US-20260129739-A1 - EUV SOURCE WITH ROTATION CRUCIBLE AND LASER AND TIN (SN) AUTO-FILLING METHOD

US20260129739A1US 20260129739 A1US20260129739 A1US 20260129739A1US-20260129739-A1

Abstract

A tin (Sn) auto-filling device and system provided to provide new liquid Sn to an inner sidewall surface of a rotation crucible. A laser is exposed to the liquid Sn at the inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible to generate extreme-ultraviolet-light (EUV) that is utilized to process workpieces within a semiconductor manufacturing plant (FAB). The auto-filling device automatically refills as the liquid Sn at the inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible is consumed due to the liquid Sn at the inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible being exposed to the laser.

Inventors

Hsin-fu Tseng
Chih-Chiang Tu
Chih-Wei Wen
Chien-Hsing Lu

Assignees

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251229

Claims (20)

1 . A system, comprising: a rotation crucible including a surface and an inner sidewall surface transverse to the surface, the rotation crucible is configured to, in operation, receive liquid extreme ultraviolet (EUV) fuel and rotate; a melting plate spaced inward from the inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible, the melting plate configured to, in operation, heat a solid EUV fuel insert to melt the solid EUV fuel insert into new liquid EUV fuel to be applied to the inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible; and a heating element configured to, in operation, heat the melting plate to a temperature greater than a melting point of the solid Sn insert.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the melting plate is suspended over the surface of the rotation crucible.
3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the new liquid Sn melted by the melting plate passes through a space between an end of the melting plate and the surface of the rotation crucible.
4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the rotation crucible is configured to, in operation, generate a centrifugal force on the new liquid Sn by the rotation crucible rotating applying the new liquid Sn to an inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible auto-filling the inner sidewall surface of the new liquid Sn.
5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the melting plate is stationary.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the rotation crucible is configured to, in operation, rotate about a central rotation point.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the melting plate is made of a tungsten material.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the rotation crucible includes a boundary protrusion that protrudes from the surface of the rotation crucible, the boundary protrusion is spaced inward from the inner sidewall surface and is spaced inward from the melting plate.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the melting plate is spaced apart from the surface of the rotation crucible by a dimension within a dimension range from 0.3 millimeters (mm) to 0.5 millimeters (mm), or is equal to a lower end or an upper end of the dimension range.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the melting plate is spaced apart from the inner sidewall of the rotation crucible by a dimension within a dimension range from 5-millimeters (mm) to 10-millimeters (mm), or is equal to a lower end or an upper end upper of the dimension range.
11 . A system comprising: a rotation crucible including a surface and an inner sidewall surface transverse to the surface; a liquid extreme ultraviolet (EUV) fuel on the inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible; a melting plate including an upper end and a lower end, the upper end being further away from the surface of the rotational crucible than the lower end, the melting plate being spaced inward from the inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible, the melting plate having a C-shape defining a space delimited by the melting plate, the space configured to, in operation, receive a solid EUV fuel insert that is to be melted to refuel the inner sidewall surface with new liquid EUV fuel; a heater element at least partially overlaps an upper end to the melting plate.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the melting plate is a tungsten material.
13 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising includes a boundary protrusion that protrudes from the surface of the rotation crucible.
14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the melting plate overlaps the melting plate.
15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the melting plate is spaced apart from the surface of the rotation crucible by a dimension within a dimension range from 0.3 millimeters (mm) to 0.5 millimeters (mm), or is equal to a lower end or an upper end of the dimension range.
16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the melting plate is spaced apart from the surface of the rotation crucible by a dimension within a dimension range from 0.3 millimeters (mm) to 0.5 millimeters (mm), or is equal to a lower end or an upper end of the dimension range.
17 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the melting plate is spaced apart from the inner sidewall of the rotation crucible by a dimension within a dimension range from 5-millimeters (mm) to 10-millimeters (mm), or is equal to a lower end or an upper end upper of the dimension range.
18 . A method, comprising: inserting a solid extreme ultraviolet (EUV) fuel source into a space defined by a melting plate; activating a heater element in close proximity to the melting plate to heat a melting plate suspended over a surface of a rotation crucible and to melt the solid EUV fuel source into new liquid EUV fuel rotating the rotation crucible generating a centrifugal force moving the liquid EUV fuel including: moving the liquid EUV fuel through a space between a lower end of the melting plate spaced apart from the surface of the rotation crucible and along the surface of the rotation crucible; and applying the new liquid EUV fuel to an inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible auto-filling the inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible with the new liquid EUV fuel.
19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising exposing the new liquid EUV fuel once it is applied to the inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible to a laser to generate an extreme ultraviolet light.
20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the liquid EUV fuel, the solid EUV fuel, and the new liquid EUV fuel are a tin (Sn) material.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM This application is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 18/451,026, filed Aug. 16, 2023, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND In processing of workpieces and manufacturing of integrated circuit devices, a rotation crucible is utilized along with a laser to generate extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) light. A liquid tin (Sn) is present on an inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible and the laser is directed at the liquid Sn. When the laser impinges on the liquid Sn, the EUV light is generated. The rotation crucible rotates when the laser impinges on the liquid Sn. Once the liquid Sn is consumed from the laser impinging on the liquid Sn to generate the EUV light, the liquid Sn becomes consumed Sn (e.g., becomes debris) that may drop onto the rotation crucible or be thrown throughout a system containing the rotation crucible due to rotating of the rotation crucible. As more of the liquid Sn is consumed by the laser impinging on the liquid Sn converting the liquid Sn into the consumed Sn, the consumed Sn continues to build up within the system generating the EUV light for processing of workpieces and manufacturing of integrated devices. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Aspects of the present disclosure are best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is noted that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rotation crucible system. FIG. 2 is a zoomed in, enhanced view of a liquid tin (Sn) on, at, and along an inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible of the rotation crucible system at section A-A as shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a rotation crucible system, in accordance with some embodiments. FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional side view of the rotation crucible system taken along line B-B as shown in FIG. 3A, in accordance with some embodiments. FIG. 3C is a zoomed in, enhanced, perspective cross-sectional side view of the rotation crucible system as shown in FIG. 3A taken along line B-B as shown in FIG. 3A, in accordance with some embodiments. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method of auto-filling the rotation crucible system as shown in FIG. 3A to introduce new liquid tin (Sn) on, at, and along the inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible of the rotation crucible system as shown in FIG. 3A, in accordance with some embodiments. FIG. 5A is a perspective view of a respective step of the flowchart as shown in FIG. 4, in accordance with some embodiments. FIG. 5B is a zoomed in, perspective view of a respective step of the flowchart as shown in FIG. 4, in accordance with some embodiments. FIG. 5C is a perspective view of a respective step of the flowchart as shown in FIG. 4, in accordance with some embodiments. FIG. 6 is a zoomed in, enhanced view of the new liquid tin (Sn) on, at, and along the inner sidewall surface of the rotation crucible of the rotation crucible system at section C-C as shown in FIGS. 3A and 5C as a result of the method of auto-filling the rotation crucible with the new liquid tin (Sn) of FIG. 4, in accordance with some embodiments. FIG. 7 is a zoomed in, enhanced view of an internal surface of a melting plate of the rotation crucible system as shown in FIGS. 3A and 5B, in accordance with some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of the provided subject matter. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the present disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. For example, the formation of a first feature over or on a second feature in the description that follows may include embodiments in which the first and second features are formed in direct contact, and may also include embodiments in which additional features may be formed between the first and second features, such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact. In addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed. Further, spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. The spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. The apparatus may be oth