Xtreme technologies, the nanotechnology joint venture between Lambda Physik and Jenoptik, has developed the first commercial, high-power, extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source - XTS 13-35
The 13.5nm source emits 35W average power at 1000Hz pulse repetition frequency.
The XTS 13-35 will be integrated into semiconductor test equipment and EUV microsteppers for early process development.
The high brightness and power of the EUV source (100ns pulse duration at 35mJ energy) will enable novel research applications in EUV component testing, metrology, nanomaterial science, nanosystems technology and biology, extending the possibilities beyond large electron-storage ring installations.
With the introduction of the XTS 13-35, Xtreme technologies anticipates strong interest in developing EUV component and material testing for lithographic masks, optics, resists and process development.
"We have chosen the Xtreme technologies XTS source for the microstepper because it offers the most stable EUV light with the highest output power worldwide," explains Malcolm Gower, chairman of Exitech, Oxford, UK.
"The EUV microstepper will be used in the initial test phase of the next generation of optical lithography.
"This test phase usually starts as early as three to five years before the actual use in chip production".
The completion of XTS 13-35 exceeds original expectations for time to market by several years.
The XTS 13-35 has the flexibility of emitting not only at 13.5nm but also at a wavelength range between 5nm and 100nm.
It can even extend down to 2nm.
The availability of a commercial product will help to speed up research in materials science, photochemistry, biology, as well as medicine.
EUV milestones and history.
EUV light sources are the most critical components of EUV lithography technology.
The fact that Xtreme technologies is already in a position to deliver the first prototypes is regarded as an important milestone in the development of EUV lithography, and underscores the technologically leading position of the joint venture, between Jenoptik and Lambda Physik.
The EUV light source is the most efficient in the world.
It utilises a pulsed electrical high power discharge and the 'pinch effect' to generate a 200,000C hot plasma, which emits the EUV beam.
Light sources in the extreme ultraviolet light range (EUV) will be used for volume production of high-speed, high-density microprocessor and DRam chip generations at the end of this decade.
It is anticipated that EUV technology will be vital by the end of the decade for high-volume production of the next, more efficient, generation of computer chips.
While lithography lasers at 193nm and 157nm wavelengths will be used to attain feature sizes down to 45nm, the next generation lithography successor, EUV at 13.5nm wavelength, will make it possible to generate even finer feature sizes eventually down to 22nm.
"The short wavelength of 13.5nm should, in principle, lead us to the end of the lithography roadmap for semiconductor devices" says Uwe Stamm, chairman of Xtreme technologies.
Structures of this size require extremely tight CD-control of very few atom layers only.
Lambda Physik is one of the pioneers and world leaders in the development and production of pulsed UV lasers such as excimer lasers, diode-pumped solid-state lasers, and dye lasers.
Founded in 1971, the company is the sole or leading supplier in growth markets for applications in industry, science, and medicine and has become a major supplier in the area of microlithography.
The group has subsidiaries in the USA, Japan and Germany.
Jenoptik is a globally active technology group based in Jena, Germany, with concentrations in the high-growth company divisions clean systems technologies and photonics technologies.
The company grew out of Jenoptik Carl Zeiss Jena in 1991.
