Applied Materials, Inc.

Madhavi R Chandrachood

Ajay Kumar

Richard Lewington

Michael N Grimbergen

Sheeba J Panayil

Darin Bivens

Ibrahim M Ibrahim

Khiem K Nguyen

Brian J Brown

Amitabh Sabharwal

Fred Conrad Redeker

Renee Koch

Doyle E Bennett

Steve G Ghanayem

Alan Hiroshi Ouye

Jian Ding

Yung-Hee Yvette Lee

Nicole Sandlin

Shijian Li

Wai-Fan Yau

Robert D Tolles

Sen-Hou Ko

Ramin Emami

James C Nystrom

John M White

Stan D Tsai

Vibhu Jindal

Banqiu Wu

Madhava Rao Yalamanchili

Michael N Sugarman

Yuchun Wang

Kapila P Wijekoon

Vikash Banthia

Daniel John Rader

Xiaoyi Chen

Elmira Ryabova

Simon W Tam

Toi Yue Becky Leung

Ramesh Krishnamurthy

Yufei Chen

Anthony S Geller

David G Andeen

Keven Kaisheng Yu

Radha Nayak

Nancy Cantwell

Jeffrey X Tran

Exemplary etching methods may include forming a plasma of a fluorine-containing precursor to produce plasma effluents. A first bias frequency may be applied while forming the plasma. The methods may include contacting a substrate housed in a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber with the plasma effluents. The substrate may be or include a photomask. The methods may include etching a first layer of the photomask. Etching the first layer of the photomask may expose a second layer of the photomask. The methods may include adjusting the first bias frequency to a second bias frequency while maintaining the plasma of the fluorine-containing precursor. The methods may include etching the second layer of the photomask.

Plasma etching of mask materials

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods for their manufacture and production systems therefor are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a substrate having a first side and a second side; a backside coating layer comprising an alloy of tantalum and nickel on the first side of the substrate; a multilayer stack of reflective layers on the second side of the substrate, the multilayer stack of reflective layers including a plurality of reflective layers including reflective layer pairs; a capping layer on the multilayer stack of reflecting layers; and an absorber layer on the capping layer.

Extreme ultraviolet mask with backside coating

A plasma reactor has an array of plural gas injectors arranged around a circular side wall that are individually controlled.

Plasma reactor having an array of plural individually controlled gas injectors arranged along a circular side wall

A plasma reactor has an array of passages extending through its workpiece support pedestal from a bottom thereof that forms a two-dimensional array of openings in the support surface. The reactor further includes a plurality of optical fibers, each fiber extending through a respective one of the passages. Optical sensing apparatus is coupled to the output ends of the optical fibers and is responsive in the range of wavelengths. The reactor further includes a tunable element capable of changing a two-dimensional etch rate distribution across the surface of a workpiece supported on the pedestal, and a process controller connected to receive information from the optical sensing apparatus and to transmit control commands to the tunable element.

Mask etch plasma reactor having an array of optical sensors viewing the workpiece backside and a tunable element controlled in response to the optical sensors

A method and apparatus for etching photomasks are provided herein. In one embodiment, a method of etching an ARC layer or an absorber layer disposed on a photomask includes transferring a film stack into an etching chamber, the film stack having an ARC layer or an absorber layer partially exposed through a patterned layer, providing a gas mixture including at least one fluorine containing gas in to a processing chamber, applying a source RF power to form a plasma from the gas mixture, applying a first type of RF bias power to the substrate for a first period of time, applying a second type of RF bias power away from the substrate for a second period of time, and etching the ARC layer or the absorber layer through the patterned layer in the presence of the plasma.

Method for etching EUV material layers utilized to form a photomask

A method and apparatus for etching photomasks is provided herein. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a process chamber having a support pedestal adapted for receiving a photomask. An ion-neutral shield is disposed above the pedestal and a deflector plate assembly is provided above the ion-neutral shield. The deflector plate assembly defines a gas flow direction for process gases towards the ion-neutral shield, while the ion-neutral shield is used to establish a desired distribution of ion and neutral species in a plasma for etching the photomask.

Method and apparatus for photomask plasma etching

Methods for fabricating a photomask are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for fabricating a photomask includes providing a filmstack having a molybdenum layer and a light-shielding layer in a processing chamber, patterning a first resist layer on the light-shielding layer, etching the light-shielding layer using the first resist layer as an etch mask, and etching the molybdenum layer using the patterned light-shielding layer and the patterned first resist layer as a composite mask.

Method for etching a molybdenum layer suitable for photomask fabrication

Method and apparatus for etching a metal layer disposed on a substrate, such as a photolithographic reticle, are provided. In one aspect, a method is provided for processing a substrate including positioning a substrate having a metal layer disposed on an optically transparent material in a processing chamber, introducing a processing gas processing gas comprising an oxygen containing gas, a chlorine containing gas, and a chlorine-free halogen containing gas, and optionally, an inert gas, into the processing chamber, generating a plasma of the processing gas in the processing chamber, and etching exposed portions of the metal layer disposed on the substrate.

Process for etching a metal layer suitable for use in photomask fabrication

A plasma etch method includes simultaneously illuminating an array of plural locations on front surface of the workpiece through the backside of the workpiece with light of a wavelength range for which the workpiece is transparent, while viewing light reflected from the array of plural locations to the backside of the workpiece. The method further includes determining plural etch depths at the array of locations from the light reflected from the array of locations on the front side of the workpiece, and deducing from the plural etch depths a spatial distribution of etch rate across the array of locations. The method also includes changing the etch rate distribution by adjusting a tunable element of the reactor.

Plasma mask etch method of controlling a reactor tunable element in accordance with the output of an array of optical sensors viewing the mask backside

A method is provided for defining a pattern on a workpiece such as a transparent substrate or mask or a workpiece that is at least transparent within a range of optical wavelengths. The method includes defining a photoresist pattern on the top surface of the mask, the pattern including a periodic structure having a periodic spacing between elements of the structure. The method further includes placing the mask on a support pedestal in a plasma reactor chamber and generating a plasma in the chamber to etch the top surface of the mask through openings in the photoresist pattern. The method also includes transmitting light through the pedestal and through the bottom surface of the mask, while viewing through the support pedestal light reflected from the periodic structure and detecting an interference pattern in the reflected light. The method further includes determining from the interference pattern a depth to which periodic structure has been etched in the top surface.

Process for etching a transparent workpiece including backside endpoint detection steps

A plasma reactor for etching a workpiece such as a rectangular or square mask, includes a vacuum chamber having a ceiling and a sidewall and a workpiece support pedestal within the chamber including a cathode having a surface for supporting a workpiece, the surface comprising plural respective zones, the respective zones of the surface being formed of respective materials of different electrical characteristics. The zones can be arranged concentrically relative to an axis of symmetry of the wafer support pedestal.

Mask etch plasma reactor with cathode providing a uniform distribution of etch rate

A plasma reactor for processing a workpiece such as a mask or wafer includes a vacuum chamber having a cylindrical side wall, a ceiling overlying the side wall and a ring supported on a top edge of the side wall and supporting the ceiling, the ring comprising an external surface and an interior surface. An RF plasma source power applicator and an RF source power generator coupled to the applicator furnish plasma source power. Plural passages extend in a radial direction through the ring from the external surface to the interior surface and are spaced apart along a circumference of the ring. A process gas supply furnishes process gas. An external gas flow conduit apparatus outside of the chamber extends around a circumference of the chamber and is coupled to the process gas supply. Plural external gas flow valves outside of the chamber are coupled to the external conduit at respective locations spaced apart along the conduit, each of the valves having: (a) a controlled gas output port coupled to a respective one of the plural passages at the external surface of the ring and (b) a valve control input. A gas valve configuration controller controls the valve control input of each of the valves.

Mask etch plasma reactor with variable process gas distribution

A plasma reactor is provided for processing a workpiece such as a transparent mask or a semiconductor wafer. The reactor includes a vacuum chamber having a ceiling and a sidewall. A workpiece support pedestal within the chamber includes a metal cathode having a support surface facing the ceiling and defining a support plane for supporting a workpiece. The cathode has a hollow space formed within its interior. The reactor further includes a movable metal element within the hollow space and a mechanism for controlling a distance between the metal element and the support plane.

Plasma reactor for processing a workpiece and having a tunable cathode

A method of fabricating yttria parts is provided herein. In one embodiment, the method includes sintering a yttria sample, machining the sintered sample to form a part, and annealing the part in a three-stage process that includes heating the part at a predetermined heating rate, maintaining the part at a constant annealing temperature, and cooling the part at a predetermined cooling rate.

Method and apparatus for photomask etching

Methods for etching a metal layer using an imprinted resist material are provided. In one embodiment, a method for processing a photolithographic reticle includes providing a reticle having a metal photomask layer formed on an optically transparent substrate and an imprinted resist material deposited on the metal photomask layer, etching recessed regions of the imprinted resist material to expose portions of the metal photomask layer in a first etching step, and etching the exposed portions of the metal photomask layer through the imprinted resist material in a second etching step, wherein at least one of the first or second etching steps utilizes a plasma formed from a processing gas comprising oxygen, halogen and chlorine containing gases. In one embodiment, the process gas is utilized in both the first and second etching steps. In another embodiment, the first and second etching steps are performed in the same processing chamber.

Etching of nano-imprint templates using an etch reactor

Growing community of inventors

Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Madhavi R Chandrachood