ASML Holding

About: ASML Holding is a company organization based out in Veldhoven, Netherlands. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Substrate (printing) & Extreme ultraviolet lithography. The organization has 5170 authors who have published 5078 publications receiving 59255 citations. The organization is also known as: ASM Lithography & ASML.

Scatterometer, a lithographic apparatus and a focus analysis method

Abstract: To detect whether a substrate is in a focal plane of a scatterometer, a cross-sectional area of radiation above a certain intensity value is detected both in front of and behind a back focal plane of the optical system of the scatterometer. The detection positions in front of and behind the back focal plane should desirably be equidistant from the back focal plane along the path of the radiation redirected from the substrate so that a simple comparison may determine whether the substrate is in the focal plane of the scatterometer.

Positive-Feedback Level Shifter Logic for Large-Area Electronics

Abstract: Positive-feedback Level Shifter (PLS) logic is proposed in this paper for the design of unipolar digital circuits manufactured at low temperature on foil using organic or metal-oxide semiconductors. Positive feedback and a suitable control voltage provide high gain and a symmetrical input-output characteristic even in presence of large TFT variations, enabling robust digital design. The measured gain improves from 13 dB in traditional Zero-Vgs inverters to 76 dB in PLS inverters; the average noise margin increases from 2.58 V (Zero-Vgs) to 6.82 V (PLS) at 20 V supply. Assuming that a positive noise margin for each gate is the only requirement to obtain a fully functional digital circuit, the maximum number of logic gates compatible with a 90% yield improves from 200 Zero-Vgs inverters to above 24 million PLS inverters. A 240-stage PLS shift-register exploiting 13,440 organic TFTs is indeed successfully measured. This is to the authors' knowledge the organic circuit with the highest transistor count ever demonstrated. The control voltage, always within the supply rails, enables automatic correction of the process variations using linear control circuits. The proposed approach will enable a strong increase in the complexity of large-area electronics on foil, with great benefit to applications like flexible displays and large-area sensing surfaces.

Mask for use in lithography, method of making a mask, lithographic apparatus, and device manufacturing method

Abstract: A reflective mask has a sub-resolution texture applied to absorbing areas to reduce the amount of power in the specular reflection. The texture may form a phase contrast grating or may be a diffuser. The same technique may be applied to the other absorbers in a lithographic apparatus.

Ion energy distributions in highly transient EUV induced plasma in hydrogen

Abstract: This work reports on the measurements of ion flux composition and ion energy distribution functions (IEDFs) at surfaces in contact with hydrogen plasmas induced by extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation. This special type of plasma is gaining interest from industries because of its appearance in extreme ultraviolet lithography tools, where it affects exposed surfaces. The studied plasma is induced in 5 Pa hydrogen gas by irradiating the gas with short (30 ns) pulses of EUV radiation ( λ= 10–20 nm). Due to the low duty cycle (10–4), the plasma is highly transient. The composition and IEDF are measured using an energy resolved ion mass spectrometer. The total ion flux consists of H+, H2+, and H3+. H3+ is the dominant ion as a result of the efficient conversion of H2+ to H3+ upon collision with background hydrogen molecules. The IEDFs of H2+ and H3+ appear similar, showing a broad distribution with a cut-off energy at approximately 8 eV. In contrast, the IEDF of H+ shows an energetic tail up to 18 eV. Most probably, the ions in this tail gain their energy during their creation process by photoionization and dissociative electron impact ionization.

Neutron-Induced Failure in Silicon IGBTs, Silicon Super-Junction and SiC MOSFETs

Abstract: 50 MeV and 80 MeV neutron-induced failure is investigated for several types of power devices (super-junction, IGBT and SiC) from different vendors. A strong dependence on the device type and orientation is observed.