing surface, and the surface is raster-scanned across the focal point array as the beams are individually modulated by MEMS microshutters integrated within the microlens array to construct a digitally synthesized raster exposure image. Results: Compared to state-of-the-art mask-projection EUV lithography, the system would have ∼1000  ×   lower throughput, but its power requirement would also be ∼1000  ×   lower, the exposure dose would be ∼10  ×   higher, scan velocity and acceleration would be ∼1000  ×   lower, and it would have the advantage of maskless operation. In comparison to e-beam mask writers, a maskless EUV scanner could provide higher resolution with at least double the throughput and over 10  ×   higher dose. Conclusions: Maskless EUV lithography could provide significant cost and performance benefits for both direct-write applications and photomask production for mask-projection lithography.

中文翻译：

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无掩模 EUV 光刻，电子束的替代品

摘要。背景：EUV 光刻技术的分辨率已达到与电子束相当的水平，提高了无掩模 EUV 替代电子束用于掩模写入和小批量晶圆图案化的可能性。目的：我们概述了一种无掩模 EUV 扫描仪设计，其工作波长为 13.5 nm，数值孔径为 0.55。方法：微透镜阵列将来自商业激光产生的等离子 EUV 源的辐射分成约 200 万束单独的光束，这些光束被聚焦到书写表面上分离的、衍射限制的焦点，并且表面在焦点上进行光栅扫描阵列，因为光束由集成在微透镜阵列中的 MEMS 微快门单独调制，以构建数字合成的光栅曝光图像。结果：与最先进的掩模投影 EUV 光刻相比，该系统的吞吐量将降低～1000×，但其功率要求也将降低～1000×，曝光剂量将提高～10×，扫描速度和加速度将降低～1000×，并且具有以下优势：无面具操作。与电子束掩模写入器相比，无掩模 EUV 扫描仪可以提供更高的分辨率，至少两倍的吞吐量和超过 10 倍的更高剂量。结论：无掩模 EUV 光刻可以为直接写入应用和掩模投影光刻的光掩模生产提供显着的成本和性能优势。与电子束掩模写入器相比，无掩模 EUV 扫描仪可以提供更高的分辨率，至少两倍的吞吐量和超过 10 倍的更高剂量。结论：无掩模 EUV 光刻可以为直接写入应用和掩模投影光刻的光掩模生产提供显着的成本和性能优势。与电子束掩模写入器相比，无掩模 EUV 扫描仪可以提供更高的分辨率，至少两倍的吞吐量和超过 10 倍的更高剂量。结论：无掩模 EUV 光刻可以为直接写入应用和掩模投影光刻的光掩模生产提供显着的成本和性能优势。