Research and development of a high-power EUV light source are very important in EUV lithography to overcome the stochastic effects for a higher throughput and finer patterning in future. We have designed and studied a high-power EUV free-electron laser (FEL) based on energy-recovery linac (ERL) for future lithography. The EUV-FEL light source has many advantages such as extremely high EUV power without tin debris, narrow spectral bandwidth, upgradability to a Beyond EUV (BEUV) FEL, polarization controllability for high-NA lithography, low power consumption and low construction and running costs per scanner, as compared to the laser-produced plasma (LPP) source used for the present EUV lithography exposure tool. Demonstration of proof of concept (PoC) of the EUV-FEL has made progress using the IR-FEL in the Compact ERL (cERL) at High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK). We also show future plans of remaining R&D items such as a main-linac cavity system with lower power consumption, improvements of the electron gun system for stable operation of 10-mA beam current and a compact variably-polarizing undulator with a lower cost to realize the EUV-FEL light source. After these R&Ds, we can start to build a prototype EUV-FEL smoothly and quickly.
An ERL-based EUV-FEL can provide EUV power of more than 1 kW for multiple scanners to overcome stochastic effects with a higher throughput. An IR-FEL project started at the KEK cERL as a NEDO project in order to develop high-power IR lasers for high-efficiency laser processing, and it can demonstrate proof of concept of the EUV-FEL for future lithography. The IR-FEL was constructed in May 2020 and commissioned in June to July 2020 and in February to March 2021. We will briefly review the EUV-FEL and present the construction and commissioning of the cERL IR-FEL for realizing the EUV-FEL for future lithography.
An ERL(energy recovery linac)-based EUV-FEL can provide EUV power of more than 1 kW for multiple scanners to overcome stochastic noise and to achieve higher throughput. An IR-FEL project started at the KEK cERL for the purpose of developing high-power IR lasers for high-efficiency laser processing, and it can demonstrate proof of concept of the EUV-FEL for future lithography. We will briefly review the EUV-FEL and present construction and commissioning of the cERL IR-FEL including future work.
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