Euv photomasks and manufacturing method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026093171-A1
Application number	US-202519033044-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 21, 2025
Priority date	Sep 27, 2024
Publication date	Apr 2, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a photomask includes forming a border layer over a photomask blank. The photomask blank includes: a substrate, a reflective multilayer disposed over the substrate, and an absorber layer disposed over the reflective multilayer. A portion of the border layer is removed to form a recess surrounded by the border layer, and portions of the absorber layer are selectively removed in the recess to form a pattern in the absorber layer. The border layer has a refractive index ranging from 0.87 to 1 and an extinction coefficient greater than or equal to 0.02.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of manufacturing a photomask, comprising:
forming a border layer over a photomask blank, wherein the photomask blank includes:
a substrate;
a reflective multilayer disposed over the substrate; and
an absorber layer disposed over the reflective multilayer;
removing a portion of the border layer to form a recess surrounded by the border layer; and selectively removing portions of the absorber layer in the recess to form a pattern in the absorber layer, wherein the border layer has a refractive index ranging from 0.87 to 1 and an extinction coefficient greater than or equal to 0.02.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the border layer has an extinction coefficient ranging from 0.02 to 0.1.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising forming a hard mask layer over the photomask blank before forming the border layer over the photomask blank.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein during the removing a portion of border layer, a portion of the hard mask layer is exposed.

5 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein forming the border layer further comprises:
forming a first border layer over the hard mask layer; and forming a second border layer over the first border layer, wherein the first border layer and the second border layer are made of different materials.

6 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein forming the hard mask layer further comprises:
forming a first hard mask layer over the photomask blank; and forming a second hard mask layer over the first hard mask layer, wherein the first hard mask layer and the second hard mask layer are made of different materials.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , further comprising forming a third hard mask layer over the second hard mask layer, wherein the third hard mask layer is made of a different material than the second hard mask layer.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the photomask blank includes a capping layer disposed between the reflective multilayer and the absorber layer.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein during the selectively removing portions of the absorber layer, portions of the capping layer are exposed.

10 . A method of manufacturing a photomask, comprising:
forming a border layer over a photomask blank, wherein the photomask blank includes:
a substrate;
a reflective multilayer disposed over the substrate; and
an absorber layer disposed over the reflective multilayer;
forming a pattern in a peripheral region of the border layer and forming an opening in a second region of the border layer surrounded by the peripheral region, wherein the pattern in the border layer includes at least two spaced apart trenches and two spaced apart projections in each side of border layer in a cross sectional view; and selectively removing portions of the absorber layer in the opening to form a pattern in the absorber layer, wherein the border layer includes at least one selected from the group consisting of Rh, Pd, Ir, Pt, Co, Ni, Te, Cr, W, Hf, Ta, PtRu, PtIr, PtRh, PtPd, PtNi, PtCo, PtTa, PtCr, PtTi, IrTa, IrCr, IrW, IrTe, IrNi, IrCo, CrN, NiCo, RhCo, RhNi, RhCr, RhW, and RhTa.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the border layer is doped with at least one of nitrogen, boron, oxygen, or oxynitride.

12 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the absorber layer includes at least one of PtRu, IrRu, OsRu, HfRu, RhRu, TaRu, PtRuN, IrRuN, OsRuN, HfRuN, RhRuN, RuCr, IrTaON, CrN, TaBN, TaN, RuW, RuN, and TaRuN.

13 . The method according to claim 10 , further comprising forming a hard mask layer over the absorber layer before forming the border layer.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the pattern in the border layer exposes the hard mask layer.

15 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the projections in the pattern in the border layer have a width of less than or equal to 25 nm in cross sectional view.

16 . A photomask, comprising:
a substrate; a reflective multilayer disposed over the substrate; an absorber layer including a pattern in the absorber layer disposed over the reflective multilayer; and a border layer surrounding the pattern in the absorber layer in plan view, wherein the border layer has a refractive index ranging from 0.87 to 1 and an extinction coefficient greater than or equal to 0.02.

17 . The photomask of claim 16 , wherein the border layer has an extinction coefficient ranging from 0.02 to 0.1.

18 . The photomask of claim 16 , wherein an uppermost surface of the border layer is located at a greater distance from an uppermost surface of the substrate than an uppermost surface of the absorber layer.

19 . The photomask of claim 16 , further comprising a hard mask layer disposed between the absorber layer and the border layer.

20 . The photomask of claim 19 , wherein the border layer comprises:
a first border layer disposed over the hard mask layer; and a second border layer disposed over the first border layer, wherein the first border layer and the second border layer are made of different materials.

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hsu Pei-Cheng
• Yu Ching-Fang
• Lee Hsin-Chang
• Wang Sheng-Min
• Hsieh Ken-Hsien
• Chang Sih-Wei

Classifications

• G03F1/24 Primary

  Reflection masks; Preparation thereof · CPC title