Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) is short-wavelength ultraviolet radiation, but its exact wavelength boundaries depend on the scientific convention or instrument being described. A NASA astronomy chart places it at 10–90 nanometers (nm), while NASA’s Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer operated over 7–76 nm. Semiconductor lithography uses a specific EUV wavelength—about 13.5 nm—not the entire EUV range.
What is extreme ultraviolet light?
Extreme ultraviolet is a region of the electromagnetic spectrum with wavelengths shorter than most ultraviolet light and longer than the X-ray region in common classifications. It is also called XUV in some scientific contexts. The dividing lines between ultraviolet, EUV, and X-rays are conventions rather than one universally fixed boundary.
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For example, NASA HEASARC’s 2021 astronomy-oriented spectrum chart defines EUV as 100–900 angstroms, equivalent to 10–90 nm, with photon energies of roughly 14–124 electron volts (eV). NASA’s description of the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE), by contrast, gives that spacecraft’s observing range as 7–76 nm. The first figure is a convention used in a spectrum chart; the second describes a particular mission’s operating range.
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Wavelength is the useful starting point: shorter wavelengths correspond to higher-energy photons. Deep-ultraviolet (DUV) lithography commonly uses light near 193 nm, whereas semiconductor EUV lithography uses light near 13–13.5 nm. Those application-specific values illustrate how much shorter EUV lithography light is; they do not define the endpoints of the whole EUV band.
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The EUV-to-X-ray boundary is not universal. A source may classify the same short-wavelength region differently depending on its field or purpose, so a wavelength range should be read together with the convention or instrument that specifies it.
Why is EUV strongly absorbed?
EUV is strongly absorbed by materials, including substances that transmit visible light. NIST describes the refractive index in the vacuum-ultraviolet and EUV regions as complex: its real component relates to phase propagation and refraction, while its imaginary component is associated with attenuation. In an absorbing material, intensity falls exponentially with thickness, expressed as I = I₀ exp(−αt), where I₀ is the initial intensity, t is thickness, and α is an absorption-related coefficient.
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That absorption makes ordinary transmissive optics impractical for EUV systems: lenses cannot be used in the way they are for visible light. EUV optical systems instead rely on mirrors, often mirrors built from synthetic multilayers to reflect the radiation.
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Semiconductor EUV lithography uses light at approximately 13.5 nm to transfer very small patterns onto photoresist on a silicon wafer. NIST’s 2023 working-group report identifies this wavelength as a semiconductor-manufacturing technology that can support smaller features and greater device area density. The 13.5 nm figure is the lithography application’s wavelength, not a definition of all EUV.
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- A silicon wafer is coated with photoresist, a material whose solubility changes when exposed to light.
- EUV exposure through a patterned photomask transfers the mask’s pattern into the resist.
- Development removes selected portions of the resist, leaving a pattern that guides subsequent fabrication steps.
The short wavelength enables fine patterning, while strong absorption creates demanding optical requirements. Rather than transmitting EUV through ordinary lenses, the system uses mirrors.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where else is EUV used?
Astronomy and solar physics
EUV observations reveal short-wavelength emissions from the Sun and other astronomical sources. NASA’s EUVE mission was dedicated to this kind of observation and surveyed the sky over its 7–76 nm operating range. NASA reports that the mission cataloged 801 sources, including the first detections in this light of objects beyond our galaxy. NIST also lists solar physics and astronomy among the research applications associated with its SURF III facility.
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Radiometric measurement
EUV must be measured with specialized instruments. NIST’s silicon EUV photodiode transfer standard is used for detector calibration across a 5–254 nm range. That is a calibration range for a specialized radiometric standard, not the definition of EUV or a general consumer-detector specification.
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