EUCLIDES: First phase completed!

The Extreme UV Concept Lithography Development System (EUCLIDES) program headed by ASM Lithography (ASML), partnered with Carl Zeiss and Oxford Instruments is evaluating EW lithography for its viability at resolutions of 70 nm and below. From August 1998 through February 2000 the first phase was done. In this phase, the core technologies necessary to demonstrate the technical solutions for the fist of possible EUV lithography "showstoppers" have been developed. This includes: Minor substrates High reflectivity multi-layer coatings Resist outgassing reduction schemes Vacuum stages. A synchrotron source design was developed, to compare synchrotron sources with plasma sources. The consortium also investigated the total system architecture to make sure the system concept meets the requirements of the semiconductor industry at an acceptable cost of ownership. In this paper, an overview of the program objectives is given, followed by an overview of highlights obtained by the various program partners and subcontractors throughout the first phase. Finally, the European partners' plan for the next phase is shown (working in close collaboration with other international consortia). This next phase will eventually lead to EUVL production tools.