In the PREVAIL proof of concept electron beam projection Lithography system
, 1 mmX1 mm sq reticle subfields are illuminated and imaged to a wafer with
4X demagnification. A relatively large beam semiangle (5-8 mr at the wafer
) is required to optimize resolution at the beam currents (5-15 mu A) neede
d for high-throughput lithography. A high emittance source and illumination
system have been developed which can uniformly illuminate the reticle subf
ield with a beam semiangle up to 16.3 mr (1/e) at the wafer. The source uti
lizes a tantalum single crystal 10 mm in diameter. The crystal is heated by
electron bombardment incident on the side opposite the emitting surface, w
hich is a low work function crystal plane. A variation of the "critical Koh
ler" illumination scheme is utilized wherein the cathode surface is imaged.
approximately to a square shaping aperture, and the shaping aperture is co
njugate to the reticle (and the wafer). The emission is temperature limited
, so care must be taken to obtain a uniform temperature distribution across
the emitter surface. Long term emission current stability better than 1% i
s provided by servo control of the bombardment. heating power. Illumination
uniformity has been measured at the wafer plane using a pinhole detector.
The measured 3 sigma variation in current density is 3.2%. On the basis of
these results, the tighter specifications required for a commercial PREVAIL
projection system appear achievable. (C) 1999 American Vacuum Society. [S0
734-211X(99)05306-8].