IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,709,884
Granted Patent B2
US 9,709,884 · App. 14/736,669 · Granted Jul 18, 2017

EUV mask and manufacturing method by using the same

Inventors: Chih-Tsung Shih (Hsinchu, TW); Shinn-Sheng Yu (Hsinchu, TW); Jeng-Horng Chen (Hsin-Chu, TW); Anthony Yen (Hsunchu, TW)
Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
G03F1/24G03F1/54
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,709,884
App. No.
14/736,669
Granted
Jul 18, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides a photolithography mask. The photolithography mask includes a substrate that contains a low thermal expansion material (LTEM). A reflective structure is disposed over the substrate. A capping layer is disposed over the reflective structure. An absorber layer is disposed over the capping layer. The absorber layer contains a material that has a refractive index in a range from about 0.95 to about 1.01 and an extinction coefficient greater than about 0.03.

Claims (42)

1. A photolithography mask, comprising:

a substrate that contains a low thermal expansion material (LTEM);

a reflective structure disposed over the substrate;

a capping layer disposed over the reflective structure; and

an absorber layer disposed over the capping layer, wherein the absorber layer contains a material that has a refractive index in a range from about 0.95 to about 1.01 and an extinction coefficient greater than about 0.03.

2. The photolithography mask of claim 1 , wherein the refractive index of the material of the absorber layer is in a range from 0.975 to 1.

3. The photolithography mask of claim 2 , wherein the refractive index of the material of the absorber layer is in a range from 0.985 to 0.995.

4. The photolithography mask of claim 1 , wherein the extinction coefficient of the absorber layer is in a range from 0.4 to 0.54.

5. The photolithography mask of claim 1 , wherein the material of the absorber layer includes one of: Radium, Al, Te, Cu, or Ge.

6. The photolithography mask of claim 1 , further comprising a buffer layer disposed between the capping layer and the absorber layer, wherein the buffer layer and the absorber layer have different etching characteristics.

7. The photolithography mask of claim 1 , wherein the reflective structure is configured to provide high reflectivity to a predefined radiation wavelength.

8. The photolithography mask of claim 1 , wherein:

the LTEM includes TiO 2 doped SiO 2 ;

the reflective structure includes a plurality of Mo/Si film pairs or a plurality of Mo/Be film pairs; and

the capping layer contains silicon.

9. A wafer manufacturing process, comprising:

forming a material layer over a substrate;

forming a photoresist layer over the material layer; and

patterning the photoresist layer using an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask in a photolithography process, wherein the EUV mask includes:

a substrate that contains a low thermal expansion material (LTEM);

a reflective structure disposed over the substrate;

a capping layer disposed over the reflective structure; and

an absorber layer disposed over the capping layer, wherein the absorber layer contains a material that has a refractive index in a range from about 0.95 to about 1.01 and an extinction coefficient greater than about 0.03.

10. The wafer manufacturing process of claim 9 , further comprising directing EUV radiation onto the EUV mask via an illuminator, wherein the illuminator contains a dipole illumination component.

11. The wafer manufacturing process of claim 9 , wherein the patterning of the photoresist layer comprises exposing the photoresist layer to EUV radiation and thereafter developing the exposed photoresist layer to form patterned photoresist features.

12. The wafer manufacturing process of claim 9 , wherein:

the LTEM substrate contains TiO 2 doped SiO 2 ;

the reflective structure includes a plurality of Mo/Si film pairs or a plurality of Mo/Be film pairs; and

the capping layer contains silicon.

13. The wafer manufacturing process of claim 9 , further comprising forming a buffer layer disposed between the capping layer and the absorber layer, wherein the buffer layer and the absorber layer have different etching characteristics.

14. The wafer manufacturing process of claim 9 , wherein the refractive index of the material of the absorber layer is in a range from 0.975 to 1.

15. The wafer manufacturing process of claim 14 , wherein the refractive index of the material of the absorber layer is in a range from 0.985 to 0.995.

16. The wafer manufacturing process of claim 9 , wherein the extinction coefficient of the absorber layer is in a range from 0.4 to 0.54.

17. The wafer manufacturing process of claim 9 , wherein the material of the absorber layer includes one of: Radium, Al, Te, Cu, or Ge.

18. A method of fabricating a photolithography mask, comprising:

forming a reflective structure over a low thermal expansion material (LTEM) substrate;

forming a capping layer over the reflective structure; and

forming an absorber layer over the capping layer, wherein the absorber layer contains a material that has a refractive index in a range from about 0.95 to about 1.01 and an extinction coefficient greater than about 0.03.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the forming of the absorber layer is performed such that:

the refractive index of the material of the absorber layer is in a range from 0.985 to 0.995; and

the extinction coefficient of the absorber layer is in a range from 0.4 to 0.54.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the forming of the absorber layer is performed such that the material of the absorber layer includes one of: Radium, Al, Te, Cu, or Ge.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 11, 2015
From: SHIH, CHIH-TSUNG; YU, SHINN-SHENG; CHEN, JENG-HORNG; YEN, ANTHONY
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 035823/0087 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62086608 · Nov 26, 2014
Related Publication 20160147138A1 · May 26, 2016