High reliability ArF light source for double patterning immersion lithography

Double patterning lithography places significant demands not only on the optical performance of the light source (higher power, improved parametric stability), but also on high uptime in order to meet the higher throughput requirements of the litho cell. In this paper, we will describe the challenges faced in delivering improved performance while achieving better reliability and resultant uptime as embodied in the XLR 600ix light source from Cymer, announced one year ago. Data from extended life testing at 90W operation will be shown to illustrate these improvements.