ASML’s Extreme UltraViolet (EUV) photolithography machines are essential for the production of almost all modern-day chips in phones, laptops, and other high-tech devices. Photolithography is the primary process of chip production and is made possible by exposing a photosensitive material on the chip to high-energy EUV light in order to produce the necessary features.

ASML requires high-speed and high-tolerance control over the EUV light produced. ASML intends to increase the speed of these machines; however, sensor delays inherent to the system mean that increasing the speed degrades the quality of the EUV light seen at the wafer.

Our project minimizes the effect of the delay via simulated changes to the controller architecture. A Kalman-Filter based predictor algorithm as well as changes to the controller have been made to mitigate sensor delay. The metrics required to verify performance have also been developed for the simulated system.