IP Library Granted Patent US 8,828,626
Granted Patent B2
US 8,828,626 · App. 13/727,305 · Granted Sep 9, 2014

Substrate with reflective layer for EUV lithography and reflective mask blank for EUV lithography

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,828,626
App. No.
13/727,305
Granted
Sep 9, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

To provide an EUV mask blank whereby deterioration in reflectance due to oxidation of a Ru protective layer is suppressed, a functional film-attached substrate to be used for the production of the EUV mask blank, and a process for producing the functional film-attached substrate. A substrate with a reflective layer for EUV lithography, comprising a substrate, and a reflective layer for reflecting EUV light and a protective layer for protecting the reflective layer formed in this order on the substrate, wherein the reflective layer is a Mo/Si multilayer reflective film, the protective layer is a Ru layer or a Ru compound layer, between the reflective layer and the protective layer, an interlayer is formed which is composed of a first layer containing from 0.5 to 25 at % of nitrogen and from 75 to 99.5 at % of Si, and a second layer containing from 60 to 99.8 at % of Ru, from 0.1 to 10 at % of nitrogen and from 0.1 to 30 at % of Si and which has a total thickness of the first and second layers being from 0.2 to 2.5 nm, the first layer constituting the interlayer is formed on the reflective layer side, and the second layer is formed on the first layer, and the protective layer contains substantially no Si.

Claims (25)

1. A substrate with a reflective layer for EUV lithography, comprising a substrate, and a reflective layer for reflecting EUV light and a protective layer for protecting the reflective layer formed in this order on the substrate, wherein

the reflective layer is a Mo/Si multilayer reflective film,

the protective layer is a Ru layer or a Ru compound layer,

between the reflective layer and the protective layer, an interlayer is formed which is composed of a first layer containing from 0.5 to 25 at % of nitrogen and from 75 to 99.5 at % of Si, and a second layer containing from 60 to 99.8 at % of Ru, from 0.1 to 10 at % of nitrogen and from 0.1 to 30 at % of Si and which has a total thickness of the first and second layers being from 0.2 to 2.5 nm,

the first layer constituting the interlayer is formed on the reflective layer side, and the second layer is formed on the first layer, and

the protective layer contains substantially no Si.

2. The substrate with a reflective layer for EUV lithography according to claim 1 , wherein the first layer has a thickness of from 0.1 to 2.4 nm, the second layer has a thickness of from 0.1 to 2.4 nm, and the difference in thickness between the second layer and the first layer (i.e. thickness of the second layer-thickness of the first layer) is from 0 to 2.3 nm.

3. The substrate with a reflective layer for EUV lithography according to claim 1 , wherein the surface roughness (rms) on the surface of the protective layer is at most 0.5 nm.

4. The substrate with a reflective layer for EUV lithography according to claim 2 , wherein the surface roughness (rms) on the surface of the protective layer is at most 0.5 nm.

5. The substrate with a reflective layer for EUV lithography according to claim 1 , wherein the protective layer has a thickness of from 1 to 10 nm.

6. The substrate with a reflective layer for EUV lithography according to claim 2 , wherein the protective layer has a thickness of from 1 to 10 nm.

7. The substrate with a reflective layer for EUV lithography according to claim 3 , wherein the protective layer has a thickness of from 1 to 10 nm.

8. The substrate with a reflective layer for EUV lithography according to claim 4 , wherein the protective layer has a thickness of from 1 to 10 nm.

9. A reflective mask blank for EUV lithography, comprising the substrate with a reflective layer as defined in claim 1 and an absorber layer formed on the protective layer of the substrate.

10. The reflective mask blank for EUV lithography according to claim 9 , wherein the absorber layer is formed of a material containing tantalum (Ta) as the main component.

11. The reflective mask blank for EUV lithography according to claim 9 , wherein the etching selectivity for the absorber layer to the protective layer at the time of carrying out dry etching by means of chlorine type gas as etching gas, is at least 10.

12. The reflective mask blank for EUV lithography according to claim 10 , wherein the etching selectivity for the absorber layer to the protective layer at the time of carrying out dry etching by means of chlorine type gas as etching gas, is at least 10.

13. The reflective mask blank for EUV lithography according to claim 9 , wherein a low reflective layer to inspection light to be used for inspection of a mask pattern is formed of a material containing tantalum (Ta) as the main component on the absorber layer.

14. The reflective mask blank for EUV lithography according to claim 10 , wherein a low reflective layer to inspection light to be used for inspection of a mask pattern is formed of a material containing tantalum (Ta) as the main component on the absorber layer.

15. The reflective mask blank for EUV lithography according to claim 11 , wherein a low reflective layer to inspection light to be used for inspection of a mask pattern is formed of a material containing tantalum (Ta) as the main component on the absorber layer.

16. The reflective mask blank for EUV lithography according to claim 12 , wherein a low reflective layer to inspection light to be used for inspection of a mask pattern is formed of a material containing tantalum (Ta) as the main component on the absorber layer.

17. The reflective mask blank for EUV lithography according to claim 13 , wherein the contrast is at least 30% as between the reflected light on the surface of the protective layer and the reflected light on the surface of the low reflective layer at a wavelength of light to be used for inspection of a pattern to be formed on the absorber layer.

18. The reflective mask blank for EUV lithography according to claim 14 , wherein the contrast is at least 30% as between the reflected light on the surface of the protective layer and the reflected light on the surface of the low reflective layer at a wavelength of light to be used for inspection of a pattern to be formed on the absorber layer.

19. A reflective mask for EUV lithography obtained by patterning the EUV mask blank as defined in claim 9 .

20. A reflective mask for EUV lithography obtained by patterning the EUV mask blank as defined in claim 10 .

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 7, 2018
From: ASAHI GLASS COMPANY, LIMITED
To: AGC INC.
Reel/Frame 046730/0786 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 28, 2012
From: MIKAMI, MASAKI; KINOSHITA, TAKERU
To: ASAHI GLASS COMPANY, LIMITED
Reel/Frame 029537/0809 →