X-pinch soft x-ray source for microlithography

The x-pinch soft x-ray source is described for application in submicron resolution lithography. Experiments have been performed to characterize the radiation emitted from magnesium wire x-pinch plasmas using an 80 ns, ≤500 kA pulse. Yields of 14.2 J averaged over three independent calibrated diagnostics at 445 kA have been measured in magnesium K-shell radiation (predominantly 8.4 Å to 9.4 Å or 1.5 keV to 1.3 keV) from a submillimeter source, with as little as 5-10% of the yield below the 6.74 Â silicon absorption edge. A new ≤700 kA, 100 ns puiser being used for x-pinch physics experiments is described. The design of a 40 pulse per second pulsed power system and wire loading mechanism for exposing a resist in 1 second at a distance of 40 cm is presented.