Nonlinear optics fabrication for Soft X-Ray applications

In optical metrology, conventional EUV and Hard X-ray microscopes face significant challenges in achieving high-numerical-aperture (NA) objective lenses due to their non-conventional optical properties. As semiconductor patterns continue to shrink, the demand for improved spatial and z-resolution, higher throughput, and wider field-of-view has grown to meet increasingly stringent industrial requirements.

To address these challenges, extending the spectrum beyond EUV is necessary, along with the development of advanced optics featuring nonlinear properties and high efficiency. These advancements aim to achieve sub-100 nm, non-destructive metrology solutions for wide-field applications.

Research activities and goals

Our approach leverages the extended spectrum of soft X-rays for next-generation metrology and lithography applications. Unlike conventional optics, which struggle to integrate high-NA objective lenses due to material limitations, the optical properties of soft X-rays offer a promising alternative. They enable innovative designs and fabrication techniques that overcome the constraints of traditional methods, opening new possibilities in the field.

Activities:

Responsibilities:

• Optics simulation

• Optical device design and fabrication

• Spectroscopic and coherence demonstrations

• Successful work can be followed by a journal publication