JPS639929A - X-ray exposure device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To cope with the vacuum leakage of a beam line, and to ensure stable operation for a prolonged term by installing a high-speed cut-off valve and a shock delaying tube on the upstream side of a vibrating mirror. CONSTITUTION:A shock delaying tube 4 is mounted on the upstream side of a vibrating mirror 3 and a high-speed cut-off valve 8 to the upstream of the tube 4. When vacuum leakage is generated in the vibrating mirror 3, leaking air is transmitted over up to the shock delaying tube 4, and air leaking in the tube 4 gradually flows in toward an upper stream, but damage due to leakage to an ultra-high vacuum system in the upper stream can be prevented when the high-speed cut-off valve 8 is closed during a time when the speed of air is retarded. The same effect is obtained even at the time of vacuum leakage by the damage of a Be window 9 for extracting emitted beams. Accordingly, stable operation for a prolonged term and reliability of a beam line, through which synchrotron radiation passes to be introduced to an exposure section, can be improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an X-ray exposure apparatus using a synchrotron radiation source.

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, high-speed transfer technology for sub-micron width patterns has been developed.
X-rays using a synchrotron radiation source, which is a high-intensity X-ray source
Line exposure technology became increasingly popular, and research and development began to be carried out vigorously in various places. As a representative example of an exposure apparatus using a synchrotron radiation source, for example, the publication Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research (Nuc) published in 1984,
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There is a configuration diagram of the beam line and exposure section shown in Volume 222, pages 291-301. Fig. 2 shows its schematic diagram. That is, synchrotron radiation light 1 emitted from a synchrotron radiation light source is introduced into beam line 7 .

First, the beam width of the emitted light 1 that has passed through the vacuum bulb 2 in the vertical direction is expanded by the vibrating mirror 3.

Furthermore, shock wave delay tube 4. Synchrotron radiation 1 passing through the radiation extraction Be window 5 is introduced into an exposure section 6 in which an X-ray mask and an exposure wafer are installed. Note that the beam line 7 is normally kept in a vacuum, and in particular, the upstream side of the vacuum valve 2 near the synchrotron radiation light source is kept in an ultra-high vacuum.

By the way, the role of the shock wave delay tube 4 is important.

That is, since the Be window 5 for extracting the emitted light is extremely thin, usually several tens of meters thick, it is easily damaged by impacts such as atmospheric pressure. Therefore, a shock wave delay tube 4 is installed in case the Be window 5 breaks. There is a shock wave delay tube 4 to slow down the flow of incoming atmospheric air when the Be window is broken.

The incoming atmosphere is a kind of shock wave. The structure of the shock wave delay tube 4 is such that a large number of partition plates having slits are provided at regular intervals to delay the propagation of the above-mentioned shock waves.

While the propagation of this shock wave is delayed, the vacuum valve 2 located further upstream can be closed to prevent leakage to the synchrotron radiation source. Next, the role of the vibrating mirror 3 is also important. Synchrotron radiation light 1 generated from a synchrotron radiation light source has a uniform intensity distribution in the horizontal direction, but the area in which a uniform intensity distribution can be obtained in the vertical direction is extremely narrow. The spread of the beam is about 0.4 mrad at the emission point, but in this case
Even at an exposure position of about 0 m, the irradiation area of the exposed wafer is only 4 wa, and the irradiation area of the exposed wafer needs to be at least several squares. Therefore, since a uniform intensity distribution can be obtained in the horizontal direction, it is necessary to take measures to obtain a uniform beam intensity distribution over several widths in the vertical direction. For this reason, a vibrating mirror is used as a mechanism to vibrate the mirror in the vertical direction and expand the exposure area in the vertical direction. The vibrating mirror is one of the key devices in the system configuration.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, there are significant problems with conventional beamline configurations.

The vibrating mirror shown in Figure 2 requires the mirror to be vibrated from outside the vacuum, and for this reason, a mechanism is required to connect the mirror drive mechanism outside the vacuum and the mirror inside the vacuum. It is difficult to maintain sufficient performance for vacuum maintenance; in other words, this mechanism is a mechanical system that constantly moves, increasing the possibility of vacuum leaks. In Fig. 2, if a vacuum leak were to occur in a part of the vibrating mirror, the leak would be transmitted to the synchrotron radiation source, which would lead to the synchrotron radiation source going down, and ultimately affect the long-term stable operation of the entire system. It will cause great damage to you.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an X-ray exposure apparatus that eliminates such conventional problems, can deal with vacuum leaks in a beam line, and guarantees stable operation over a long period of time.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention provides an X-ray exposure apparatus having a synchrotron radiation light source, a beam line whose main components are a vibrating mirror, a shock wave delay tube, and a synchrotron radiation extraction window, and an exposure section in which an X-ray mask and a wafer are installed. This X-ray exposure apparatus is characterized in that a high-speed cutoff valve and a shock wave delay tube are installed upstream of a vibrating mirror.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to one drawing.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention. An X-ray exposure apparatus according to the present invention includes the following main components. That is, along the beam line 7 there is a high speed cutoff valve 8, a shock wave delay tube 4,
A vibrating mirror 3, a Be window 5 for extracting radiation, an X-ray mask 9, and an exposure section 6 are installed in this order. 10 indicates an exposed wafer. Synchrotron radiation 1 is a high-speed cutoff valve 8
It is introduced from the upstream side. The high-speed cutoff valve 8 has a number +
It has the ability to shut down in a short time less than rssec.

When a vacuum leak signal is transmitted, the valve is closed within several tens of inches, thereby preventing deterioration of the vacuum further upstream. In FIG. 1, the present invention includes a shock wave delay tube 4 upstream of the vibrating mirror 3, and a high speed cutoff valve 8 further upstream thereof.
It is important to have a configuration in which In the present invention, when a vacuum leak occurs in the vibrating mirror 3, the leaked air is transmitted to the shock wave delay tube 4, and inside this tube 4, the leaked air flows further upstream, but the speed is If the high-speed cutoff valve 8 is closed during the delay, damage caused by leakage to the ultra-high vacuum system further upstream can be prevented. A similar effect can be obtained in the case of a vacuum leak due to damage to the Bs window 9 for extracting radiation.

In addition, the high-speed cutoff valve 8 +, the J shock wave delay tube 4, and the vibrating mirror 3 are
As mentioned above, they are important components for the line exposure system, but by installing these on the upstream side of the beam line 7, the configuration of the beam line downstream of the vibrating mirror 3 can be designed with greater flexibility. becomes larger. That is,
It becomes possible to easily set the distance to the exposure section 6, set the inclination angle of the beam line (downstream of the vibrating mirror), and install other important components (for example, a differential pumping system). The meaning of the tilt angle is that since the radiation reflected by the mirror has a tilt, it is necessary to tilt the beam line leading to the exposure section 6.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible to improve the long-term stable operation and reliability of a beam line that passes synchrotron radiation light and guide it to the exposure section, and to put an X-ray exposure apparatus using synchrotron radiation light into practical use. It has an effect that can greatly contribute to

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a beamline configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a typical conventional beam line configuration diagram.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) An X-ray exposure apparatus having a synchrotron radiation light source, a beam line whose main components include a vibrating mirror, a shock wave delay tube, and a synchrotron radiation extraction window, and an exposure section in which an X-ray mask and a wafer are installed; An X-ray exposure device characterized in that a high-speed cutoff valve and a shock wave delay tube are installed upstream of a vibrating mirror.