Multilayer coatings for optics in the extreme ultraviolet

Abstract

The strong absorption of materials in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) above ~50 nm has precluded the development of efficient coatings. The development of novel coatings with improved EUV performance is presented. An extensive research was performed on the search and characterization of new materials with low absorption or high reflectance. Lanthanide series was found to be a source of materials with relatively low absorption in this range, where most materials in nature present a strong absorption. Other materials, such as SiO and B, have been found to have interesting properties for applications on EUV coatings. As a result, novel multilayers based on Yb, Al, and SiO have been developed with narrowband performance in the 50-92 nm range. In some cases, the difficulty of developing narrowband coatings in the EUV can be overcome by designing multilayers that address specific purposes, such as maximizing and/or minimizing the reflectance at two or more wavelengths or bands. In this direction, we are working towards the development of coatings that combine a relatively high reflectance in a desired EUV band with a low reflectance in another band, for applications in which the presence of the latter radiation may mask a weak EUV radiation source.