Abstract
The latest technologies of highly energy-stabilized and narrow band excimer lasers for lithography are introduced. New RF preionization scheme, solid state pulsed power technology realize high stability of pulse energy. The wavelength is stabilized by high precision measurement technology of deep-UV light. Other spectral properties are stabilized by improvement of optical components and stabilization of optical system. The performance and durability extension test which aimed reduction of CoO (Cost of Operation) of KrF excimer laser KLES-G10K up to 7 billion pulses are reported. Further performance of next generation KrF excimer laser; KLES-G20K is introduced. Furthermore, durability test data of latest ArF excimer laser for less than 0.15 μm lithography; KLES-G10A is reported. It proved experimentally the ability of ArF excimer lasers for semiconductor mass production. Also recent trend of F2 laser is reported. Future directio and issues of light source development in DUV-VUV are also discussed.
