EUV source with rotation crucible and laser and tin (SN) auto-filling method
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsHsin-Fu Tseng, Chih-Chiang Tu, Chih-Wei Wen, Chien-Hsing Lu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tin (Sn) auto-filling device and system provided to provide new liquid Sn to an inner sidewall surface of a rotation crucible. A laser is exposed to the liquid Sn at the inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible to generate extreme-ultraviolet-light (EUV) that is utilized to process workpieces within a semiconductor manufacturing plant (FAB). The auto-filling device automatically refills as the liquid Sn at the inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible is consumed due to the liquid Sn at the inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible being exposed to the laser.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- a rotation crucible including a surface and an inner sidewall surface transverse to the surface, the rotation crucible is configured to, in operation, receive liquid tin (Sn);
- a laser directed at the liquid Sn on the inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible, the laser configured to, in operation, generate extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) light by being directed at the liquid Sn;
- a melting plate spaced inward from the inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible, the melting plate configured to, in operation, heat a solid Sn insert to melt the solid Sn insert into new liquid Sn to be applied to the inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible;
- and
- a heating element overlapping the melting plate, the heating element configured to, in operation, heat the melting plate to a temperature greater than a melting point of the solid Sn insert.
A method, comprising:
- heating a melting plate suspended from a surface of a rotation crucible with a heater element in close proximity to the melting plate, heating the melting plate including:
- melting a solid tin (Sn) insert in close proximity to the melting plate converting the solid Sn insert into liquid Sn;
- depositing the liquid Sn by gravity onto the surface of the rotation crucible;
- rotating the rotation crucible generating a centrifugal force moving the liquid Sn including:
- moving the liquid Sn through a space between an end of the melting plate suspended from the surface of the rotation crucible and along the surface of the rotation crucible;
- and
- applying the liquid Sn to an inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible auto-filling the inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible with the liquid Sn.
A system, comprising:
- a rotation crucible including a surface and an inner sidewall surface transverse to the surface;
- a liquid EUV fuel on the inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible;
- a laser directed at the liquid EUV fuel on the inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible;
- a melting plate spaced inward from the inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible, the melting plate including:
- a first sidewall portion;
- a second sidewall portion opposite to the first sidewall portion;
- a third sidewall portion that extends from the first sidewall portion to the second sidewall portion, the third sidewall portion is transverse to the first sidewall portion and the second sidewall portion;
- and
- a space delimited by the first, second, and third sidewall portions, the space is further away from the inner sidewall surface relative to the third sidewall portion;
- and
- a heater element in close proximity to the melting plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.