Nec Corporation

Agc Inc.

Hiroyoshi Tanabe

Toshiyuki Uno

Hiroshi Hanekawa

Hirotomo Kawahara

Daijiro Akagi

Shinji Ishida

Tadao Yasuzato

Satomi Shioiri

A reflective mask blank includes a substrate and, on or above the substrate in order, a reflective layer for reflecting EUV light, a protective layer for protecting the reflective layer, and an absorbent layer for absorbing EUV light. The absorbent layer has a reflectance for a wavelength of 13.53 nm of from 2.5% to 10% and consists of a lower absorption layer and an upper absorption layer. A film thickness dof the absorbent layer satisfies a relationship of:−(×6+1) nm≤−(×6−1) nm

Reflective mask blank and reflective mask

A reflective mask blank for EUV lithography includes a substrate, a reflective layer for reflecting EUV light, and an absorption layer for absorbing EUV light. The reflective layer and the absorption layer are formed on or above the substrate in this order. The absorption layer contains tantalum (Ta) and niobium (Nb), and the absorption layer has a composition ratio Ta:Nb of Ta (at %) to Nb (at %) of from 4:1 to 1:4. Among diffraction peaks derived from the absorption layer observed at 2θ: from 20° to 50° by out-of-plane XRD method, a peak having the highest intensity has a half width FWHM of 1.0° or more.

Reflective mask blank for EUV lithography

A reflective mask blank includes a substrate and, on or above the substrate in order, a reflective layer for reflecting EUV light, a protective layer for protecting the reflective layer, and an absorbent layer for absorbing EUV light. The absorbent layer has a reflectance for a wavelength of 13.53 nm of from 2.5% to 10%. A film thickness d of the absorbent layer satisfies a relationship of: where the integer i is 0 or 1, and dis represented by: where n is a refractive index of the absorbent layer, k is an absorption coefficient of the absorbent layer, and INT(x) is a function of returning an integer value obtained by truncating a decimal part.

A reflective mask blank includes a multilayer reflective film, and a pattern film to be partially etched when processing into a mask. The multilayer reflective film and the pattern film are placed on/above a substrate in this order from the substrate side. The pattern film includes an absorber film and a surface reflection enhancing film in this order from the substrate side. The relation of ((n&#x2212;1)+k)&#x3e;((n&#x2212;1)+k)+0.03 is satisfied, nand kbeing a reflective index and an absorption coefficient of the absorber film at a wavelength of 13.53 nm, respectively, and n and k being a reflective index and an absorption coefficient of the surface reflection enhancing film at a wavelength of 13.53 nm, respectively.

Reflective mask blank for EUV exposure, and reflective mask

A reflective mask blank for EUV lithography includes a substrate, a reflective layer for reflecting EUV light, and an absorption layer for absorbing EUV light. The reflective layer and the absorption layer are formed on or above the substrate in this order. The absorption layer contains tantalum (Ta) and niobium (Nb), and the absorption layer has a composition ratio Ta:Nb of Ta (at %) to Nb (at %) of from 4:1 to 1:4. Among diffraction peaks derived from the absorption layer observed at 2&#x3b8;: from 20&#xb0; to 50&#xb0; by out-of-plane XRD method, a peak having the highest intensity has a half width FWHM of 1.0&#xb0; or more.

A reflective mask blank includes, on/above a substrate in the following order from the substrate side, a reflective layer which reflects EUV light, and an absorber layer which absorbs EUV light. The absorber layer contains Sn as a main component and Ta in an amount of 25 at % or more.

Reflective mask blank, reflective mask, and process for producing reflective mask blank

A photomask has a plurality of main holes which pass a prescribed light beam that is shone onto positions that make up a plurality of pattern parts, at locations that are opposite a plurality of pattern parts for said semiconductor device, this photomask also having a plurality of minute auxiliary holes, which pass a light beam of a degree that is not transferred at the time of exposure, these auxiliary holes being disposed between the main holes.

Photomask and method of exposure using same

In a halftone phase-shift mask, a phase-inverting light transmission part is formed inside the light-blocking part which blocks light that is radiated onto a transparent substrate so as to cover a shifter missing part defect, this phase-inverting light transmission part inverting the phase of light that passes through it with respect to light that passes through a light transmission part. The ratio between the surface areas of the phase-inverting light transmission part and the light-blocking part is established so that the transfer characteristics of the light-blocking part during exposure are substantially the same as those of the translucent phase-shift part.

Halftone phase-shift mask and halftone phase-shift mask defect

In order to produce a photo-mask for a modified illumination, corrective patterns are added to and/or deleted from each target area of a design pattern so as to minimize a deformation of an optical image on a photo-resist layer, and the corective patterns are calcualted by using algebraic equations without a trial-and-error.

Process of fabricating photo-mask used for modified illumination,

An exposure system includes at least an illuminating system for irradiating a linearly polarized illumination light on a mask with a predetermined pattern and a mounting system on which a wafer is placed, the wafer is provided thereon with a resist film, wherein further provision is made of an element for controlling a polarization direction of the light at a p-polarization direction at least when the light is irradiated on a sloped or vertical portion of the wafer.

Exposure system and illuminating apparatus used therein and method for

A projection exposure method in which a mask pattern containing both an isolated geometrical shape and closely arranged geometrical shapes can be improved in depth of focus. A central part in cross section of a beam of light is darkened prior to illumination of a mask. The beam of light thus darkened is projected to a photoresist film formed on a substrate through the mask and an optical projection system to carry out a first exposure. Next, at least one of the photoresist film and the optical projection system is relatively moved along an optical axis of the optical projection system, and then, the darkened beam of light is projected again to the photoresist film through the mask and the optical projection system to carry out a second exposure at a different position from that in the first exposure. A surface of the photoresist film is not in accordance with a focal plane of the optical projection system during the first and second exposures, respectively. The pattern of the mask is transferred on the photoresist film through the first and second exposures.

Projection exposure method and system used therefor

A projector for exposing a photosensitive substrate includes a mask having an exposure pattern thereon composed of half-transparent material which causes a phase difference among lights passing therethrough, a first optical system for illuminating the mask, a second optical system for projecting the exposure pattern on the photosensitive substrate, and a device, disposed ahead of the first optical system, for controlling a quantity of illumination light to be irradiated in a plurality of areas of the first optical system.

Projector for exposing photosensitive substrate

A phase shifting mask includes an opaque layer having three adjacent apertures which comprise a predetermined pattern, and at least two phase shifters each having a different shift amount. At least two of the apertures are covered with the phase shifters so that a phase difference between each two adjacent apertures is approximately 120.degree. (1/3.lambda.). Therefore, light intensity at a medial area between each two adjacent aperture is decreased in comparison with independent lights passing through the apertures.

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Tokyo, Japan

Hiroyoshi Tanabe