Tin removal from extreme ultraviolet collector optics by inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching

Tin Sn has the advantage of delivering higher conversion efficiency compared to other fuel materials e.g., Xe or Li in an extreme ultraviolet EUV source, a necessary component for the leading next generation lithography. However, the use of a condensable fuel in a lithography system leads to some additional challenges for maintaining a satisfactory lifetime of the collector optics. A critical issue leading to decreased mirror lifetime is the buildup of debris on the surface of the primary mirror that comes from the use of Sn in either gas discharge produced plasma GDPP or laser produced plasma LPP . This leads to a decreased reflectivity from the added material thickness and increased surface roughness that contributes to scattering. Inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching with halide ions is one potential solution to this problem. This article presents results for etch rate and selectivity of Sn over SiO2 and Ru. The Sn etch rate in a chlorine plasma is found to be much higher of the order of hundreds of nm/min than the etch rate of other materials. A thermally evaporated Sn on Ru sample was prepared and cleaned using an inductively coupled plasma etching method. Cleaning was confirmed using several material characterization techniques. Furthermore, a collector mock-up shell was then constructed and etching was performed on Sn samples prepared in a Sn EUV source using an optimized etching recipe. The sample surface before and after cleaning was analyzed by atomic force microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Auger electron spectroscopy. The results show the dependence of etch rate on the location of Sn samples placed on the collector mock-up shell. © 2008 American Vacuum Society. DOI: 10.1116/1.2899332