Method for determining an optimal absorber stack geometry of a lithographic reflection mask

1. A method for determining an optimal absorber stack geometry of a lithographic reflection mask comprising a reflection layer and a patterned absorber stack provided on the reflection layer, the absorber stack having a buffer layer and an absorber layer, comprising:

a) defining a target pattern for a structure imaged on a substrate by an exposure tool including the lithographic reflection mask to reflect a radiation, the target pattern comprising a critical dimension range of target critical dimension values;

b) defining an absorber stack geometry for the target pattern including defining a value of at least one absorber stack parameter, the absorber stack parameter includes a buffer thickness, a buffer sidewall angle, an absorber thickness, an absorber sidewall angle and a lateral absorber stack dimension;

c) simulating aerial images of the structure imaged on the substrate for a predetermined range of defocus values;

d) evaluating each aerial image by applying a predetermined range of intensity threshold values to determine corresponding critical dimension values of the structure imaged on the substrate;

e) comparing the obtained critical dimension values of the structure imaged on the substrate with the critical dimension range of target critical dimension values of the target pattern to determine a process window, wherein the size of the process window is defined by defocus and intensity threshold values corresponding to target critical dimension values;

f) defining further absorber stack geometries for the target pattern by varying the value of the absorber stack parameter;

g) repeating steps c) to e) for the further absorber stack geometries to determine further process windows; and

h) comparing the sizes of the determined process windows corresponding to the defined absorber stack geometries to determine the optimal absorber stack geometry, wherein the optimal absorber stack geometry is identified by the maximum process window size.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a range of values of the absorber stack parameter used in the simulation steps is defined on the basis of intensity contrast values of simulated aerial images.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a range of values of the absorber stack parameter used in the simulation steps is defined on the basis of intensity contrast values of simulated near-fields of the radiation reflected on the lithographic reflection mask.

4. A method for fabricating a lithographic reflection mask comprising a reflection layer and a patterned absorber stack provided on the reflection layer, the absorber stack having a buffer layer and an absorber layer, comprising:

determining an optimal absorber stack geometry of the lithographic reflection;

providing a carrier substrate with a reflection layer and an absorber blank provided on the reflection layer, the absorber blank having an unpatterned buffer layer and an unpatterned absorber layer, wherein the thicknesses of the buffer layer and of the absorber layer are defined according to the determined optimal absorber stack geometry; and

structuring the absorber blank according to the target pattern to provide a patterned absorber stack on the reflection layer, wherein sidewalls of the buffer layer and of the absorber layer are provided with sidewall angles according to the determined optimal absorber stack geometry.

5. A lithographic reflection mask, comprising:

a carrier substrate;

a reflection layer provided on the carrier substrate; and

a patterned absorber stack provided on the reflection layer comprising a buffer layer and an absorber layer, wherein sidewalls of the absorber layer have a sidewall angle of at least ten degrees relative to a vertical plane.

6. The lithographic reflection mask according to claim 5 , wherein sidewalls of the absorber layer have a sidewall angle of at least twenty degrees relative to a vertical plane.

7. The lithographic reflection mask according to claim 5 , wherein sidewalls of the buffer layer have a sidewall angle of more than zero degrees relative to a vertical plane.