Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Chi-Kuang Tsai

Hsin-Chang Lee

Pei-Cheng Hsu

Ta-Cheng Lien

Jong-Yuh Chang

Tzu Yi Wang

Yih-Chen Su

A reflective mask includes a reflective multilayer over a substrate, a capping layer over the reflective multilayer, an absorber layer over the capping layer and including a top surface, and a protection layer directly on the top surface of the absorber layer. The absorber layer is formed of a first material and the protection layer is formed of a second material that is less easily to be oxidized than the first material.

Method for extreme ultraviolet lithography mask treatment

A method comprises receiving a workpiece that includes a substrate having a low temperature expansion material, a reflective multilayer over the substrate, a capping layer over the reflective multilayer, and an absorber layer over the capping layer. The method further comprises patterning the absorber layer to provide first trenches corresponding to circuit patterns on a wafer, and patterning the absorber layer, the capping layer, and the reflective multilayer to provide second trenches corresponding to a die boundary area on the wafer, thereby providing an extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) mask. The method further comprises treating the EUVL mask with a treatment chemical that prevents exposed surfaces of the absorber layer from oxidation.

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Hsinchu, Taiwan

Chi-Kuang Tsai