The PREVAIL electron optics subsystem developed by IBM has been installed at Nikon's facility in Kumagaya, Japan, for integration into the Nikon commercial EPL stepper. The cornerstone of the electron optics design is the Curvilinear Variable Axis Lens (CVAL) technique originally demonstrated with a proof of concept system. This paper presents the latest experimental results obtained with the electron optical subsystem at Nikon's facility. The results include micrographs illustrating proper CVAL operation through the spatial resolution achieved over the entire optical field of view. They also include data on the most critical issue of the EPL exposure approach: subfield stitching. The methodology of distortion correction will be described and both micrographs and metrology data of stitched subfields will be presented. This paper represents a progress report of the IBM/Nikon alliance activity on EPL.

Date Published: 1 July 2002
PDF: 12 pages
Proc. SPIE 4688, Emerging Lithographic Technologies VI, (1 July 2002); doi: 10.1117/12.472331

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 4688:
Emerging Lithographic Technologies VI
Roxann L. Engelstad, Editor(s)