Testing extreme ultraviolet optics with visible-light and extreme ultraviolet interferometry

Optics for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography arguably have the most strict fabrication tolerances of any optical systems fabricated to date, and the development of EUV lithography pushes advanced optical fabrication techniques toward never before realized levels of figure accuracy and finish quality. As EUV lithography advances toward viability, the need for ultrahigh-accuracy wave front metrology tools has never been greater. To enable the development of diffraction-limited EUV optical systems, visible-light and EUV interferometries must work in close collaboration. We present a detailed comparison of EUV arid visible-light wave front measurements performed across the field of view of a lithographic-quality projection optical system designed for use in the Engineering Test Stand developed by the Virtual National Laboratory and the EUV Limited Liability Company. The comparisons reveal that the present level of root mean square agreement lies in the 0.3-0.4 nm range, with an agreement of 0.15+/-0.03 nm, excluding astigmatism. Astigmatism is the most significant aberration component for the alignment of this optical system; it is also the dominant term in the discrepancy; and the aberration with the highest measurement uncertainty. With EUV optical systems requiring total wave front quality in the lambda(EUV)/50 (0.25 nm) range, and even higher surface-figure quality for the individual mirror elements (similar to0.1 nm), improved accuracy through future comparisons, and additional studies, are required. (C) 2002 American Vacuum Society.