Preliminary results on X-ray lithography using a compact plasma focus

Summary form only given. A 1.8 kJ compact plasma focus (CPF) source operated in neon is demonstrated as a soft X-ray (SXR) source for microlithography in the wavelength range of 0.8-1.4 nm. The CPF is a four-module system. Each module uses a rail gap switching 12 capacitors each with a capacity of 0.6 /spl mu/F. It operates with peak current of 400 kA at 11.5 kV into water cooled electrodes at repetition rates up to 16 Hz to produce 300 W SXR in burst duration of several minutes. Lithographs are obtained by exposing the resist to the X-ray point source with a mask in contact with the resist. The total energy emitted is measured using PIN diodes and photoconducting diamond detectors (PCD) to be 20 J per shot with a spectrum peaked at 1 keV corresponding to the K shell lines from the neon working gas. The maximum repetition rate of 16 Hz allows lithographs to be obtained in less than 20 seconds when a reasonably sensitive resist is used.