Critical issues in 157 nm lithography

Projection Lithography at 157 nm is a candidate technology for the 100-70 n m generations, and possibly beyond. It would provide an evolutionary extens ion to the current primary photolithographic processes and components: exci mer lasers, refractive optics, and transmissive masks. This article present s data on the transmission of optical materials at 157 nm, the performance of optical coatings, the issues that must be faced by photomasks, and the c onsiderations related to engineering resists at this wavelength. (C) 1998 A merican Vacuum Society. [S0734-211X(98)19506-9].