Method for forming an extreme ultraviolet lithography pellicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11599019-B2
Application number	US-202017131297-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2020
Priority date	Dec 23, 2019
Publication date	Mar 7, 2023
Grant date	Mar 7, 2023

Abstract

According to an aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a method for forming an EUVL pellicle, the method comprising: coating a carbon nanotube, CNT, membrane, and mounting the CNT membrane to a pellicle frame, wherein coating the CNT membrane comprises: pre-coating CNTs of the membrane with a seed material, and forming an outer coating on the pre-coated CNTs, the outer coating covering the pre-coated CNTs, the forming of the outer coating comprising depositing a coating material on the pre-coated CNTs by atomic layer deposition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for forming an Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) pellicle, the method comprising:
coating a carbon nanotube (CNT) membrane; and
mounting the CNT membrane to a pellicle frame;
wherein coating the CNT membrane comprises:
pre-coating CNTs of the membrane with a seed material, wherein the seed material is deposited at a rate of 0.7 angstroms/s or lower; and
forming an outer coating on the pre-coated CNTs, the outer coating covering the pre-coated CNTs, the forming of the outer coating comprising depositing a coating material on the pre-coated CNTs by atomic layer deposition.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the seed material is deposited to form a seed layer with an average thickness in a range of 0.5 to 4 nm.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the seed material is deposited to form a seed layer with an average thickness in a range of 0.5 to 3 nm.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the seed material is deposited to form a seed layer with an average thickness in a range of 1 to 2 nm.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the coating material is deposited to form an outer coating with an average thickness in the range of 0.5 to 4 nm.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the coating material is deposited to form an outer coating with an average thickness in the range of 1 to 2 nm.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the seed material is selected from the group of:
C, Zr, ZrN, Hf, HfN, B, B 4 C, BN, Y, YN, La, LaN, SiC, SiN, Ti, TiN, W, Be, Au, Ru, Al, Mo, MoN, Sr, Nb, Sc, Ca, Ni, Ni—P, Ni—B, Cu, and Ag.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the coating material is Zr, Al, B, C, Hf, La, Nb, Mo, Ru, Si, Ti, or Y, or carbides, nitrides, or oxides thereof.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the seed material and the coating material are selected from the group of: Zr seed material and ZrO 2 coating material; B seed material and ZrO 2 coating material, HfO 2 coating material or AhO 3 coating material; B 4 C seed material and ZrO 2 coating material, HfO 2 coating material or AhO 3 coating material; Zr seed material and AhO 3 coating material or ZrAlO 3 coating material; Mo seed material and ZrO 2 coating material.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein pre-coating the CNTs with seed material comprises depositing seed material by physical vapor deposition.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the seed material is deposited by thermal evaporation, e-beam evaporation or remote plasma sputtering.

12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein pre-coating the CNTs with seed material comprises depositing seed material from a first side of the membrane and then depositing seed material from a second opposite side of the membrane.

13. A method according to claim 12 , wherein pre-coating is performed in a deposition tool comprising a substrate holder supporting the membrane, and wherein the deposition of seed material is performed during continuous rotation of the substrate holder.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein pre-coating the CNTs with seed material comprises depositing seed material by electrochemical deposition or electroplating.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the coating material is deposited by thermal atomic layer deposition.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the CNT membrane is coated prior to being mounted to the pellicle frame.

17. A method for forming an Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) pellicle, the method comprising:
coating a carbon nanotube (CNT) membrane; and
mounting the CNT membrane to a pellicle frame;
wherein coating the CNT membrane comprises:
pre-coating CNTs of the membrane with a seed material by physical vapor deposition, wherein the seed material is deposited at a rate of 0.7 angstroms/s or lower; and
forming an outer coating on the pre-coated CNTs, the outer coating covering the pre-coated CNTs, the forming of the outer coating comprising depositing a coating material on the pre-coated CNTs by atomic layer deposition.

Assignees

• Imec Vzw

Inventors

• Timmermans Marina
• Huyghebaert Cedric
• Pollentier Ivan
• Schapmans Elie
• Gallagher Emily

Classifications

• G03F1/62 Primary

  Pellicles, e.g. pellicle assemblies, e.g. having membrane on support frame; Preparation thereof · CPC title

• G03F1/22

  Masks or mask blanks for imaging by radiation of 100nm or shorter wavelength, e.g. X-ray masks, extreme ultraviolet [EUV] masks; Preparation thereof · CPC title

• G03F1/64 Primary

  characterised by the frames, e.g. structure or material, including bonding means therefor · CPC title

• G03F7/70983

  Optical system protection, e.g. pellicles or removable covers for protection of mask · CPC title