Planarized extreme ultraviolet lithography blank, and manufacturing and lithography systems therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9354508-B2
Application number	US-201314139307-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2013
Priority date	Mar 12, 2013
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

An integrated extreme ultraviolet (EUV) blank production system includes: a vacuum chamber for placing a substrate in a vacuum; a first deposition system for depositing a planarization layer having a planarized top surface over the substrate; and a second deposition system for depositing a multi-layer stack on the planarization layer without removing the substrate from the vacuum. The EUV blank is in an EUV lithography system includes: an extreme ultraviolet light source; a mirror for directing light from the EUV source; a reticle stage for placing a EUV mask blank with a planarization layer; and a wafer stage for placing a wafer. The EUV blank includes: a substrate; a planarization layer to compensate for imperfections related to the surface of the substrate, the planarization layer having a flat top surface; and a multi-layer stack on the planarization layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An integrated extreme ultraviolet blank production system comprising:
a vacuum chamber for placing a substrate in a vacuum;
a first deposition system for depositing a planarization layer having a planarized top surface over the substrate, the planarization layer including a flowable film; and
a second deposition system for depositing a multi-layer stack on the planarization layer without removing the substrate from the vacuum.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first deposition system is for depositing the planarization layer of a flowable vapor deposition film to form a top surface of the planarization layer having a greater planarity than a surface underlying the planarization layer.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first deposition system is for depositing the planarization layer to fill a pit imperfection on a surface underlying a top surface of the planarization layer to provide a smooth top surface of the planarization layer.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first deposition system is for depositing the planarization layer to encapsulate a particle on a surface underlying the planarization layer to provide a smooth top surface of the planarization layer.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first deposition system is for depositing the planarization layer to fill a pit having an aspect ratio from 1:6 to 30:1 in a surface underlying the planarization layer to provide a smooth top surface of the planarization layer.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein depositing the planarization layer levels out a bump or encapsulates a particle from 10 nm to 30 nm in height on a surface underlying the planarization layer to provide a smooth top surface of the planarization layer.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first deposition system is for depositing the planarization layer planarized to have a surface smoothness under 0.5 nm RMS.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second deposition system is for depositing the multi-layer stack above the planarization layer to form an extreme ultraviolet mask blank.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second deposition system is for depositing the multi-layer stack above the planarization layer to form an extreme ultraviolet mirror.

10. An extreme ultraviolet lithography system comprising:
an extreme ultraviolet light source, such as a plasma source;
an extreme ultraviolet mirror for directing light from the extreme ultraviolet light source;
a reticle stage for placing an extreme ultraviolet mask blank for receiving extreme ultraviolet light from the extreme ultraviolet mirror, the extreme ultraviolet mask blank including a planarization layer, the planarization layer including a flowable film; and
a wafer stage for placing a wafer.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the extreme ultraviolet mask blank has the planarization layer of a flowable chemical vapor deposition film having a greater planarity than a surface underlying the planarization layer.

12. The system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the extreme ultraviolet mask blank has the planarization layer to fill a pit imperfection on a surface underlying a top surface of the planarization layer to provide a smooth top surface of the planarization layer.

13. The system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the extreme ultraviolet mask blank has the planarization layer to encapsulate a particle on a surface underlying the planarization layer.

14. The system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the extreme ultraviolet mask blank has the planarization layer to fill a pit having an aspect ratio from 1:6 to 30:1 in a surface underlying the planarization layer to provide a smooth top surface of the planarization layer.

15. The system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the extreme ultraviolet mask blank has the planarization layer to cover a bump or encapsulate a particle from 10 nm to 300 nm in height on a surface underlying the planarization layer to provide a smooth top surface of the planarization layer.

16. The system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the extreme ultraviolet mask blank has the planarization layer planarized to have a surface smoothness under 0.5 nm RMS.

17. The system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the mirror has a mirror planarization layer to fill a pit having an aspect ratio from 1:6 to 30:1 in a surface underlying the planarization layer to provide a smooth top surface of the planarization layer.

18. The system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the mirror has a mirror planarization layer to encapsulate a particle from 10 nm to 300 nm in height on a surface underlying the planarization layer to provide a smooth top surface of the planarization layer.

19. The system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the mirror has a mirror planarization layer planarized to have a surface smoothness under 0.5 nm RMS.

20. An extreme ultraviolet blank comprising:
a substrate;
a planarization layer to compensate for imperfections related to the surface of the substrate, the planarization layer having a flat top surface, the planarization layer including a flowable film; and
a multi-layer stack on the planarization layer.

21. The blank as claimed in claim 20 wherein the planarization layer includes a top surface of the planarization layer formed from a flowable chemical vapor deposition film and having a greater planarity than a surface with imperfections underlying the planarization layer.

22. The blank as claimed in claim 20 wherein the planarization layer is formed to a thickness in the range of 100 Å to 10,000 Å.

23. The blank as claimed in claim 20 wherein the planarization layer fills a pit imperfection on a surface underlying a top surface of the planarization layer.

24. The blank as claimed in claim 20 wherein the planarization layer encapsulates a particle on a surface underlying the planarization layer.

25. The blank as claimed in claim 20 wherein the planarization layer fills a pit having an aspect ratio from 1:6 to 30:1 in a surface underlying the planarization layer to provide a smooth top surface of the planarization layer.

26. The blank as claimed in claim 20 wherein the planarization layer encapsulates a particle from 10 nm to 300 nm in height on a surface underlying the planarization layer to provide a smooth top surface of the planarization layer.

27. The blank as claimed in claim 20 wherein the planarization layer covers a bump from 10 nm to 300 nm in height on a surface underlying the planarization layer to provide a smooth top surface of the planarization layer.

28. The blank as claimed in claim 20 wherein the planarization layer is planarized to have a surface smoothness under 0.5 nm RMS.

29. The blank as claimed in claim 20 wherein the multi-layer stack forms an extreme ultraviolet mask blank.

30. The blank as claimed in claim 20 wherein the multi-layer stack forms an extreme ultraviolet mirror.

31. The blank as claimed in claim 20 wherein the substrate is of an ultra-low thermal expansion material.

32. The blank as claimed in claim 20 wherein the substrate is glass.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Beasley Cara
• Hofmann Ralf
• Foad Majeed
• Michaelson Timothy

Classifications

• G03F7/70958

  Optical materials or coatings, e.g. with particular transmittance, reflectance or anti-reflection properties · CPC title

• G03F1/24 Primary

  Reflection masks; Preparation thereof · CPC title

• H10P76/2041

  Photolithographic processes · CPC title