Energetiq Tech Reveals 20-W EUV Light Source For Mask Inspection
Energetiq Technology, Inc., a developer and manufacturer of specialised ultrahigh-brightness light sources for advanced technology applications, has released the EQ-10HP 20-Watt EUV Light Source.
Energetiq's sixth unit for actinic inspection applications of EUV masks is scheduled to ship in the fourth quarter 2012.
"Actinic" refers to light capable of initiating a chemical reaction. Actinic inspection of masks in computer chip manufacturing refers to inspecting the mask with the same wavelength of light as the lithography system will use.
Researchers in the emerging technology of EUV lithography need a source of EUV photons for a variety of applications, which include EUV mask inspection, EUV metrology, defect resist development and EUV microscopy. Existing sources of light are often too low in power, unreliable in operation, large, costly and complex.
Addressing this, Energetiq developed the EQ-10HP, which operates at substantially higher input powers than its predecessors and delivers double the output EUV power and significantly higher brightness.
It delivers 20 Watts of in-band EUV into 2pi steradians. Combined with these attributes and its small, stable, inductively-driven plasma makes the EQ-10HP ideal for use in EUV metrology and inspection applications.
To accommodate the differing requirements of the various applications, the source operating conditions are user-adjustable. The EUV light output can be optimised for peak power or for peak brightness as required by the user. Plasma size is typically below 1mm in diameter under typical operating conditions.
The EQ-10HP requires only electrical power, a chilled water supply, clean dry compressed air and a supply of Xenon.
The firm says its latest EQ-10HP high power sources have been running reliably in EUV mask inspection environments for more than a year. By the end of 2012, six EQ-10HP units are expected to have been successfully delivered and installed at customer sites throughout the world.
"We are very pleased that our highly reliable EQ-10 platform has been extended to this high power version to meet the needs of our customers in the U.S., Asia, and Europe," says Debbie Gustafson, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Energetiq. "As we complete our product introduction program for the EQ-10HP, we are ready to support increased demand as EUV lithography enters the manufacturing phase. "
Energetiq believes the modular design of the EQ-10HP enables easy integration into a process tool. The system includes the company's patented Electrodeless Z-pinch source assembly, vacuum and gas subsystems, power delivery subsystem, and control electronics. Below is a schematic illustrating the Z-Pinch process.
Energetiq's light products are based on a new technology that generates high brightness across the spectrum, from 1nm to 1000nm and beyond.
