IP Library Granted Patent US 12,487,517
Granted Patent B2
US 12,487,517 · App. 17/862,508 · Granted Dec 2, 2025

Blank mask and photomask using the same

Inventors: GeonGon Lee (Seoul, KR); Suk Young Choi (Seoul, KR); Hyung-joo Lee (Seoul, KR); Suhyeon Kim (Seoul, KR); Sung Hoon Son (Seoul, KR); Seong Yoon Kim (Seoul, KR); Min Gyo Jeong (Seoul, KR); Hahyeon Cho (Seoul, KR); Taewan Kim (Seoul, KR); Inkyun Shin (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: SK enpulse Co., Ltd.
G03F1/26
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,487,517
App. No.
17/862,508
Granted
Dec 2, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed is a blank mask including a transparent substrate and a light shielding film disposed on the transparent substrate, wherein the light shielding film includes a transition metal and at least one selected from the group consisting of oxygen and nitrogen, wherein when a surface of the light shielding film includes nine sectors formed by trisecting the surface of the light shielding film vertically and horizontally, each of the nine sectors has a Rsk value, respectively, and an average value of the Rsk values of the nine sectors is equal to −0.64 or more and less than or equal to 0, where Rsk value is a height symmetry of the surface of the light shielding film measured in accordance with ISO_4287, and wherein an average value of Rku values, which are kurtosis of the surface of the light shielding film measured in accordance with ISO_4287, of the nine sectors is 3 or less.

Claims (40)

1 . A blank mask comprising a transparent substrate and a light shielding film disposed on the transparent substrate,

wherein the light shielding film comprises a transition metal and at least one selected from the group consisting of oxygen and nitrogen,

wherein the transition metal comprises Cr,

wherein when a surface of the light shielding film comprises nine sectors formed by trisecting the surface of the light shielding film vertically and horizontally, each of the nine sectors has a Rsk value, respectively, and an average value of the Rsk values of the nine sectors is equal to −0.64 or more and less than or equal to 0, where Rsk value is a height symmetry of the surface of the light shielding film measured in accordance with ISO_4287,

wherein an average value of Rku values, which are kurtosis of the surface of the light shielding film measured in accordance with ISO_4287, of the nine sectors is 3 or less,

wherein the light shielding film comprises a first light shielding layer and a second light shielding layer disposed on the first light shielding layer, and

wherein an amount of the transition metal of the second light shielding layer is greater than an amount of the transition metal of the first light shielding layer.

2 . The blank mask of claim 1 , wherein a standard deviation value of the Rsk values of the nine sectors is 0.6 or less.

3 . The blank mask of claim 1 , wherein a standard deviation value of the Rku values of the nine sectors is 0.9 or less.

4 . The blank mask of claim 1 , wherein a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of the Rku values of the nine sectors is 2.2 or less.

5 . The blank mask of claim 4 , wherein the maximum value of the Rku values of the nine sectors is 4.6 or less.

6 . The blank mask of claim 1 , wherein a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of the Rsk values of the nine sectors is 1.7 or less.

7 . The blank mask of claim 1 , wherein a cross section of the light shielding film comprises a center, a first edge at one end, and a second edge at another end, and when a thickness of the light shielding film measured at the center is Hc, a thickness of the light shielding film measured at the first edge is H1, and a thickness of the light shielding film measured at the second edge is H2, a greater of |Hc−H1| and |Hc−H2| is less than 5 Å, where |Hc−H1| is an absolute value obtained by subtracting H1 from Hc and |Hc−H2| is an absolute value obtained by subtracting H2 from Hc.

8 . The blank mask of claim 1 , wherein the transition metal further comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of Ta, Ti, and Hf.

9 . A photomask comprising a transparent substrate and a light shielding pattern film disposed on the transparent substrate,

wherein the light shielding pattern film comprises a transition metal and at least one selected from the group consisting of oxygen and nitrogen,

wherein the transition metal comprises Cr,

wherein when an upper surface of the light shielding pattern film comprises nine sectors formed by trisecting the upper surface of the light shielding pattern vertically and horizontally, each of the nine sectors has a Rsk value, respectively, and an average value of the Rsk values of the nine sectors is equal to −0.64 or more and less than or equal to 0 where Rsk value is a height symmetry of the surface of the light shielding pattern film measured in accordance with ISO 4287,

wherein an average value of Rku values, which are kurtosis of the surface of the light shielding pattern film measured in accordance with ISO_4287, of the nine sectors is 3 or less,

wherein the light shielding pattern film comprises a first light shielding layer and a second light shielding layer disposed on the first light shielding layer, and

wherein an amount of the transition metal of the second light shielding layer is greater than an amount of the transition metal of the first light shielding layer.

10 . The photomask of claim 9 , wherein a standard deviation value of the Rsk values of the nine sectors is 0.6 or less.

11 . The photomask of claim 9 , wherein a standard deviation value of the Rku values of the nine sectors is 0.9 or less.

12 . The photomask of claim 9 , wherein a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of the Rku values of the nine sectors is 2.2 or less.

13 . The photomask of claim 12 , wherein the maximum value of the Rku values of the nine sectors is 4.6 or less.

14 . The photomask of claim 9 , wherein a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of the Rsk values of the nine sectors is 1.7 or less.

15 . The photomask of claim 9 , wherein a cross section of the light shielding pattern film comprises a center, a first edge at one end, and a second edge at another end, and when a thickness of the light shielding pattern film measured at the center is Hc, a thickness of the light shielding pattern film measured at the first edge is H1, and a thickness of the light shielding pattern film measured at the second edge is H2, a greater of |Hc−H1| and |Hc−H2| is less than 5 Å, where |Hc−H1| is an absolute value obtained by subtracting H1 from Hc and |Hc−H2| is an absolute value obtained by subtracting H2 from Hc.

16 . The photomask of claim 9 , wherein the light shielding pattern film comprises a first light shielding pattern layer and a second light shielding pattern layer disposed on the first light shielding pattern layer, and an amount of the transition metal of the second light shielding pattern layer is greater than an amount of the transition metal of the first light shielding pattern layer.

17 . The blank mask of claim 9 , wherein the transition metal further comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of Ta, Ti, and Hf.

18 . A method of manufacturing a semiconductor element comprising:

disposing a light source, a photomask, and a semiconductor wafer comprising a resist film disposed on a surface of the semiconductor wafer;

selectively transmitting a light incident from the light source through the photomask on the surface of the semiconductor wafer to be transferred; and

developing a pattern on the surface of the semiconductor wafer,

wherein the photomask comprises a transparent substrate and a light shielding pattern film disposed on the transparent substrate,

wherein the light shielding pattern film comprises a transition metal and at least one selected from the group consisting of oxygen and nitrogen,

wherein the transition metal comprises Cr,

wherein when an upper surface of the light shielding pattern film comprises nine sectors formed by trisecting the upper surface of the light shielding pattern film vertically and horizontally, each of the nine sectors has a Rsk value, respectively, and an average value of the Rsk values of the nine sectors is equal to −0.64 or more and less than or equal to 0 where Rsk value is a height symmetry of the surface of the light shielding pattern film measured in accordance with ISO_4287,

wherein an average value of Rku values, which are kurtosis of the surface of the light shielding pattern film measured in accordance with ISO_4287, of the nine sectors is 3 or less,

wherein the light shielding pattern film comprises a first light shielding layer and a second light shielding layer disposed on the first light shielding layer, and

wherein an amount of the transition metal of the second light shielding layer is greater than an amount of the transition metal of the first light shielding layer.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 5, 2026
From: SK ENPULSE CO., LTD.
To: LUMINAMASK CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 074478/0876 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 9, 2023
From: SKC SOLMICS CO., LTD.
To: SK ENPULSE CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 065509/0991 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 12, 2022
From: LEE, GEONGON; CHOI, SUK YOUNG; LEE, HYUNG-JOO; KIM, SUHYEON; SON, SUNG HOON; KIM, SEONG YOON; JEONG, MIN GYO; CHO, HAHYEON; KIM, TAEWAN; SHIN, INKYUN
To: SKC SOLMICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 060635/0615 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2021-0091497 · Jul 13, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230030141A1 · Feb 2, 2023
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