Reflection mode photomask and fabrication method therefore

1. A method of fabricating a mask blank, the method comprising:

depositing a reflective multilayer over a substrate;

depositing a capping layer over the reflective multilayer;

depositing an etch stop layer over the capping layer, wherein the etch stop layer comprises silicon or silicon compounds, the etch stop layer has a thickness greater than 2 nanometers (nm) to about 5 nm, and the etch stop layer is configured to reflect light having a wavelength from about 200 nanometers (nm) to about 350 nm;

depositing an absorber layer over the etch stop layer; and

depositing an anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer over the absorber layer, wherein the ARC layer is a single material film.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the depositing the ARC layer over the absorber layer comprises:

depositing the ARC layer so that a ratio of a thickness of the ARC layer to the absorber layer is in a range from about 0.015 to about 0.075.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the depositing the ARC layer over the absorber layer comprises:

depositing the ARC layer to have a thickness ranging from about 1 nanometer (nm) to about 5 nm.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the depositing the etch stop layer comprises:

depositing the etch stop layer so that a ratio of an etch selectivity of the etch stop layer to that of the capping layer is equal to or smaller than 1:20.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing the etch stop layer comprises depositing the etch stop layer is silicon.

6. A method of manufacturing a reticle, the method comprising:

depositing an absorber layer over a substrate;

depositing a hard mask layer over the absorber layer, wherein the hard mask layer includes tantalum;

coating a photoresist directly over the hard mask layer;

patterning the photoresist to expose a portion of the hard mask layer; performing a first etch process to remove the exposed portion of the hard mask;

performing a second etch process to remove a portion of the absorber layer underneath the removed portion of the hard mask; and

performing a third etch process to partially remove a portion of a thickness of an etch stop layer underneath the removed portion of the absorber layer, wherein performing the third etch process comprises maintaining a remaining thickness of the etch stop layer underneath the removed portion of the absorber; and

maintaining the remaining thickness of the etch stop layer through a termination of the method of manufacturing the reticle.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

stripping the photoresist after the first etch process.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

depositing a reflective multilayer over the substrate;

depositing a capping layer over the reflective multilayer; and

depositing the etch stop layer over the capping layer, wherein an etch selectivity of the etch stop layer is greater than that of the absorber layer during the first etch process and is smaller than that of the capping layer during the second etch process.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the third etch process fails to expose the capping.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the performing the first etch process comprises:

flowing a mixture of tetrafluoromethane and a carrier gas on the exposed portion of the hard mask layer.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the performing the second etch process comprises:

using a different etchant than that of the first etch process.

12. The method of claim 6 , wherein the performing the third etch process comprises:

using a same etchant as that of the second etch process.

13. The method of claim 6 , wherein the performing the third etch process comprises:

receiving an optical emission spectroscopy (OES) measurement to detect an endpoint.

14. The method of claim 6 , wherein the coating the photoresist comprises:

coating a photoresist including a chemically-amplified resist (CAR) over the hard mask layer, wherein a thickness of the photoresist is in a range from about 80 nm to about 120 nm.