Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
Capillary optics appear to permit the fabrication of practical collimator systems for laserdriven x-ray point sources. With such collimators, the illumination of wafers can meet the tight requirements for lithographic patterning of sub-micron device structures. However, the use of x-radiation with photon energies between 800–1200 eV makes capillaries of conventional silica-based glass capillaries marginal due to their low reflectivity. The reflectivity of various materials were examined with the goal of finding alternate glasses, elements for doping glasses or surface coatings that may enhance these collimators for lithographic applications. Coating capillary surfaces with more reflective materials may be the most viable method for improving the radiation transport properties for capillary optics to be used in x-ray lithography.