Cluster tool and method for process integration in manufacturing of a photomask
A method and apparatus for process integration in manufacture of a photomask are disclosed. In one embodiment, a cluster tool suitable for process integration in manufacture of a photomask including a vacuum transfer chamber having coupled thereto at least one hard mask deposition chamber and at least one plasma chamber configured for etching chromium. In another embodiment, a method for process integration in manufacture of a photomask includes depositing a hard mask on a substrate in a first processing chamber, depositing a resist layer on the substrate, patterning the resist layer, etching the hard mask through apertures formed in the patterned resist layer in a second chamber; and etching a chromium layer through apertures formed in the hard mask in a third chamber.
1. A method of fabricating a photomask, comprising:
transferring a substrate in a processing system having a first processing chamber and a second processing chamber coupled to a transfer chamber having a vacuum environment to the first processing chamber, the substrate comprising a film stack having a quartz layer, chromium layer disposed on the quartz layer, a hardmask layer disposed on the chromium layer, and a patterned photoresist layer formed on the hardmask layer;
etching the hard mask layer using the patterned photoresist layer as an etch mask in the first processing chamber;
etching the chromium layer using the patterned hard mask layer as an etch mask in the second processing chamber;
removing the hard mask layer in-situ the second processing chamber;
forming a second patterned photoresist layer on the chromium layer;
etching apertures through the chromium layer to expose the quartz layer using the second patterned photoresist layer as an etch mask; and
etching the quartz layer through the apertures formed through the chromium layer to form a quartz phase shift photomask.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
measuring critical dimensions of a first feature formed on the photoresist layer using a metrology module residing within the system; and
measuring a critical dimension of a second feature formed on at least one of the hard mask layer or the chromium layer.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the removing the hard mask layer in-situ the second processing chamber further comprises:
consuming the hard mask layer using a plasma containing oxygen after etching the chromium layer.