IP Library Granted Patent US 7,927,769
Granted Patent B2
US 7,927,769 · App. 12/380,872 · Granted Apr 19, 2011

Method for fabricating EUVL mask

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,927,769
App. No.
12/380,872
Granted
Apr 19, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for fabricating an extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) mask. In an etching step, at least a part of an absorption layer of an EUVL mask is etched by allowing a charged particle to irradiate the absorption layer under feed of a halogenated xenon gas. In an oxidant feed step, an oxidant is fed to the absorption layer after the etching step to form an oxidized layer at a side surface of the absorption layer that is not etched during the etching step.

Claims (15)

1. A method for fabricating an extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) mask comprising:

an etching step of etching at least a part of an absorption layer of an EUVL mask by allowing a charged particle to irradiate the absorption layer under feed of a halogenated xenon gas; and

an oxidant feed step of feeding an oxidant to the absorption layer after the etching step to form an oxidized layer at a side surface of the absorption layer that is not etched during the etching step.

2. A method for fabricating an EUVL mask according to claim 1 ; wherein the oxidant is water.

3. A method for fabricating an extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) mask comprising: etching at least a part of an absorption layer of an EUVL mask by allowing a charged particle beam to irradiate the absorption layer under feed of a halogenated xenon gas and while feeding together with the halogenated xenon gas an oxidant to form an oxidized layer at a side surface of the absorption layer that is not etched.

4. A method for fabricating an EUVL mask according to claim 3 ; wherein the oxidant is ozone gas.

5. A method for fabricating an EUVL mask according to claim 1 ; further comprising the steps of alternately repeating for a plurality of times the etching step and the oxidant feed step.

6. A method of repairing an extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) mask formed with an absorption layer having a defect, comprising the steps of:

etching a zone of the absorption layer corresponding to the defect by irradiating the zone with a charged particle beam under feed of a halogenated xenon gas; and

feeding an oxidant to the absorption layer to form an oxidized layer at a side surface of the absorption layer that is not etched during the etching step.

7. A method according to claim 6 ; wherein the step of feeding the oxidant comprises feeding the oxidant after the etching step.

8. A method according to claim 7 ; wherein the oxidant is water.

9. A method according to claim 6 ; wherein the oxidant is water.

10. A method according to claim 6 ; wherein the step of feeding the oxidant comprises feeding the oxidant together with the halogenated xenon gas.

11. A method according to claim 10 ; wherein the oxidant is ozone gas.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Sep 17, 2025
From: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 072903/0543 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 17, 2025
From: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECH ANALYSIS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 072907/0356 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 25, 2014
From: SII NANOTECHNOLOGY INC.
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 033817/0078 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2009
From: HAGIWARA, RYOJI; TAKAOKA, OSAMU; KOZAKAI, TOMOKAZU
To: SII NANOTECHNOLOGY INC.
Reel/Frame 022642/0642 →