Mask blank, phase shift mask, method for manufacturing phase shift mask, and method for manufacturing semiconductor device
US-2018129130-A1 · May 10, 2018 · US
US12326656B2 · US · B2
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Publication number | US-12326656-B2 |
| Application number | US-202117799573-A |
| Country | US |
| Kind code | B2 |
| Filing date | Feb 16, 2021 |
| Priority date | Mar 23, 2020 |
| Publication date | Jun 10, 2025 |
| Grant date | Jun 10, 2025 |
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A mask blank has a structure where a thin film for pattern formation and a hard mask film are stacked in this order on a transparent substrate, featured in that the thin film is formed of a material containing chromium, the hard mask film includes a stacked structure of a lower layer and an upper layer, the lower layer is formed of a material containing silicon and oxygen, the upper layer is formed of a material containing tantalum and oxygen with an oxygen content of 30 atom % or more, and the ratio of a thickness of the upper layer relative to a total thickness of the hard mask film is 0.7 or less.
Opening claim text (preview).
The invention claimed is: 1. A mask blank having a structure where a thin film for pattern formation and a hard mask film are stacked in this order on a transparent substrate, wherein the thin film is formed of a material containing chromium, wherein the hard mask film has a stacked structure of a lower layer and an upper layer, wherein the lower layer is formed of a material containing silicon and oxygen, wherein the upper layer is formed of a material containing tantalum and oxygen and containing the oxygen of 30 atom % or more, and wherein a ratio of a thickness of the upper layer relative to a total thickness of the hard mask film is 0.7 or less. 2. The mask blank according to claim 1 , wherein the upper layer has a thickness of 1 nm or more. 3. The mask blank according to claim 1 , wherein the hard mask film has a thickness of 4 nm or more and 14 nm or less. 4. The mask blank according to claim 1 , wherein the upper layer contains boron. 5. The mask blank according to claim 1 , wherein the lower layer is formed of a material with a total content of silicon and oxygen of 96 atom % or more, or a material with a total content of silicon, nitrogen, and oxygen of 96 atom % or more. 6. The mask blank according to claim 1 , wherein the upper layer is formed of a material with a total content of tantalum and oxygen of 90 atom % or more, or a material with a total content of tantalum, oxygen, and boron of 90 atom % or more. 7. The mask blank according to claim 1 , wherein the thin film is an absorber film. 8. The mask blank according to claim 7 comprising a phase shift film consisting of a material containing silicon between the transparent substrate and the absorber film. 9. A method of manufacturing a photomask using the mask blank according to claim 8 , comprising the steps of: forming a resist pattern on a hard mask film of the mask blank, dry-etching the hard mask film with fluorine-based gas with the resist pattern as a mask to form a hard mask pattern, dry-etching the absorber film with mixed gas of chlorine and oxygen with the hard mask pattern as a mask to form an absorber film pattern, and dry-etching the phase shift film with fluorine-based gas with the absorber film pattern as a mask to form a phase shift film pattern while removing the hard mask pattern. 10. A method of manufacturing a photomask using the mask blank according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of: forming a resist pattern on a hard mask film of the mask blank, dry-etching the hard mask film with fluorine-based gas with the resist pattern as a mask to form a hard mask pattern, and dry-etching the thin film for pattern formation with mixed gas of chlorine and oxygen with the hard mask pattern as a mask to form a thin film pattern.
of Group IV materials · CPC title
Etching · CPC title
Absorbers, e.g. of opaque materials · CPC title
Mask blanks not covered by G03F1/20 - G03F1/34; Preparation thereof · CPC title
Protective coatings · CPC title
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