IP Library Granted Patent US 12,529,951
Granted Patent B2
US 12,529,951 · App. 17/994,739 · Granted Jan 20, 2026

Laminate for blank mask and manufacturing method for the same

Inventors: Taewan Kim (Seoul, KR); GeonGon Lee (Seoul, KR); Sukyoung Choi (Seoul, KR); Hyungjoo Lee (Seoul, KR); Suhyeon Kim (Seoul, KR); Sunghoon Son (Seoul, KR); Seongyoon Kim (Seoul, KR); Mingyo Jeong (Seoul, KR); Hahyeon Cho (Seoul, KR); Inkyun Shin (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: SK enpulse Co., Ltd.
G03F1/26G03F1/82
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,529,951
App. No.
17/994,739
Granted
Jan 20, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A laminate for a blank mask includes a light-transmitting layer; a phase shift film disposed on the light-transmitting layer; and residual ions measured from a surface of the phase shift film through ion chromatography comprises at least one of sulfate ions in a concentration of 0 ng/cm 2 to 0.05 ng/cm 2 , nitric oxide ions in a concentration of 0 ng/cm 2 to 0.5 ng/cm 2 , or ammonium ions in a concentration of 0 ng/cm 2 to 5 ng/cm 2 , or any combination thereof. A sum of concentrations of the residual ions is more than 0.

Claims (50)

1 . A laminate for a blank mask comprising:

a light-transmitting layer;

a phase shift film disposed on the light-transmitting layer; and

residual ions measured from a surface of the phase shift film through ion chromatography comprises at least one of sulfate ions in a concentration of 0 ng/cm 2 to 0.05 ng/cm 2 , nitric oxide ions in a concentration of 0 ng/cm 2 to 0.5 ng/cm 2 , or ammonium ions in a concentration of 0 ng/cm 2 to 5 ng/cm 2 , or any combination thereof,

wherein a sum of concentrations of the residual ions is more than 0, and

wherein the residual ions comprise the sulfate ions and the nitric oxide ions.

2 . The laminate of claim 1 ,

wherein the residual ions further comprise chlorine ions (Cl − ), and

wherein the chlorine ions have a concentration of 0.05 ng/cm 2 or less.

3 . The laminate of claim 1 ,

wherein the phase shift film comprises molybdenum, and comprises any one or more elements selected from the group consisting of silicon, nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon.

4 . The laminate of claim 1 ,

wherein within the concentration of the nitric oxide ions,

nitrous acid ions (NO 2 − ) have a concentration of 0 ng/cm 2 to 0.01 ng/cm 2 , and

nitric acid ions (NO 3 − ) have a concentration of 0 ng/cm 2 to 0.04 ng/cm 2 .

5 . A manufacturing method of a laminate for a blank mask comprising:

forming a phase shift film on a light-transmitting layer;

thermally treating the phase shift film; and

cleaning the thermally treated phase shift film,

wherein the forming of the phase shift film comprises a nitrogen treatment operation of applying a gas having 30 volume % to 70 volume % of nitrogen gas and maintaining a concentration of ammonium ions of a surface of the phase shift film at 50 ng/cm 2 to 110 ng/cm 2 ,

wherein the cleaning of the thermally treated phase shift film comprises a first cleaning process of adding UV rays and ozone water to the thermally treated phase shift film, and a second cleaning process of adding carbonated water and hydrogen water to the phase shift film of the first cleaning process,

wherein residual ions measured from the surface of the phase shift film after the cleaning of the thermally treated phase shift film comprise

at least any one of sulfate ions in a concentration of 0 ng/cm 2 to 0.05 ng/cm 2 ,

nitric oxide ions in a concentration of 0 ng/cm 2 to 0.5 ng/cm 2 , or

ammonium ions in a concentration of 0 ng/cm 2 to 5 ng/cm 2 , or any combination thereof, and

wherein a sum of concentrations of the residual ions is more than 0.

6 . The manufacturing method of claim 5 ,

wherein the forming of the phase shift film comprises disposing a target comprising molybdenum and silicon and operating sputtering under the atmosphere of a reactive gas, and

wherein the reactive gas comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon.

7 . The manufacturing method of claim 5 ,

wherein the thermally treating of the phase shift film proceeds for a time of 10 minutes to 120 minutes at a temperature of 300° C. to 500° C.

8 . The manufacturing method of claim 5 ,

wherein the UV rays of the first cleaning process are of any one wavelength of 100 nm to 250 nm irradiated in a strength of 10 mW/cm 2 to 100 mW/cm 2 .

9 . The manufacturing method of claim 5 ,

wherein the cleaning of the thermally treated phase shift film further comprises

a third cleaning process of adding hydrogen water to the phase shift film after the second cleaning process.

10 . The manufacturing method of claim 9 ,

wherein the cleaning of the thermally treated phase shift film further comprises

a fourth cleaning process of adding carbonated water to the phase shift film after the third cleaning process and drying the phase shift film.

11 . The manufacturing method of claim 5 ,

wherein the phase shift film after the cleaning of the thermally treated phase shift film has a decrease rate of 50% to 98% for the nitric oxide ions according to Equation 1, compared to the phase shift film after the forming of the phase shift film:

decrease rate (%)={(amount of nitric oxide ions after the forming of the phase shift film−amount of nitric oxide ions after the cleaning of the thermally treated phase shift film)/(amount of nitric oxide ions after the forming of the phase shift film)}×100%.  [Equation 1]

12 . A laminate for manufacturing a blank mask comprising,

a light-transmitting layer; and

a phase shift film disposed on the light-transmitting layer,

wherein residual ions measured from a surface of the phase shift film through ion chromatography comprise

either one or both of sulfate ions in a concentration of 0 ng/cm 2 to 0.05 ng/cm 2 and

nitric oxide ions in a concentration of 0 ng/cm 2 to 2 ng/cm 2 , and

comprise ammonium ions in a concentration of 50 ng/cm 2 to 110 ng/cm 2 , and

wherein a sum of concentrations of the sulfate ions and the nitric oxide ions is more than 0.

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 Nov 28, 2022
From: KIM, TAEWAN; LEE, GEONGON; CHOI, SUKYOUNG; LEE, HYUNGJOO; KIM, SUHYEON; SON, SUNGHOON; KIM, SEONGYOON; JEONG, MINGYO; CHO, HAHYEON; SHIN, INKYUN
To: SKC SOLMICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 062003/0933 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2021-0166820 · Nov 29, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230168574A1 · Jun 1, 2023
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