Extreme ultraviolet lithography process and mask with reduced shadow effect and enhanced intensity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9618837-B2
Application number	US-201615345218-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 7, 2016
Priority date	Nov 22, 2013
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask comprises a substrate, a first reflective layer above a surface of the substrate, and a second reflective layer over the first reflective layer. The second reflective layer has various openings that define a first state and a second state. The first state includes the first reflective layer and is free of the second reflective layer. The second state includes both the first and second reflective layers. The first state has a first reflection coefficient and a first reflectivity. The second state has a second reflection coefficient and a second reflectivity. A phase difference between the first and second reflection coefficients is about 180 degrees.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask, comprising:
a substrate;
a first reflective layer above a surface of the substrate; and
a second reflective layer over the first reflective layer, wherein the second reflective layer has various openings that define a first state and a second state,
wherein the first state includes the first reflective layer and is free of the second reflective layer, and the second state includes both the first and second reflective layers,
wherein the first state has a first reflection coefficient and a first reflectivity, the second state has a second reflection coefficient and a second reflectivity, and a phase difference between the first and second reflection coefficients is about 180 degrees.

2. The EUV mask of claim 1 , further comprising:
a buffer layer between the first and second reflective layers.

3. The EUV mask of claim 1 , wherein the second reflective layer has a total thickness less than 90 nanometers (nm).

4. The EUV mask of claim 1 , wherein the second reflective layer is a single molybdenum (Mo) film.

5. The EUV mask of claim 4 , wherein the single Mo film has a thickness ranging between 35.2 nm and 52.8 nm.

6. The EUV mask of claim 1 , wherein the second reflective layer comprises pairs of alternating Si and Mo films with a total thickness less than 90 nm.

7. The EUV mask of claim 6 , wherein each pair of the Si and Mo film introduces a phase shift that is two or more multiples of 360 degrees.

8. The EUV mask of claim 6 , wherein a total thickness of the Mo films is about 44 nm (nominal).

9. The EUV mask of claim 1 , wherein the second reflectivity is greater than 50% of the first reflectivity.

10. An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask, comprising:
a low thermal expansion material (LTEM) substrate;
a first reflective layer above a surface of the LTEM substrate; and
a second reflective layer over the first reflective layer, wherein the second reflective layer has various openings that define a first state and a second state,
wherein the first state includes the first reflective layer and is free of the second reflective layer, and the second state includes both the first and second reflective layers,
wherein the first state has a first reflection coefficient and a first reflectivity, the second state has a second reflection coefficient and a second reflectivity, a phase difference between the first and second reflection coefficients is about 180 degrees, and the second reflectivity is greater than 50% of the first reflectivity.

11. The EUV mask of claim 10 , further comprising:
a buffer layer directly over the first reflective layer, wherein the second reflective layer is directly over the buffer layer.

12. The EUV mask of claim 11 , wherein the buffer layer includes a ruthenium compound, ruthenium silicon, chromium, chromium oxide, or chromium nitride.

13. The EUV mask of claim 10 , wherein the second reflective layer comprises pairs of alternating Si and Mo films with a total thickness less than 90 nm.

14. The EUV mask of claim 13 , wherein a total thickness of the Mo films in the second reflective layer is about 44 nm (nominal).

15. The EUV mask of claim 13 , wherein at least some pairs of the Si and Mo films introduce a 720-degree phase shift per pair to a EUV light.

16. The EUV mask of claim 13 , wherein the second reflective layer includes:
a first Mo film with a thickness of about 1 nm;
a first Si film over the first Mo film and with a thickness of about 4 nm;
a second Mo film over the first Si film and with a thickness of about 10.1 nm;
a second Si film over the second Mo film and with a thickness of about 4.3 nm;
a third Mo film over the second Si film and with a thickness of about 10.1 nm;
a third Si film over the third Mo film and with a thickness of about 4.3 nm;
a fourth Mo film over the third Si film and with a thickness of about 10.1 nm;
a fourth Si film over the fourth Mo film and with a thickness of about 4.3 nm;
a fifth Mo film over the fourth Si film and with a thickness of about 10.1 nm; and
a fifth Si film over the fifth Mo film and with a thickness of about 2.6 nm.

17. An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask, comprising:
a low thermal expansion material (LTEM) substrate;
a first reflective layer above a surface of the LTEM substrate;
a buffer layer above the first reflective layer; and
a second reflective layer above the buffer layer, wherein the second reflective layer has various openings that define a first state and a second state, wherein the first state includes the first reflective layer and is free of the second reflective layer, and the second state includes both the first and second reflective layers,
wherein the first state has a first reflection coefficient and a first reflectivity, the second state has a second reflection coefficient and a second reflectivity, a phase difference between the first and second reflection coefficients is about 180 degrees, and the second reflectivity is greater than 50% of the first reflectivity.

18. The EUV mask of claim 17 , wherein the first reflective layer includes forty pairs of alternating Mo and Si films, and the second reflective layer includes five pairs of alternating Si and Mo films.

19. The EUV mask of claim 17 , wherein the first reflective layer includes pairs of alternating Mo/Si or Mo/Be films, and the second reflective layer includes a single Mo film having a thickness about 44 nm (nominal).

20. The EUV mask of claim 17 , wherein the second reflective layer includes pairs of alternating Si and Mo films, wherein a phase difference of a EUV light reflected from adjacent Si/Mo pairs is 720°.

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lu Yen-Cheng
• Yu Shinn-Sheng
• Chen Jeng-Horng
• Yen Anthony

Classifications

• 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

• G03F7/2002

  with visible light or UV light, through an original having an opaque pattern on a transparent support, e.g. film printing, projection printing; by reflection of visible or UV light from an original such as a printed image · CPC title

• G03F1/76

  Patterning of masks by imaging · CPC title

• G03F7/2004

  characterised by the use of a particular light source, e.g. fluorescent lamps or deep UV light · CPC title

• G03F1/24 Primary

  Reflection masks; Preparation thereof · CPC title