EUV interferometric testing and alignment of the 0.3 NA MET optic

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) interferometry has been successfully performed for the first time at 0.3 numerical aperture (NA). Extensive EUV "at-wavelength" testing including alignment, was performed on a newly created Micro Exposure Tool (MET) optic designed for sub-50-nm EUV lithographic imaging experiments. The two-mirror, 0.3 NA MET is arguably the highest resolution light-projection lithography tool ever made. Using both lateral shearing and phase-shifting point-diffraction interferometry, the wavefront was measured across the field of view, and the alignment was optimized in preparation for imaging. The wavefront quality reached 0.55 nm RMS (lambda(EUV)/24.5) in a 37-term annular Zernike polynomial series, dominated by higher-order spherical aberration. Measurements included calibrations of the interferometer accuracy, assessment of repeatability, and cross-comparisons of visible and EUV interferometric measurements. The comparisons and the final, measured wavefront quality were affected by an apparent alignment drift, several tenths of a run in magnitude. Significant unresolved differences between testing strategies shows that continued work is needed to improve the measurement accuracy to levels required for EUV lithography.