The influence of the EUV spectrum on plasma induced by EUV radiation in argon and hydrogen gas

Abstract

Plasmas induced by EUV radiation are scarcely investigated, although they are unique since they are created without any discharge. These plasmas are also of interest from an applicational point of view, since they are related to the lifetime of optics in EUV lithography tools. In order to assess this impact, it is essential to characterize and understand EUV-induced plasma. In this contribution the influence of the background gas (argon and hydrogen) in the lithography tool and the spectrum of the illumination source on the electron density of EUVinduced plasma is investigated using microwave cavity resonance spectroscopy.