Photomask covered with light-transmissive and electrically-conductive polymer material

Abstract

A photomask by which no electrostatic damage or damage of a mask pattern due to electrification is produced. The photomask has a substrate; mask patterns formed on the substrate, which are made of a light blocking material and are covered with a light-transmissive and electrically conductive polymer material. Even the mask patterns which are isolated from each other on the substrate are electrically conductive with each other. Typically, the mask patterns are covered with an electrically conductive film made of the light-transmissive and electrically conductive polymer material. The electrically conductive film may have a thickness by which when foreign particles land on the electrically conductive film, an optical image of the foreign particles is defocused on a sample to be exposed in the exposure process, so that shapes of the foreign particles are not transferred. In this case, a pellicle, which is conventionally provided on the substrate, is unnecessary.