PFI:AIR - TT: Pulse Shaping for Increased Conversion Efficiency in Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography Sources for the Fabrication of Next Generation Integrated Circuits

该PFI：AIR技术转化项目的重点是将激光脉冲整形的概念转化为提高激光等离子体产生极紫外光的效率。极紫外（EUV）光是印刷下一代集成电路所必需的。将电路图案印刷到晶片上，称为光刻，是先进集成电路制造中最关键和资本密集的部分。光刻技术的进步使得印刷越来越小的特征成为可能，这使得过去50年来信息技术产业的革命成为可能。 较小特征的印刷在很大程度上依赖于使用波长逐渐变短的光。极紫外（EUV）光刻是一种新的投影光刻技术，其使用的波长大大短于可见光的波长，这将使人们有可能继续在制造更强大的集成电路方面取得进展，维持半导体行业的基本商业模式，以及信息技术的持续进步所带来的巨大社会影响。 虽然利用EUV光的当前技术产生的平均功率的量足以启动下一代集成电路的大批量制造，但是对于高晶片吞吐量和成本有效的制造仍然需要显著更高的平均功率。该项目将导致技术创新的概念验证，应用新型激光脉冲序列器，使其能够合成任意时间形状的激光脉冲，以提高等离子体产生EUV光的效率。这种效率的提高具有重要的商业价值，因为它降低了拥有成本，因为它使得能够使用集成电路生产中所需的成比例较小的激光器。该项目解决了在产生用于下一代集成电路印刷的EUV光时对更高平均功率和更高效率的需求。一个脉冲序列发生器的原型将被设计，并将用于优化等离子体条件的电子温度，密度，等离子体寿命和不透明度增加EUV光的产生。等离子体加热过程中的额外自由度有望提高EUV光产生的效率。此外，参与该项目的人员将包括研究生和本科生，他们将通过沉浸在新技术的开发及其转化为工业的过程中进行创新培训。该项目将以这种方式有助于培训一支精通EUV技术的劳动力，这是一个对工程师和科学家有很高需求的高经济影响领域。该项目涉及ASML/Cymer。大学和行业领导者之间的这种合作关系使这项技术从研究发现转化为商业化现实。该项目由工业创新与合作部门和工程教育部门共同资助;反映了该项目与两个部门及其计划各自目标的一致性。

This PFI: AIR Technology Translation project focuses on translating the concept of laser pulse shaping into an increase in the efficiency with which laser-created plasmas generate extreme ultraviolet light. The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light is necessary to print the next generations of integrated circuits. The printing of the circuit pattern onto the wafer, known as lithography, is the single most critical and capital intensive part in the manufacturing of advanced integrated circuits. Advances in lithography have made possible the printing of progressively smaller features that have enabled the revolution in the information technology industry for the past 50 years. The printing of smaller features has strongly depended on the use of progressively shorter wavelengths of light. Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, a new projection lithography technique that uses a wavelength dramatically shorter than that of visible light, will make it possible to continue the progress in the fabrication of more powerful integrated circuits, sustaining the semiconductor industry's underlying business model, and the great societal impact that results from continued advances in information technology. While the amount of average power generated with the current technology of EUV light is sufficient to initiate the high volume manufacturing of the next generation of integrated circuits, significantly higher average powers are still required for high wafer throughput and cost effective manufacturing. This project will result in the proof of concept of a technological innovation, the application of a novel laser pulse sequencer that makes it possible synthetize laser pulses of arbitrary temporal shape to increase the efficiency of EUV light generation by plasmas. Such increase in efficiency is of significant commercial value, because it decreases the cost of ownership as it enables the use of proportionally smaller lasers necessary in the production of integrated circuits.The project addresses the need for higher average power and higher efficiency in the generation of EUV light for the printing of the next generations of integrated circuits. A prototype of a pulse sequencer will be engineered and will be used to optimize plasma conditions of electron temperature, density, plasma lifetime, and opacity for increased EUV light generation. The additional degrees of freedom in the plasma heating process is expected to lead to an increase in the efficiency of EUV light generation.In addition, the personnel involved in the project will include graduate and undergraduate students who will be trained in innovation through immersion in the development of novel technology and its translation to industry. The project will in this way contribute to the training of a proficient workforce in EUV technology, an area of high economic impact in which there is a high demand for engineers and scientists. The project engages ASML/Cymer. This partnership between an university and an industry leader enables this technology translation effort from research discovery towards commercialization reality.This project is jointly funded by the Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships and the Division of Engineering Education; reflecting the alignment of this project with the respective goals of the two divisions and their programs.