EUV光刻，被忽略的难题

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the increasing challenges faced by EUV lithography technology as the industry moves towards smaller feature sizes, particularly focusing on the impacts of electron blur, randomness, and polarization on image quality [2][6]. Group 1: Challenges in EUV Lithography - As feature sizes decrease, electron blur, randomness, and polarization effects are becoming more significant challenges for EUV lithography [2][6]. - Random effects have long been considered a key challenge, but electron blur has recently gained attention, with polarization effects now emerging as a concerning issue affecting image quality [2][6]. - The transition to the 2nm node is creating a "perfect storm" that threatens the quality of EUV printed features due to the combined effects of blur and polarization leading to contrast loss [2][6]. Group 2: Impact of Electron Blur and Polarization - The contrast loss due to electron blur is approximately 50%, significantly affecting random fluctuations in image quality [6]. - Polarization effects are increasingly recognized as a problem, contributing to the degradation of image quality as feature sizes shrink [6][7]. - Even at a 14nm pitch, the contrast loss from transitioning from TE polarization to non-polarized light is 23%, which is still less than the contrast loss caused by electron blur, estimated at around 60% [7]. Group 3: Implications for Future Analysis - Any useful analysis regarding the printability of EUV features and random image fluctuations must incorporate a realistic model of electron blur [7].