Method of repairing an opaque defect on a mask with electron beam-induced chemical etching
View Patent ↗The present invention discloses a method of fabricating and repairing a mask without damage and an apparatus including a holder to mount a substrate; a stage to position the holder in a chamber; a pumping system to evacuate the chamber; an imaging system to locate an opaque defect in the substrate; a gas delivery system to dispense a reactant gas towards the defect; and an electron delivery system to direct electrons towards the opaque defect.
1. A method comprising:
providing a substrate;
forming a layer over said substrate;
patterning said layer into a first region and a second region;
removing said layer in said first region;
inspecting said first region for an opaque defect;
forming a reactant gas over said opaque defect; and
directing electrons toward said opaque defect, said electrons inducing said reactant gas to etch said opaque defect without ion bombardment.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said reactant gas etches said opaque defect without damage to said substrate.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said opaque defect comprises chrome and said reactant gas comprises chlorine and oxygen.
4. A method comprising:
providing a substrate;
forming a mirror over said substrate;
forming a buffer layer over said mirror;
forming an absorber layer over said buffer layer;
patterning said absorber layer into a first region and a second region;
removing said absorber layer in said first region;
inspecting said first region for an opaque defect;
dispensing a reactant gas over said opaque defect; and
scanning an electron beam over said opaque defect, said electron beam inducing said reactant gas to react with said opaque defect without ion bombardment to form a volatile byproduct.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein said opaque defect comprises an absorber and said reactant gas comprises Xenon Fluoride (XeF 2 ).