The primary requirement for the development of tools for extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) has been the identification and optimization of suitable sources. These sources must be capable of producing hundreds of watts of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation within a wavelength bandwidth of 2% centred on 13.5 nm, based on the availability of Mo/Si multilayer mirrors (MLMs) with a reflectivity of ∼70% at this wavelength. Since, with the exception of large scale facilities, such as free electron lasers, such radiation is only emitted from plasmas containing moderately to highly charged ions, the source development prompted a large volume of studies of laser produced and discharge plasmas in order to identify which ions were the strongest emitters at this wavelength and the plasma conditions under which their emission was optimized. It quickly emerged that transitions of the type 4p64dn − 4p54dn+1 + 4dn−14f in the spectra of Sn IX to SnXIV were the best candidates and work is still ongoing to establish the plasma conditions under which their emission at 13.5 nm is maximized. In addition, development of other sources at 6.X nm, where X ∼ 0.7, has been identified as the wavelength of choice for so-called Beyond EUVL (BEUVL), based on the availability of La/B based MLMs, with theoretical reflectance approaching 80% at this wavelength. Laser produced plasmas of Gd and Tb have been identified as potential source elements, as n = 4 − n = 4 transitions in their ions emit strongly near this wavelength. However to date, the highest conversion efficiency (CE) obtained, for laser to BEUV energy emitted within the 0.6% wavelength bandwidth of the available mirrors is only 0.8%, compared with values of 5% for the 2% bandwidth relevant for the Mo/Si mirrors at 13.5 nm. This suggests a need to identify other potential sources or the selection of other wavelengths for BEUVL. This review deals with the atomic physics of the highly-charged ions relevant to EUV emission at these wavelengths. It considers the developments that have contributed to the realization of the 5% CE at 13.5 nm which underpins the production of high-volume lithography tools, and those that will be required to realize BEUV lithography.

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Spatially resolved visible spectra emitted from a plasma formed by focusing the output of a flashlamp pumped dye laser onto solid targets of lithium have been recorded. The effects of laser wavelength on plasma formation have been analyzed by tuning the laser to the first resonance transition in lithium at 6708 Å and comparing the results with those obtained at an off resonance wavelength of 6728 Å. Laser energies varied from 430 to 645 mJ and were focused to a spot diameter of 300 m with a pulse length of 850 ns. Light from the plasma was focused onto the slit of a Hilger spectrograph, which incorporated a Pellin-Broca prism whose output was focused onto a charge-coupled device camera. Electron densities of 10 16 -10 18 cm Ϫ3 were deduced from Stark width and shift measurements of the Li II 2s -2p line at 5485 Å and from the Li I 2 p -4d line at 4603 Å. In this way the electron density could be mapped as a function of distance from the target. By observing emission at 5485 Å the electron density was observed to increase when the laser was tuned on resonance compared to off. This was not the case when the neutral Li I 2 p -4d line was used as a diagnostic. The anomaly is accounted for by referring to both the ionization rates involved and the temporal profile of the emission.

A new and improved synthesis cis,syn-o,o′-dibenzene 1 was developed to obtain 1 in larger amounts with improved purity. syn-Dibenzene 1 undergoes thermolysis to two molecules of benzene at a rate slower than that of the thermodynamically more stable anti-dibenzene 2. Kinetic analysis revealed that the higher thermal stability of 1 is due to the higher heat of activation in thermolysis. Photoelectron spectroscopy of 1 showed that the through-bond interaction between the two cyclohexadiene units in o,o′-dibenzenes is more important than their through-space interaction. A comparative study on the thermolyses of related syn-o,o′arene:benzene dimers suggests that thermolyses of syn-o,o′-arene:benzene dimers proceed via their anti-isomers as an intermediate. syn-Dibenzene 1 also undergoes adiabatic photolysis to one molecule of excited benzene and one molecule of ground-state benzene in good efficiency. The mechanisms of these reactions are discussed.