Extreme ultraviolet

Extreme ultraviolet radiation (EUV, EUV radiation, Eng. Extreme ultraviolet, EUV ) designates the spectral range between 10 nm and 121 nm This corresponds to photon energies between about 10.25 eV and 124 eV. Thus TEU refers to a range of electromagnetic radiation on the border with X-rays, which overlaps with the vacuum ultraviolet ( 10-200 nm, and 100-200 nm).

Alternative definitions

In addition to the above definition, there are other, less common definitions:

• The ionization potential of an oxygen molecule (O2) at 102.7 nm,
• The transmission limit of magnesium fluoride ( MgF 2 ) at 115 nm or
• The emission wavelength of the Lyman - α transition is set at 121.6 nm.

The abbreviation XUV is also brought into connection with the English term extreme ultra- violet. According to ISO 21348, however, referred XUV (0.1-10 nm) the spectral range of ultraviolet radiation that overlaps with soft X-rays.

Application

EUV lithography is in the semiconductor industry is currently a candidate for the succession of photolithography and should enable the production of future microelectronic circuits. Internationally, the participating R & D departments or institutes have agreed on a central wavelength of 13.5 nm. For the lithography can usually only a bandwidth of about 2 % is used. The semiconductor industry plans to produce commercially from about 2019 chips with EUV radiation (see EUV lithography ).

EUV radiation provides the potential of the analysis and production of structures with nanometer resolution and typically several hundred nanometers in depth of penetration due to the short wavelength and the strong interaction with matter.