Advanced Research Center for Nanolithography ARCNL

The Advanced Research Center for Nanolithography is a new type of public-private partnership between the University of Amsterdam, the VU University Amsterdam, the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), and ASML.

Momentous inventions are rooted in groundbreaking discoveries. That is why at ARCNL we venture into unknown territory, while at the same time looking towards industry for inspiration. EUV lithography is currently the most promising new technology for semiconductor production. We therefore mainly focus on the physics that is central to the generation of high intensities of extreme ultraviolet light and its use in nanolithography. We try to be the first to understand and control certain physical processes at the atomic scale and beyond. Over time our program will evolve so that we can remain at the frontier of nanolithography research.

ARCNL currently has ten research groups, each exploring its own field:

 Materials & Surface Science for EUV Lithography

The Materials and Surface Science for EUV Lithography group will focus on understanding the elementary physical and chemical processes occurring at surfaces relevant to nanolithography and will explore new materials …

 Computational Imaging

Is it possible to use relatively simple optics to make fast, high quality images for metrology applications with sub-nanometer precision? This is the main challenge the ARCNL related Computational Imaging …

 High-Harmonic generation and EUV science

Develop attosecond resolution spectroscopy and imaging of details on the nanometer scale, by constructing a unique high flux, high energy, coherent soft X-ray radiation source. This is the aim of …

 Contact Dynamics

How does friction occur at different scales, what effect does the interface roughness have, how and why does friction vary over time and location, and how can we influence it …

 EUV Photoresists

This group studies the chemical changes that occur within a wide range of photosensitive materials in response to incident EUV light. The aim is to gain fundamental understanding in order …

 Nanophotochemistry

Wafers are covered with a photosensitive called resist so that patterns can be transferred to them from masks. This group focuses on the effects of the interaction between EUV light …

 EUV Plasma Processes

This group uses an extensive diagnostic toolset to characterize and understand the physics of plasma sources of EUV light at the atomic level.

 EUV Targets

This group uses high-intensity ultrafast lasers and spectroscopy to study  the physics of laser-induced ultrasonics for sub-surface inspection applications and to study laser-induced damage on metals and dielectrics.

 EUV Generation & Imaging

This group aims to obtain a fundamental understanding of the physical processes occurring in laser-produced plasmas and to control the emission of radiation and particles. It is also exploring the …

 Nanolayers

This group studies surfaces, interfaces, and very thin films on the atomic scale. The knowledge it generates is relevant for the delicate optics and other essential components of modern lithography machines.