With the help of the EUV (extreme ultraviolet) lithography process, chips with structure sizes of just a few nanometers can be produced economically. The Final Focus Metrology (FFM), the key optical control unit in the production process, is a high-precision measuring device that analyzes lasers in two different wavelength ranges, namely in the 1 - 10 µm range.
Special high-speed position sensors and specially developed wavefront sensors are used to determine performance-critical process parameters of the high-energy laser, as well as the shapes and positions of tin droplets in a high-vacuum chamber, which are significantly smaller than a human hair (< 30 µm). Based on the data determined by the FFM, the decisive control loop is closed during chip production in the lithography system and the performance and accuracy of a laser beam is optimized, thus decisively influencing the efficiency of light generation and the entire lithography system.
With the 1µm technology development from Hensoldt, the EUV light output can be increased to approx. 400-600 W.
