The article describes an X-ray optical certification setup based on a microfocus X-ray tube, a Kirkpatrick-Baez (KB) collimating system, and a Gpixel2020BSI matrix semiconductor detector. To minimize X-ray beam scattering and intensity loss due to absorption in air, vacuum-tight tubes with compton windows are installed between the microfocus X-ray tube and the KB system, and between the KB system and the detector. Pumping is performed by an oil-free fore-vacuum pump. The setup that has been developed allows for studying the X-ray optical scheme of two-mirror monochromators to determine the deformation of the beam wave front at their outputs, and to calibrate the movement of high-precision mechanical tables. The setup also allows for studying the focusing properties of the Kirkpatrick-Baez system, itself, namely, measuring the size of the focus spot and calibrating the piezo-drives of the mirrors. As a result of adjusting the collimating system, we obtained a converging beam, but this did not prevent us from measuring the wave front broadening upon reflection from the substrates for a two-mirror monochromator. Two substrates made of single-crystal silicon Si(100) were studied. It was shown that upon reflection from the substrate after chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) only, the reflected beam, due to mirror shape errors, broadened by 18 μm, while after chemical-mechanical polishing and correction of local shape errors using an ion beam, the broadening was reduced to 11 μm, which corresponds to an angular error of the mirror at a level of 3 μrad. This is 7 times less than the angular divergence of the beam at the output of the collimating system, due to the size of the radiation source.

The paper presents experimental data on the absolute values of the radiation intensity in the wavelength range of 6.6-32 nm for a stainless steel target excited by a Nd: YAG laser with parameters λ=1064 nm, Epulse=0.45 J, tau=4 ns, ν=10 Hz. The results are of interest for various applications using laboratory laser-plasma sources of soft X-ray and extreme ultraviolet radiation. Keywords: extreme ultraviolet radiation, emission spectrum, laser spark, multilayer X-ray mirror.

The paper describes a small-sized accelerated ion source developed on the basis of the KLAN-10M technological source. Record values of the ion current density (j approximate to 95 mA/cm(2)) were obtained, which made it possible to use this source for problems of deep correction of the shape of X-ray optical elements. Formation of small beam (FWHM similar to 1.5 mm) with a Gaussian distribution of the ion current along the output aperture without cut-off diaphragms is the main feature of this source. A focusing ion-optical system makes it possible to change the beam size depending on the distance and the value of the accelerating voltage. Thus, this source allows deep final correction of the shape errors of the surfaces of optical elements and bringing it to subnanometer accuracy in terms of the RMS parameter in the range of spatial frequencies up to 1.3 * 10(-3) mu m(-1) for the case of conductive and up to 9.5 * 10(-4) mu m(-1) for the case of dielectric materials. The special design of the neutralizing unit allows to fully compensate for the positive ion flux, avoiding heating the sample to 50 degrees Celsius at a distance of 10 mm from the source, which is a necessary condition in a number of tasks. The influence of the thermal cathode-neutralizer on the ion density distribution of the beam is shown and explained.

The paper presents experimental data on the absolute values ​​of the radiation intensity in the wavelength range of 6.6-32 nm for a stainless steel target excited by a Nd: YAG laser with parameters λ = 1064 nm, Еpulse = 0.45 J, τ = 4 ns, ν = 10 Hz. The results are of interest for various applications using laboratory laser-plasma sources of soft X-ray and extreme ultraviolet radiation.

We have measured the absolute intensities of the spectral lines of Kr, Ar, and O ions (CO2 gas), which are of interest for reflectometry, microscopy, and lithography in the wavelength range of 10 – 18 nm. We have used pulsed excitation by an Nd : YAG laser with an output wavelength λ = 1064 nm, a pulse energy of 0.8 J, a pulse duration of 5.2 ns and a pulse repetition rate of 10 Hz. The targets are formed during gas outflow through a pulsed supersonic conical nozzle for an inlet gas pressure of 3.5 bar. A spectrometer based on X-ray multilayer mirrors and its calibration procedure are described in detail. The absolute intensities of the spectral lines of Kr IX (λ = 11.5 nm; number of photons: N = 9.3 × 1012 photons pulse−1), Ar VIII (λ = 13.84 nm, N = 3 × 1012 photons pulse−1), and O VI (λ = 12.98 nm, N = 5.17 × 1012 photons pulse−1). The results are compared with the data obtained for Xe ions under the same experimental conditions at the same wavelengths.

Methods for high-precision processing of surface of optical elements using beams of accelerated ions are considered. Characteristics and parameters of the equipment and problems that can be solved are presented. It is shown that final correction of local shape errors is possible with the aid of small-size ion beam and axisymmetric correction/aspherization is possible using wide-aperture ion beam and ion polishing. Effective roughnesses of the surfaces of fused silica, sitall, Zerodur, and ULE® are obtained at spatial frequencies of q ∈ [2 . 5 × 10 —2 – 6 . 0 × 10 1 μm –1 ]. Examples of aspheric surfaces and aspherization profile are presented.

Описаны методики прецизионной обработки поверхности оптических элементов пучками ускоренных ионов. Приведены характеристики и возможности оборудования, а также решаемые с помощью него задачи. Подробно описаны возможности финишной коррекции локальных ошибок формы малоразмерным ионным пучком, осесимметричной коррекции/асферизации широкоапертурным сильноточным ионным пучком и ионной полировки. Представлены значения эффективной шероховатости поверхности плавленого кварца, ситалла, Zerodur'а, ULE в диапазоне пространственных частот q[2.5·10-2-6.0·101 μm-1], а также примеры формирования сферической поверхности и профиля асферизации. Ключевые слова: ионно-пучковая методика, пучок ускорения, кварц, ситалл.

A high-resolution laboratory reflectometer designed for operation in the soft x-ray (SXR) and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) ranges is described. High spectral resolution, up to 0.028 nm, in a wide spectral range is achieved due to the Czerny-Turner monochromator. A laser plasma generated by irradiating a solid-state target with a focused laser beam (wavelength 1.06 µm, pulse energy 0.5 J, duration 4 ns, and pulse repetition rate 10 Hz) is used as a source of SXR and EUV radiation. The goniometer allows the study of curved optical elements with an aperture up to NA = 0.5 and a diameter of up to 500 mm. The methods providing high efficiency of the optical system and spectral resolution in a wide range of wavelengths are described in detail. The problem of taking into account high orders in the recorded spectra of a laser plasma is discussed. A comparison of the measurement results with the described reflectometer and the optics beamline at the BESSY-II synchrotron is given.

A modular unit designed for the formation and study of cluster beams of inert and molecular gases is discussed. The results of the first experiments in studying the emission properties of cluster beams in the extreme ultraviolet range when excited by laser radiation or electron beams are presented. Cluster beams of inert and molecular gases of various sizes, structures, and compositions are used as targets. The carbon-dioxide emission spectra obtained by laser excitation are given and the observed lines are identified.

We describe a laboratory reflectometer developed at the IPM RAS for precision measurements of spectral and angular dependences of the reflection and transmission coefficients of optical elements in a wavelength range of 5 - 50 nm. The radiation is monochromatised using a high-resolution Czerny-Turner spectrometer with a plane diffraction grating and two spherical collimating mirrors. A toroidal mirror focuses the probe monochromatic beam on a sample. The X-ray source is a highly ionised plasma produced in the interaction of a high-power laser beam with a solid target at an intensity of 10(11) - 10(12) W cm(-2). To stabilise the emission characteristics, the target executes translatory and rotary motions in such a way that every pulse irradiates a new spot. The short-focus lens is protected from contamination by erosion products with the use of a specially designed electromagnetic system. The samples under study are mounted on a goniometer is accommodated in a dedicated chamber, which provides five degrees of freedom for samples up to 500 mm in diameter and two degrees of freedom for a detector. The sample mass may range up to 10 kg. The X-ray radiation is recorded with a detector composed of a CsI photocathode and two microchannel plates. A similar detector monitors the probe beam intensity. The spectral reflectometer resolution is equal to 0.030 nm with the use of ruled gratings with a density of 900 lines mm(-1) (spectral range: 5 - 20 nm) and to 0.067 nm for holographic gratings with a density of 400 lines mm(-1) (spectral range: 10 - 50 nm). We analyse the contribution of higher diffraction orders to the probe signal intensity and the ways of taking it into account in the measurements. Examples are given which serve to illustrate the reflectometer application to the study of multilayer mirrors and filters.

The paper describes a high-performance facility for ion beam processing of the surface of optical elements. The facility is equipped with three technological ion sources, which allow working with inert or reactive gases, and a five-axis goniometer. Two sources (KLAN-103M and KLAN-163M) have a wide-aperture quasi-parallel ion beam and a third ion source with the focused ion beam (width of the output beam is Ø1–15mm by changing the diaphragm). For a focusing ion source an optimal diaphragm material (sapphire) and the Ar energy range (less than 400eV), which minimizes deposition on the surface of the workpiece the material sputtered from the edge of the diaphragm, are found. The concept of a movable workpiece has allowed realizing within one vacuum chamber three methods of ion beam surface treatment: aspherization, local shape errors correction and ion polishing. A detailed description of all the surface treatment methods is given. An algorithm for selecting the ion beam diameter and scanning steps for the local shape errors correction depending on the lateral dimension of the surface errors is proposed. The facility allows to produce an optical surface of any complex (convex/concave) shape, including higher-order aspheres with an asymmetrical profile and a diameter of up to 300mm, with a subnanometer precision of the surface shape and the effective roughness in the range of spatial frequencies q∈[2.5·10−2–6.0·101μm−1] down to σeff=0.14nm.

A device for the precise shape correction of optical surfaces of any irregular shape (convex, concave) up to 300 mm in diameter by means of ion-beam and reactive plasma etching is described. The possibilities of the device allow the fabrication of optical elements with a root-mean-square deviation from the desired shape on the level of 0.3 to 1.0 nm.

The paper describes a new apparatus for the magnetron and ion-beam synthesis of multilayer structures. The process parameters and operating conditions are presented, and the expected effects are discussed.

Сообщается о созданном в ИФМ РАН, впервые в России, стенде нанолитографа-мультипликатора с рабочей длиной волны 13.5 нм и расчетным пространственным разрешением 30 нм. Дано подробное описание принципов и подходов, использованных при построении стенда и его основных узлов. Сообщается о планируемых работах с использованием стенда.

An original stand for a nanolithographer-multiplicator with an operating wavelength of 13.5 nm and a design spatial resolution of 30 nm has been developed in Russia at the Institute for Physics of Microstructures, Russian Academy of Sciences. A detailed description of basic principles and approaches used when constructing the stand and its key elements is given. The experiments planned to be performed using the stand are discussed.

Описывается малогабаритный измеритель мощности излучения на длину волны 13.5 нм. Прибор предназначен для измерения мощности и аттестации источников излучения для ЭУФ-литографии. Чувствительность прибора составляет 0.033 А/Вт при обнаружительной способности 3. 3 ? 10-10 Вт. Отличительной особенностью прибора является возможность быстрой перестройки спектральной полосы пропускания, что позволяет использовать его в оптических схемах с произвольным числом зеркал, при этом полосы пропускания прибора и оптической схемы будут совпадать.