Question

A major hurdle faced by efforts to use Extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) is the fact that all the surfaces used must be flat and smooth to within 0.25 nm, which is only about the size of a single atom.

True or False?

Answer 1

The requirement of Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) for surfaces to be flat and smooth to within 0.25 nm is true, reflecting the need for extreme precision at such short wavelengths. It is also true that electron microscopes like the SEM are capable of resolving smaller details than light microscopes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) requires all the surfaces used to be flat and smooth to within 0.25 nm is true. This degree of smoothness is indeed on the order of the size of a single atom. Extreme precision is required because EUVL operates at extremely short wavelengths where even minor surface irregularities can lead to significant scattering and diffraction, adversely affecting the lithography process.

Regarding the capacity of different microscopes, it is also true that electron microscopes, such as the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), can resolve images at sizes smaller than those resolved by light microscopes. SEM uses electron beams with energies up to 40 keV to interact with the sample surface, allowing it to resolve features at a scale better than 1 nm. In contrast, light microscopes, including those that work in the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum, are limited by the wavelength of light, with UV microscopes facing additional practical limitations such as the hazard of UV to living tissue and the need for special detection devices and lenses.