Droplet generator and method of servicing extreme ultraviolet imaging tool
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsWei-Chih LAI, Han-Lung CHANG, Bo-Tsun LIU, Li-Jui CHEN, Po-Chung CHENG
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Abstract
A droplet generator for an extreme ultraviolet imaging tool includes a reservoir for a molten metal, and a nozzle having a first end connected to the reservoir and a second opposing end where molten metal droplets emerge from the nozzle. A gas inlet is connected to the nozzle, and an isolation valve is at the second end of the nozzle configured to seal the nozzle droplet generator from the ambient.
Claims20
A method of performing maintenance on a lithography tool, wherein the lithography tool, comprises:
- a radiation source comprising:
- a vacuum chamber containing a vacuum atmosphere;
- and
- a droplet generator configured to generate droplets of a molten metal located on a side of the vacuum chamber, the droplet generator comprising:
- a nozzle configured to dispense molten metal droplets;
- and
- an isolation valve at an end of the nozzle configured to isolate the droplet generator from the vacuum chamber,
- the method comprising:
- closing the isolation valve to isolate the nozzle from an atmosphere of the vacuum chamber when a pressure in the vacuum chamber exceeds a threshold pressure;
- initiating an inert gas flow to the nozzle;
- activating an uninterruptible power supply to power a heating element connected to the nozzle;
- wherein the closing the isolation valve, initiating the inert gas flow, and activating the uninterruptible power supply occurs substantially simultaneously;
- increasing the pressure in the vacuum chamber so it is no longer a vacuum atmosphere;
- opening the vacuum chamber;
- and
- performing maintenance on one or more components in the vacuum chamber.
A method of performing maintenance on a lithography tool, comprising:
- sensing a pressure in a chamber of a radiation source,
- wherein the chamber includes a droplet generator configured to generate droplets of a molten metal, the droplet generator comprising:
- a nozzle having an end where molten metal droplets emerge from the nozzle;
- and
- an isolation valve configured to isolate the droplet generator from the chamber;
- closing the isolation valve to isolate the nozzle from an atmosphere of the chamber when the pressure in the chamber exceeds a first threshold pressure;
- initiating an inert gas flow to the nozzle, wherein the inert gas is one or more selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, helium, neon, argon, and xenon;
- activating an uninterruptible power supply to power a heating element connected to the nozzle;
- wherein the closing the isolation valve, initiating the inert gas flow, and activating the uninterruptible power supply occurs substantially simultaneously;
- and
- performing maintenance on one or more components in the chamber.
A method of performing maintenance on a lithography tool, comprising:
- sensing a pressure in a chamber of a radiation source,
- wherein the chamber includes a droplet generator configured to generate droplets of a molten metal, the droplet generator comprising:
- a nozzle having an end where molten metal droplets emerge from the nozzle;
- and
- an isolation valve configured to isolate the droplet generator from the chamber;
- closing the isolation valve when the pressure in the chamber exceeds a first threshold pressure;
- initiating an inert gas flow to the nozzle;
- activating an uninterruptible power supply to power a heating element connected to the nozzle,
- wherein the closing the isolation valve, initiating the inert gas flow, and activating the uninterruptible power supply occurs substantially simultaneously;
- performing maintenance on one or more components in the chamber;
- and
- heating the nozzle while performing maintenance on one or more components in the chamber to maintain the molten metal in a molten state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.