JPS62119844A - Plasma x-ray generation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the efficiency in the utilization of X-rays, by opposing, the first electrode provided with an injection nozzle for plasma material gas and the first through-hole for transmitting X-rays, to the second electrode provided with the second through-hole for transmitting X-rays. CONSTITUTION:The first electrode 31 comprises a passage 44 for plasma material gas, injection nozzle 32 being opened circularly, circular plate 55 for opening/closing a passage intercommunicated with a circular cavity 34 and solenoid coil 36, then at the center of said electrode 31, the first through-hole 33 for transmitting X-rays. Further, the second electrode 22, with the second through- hole 23 for transmitting X-rays at the center thereof, is provided. The plasma X-ray generation device is formed such that the above-mentioned electrodes 31, 22 are opposed with each other to be accommodated into a vacuum chamber 41. Thus, X-rays 39 are vertically radiated and, since a high speed valve is accommodated inside the electrode 31, the shape of the plasma column is accurately adjusted. Therefore, the efficiency in the utilization of the X-rays is made to be twice so that it is possible to improve the productivity at the pattern transfer and the like.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] In an X-ray generator that extracts X-rays generated by a plasma column to the outside, a through hole for transmitting X-rays is provided in both the first electrode and the second electrode. This is intended to make effective use of the generated XS/iA.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to the configuration of a plasma X-ray generator used in an X-ray transfer device or the like.

Plasma X-ray generators have high X-ray generation efficiency and high brightness, more than 10 times that of electron impact X-ray generators. It is used in an apparatus for transferring and forming a pattern, for example, a fine pattern of a VLSI.

[Conventional technology]

FIGS. 2 and 3 are schematic side views showing the main parts of a conventional plasma X-ray generator.

In FIG. 2, a vacuum chamber 1 has an anode electrode (first electrode) 2 and a cathode electrode (second electrode) facing the anode electrode 2.
electrode) 3, and an X
A wire extraction window 4 is provided, a vacuum pump 5 is connected via an exhaust pipe 6, and a valve 7 that opens and closes at high speed is connected to the anode electrode 2.

The anode electrode 2 and the cathode electrode 3 are connected to a power supply unit 8 comprising a switch S, a capacitor C, a power supply H and a resistor R arranged in parallel with the capacitor C, and the like.

The device configured in this manner has a vacuum chamber 1 set to a predetermined degree of vacuum, a pipe 9 connected at one end to a plasma material gas source (not shown) and the other end connected to a high-speed pulp 7, and a high-speed valve 7.
Then, the plasma material gas 11 is pulse-injected into the vacuum chamber 1 through a nozzle 10 formed in the anode electrode 2 and having an annular opening.

Almost simultaneously, the switch S is closed to discharge the voltage charged in the capacitor C between the anode electrode 2 and the cathode electrode 3.

Then, plasma is generated by the discharge, and the magnetic field of the current flowing roughly in the axial direction of the plasma pinches the plasma, forming a high-temperature, high-density pinch plasma 12, which emits X-rays 1.
3 occurs.

Therefore, the pattern transfer mask 15 of the X-ray extraction window 4
When the mask 15 is placed over the wafer 16, the same pattern as the mask 15 is transferred onto the wafer 16 by a portion 14 of the X-rays 13 emitted from the window 4 to the outside of the vacuum chamber 1.

In FIG. 3, in which the same reference numerals are used for the same parts as in FIG. An X-ray extraction window 24 facing the through hole 23 is provided on the lower surface of the vacuum chamber 21 housing the electrode 22 .

When the device configured in this manner is operated in the same manner as the device shown in FIG. 1 to form pinch plasma 12, a portion 18 of the X45117 emitted downward from the pinch plasma 12 is emitted from the window 24 to the outside of the device. , the pattern of the mask 15 placed below the window 24 is transferred onto the wafer 16.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In conventional plasma X-ray generators, the pinch plasma 12 generally has a diameter of about 1 mm+ and a length of 10 mm.
The device shown in FIG. 2 uses X-rays 14 emitted to the sides of pinch plasma 12, which has a length of about 20 mm.
Since a plurality of windows 4 can be provided on the side wall of the vacuum chamber 1, it is possible to transfer mask patterns to a plurality of wafers 16 at the same time, but there is a problem that the pinch plasma 2 is blurred in the length direction. be.

On the other hand, since the device shown in FIG. 3 uses X-rays 17 emitted in the axial direction (longitudinal direction) of the pinch plasma 12, the transferred image is less blurred and clearer than the device shown in FIG. There was a problem in that the mask pattern could not be transferred to the wafer 16.

[Means for solving problems]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing the main parts of a plasma X-ray generator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, in which the same symbols are used for the same parts as in the previous figure, 31 is the first electrode (anode electrode), 32 is the nozzle,
33 is a through hole, 34 is an annular cavity, 35 is an annular metal disk, and 36 is a solenoid coil.

As shown in FIG. 1, the above problem is caused by a passage for the plasma material gas introduced from the outside, an annularly opening injection nozzle 32 communicating with the passage, and a nozzle 32 for the plasma material gas.
The first xVA that penetrates almost the center of! General through hole 33
a first t-pole 31 for forming a plasma column provided with a second electrode 31 facing the first electrode 31 and concentric with the first through hole 33
and a second electrode 22 for forming a plasma column provided with an X-ray transmission through hole 23, furthermore, the first electrode 31 is located in the middle of the passage for the plasma material gas. It houses a widening annular cavity 34, a movable metal annular plate 35 housed in the cavity 34 for opening and closing the passage communicating with the cavity 34, and a solenoid coil 36 facing the annular plate 35. This problem is solved by a plasma X-ray generator with the following characteristics.

[Effect]

According to the above means, since X-rays can be emitted in two directions along the length of the formed plasma column, it is possible to perform transfer using X-rays at two locations simultaneously. By accommodating a through hole in the center of the first electrode, the plasma material gas is introduced from the side of the first electrode, but the plasma material gas is evenly injected from the annular nozzle to form a plasma column. The shape can be made accurate.

〔Example〕

A plasma X-ray generator according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 1, in which the same reference numerals are used for the same parts as in the previous figure, a vacuum chamber 41 accommodates an anode electrode (first electrode) 31 corresponding to the anode electrode 2 and a cathode electrode 22, and the anode electrode 31 and the cathode electrode X'S take-out windows 42 and 43 are provided on the upper and lower surfaces facing the opposing centers of the X'S 22, and a vacuum pump 5 is connected via an exhaust pipe 6.

The anode electrode 31 has a through hole 33 in the center facing in the axial direction of the pinch plasma 12, an annular cavity 35 surrounding approximately the center of the through hole 33, and an annular opening communicating with the lower surface from near the inner edge of the cavity 35. A nozzle 32 is provided to fill the cavity 3.
5 accommodates a metal annular plate 35 that can move up and down, a solenoid coil 36 facing below the annular plate 35, and an elastic spring 37 that constantly presses the annular plate 35 downward, thereby keeping the vacuum chamber 41 airtight. Plasma material gas supply pipe 4 penetrating through
One end of 4 is connected to the lower surface of the cavity 35 near the outer edge.

The anode electrode 31 and the cathode electrode 22 are connected to the power supply section 8, and the solenoid coil 36 is a coil drive power source consisting of a switch S', a capacitor C', a power supply H' and a resistor R', etc. installed in parallel with the capacitor C'. 45.

The device configured in this way is used by connecting the other end of the pipe 44 to a plasma material gas supply source (to the bomb), but when the switches S and S' are open, the annular plate 35
The communication between the nozzle 32 and the nozzle 32 is cut off.

Then, when the switch S' is closed and the voltage charged in the capacitor C' is applied to the solenoid coil 36, lines of magnetic force that cross the annular plate 35 are generated in the solenoid coil 36, an eddy current is generated in the annular plate 35, and the solenoid coil 36 also generates an anti-self-cutting force that pushes the annular plate 35 upward, and the annular plate 35 is lifted up. As a result, the nozzle 32
4, and plasma material gas is ejected from the nozzle 32.

Therefore, when the switch S is closed almost at the same time as the ejection, the voltage charged in the capacitor C is applied to the anode electrode 31 and the cathode electrode 22, and a discharge is caused between the opposing electrodes. The magnetic field of the current flowing in the axial direction of the plasma pinches the plasma, causing high temperatures and
A high-density pinch plasma 12 is formed and X-rays are generated.

A portion 39 of the axial X m3B of the pinch plasma 12 passes through the X-ray extraction window 42 or 43, and transfers the pattern of the mask 15 placed outside the X-ray extraction window 42, 43 onto the wafer 16. .

In the above embodiment, the anode electrode 31 has a structure that houses a high-speed valve that operates on the same principle as a conventional high-speed valve, that is, a valve that opens and closes a flow path at high speed by using eddy current and the reaction action of a coil. However, the anode electrode 31
Instead, a nozzle 32 and a through hole 33 are provided, and an anode electrode that does not accommodate the annular plate 35 and solenoid coil 36 is used, and a conventional high-speed valve is disposed between the anode electrode and the plasma material gas supply pipe 44. However, the present invention can be realized.

However, in devices using conventional high-speed valves,
The ejection pressure of the plasma material gas from the nozzle 32 is uneven, that is, the ejection pressure is high in the part near the position where the high-speed pulp is connected, and the ejection pressure is low in the part far from the position where the high-speed valve is connected. However, the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is an example of a structure that eliminates these drawbacks.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, in a plasma X-ray generation device that utilizes X-rays emitted in the axial (length) direction of pinch plasma, the X-ray utilization efficiency is twice that of conventional devices. By using X-rays in each direction, the productivity of fine pattern transfer etc. can be doubled.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing the main parts of a plasma X-ray generator according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing the main parts of a plasma X-ray generator according to the first prior art. , FIG. 3 is a schematic side view showing the main parts of a plasma X-ray generator according to the second prior art. In the figure, 11 is a plasma particle gas, 12 is a pinch plasma, 22 is a cathode bridge (second electrode), 23 and 33 are through holes, 31 is an anode electrode (first electrode), 32 is a nozzle, 34 is a cavity, 35 is a metal annular plate, and 36 is a solenoid coil.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A passage for plasma material gas introduced from the outside,
a plasma column provided with an injection nozzle (32) for the plasma material gas that communicates with the passageway and has an annular opening, and a first X-ray transmission through hole (33) that passes through approximately the center of the nozzle (32); A first electrode (31) for plasma column formation, and a second X-ray transmission through hole (23) facing the first electrode and concentric with the first through hole. 2 electrodes (22
) A plasma X-ray generator characterized by comprising: (2) The first electrode (31) opens and closes an annular cavity (34) extending in the middle of the plasma material gas passage, and the passage accommodated in the cavity and communicating with the cavity (34). an operable metal annular plate (35);
2. The plasma X-ray generator according to claim 1, further comprising a solenoid coil (36) facing the plasma X-ray generator.