Ulvac Coating Corporation

Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha

Renesas Technology Corp.

Other

Kazuyuki Maetoko

Nobuyuki Yoshioka

Akihiko Isao

Susumu Kawada

Teruhiko Kumada

Atsuko Fujino

Atsushi Hayashi

Shuichiro Kanai

In the formation of a halftone type phase shift mask, a reactive gas introduction inlet and an inert gas introduction inlet are provided so as to introduce the respective gases separately and by using a reactive low throw sputtering method a molybdenum silicide based phase shifter film is formed. Thereby, it becomes possible to provide a halftone type phase shift mask, which is applicable to an ArF laser or to a KrF laser, by using molybdenum silicide based materials.

Phase shifter film and process for the same

A light-block film is formed on a substrate, and a chemically amplified resist film is then formed on the light-block film. The chemically amplified resist film includes a photosensitive acid generator which generates an acid upon irradiation with activating light or radiation, and mainly contains a first resin that becomes soluble in bases by action of the acid. Next, a protective film is formed on the chemically amplified resist film and thereby yields a mask blank. The protective film is formed by dissolving a second resin and the photosensitive acid generator in a solvent that does not substantially dissolve the chemically amplified resist film to prepare a solution, and applying the solution to the chemically amplified resist film.

Method of patterning a mask blank

A phase-shift photo mask blank comprises a half tone phase-shift film, wherein the half tone phase-shift film consists of at least two layers and in the case of two layers, the refractive index of the upper layer of the film is smaller than that of the lower layer thereof; in the case of three layers, the refractive index of the intermediate layer is smaller than those observed for the upper and lower layers or the refractive index of the upper layer is smaller than that of an intermediate layer; in the case of at least 4 layers, the refractive index of the upper most layer is smaller than that of the layer immediately below the upper most layer. The photo mask blank permits the production of a phase-shift photo mask having a high transmittance at an exposure wavelength and a low reflectance as well as a low transmittance at a defect-inspection wavelength. The photo mask in turn permits the fabrication of a semiconductor device having a fine pattern.

Phase-shift photo mask blank, phase-shift photo mask and method for fabricating semiconductor devices

A phase-shifting photomask blank has a transparent substrate, a phase-shifting film deposited on the transparent substrate, the phase-shifting film including a transversely central composition which results in a reduced rate of side etching, and a patterned photoresist film masking the phase-shifting film. When the phase-shifting film is dry-etched through the patterned photoresist film into a desired circuit pattern, transversely different rates of side etching of the phase-shifting film are substantially equalized due to the reduced rate of side etching resulting from the transversely central composition. The circuit pattern includes openings defined by removal of the phase-shifting film and shifters left between the openings. The shifters have respective side surfaces free of steps and extending substantially perpendicularly from the transparent substrate. If the phase-shifting film comprises a film of molybdenum silicide oxide nitride deposited by sputtering, then the proportion of a nitrogen mono oxide gas in a sputtering gas is adjusted to control the transversely central composition of the phase-shifting film.

Phase-shifting photomask blank, phase-shifting photomask, and method of

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Hyogo, Japan

Kazuyuki Maetoko