Granted Patent B2

US 12,650,640 · App. 17/980,840 · Granted Jun 9, 2026

Inventors: Min Gyo Jeong (Seoul, KR); Sung Hoon Son (Seoul, KR); Seong Yoon Kim (Seoul, KR); GeonGon Lee (Seoul, KR); Suk Young Choi (Seoul, KR); Hyung-joo Lee (Seoul, KR); Hahyeon Cho (Seoul, KR); Taewan Kim (Seoul, KR); Suhyeon Kim (Seoul, KR); Inkyun Shin (Seoul, KR)

Assignee: LuminaMask Co., Ltd.

G03F1/32G03F1/52G03F1/58

Abstract

Claims (68)

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

wherein the multilayer light shielding film comprises chromium (Cr) and at least one of oxygen (O) and nitrogen (N),

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

wherein the first light shielding film comprises chromium (Cr) in an amount of 25 atomic percent (at %) to 50 at %,

wherein the second light shielding film comprises chromium (Cr) in an amount of 55 at % to 70 at %,

wherein the multilayer light shielding film has an optical density of 1.8 or more with respect to a light with the wavelength of 193 nm,

wherein the second light shielding film comprises an upper light shielding layer and an adhesion enhancing layer disposed between the upper light shielding layer and the first light shielding film, and wherein the adhesion enhancing layer has a thickness of 12 Å to 30 Å,

wherein the adhesion enhancing layer is a distinct layer having a first interface with the first light shielding film and a second interface with the upper light shielding layer, and wherein a composition of the adhesion enhancing layer is substantially uniform across the thickness of the adhesion enhancing layer and different from the compositions of the first light shielding film and the upper light shielding layer,

wherein an absolute value of a difference between the amount of chromium in the adhesion enhancing layer and the amount of chromium in the upper light shielding layer is 10 at % or less,

wherein the multilayer light shielding film comprises a total of nine parts formed by trisection in a width direction and a length direction of an upper surface of the multilayer light shielding film,

wherein each part of the multilayer light shielding film comprises a measuring range disposed on a side thereof,

wherein the measuring range corresponds to a range between a point distant from an upper boundary of the first light shielding film to a lower boundary of the first light shielding film and a point distant from a lower boundary of the second light shielding film to an upper boundary of the second light shielding film, and

wherein the multilayer light shielding film has dR (difference in roughness) values of Equation 1 measured from the total nine parts of the multilayer light shielding film, and an average value of the dR values is 3 nm or less:

dR=Rac−Rbc   [Equation 1]

wherein Rac is a surface roughness [unit: nm] measured from the measuring range of the part of the multilayer light shielding film after soaking the part for 800 seconds in SC-1 (Standard Clean-1) solution and rinsing with ozone water,

wherein Rbc is a surface roughness [unit: nm] measured from the measuring range of the part of the multilayer light shielding before soaking in SC-1 solution,

wherein the SC-1 solution comprises NH 4 OH (14.3 wt %), H 2 O 2 (14.3 wt %), and H 2 O (71.4 wt %), and

wherein the ozone water comprises ozone at 20 ppm in ultrapure water.

2 . The blank mask of claim 1 , wherein a standard deviation of dR values respectively measured from the total nine parts of the multilayer light shielding film is 0.5 nm or less.

3 . The blank mask of claim 1 , comprising an interface,

wherein the interface is disposed between the upper boundary of the first light shielding film and the lower boundary of the second light shielding film,

wherein the measuring range is corresponded to a range between a point distant by 5 nm from the interface to the lower boundary of the first light shielding film and a point distant by 5 nm from the interface to the upper boundary of the second light shielding film.

4 . The blank mask of claim 1 , wherein the adhesion enhancing layer has a thickness of 12 Å to 30 Å.

5 . The blank mask of claim 1 , wherein an absolute value of a value of subtracting an amount of chromium of the first light shielding film from an amount of chromium of the adhesion enhancing layer is 35 at % or less.

6 . The blank mask of claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of the adhesion enhancing layer immediately after forming comprises total nine sectors that are formed by trisection in a width direction and a length direction of the upper surface of the adhesion enhancing layer, and

wherein the adhesion enhancing layer has Rku (kurtosis) values respectively measured from the total nine sectors of the adhesion enhancing layer, and an average value of the Rku values is 3.5 or more.

7 . The blank mask of claim 6 , wherein a standard deviation of the Rku values respectively measured from the total nine sectors of the adhesion enhancing layer is 2 or less.

8 . A photomask comprising:

a transparent substrate and a multilayer light shielding pattern film disposed on the transparent substrate,

wherein the multilayer light shielding pattern film comprises chromium (Cr) and at least one of oxygen (O) and nitrogen (N),

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

wherein the first light shielding film comprises chromium (Cr) in an amount of 25 atomic percent (at %) to 50 at %,

wherein the second light shielding film comprises chromium (Cr) in an amount of 55 at % to 70 at %,

wherein the multilayer light shielding film has an optical density of 1.8 or more with respect to a light with the wavelength of 193 nm,

wherein the second light shielding film comprises an upper light shielding layer and an adhesion enhancing layer disposed between the upper light shielding layer and the first light shielding film, and wherein the adhesion enhancing layer has a thickness of 12 Å to 30 Å,

wherein the adhesion enhancing layer is a distinct layer having a first interface with the first light shielding film and a second interface with the upper light shielding layer, and wherein a composition of the adhesion enhancing layer is substantially uniform across the thickness of the adhesion enhancing layer and different from the compositions of the first light shielding film and the upper light shielding layer,

wherein an absolute value of a difference between the amount of chromium in the adhesion enhancing layer and the amount of chromium in the upper light shielding layer is 10 at % or less,

wherein the multilayer light shielding pattern film comprises a total nine parts formed by trisection in a width direction and a length direction of an upper surface of the transparent substrate,

wherein each part of the multilayer light shielding pattern film comprises a measuring range disposed on a side thereof,

wherein the measuring range corresponds to a range between a point distant from an upper boundary of the first light shielding film to a lower boundary of the first light shielding film and a point distant from a lower boundary of the second light shielding film to an upper boundary of the second light shielding film, and

wherein the multilayer light shielding pattern film has pdR (difference value of roughness for a photomask) values of Equation 2 measured from the total nine parts of the multilayer light shielding pattern film, and an average value of the pdR values is 3 nm or less:

pdR=pRac−pRb   [Equation 2]

wherein pRac is a surface roughness [unit: nm] measured from the measuring range of the multilayer light shielding pattern film after soaking the multilayer light shielding pattern film for 800 second in SC-1 solution and rinsing with ozone water,

wherein pRbc is a surface roughness [unit: nm] measured from the measuring range of the part of the multilayer light shielding pattern film before soaking in SC-1 solution,

wherein the SC-1 solution comprises NH 4 OH (14.3 wt %), H 2 O 2 (14.3 wt %), and H 2 O (71.4 wt %), and

wherein the ozone water comprises ozone at 20 ppm in ultrapure water.

9 . A method of manufacturing a semiconductor element, the method comprising:

preparing a light source, a photomask, and a semiconductor wafer with a resist film applied;

exposing the semiconductor wafer by selectively transmitting light from the light source to the semiconductor wafer through the photomask; and

developing a pattern on the semiconductor wafer,

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

wherein the multilayer light shielding pattern film comprises chromium (Cr) and at least one of oxygen (O) and nitrogen (N),

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

wherein the first light shielding film comprises chromium (Cr) in an amount of 25 atomic percent (at %) to 50 at %,

wherein the second light shielding film comprises chromium (Cr) in an amount of 55 at % to 70 at %,

wherein the multilayer light shielding film has an optical density of 1.8 or more with respect to light of wavelength 193 nm,

wherein the second light shielding film comprises an upper light shielding layer and an adhesion enhancing layer disposed between the upper light shielding layer and the first light shielding film, and wherein the adhesion enhancing layer has a thickness of 12 Å to 30 Å,

wherein the adhesion enhancing layer is a distinct layer having a first interface with the first light shielding film and a second interface with the upper light shielding layer, and wherein a composition of the adhesion enhancing layer is substantially uniform across the thickness of the adhesion enhancing layer and different from the compositions of the first light shielding film and the upper light shielding layer,

wherein an absolute value of a difference between the amount of chromium in the adhesion enhancing layer and the amount of chromium in the upper light shielding layer is 10 at % or less,

wherein the multilayer light shielding pattern film comprises a total of nine parts formed by trisection in a width direction and a length direction of an upper surface of the transparent substrate, and

wherein each part of the multilayer light shielding pattern film comprises a measuring range disposed on a side thereof,

wherein the measuring range corresponds to a range between a point distant from an upper boundary of the first light shielding film to a lower boundary of the first light shielding film and a point distant from a lower boundary of the second light shielding film to an upper boundary of the second light shielding film, and

wherein the multilayer light shielding pattern film has pdR (difference in roughness for a photomask) values of Equation 2 measured from the total nine parts of the multilayer light shielding pattern film, and an average value of the pdR values is 3 nm or less:

pdR=pRac−pRbc   [Equation 2]

wherein pRac is a surface roughness [unit: nm] measured from the measuring range of the part of the multilayer light shielding pattern film after soaking the multilayer light shielding pattern film for 800 second in SC-1 solution and rinsing with ozone water,

wherein pRbc is a surface roughness [unit: nm] measured from the measuring range of the part of the multilayer light shielding pattern film before soaking in SC-1 solution,

wherein the SC-1 solution comprises NH 4 OH (14.3 wt %), H 2 O 2 (14.3 wt %), and H 2 O (71.4 wt %), and

wherein the ozone water comprises ozone at 20 ppm in ultrapure water.

Assignments (3)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (46)