U.S. patent application number 16/220351 was filed with the patent office on 2020-02-20 for extreme ultraviolet mask blank production system with thin absorber and manufacturing system therefor.
This patent application is currently assigned to Applied Materials, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Applied Materials, Inc.. Invention is credited to Cara Beasley, Majeed A. Foad, Vinayak Vishwanath Hassan, Ralf Hofmann.
Application Number | 20200058213 16/220351 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 55064821 |
Filed Date | 2020-02-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20200058213 |
Kind Code |
A9 |
Hassan; Vinayak Vishwanath ;
et al. |
February 20, 2020 |
Extreme Ultraviolet Mask Blank Production System With Thin Absorber
And Manufacturing System Therefor
Abstract
An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank production system
includes: a substrate handling vacuum chamber for creating a
vacuum; a substrate handling platform, in the vacuum, for
transporting an ultra-low expansion substrate loaded in the
substrate handling vacuum chamber; and multiple sub-chambers,
accessed by the substrate handling platform, for forming an EUV
mask blank includes: a multi-layer stack, formed above the
ultra-low expansion substrate, for reflecting an extreme
ultraviolet (EUV) light, and an absorber layer, formed above the
multi-layer stack, for absorbing the EUV light at a wavelength of
13.5 nm includes the absorber layer has a thickness of less than 80
nm and less than 2% reflectivity.
Inventors: |
Hassan; Vinayak Vishwanath;
(Santa Clara, CA) ; Foad; Majeed A.; (Sunnyvale,
CA) ; Beasley; Cara; (Scotts Valley, CA) ;
Hofmann; Ralf; (Soquel, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Applied Materials, Inc. |
Santa Clara |
CA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Applied Materials, Inc.
Santa Clara
CA
|
Prior
Publication: |
|
Document Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20190130731 A1 |
May 2, 2019 |
|
|
Family ID: |
55064821 |
Appl. No.: |
16/220351 |
Filed: |
December 14, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
15438248 |
Feb 21, 2017 |
10197907 |
|
|
16220351 |
|
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|
14620114 |
Feb 11, 2015 |
9612522 |
|
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15438248 |
|
|
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62023496 |
Jul 11, 2014 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C23C 28/34 20130101;
G06F 16/437 20190101; G06F 16/447 20190101; G06F 17/15 20130101;
C23C 28/00 20130101; G03F 1/54 20130101; G08B 31/00 20130101; C23C
14/042 20130101; G06F 16/248 20190101; G06Q 50/00 20130101; C23C
28/322 20130101; C23C 28/42 20130101; G08B 25/004 20130101; G08B
13/19645 20130101; G06F 16/25 20190101; C23C 16/042 20130101; G06Q
10/101 20130101; G03F 1/22 20130101; G03F 1/24 20130101; C23C 28/44
20130101; G03F 7/70033 20130101; G06Q 50/265 20130101; G06F 16/2457
20190101 |
International
Class: |
G08B 25/00 20060101
G08B025/00; G06F 17/15 20060101 G06F017/15; G08B 13/196 20060101
G08B013/196; G06F 16/44 20060101 G06F016/44; G06F 16/435 20060101
G06F016/435; G06Q 50/00 20060101 G06Q050/00; G06F 16/2457 20060101
G06F016/2457; G06F 16/25 20060101 G06F016/25; G08B 31/00 20060101
G08B031/00; G06F 16/248 20060101 G06F016/248 |
Claims
1. An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank comprising: an ultra-low
expansion substrate; a multi-layer stack over the ultra-low
expansion substrate; and an absorber layer, over the multi-layer
stack, with a thickness of less than 80 nm and less than 2%
reflectivity of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light at a wavelength
of 13.5 nm, wherein the absorber layer includes a single layer of
Nickel (Ni), Platinum (Pt), Silver (Ag), Zinc (Zn), Tin (Sn), Gold
(Au), Lead (Pb), Indium (In), Hafnium (Hf), Cadmium (Cd), Bismuth
(Bi), Antimony (Sb), or Tellurium (Te); and an anti-reflective
coating on the absorber layer, the anti-reflective coating selected
from tantalum oxynitride and tantalum boron oxide.
2. The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank of claim 1, further
comprising a capping layer formed on the multi-layer stack, the
capping layer comprising at least one material selected from the
group consisting of titanium nitride, boron carbide, and silicon
carbide.
3. The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank of claim 1, further
comprising an additional multi-layer stack formed between the
ultra-low expansion substrate and the absorber layer.
4. The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank of claim 1, further
comprising an additional multi-layer stack formed directly on a
planarization layer and the multi-layer stack formed on the
additional multi-layer stack.
5. The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank of claim 1, wherein the
absorber layer includes a single layer of Tin (Sn).
6. The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank of claim 1, wherein the
absorber layer includes a single layer of Lead (Pb).
7. The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank of claim 1, wherein the
absorber layer includes a single layer of Bismuth (Bi), Antimony
(Sb), or Tellurium (Te).
8. The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank of claim 1, wherein the
absorber layer is in a range of 10 nm to 83 nm thick.
9. An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank system comprising: an
ultra-low expansion substrate; a multi-layer stack over the
ultra-low expansion substrate; and an absorber layer, over the
multi-layer stack, with a thickness of less than 80 nm and less
than 2% reflectivity of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light at a
wavelength of 13.5 nm, wherein the absorber layer includes a single
layer of Nickel (Ni), Platinum (Pt), Silver (Ag), Zinc (Zn), Tin
(Sn), Gold (Au), Lead (Pb), Indium (In), Hafnium (Hf), Cadmium
(Cd), Bismuth (Bi), Antimony (Sb), or Tellurium (Te); and a capping
layer formed on the multi-layer stack, the capping layer comprising
at least one material selected from the group consisting of
titanium nitride, boron carbide, and silicon carbide.
10. The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank of claim 9, further
comprising an additional multi-layer stack formed between the
ultra-low expansion substrate and the absorber layer.
11. The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank of claim 9, further
comprising an additional multi-layer stack formed directly on a
planarization layer and the multi-layer stack formed on the
additional multi-layer stack.
12. The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank of claim 9, wherein
the absorber layer includes a single layer of Tin (Sn).
13. The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank of claim 9, wherein
the absorber layer includes a single layer of Lead (Pb).
14. The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank of claim 9, wherein
the absorber layer includes a single layer of Bismuth (Bi),
Antimony (Sb), or Tellurium (Te).
15. The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank of claim 9, wherein
the absorber layer is in a range of 10 nm to 83 nm thick.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional
application Ser. No. 15/438,248, filed Feb. 21, 2017, which is a
continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No.
14/620,114, filed Feb. 11, 2015, which claims the benefit of U.S.
Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/023,496 filed Jul. 11,
2014, to each of which priority is claimed and each of which are
incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
[0002] The present application contains subject matter related to
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/620,123 filed Feb. 11, 2015.
The related application is assigned to Applied Materials, Inc. and
the subject matter thereof is incorporated herein by reference
thereto.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0003] The present invention relates generally to extreme
ultraviolet lithography blanks, and manufacturing and lithography
systems for such extreme ultraviolet lithography blanks.
BACKGROUND
[0004] Extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV, also known as soft
x-ray projection lithography) is a contender to replace deep
ultraviolet lithography for the manufacture of 0.0135 micron, and
smaller, minimum feature size semiconductor devices.
[0005] However, extreme ultraviolet light, which is generally in
the 5 to 100 nanometer wavelength range, is strongly absorbed in
virtually all materials. For that reason, extreme ultraviolet
systems work by reflection rather than by transmission of light.
Through the use of a series of mirrors, or lens elements, and a
reflective element, or mask blank, coated with a non-reflective
absorber mask pattern, the patterned actinic light is reflected
onto a resist-coated semiconductor substrate.
[0006] The lens elements and mask blanks of extreme ultraviolet
lithography systems are coated with reflective multilayer coatings
of materials such as molybdenum and silicon. Reflection values of
approximately 65% per lens element, or mask blank, have been
obtained by using substrates that are coated with multilayer
coatings that strongly reflect light within an extremely narrow
ultraviolet bandpass; e.g., 12.5 to 14.5 nanometer bandpass for
13.5 nanometer ultraviolet light.
[0007] In view of the need for the increasingly smaller feature
size of electronic components, it is increasingly critical that
answers be found to these problems. In view of the ever-increasing
commercial competitive pressures, along with growing consumer
expectations, it is critical that answers be found for these
problems. Additionally, the need to reduce costs, improve
efficiencies and performance, and meet competitive pressures adds
an even greater urgency to the critical necessity for finding
answers to these problems.
[0008] Solutions to these problems have been long sought but prior
developments have not taught or suggested any solutions and, thus,
solutions to these problems have long eluded those skilled in the
art.
SUMMARY
[0009] An embodiment of the present invention is an extreme
ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank production system provides: a
substrate handling vacuum chamber for creating a vacuum; a
substrate handling platform, in the vacuum, for transporting an
ultra-low expansion substrate loaded in the substrate handling
vacuum chamber; and multiple sub-chambers, accessed by the
substrate handling platform, for forming an EUV mask blank
including: a multi-layer stack, formed above the ultra-low
expansion substrate, for reflecting an extreme ultraviolet (EUV)
light, and an absorber layer, formed above the multi-layer stack,
for absorbing the EUV light at a wavelength of 13.5 nm includes the
absorber layer has a thickness of less than 80 nm and less than 2%
reflectivity.
[0010] An embodiment of the present invention is an extreme
ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank system provides: an ultra-low
expansion substrate; a multi-layer stack over the ultra-low
expansion substrate; and an absorber layer, over the multi-layer
stack, with a thickness of less than 80 nm and less than 2%
reflectivity of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light at a wavelength
of 13.5 nm.
[0011] Certain embodiments of the invention have other steps or
elements in addition to or in place of those mentioned above. The
steps or element will become apparent to those skilled in the art
from a reading of the following detailed description when taken
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0012] The light source for the next generation lithography is
moving on from 193 nm wavelength to an extreme ultraviolet source
of 13.5 nm. As a result, the mask blank will move from transmission
to the reflection geometry. The structure of the mask blank can be
a Molybdenum (Mo)/Silicon (Si) multi-layer structure with a period
spacing designed for maximum reflection at 13.5 nm wavelength. An
EUV mask blank is a complex structure, which controls the behavior
of light in each layer. Some regions of the mask will reflect light
and others will absorb. The region where light reflects is due to
the constructive interference from each interface in the periodic
structure of the multilayer, with minimum absorption. And the
region where light is absorbed is due to a combination of thin film
absorption and destructive interference from the absorber and the
multi-layer structure underneath. Embodiments disclose single
layered films which acts as an absorber for a radiation centered at
13.5 nm with a bandwidth of 0.5 nm.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask production
system.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an EUV mask blank in
accordance with an embodiment.
[0015] FIG. 3 is an orthogonal view of an EUV mask.
[0016] FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a method for making the EUV mask
blank with ultra-low defects.
[0017] FIG. 5 is a flow chart of an alternative method for making
the EUV mask blank with ultra-low defects.
[0018] FIG. 6 is a functional diagram of an optical train for an
EUV lithography system.
[0019] FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of an EUV mask blank including
an absorber layer in an embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] The following embodiments are described in sufficient detail
to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the invention.
It is to be understood that other embodiments would be evident
based on the present disclosure, and that system, process, or
mechanical changes may be made without departing from the scope of
the present invention.
[0021] In the following description, numerous specific details are
given to provide a thorough understanding of the invention.
However, it will be apparent that the invention may be practiced
without these specific details. In order to avoid obscuring the
present invention, some well-known circuits, system configurations,
and process steps are not disclosed in detail.
[0022] The drawings showing embodiments of the system are
semi-diagrammatic and not to scale and, particularly, some of the
dimensions are for the clarity of presentation and are shown
exaggerated in the drawing FIGs. Similarly, although the views in
the drawings for ease of description generally show similar
orientations, this depiction in the FIGs. is arbitrary for the most
part. Generally, the invention can be operated in any
orientation.
[0023] Where multiple embodiments are disclosed and described
having some features in common, for clarity and ease of
illustration, description, and comprehension thereof, similar and
like features will be described with similar reference
numerals.
[0024] For expository purposes, the term "horizontal" as used
herein is defined as a plane parallel to the plane or surface of a
mask blank, regardless of its orientation. The term "vertical"
refers to a direction perpendicular to the horizontal as just
defined. Terms, such as "above", "below", "bottom", "top", "side"
(as in "sidewall"), "higher", "lower", "upper", "over", and
"under", are defined with respect to the horizontal plane, as shown
in the figures. The term "on" indicates that there is direct
contact between elements.
[0025] The term "processing" as used herein includes deposition of
material or photoresist, patterning, exposure, development,
etching, cleaning, and/or removal of the material or photoresist as
required in forming a described structure.
[0026] Referring now to FIG. 1, therein is shown an integrated
extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank production system 100. The
integrated EUV mask blank production system 100 includes a mask
blank loading and carrier handling system 102 having load ports 104
into which transport boxes containing substrates 105, such as
substrates of glass, silicon, or other ultra-low thermal expansion
material, are loaded. An airlock 106 provides access to a substrate
handling vacuum chamber 108. In an embodiment, the substrate
handling vacuum chamber 108 can contain two vacuum chambers, a
first vacuum chamber 110 and a second vacuum chamber 112. The first
vacuum chamber 110 can contain a first substrate handling platform
114 and the second vacuum chamber 112 can contain a second
substrate handling platform 116.
[0027] The substrate handling vacuum chamber 108 can have a
plurality of ports around its periphery for attachment of various
subsystems. The first vacuum chamber 110 can, for example, have a
degas subsystem 118, a first physical vapor deposition sub-chamber
120 such as an absorber layer deposition chamber, a second physical
vapor deposition sub-chamber 122 such as a backside chucking layer
deposition chamber, and a preclean subsystem 124.
[0028] The second vacuum chamber 112 can have a first multi-cathode
sub-chamber 126 such as a multilayer deposition chamber, a flowable
chemical vapor deposition (FCVD) sub-chamber 128 such as a
planarization layer deposition chamber, a cure sub-chamber 130, and
a second multi-cathode sub-chamber 132 connected to it.
[0029] The first substrate handling platform 114 is capable of
moving an ultra-low expansion substrate, such as a first in-process
substrate 134, among the airlock 106 and the various subsystems
around the periphery of the first vacuum chamber 110 and through
slit valves, not shown, in a continuous vacuum. The second
substrate handling platform 116 can move an ultra-low expansion
substrate, such as a second in-process substrate 136, around the
second vacuum chamber 112 while maintaining the second in-process
substrate 136 in a continuous vacuum.
[0030] It has been discovered that the integrated EUV mask blank
production system 100 can provide an environment for manufacturing
EUV mask blanks, while minimizing the manual transport of the first
in-process substrate 134 and the second in-process substrate
136.
[0031] Referring now to FIG. 2, therein is shown a cross-sectional
view of an EUV mask blank 200 in accordance with an embodiment. The
EUV mask blank 200 can have an ultra-low thermal expansion
substrate 202 of glass, silicon, or other ultra-low thermal
expansion material. The ultra-low thermal expansion materials
include fused silica, fused quartz, calcium fluoride, silicon
carbide, silicon oxide-titanium oxide, or other material having a
thermal coefficient of expansion within the range of these
materials.
[0032] It has been discovered that a planarization layer 204 can be
used for filling surface imperfections 203, such as pits and/or
defects in the ultra-low expansion substrate 202, covering
particles on top of the ultra-low expansion substrate 202, or
smoothing an already planarized surface of the ultra-low expansion
substrate 202 to form a planar surface 205.
[0033] A multi-layer stack 206 can be formed on the planarization
layer 204 to form a Bragg reflector. Due to the absorptive nature
of the illuminating wavelengths used in EUV, reflective optics are
used. The multi-layer stack 206 may be made of alternating layers
of high-Z and low-Z materials, such as molybdenum and silicon in
order to form a reflector.
[0034] A capping layer 208 is formed on the multi-layer stack 206
opposite the ultra-low expansion substrate 202 for forming a capped
Bragg reflector. The capping layer 208 can be a material such as
Ruthenium (Ru) or a non-oxidized compound thereof to help protect
the multi-layer stack 206 from oxidation and any chemical etchants
to which the EUV mask blank 200 may be exposed during subsequent
mask processing. Other material such as titanium nitride, boron
carbide, silicon nitride, ruthenium oxide, and silicon carbide may
also be used in the capping layer 208.
[0035] An absorber layer 210 can be formed on the capping layer
208. The absorber layer 210 can be of a material having a high
absorption coefficient for a particular frequency of EUV light
(about 13.5 nm) and may be a material such chromium, tantalum or
nitrides thereof. As an example, a thickness 211 of the absorber
layer 210, formed of chromium, tantalum or nitrides thereof, can be
greater than 80 nm. The absorber layer 210, formed of chromium,
tantalum or nitrides thereof, can have a reflectivity of greater
than 2%.
[0036] The absorber layer 210 must be kept as thin as possible in
order to reduce the surface parallax that causes shadowing in a
mask formed on the EUV mask blank. One of the limitation with the
absorber layer 210, formed of chromium, tantalum or nitrides
thereof having the thickness 211 greater than 80 nm, is that the
angle of incidence of the EUV light can cause shadowing which
limits that pattern size that can achieved in an integrated circuit
produced by a mask using the EUV mask blank, which limits the size
of integrated circuit devices that can be fabricated.
[0037] The absorber layer 210 can be formed of a single layer of
less than 80 nm by using one of the following metals Nickel (Ni),
Platinum (Pt), Silver (Ag), Zinc (Zn), Tin (Sn), Gold (Au), Hafnium
(Hf), Lead (Pb), Indium (In), Cadmium (Cd), or semimetals Bismuth
(Bi), Antimony (Sb), and Tellurium (Te), The material of the
absorber layer 210 are chosen for their absorption characteristics
at 13.5 nm and for their ability to be etched. The absorber layer
210 can be deposited by PVD, CVD, ALD, RF, and DC magnetron
sputtering techniques. The absorber layer 210 can operate by a
combination of thin film absorption and destructive interference of
the EUV light.
[0038] The percent of reflectivity, provided by the EUV mask blank
200, can be controlled by managing the thickness 211 of the
absorber layer 210. By way of an example, percent of reflectivity
of the EUV light at the wavelength of 13.5 nm can be controlled to
5%, 3%, 1%, or 0.5% based on the thickness 211 of the absorber
layer 210.
[0039] An anti-reflective coating (ARC) 212 can be deposited on the
absorber layer 210. The ARC 212 can be of a material such as
tantalum oxynitride or tantalum boron oxide.
[0040] A backside chucking layer 214 can be formed on the back-side
surface of the ultra-low expansion substrate 202, opposite the
planarization layer 204, for mounting the substrate on or with an
electrostatic chuck (not shown).
[0041] Referring now to FIG. 3, therein is shown an orthogonal view
of an EUV mask 300. The EUV mask 300 can be a rectangular shape and
can have a pattern 302 on the top surface thereof. The pattern 302
can be etched into the ARC 212 and the absorber layer 210 to expose
the capping layer 208, for representing the geometry associated
with a step in the manufacturing of an integrated circuit, not
shown. The backside chucking layer 214 can be applied on the
backside of the EUV mask 300 opposite the pattern 302.
[0042] Referring now to FIG. 4, therein is shown a flow chart of a
method 400 for making the EUV mask blank 200 with ultra-low
defects. The ultra-low defects are substantially zero defects. The
method 400 includes the ultra-low expansion substrate 202 of FIG. 2
being supplied at an input substrate step 402. The ultra-low
expansion substrate 202 can be backside cleaned in a substrate
cleaning step 404, degassed and pre-cleaned in a backside prep step
406.
[0043] The backside chucking layer 214 of FIG. 2 is applied to the
back-side of the ultra-low expansion substrate 202 in a deposit
backside chucking layer step 408 and a front-side clean can be
performed in a front-side cleaning step 410. The substrates 105,
after the front-side cleaning step 410, can be input to the first
vacuum chamber 110 for further processing. The steps of forming a
capped Bragg reflector 412 are better performed in the integrated
EUV mask blank production system 100 of FIG. 1 while under
continuous vacuum to avoid contamination from ambient
conditions.
[0044] A degas and preclean step 414 and planarization step 416 can
be performed in the first vacuum chamber 110. The planarization
layer 204 of FIG. 2 can be cured in a planarization layer cure step
418 and the deposition of the multi-layer stack 206 of FIG. 2 can
be performed in a depositing the multi-layer stack step 420. Both
the planarization layer cure step 418 and the multi-layer stack
step 420 can be performed in the second vacuum chamber 112. The
capping layer 208 of FIG. 2 can be deposited in a depositing a
capping layer step 422 within the second vacuum chamber 112 for
forming the second in-process substrate 136, such as the capped
Bragg reflector.
[0045] After exiting the integrated EUV mask blank production
system 100, the second in-process substrate 136 is subjected to a
deep ultraviolet (DUV)/Actinic inspection, which can be performed
in an inspection step 424, the second in-process substrate 136 can
be optionally cleaned in a second front-side cleaning step 426, and
the absorber layer 210 of FIG. 2 and anti-reflective coating 212 of
FIG. 2 can be deposited in an EUV mask blank completion step 428
for forming the EUV mask blank 200 of FIG. 2.
[0046] It has been discovered that the integrated EUV mask blank
production system 100 can produce the EUV mask blank 200
consistently with substantially zero defects. The Application of
the planarization layer 204 in the first vacuum chamber 110 and the
curing of the planarization layer 204 in the second vacuum chamber
112 can improve the efficiency of the integrated EUV mask blank
production system 100 because the chambers do not require thermal
ramp time between the deposition of the planarization layer 204 and
its curing.
[0047] Referring now to FIG. 5, therein is shown a flow chart of an
alternative method 500 for making the EUV mask blank 200 with
ultra-low defects. The ultra-low defects are substantially zero
defects. The alternative method 500 begins with the ultra-low
expansion substrate 202 of FIG. 2 being supplied in an input
substrate step 502. The ultra-low expansion substrate 202 can be
cleaned in a back-side cleaning step 504 and front-side can be
cleaned in a front-side cleaning step 506.
[0048] The steps of forming a capped Bragg reflector 508 are better
performed in the integrated EUV mask blank production system 100 of
FIG. 1 while under continuous vacuum to avoid contamination from
ambient conditions.
[0049] The substrates 105 can be degassed and pre-cleaned in a
vacuum cleaning step 510 performed in the degas subsystem 118. The
backside chucking layer 214 can be deposited in a deposit backside
chucking layer step 512 and planarization occurs in a planarization
step 514. The planarization layer 204 of FIG. 2 can be cured in a
planarization curing step 516, which can be performed in the cure
subsystem 130. The deposition of the multi-layer stack 206 of FIG.
2 can be performed in a depositing the multi-layer stack step 518
and the capping layer 208 of FIG. 2 can be deposited in a
depositing a cap deposition step 520 for forming the second
in-process substrate 136.
[0050] While the DUV/Actinic inspection may be performed inside the
integrated EUV mask blank production system 100, it may occur also
outside in an inspection step 522. The second in-process substrate
136 can be optionally cleaned in a second cleaning step 524, and
the absorber layer 210 of FIG. 2 and anti-reflective coating 212 of
FIG. 2 can be deposited in an EUV mask blank completion step
526.
[0051] Referring now to FIG. 6, therein is shown a functional
diagram of an optical train 600 for an EUV lithography system. The
optical train 600 has an extreme ultraviolet light source 602, such
as a plasma source, for creating the EUV light and collecting it in
a collector 604. The collector 604 can have a parabolic shape for
focusing the EUV light on a field facet mirror 608. The collector
604 provides the light to the field facet mirror 608 which is part
of an illuminator system 606.
[0052] The surface of the field facet mirror 608 can have a concave
contour in order to further focus the EUV light on a pupil facet
mirror 610. The illuminator system 606 also includes a series of
the pupil facet mirror 610 for transferring and focusing the EUV
light on a reticle 612 (which is the fully processed version of the
substrates 105 of FIG. 1).
[0053] The reticle 612 can have a pattern that represents a
processing layer of an integrated circuit. The reticle 612 reflects
the EUV, light including the pattern, through projection optics 614
and onto a semiconductor substrate 616. The projection optics 614
can reduce the area of the pattern provided by the reticle 612 and
repeatedly expose the pattern across the surface of the
semiconductor substrate 616.
[0054] Referring now to FIG. 7, therein is shown a schematic view
of the EUV mask blank 200 including the absorber layer 210 in an
embodiment. Several candidates for the absorber layer are
documented in this invention. The absorber layer 210 can be
patterned to control absorption and dispersion of 13.5 nm light in
single layers of metals and semimetals. The absorber layer 210 can
be deposited on a capped Mo/Si multi-layer stack 702 opposite the
ultra-low expansion substrate 202. An embodiment provides that the
capping layer 208 can be a thin Ruthenium layer of 2.5 to 3 nm in
thickness.
[0055] The behavior of the absorber layer 210 can be predicted on
the capped Mo/Si multi-layer stack 702. The multi-layer stack 206
can be replicated 60 or more times, with a 1.7 nm layer of a
molybdenum silicide layer 704 at the base of each interface. As an
example, an embodiment of each of the multi-layer stack 206
includes a 2 nm layer of a Molybdenum (Mo) layer 706 formed on the
molybdenum silicide layer 704. A 1 nm layer of a Molybdenum
Silicide (MoSi) layer 708 formed on the Molybdenum (Mo) layer 706.
A Silicon (Si) layer 710 of a 2.26 nm thick layer can be formed at
the top of each of the multi-layer stack 206.
[0056] An additional multi-layer stack 712 can be formed directly
on the planarization layer 204. It is understood that the
additional multi-layer stack 712 can include up to 60 of the
multi-layer stack 206 formed in a vertical stack above the
ultra-low expansion substrate 202.
[0057] As an example, the thickness 211 of the absorber layer 210
can be in the range of between 10 nm and 83 nm, in order to provide
between 95% and 99.5% absorption of the EUV light at 13.5 nm. The
percent of reflectivity, provided by the EUV mask blank 200, can be
controlled by managing the thickness 211 of the absorber layer 210.
By way of an example, percent of reflectivity of the EUV light at
the wavelength of 13.5 nm can be controlled to 5%, 3%, 1%, or 0.5%
based on the thickness 211 of the absorber layer 210, as shown in
Table 1.
[0058] All the reflectivity results can be verified with the
Fresnel equations at each interface using the Parratt's exact
recursive method. The following metals Nickel (Ni), Platinum (Pt),
Silver (Ag), Zinc (Zn), Tin (Sn), Gold (Au), Hafnium (Hf), Lead
(Pb), Indium (In), Cadmium (Cd) along with semimetals Bismuth (Bi),
Antimony (Sb), and Tellurium (Te) are chosen, for use in the
absorber layer 210, for their absorption characteristics at 13.5 nm
and for their etchability. The absorber layer 210 can have a
thickness 211 in the range of 31 nm to 83 nm to establish a maximum
percent of absorption, greater than or equal to 99%, of the EUV
light at the wavelength of 13.5 nm. The absorber layer 210 can be
deposited by PVD, CVD, ALD, RF and DC magnetron sputtering
techniques. These metals can form a very thin layer of native
oxide, which has very little affect on the absorption and phase
shift behavior at a wavelength of 13.5 nm. Table 1 gives the
required thickness 211 for each metal to achieve an overall
reflectivity of 5, 3, 1, and 0.5%.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Thickness (nm) required to achieve
reflectivity of Absorber 5% 3% 1% 0.5% Ni 17.95 18.9 32.7 40.5 Pt
20.2 27.5 43.6 -- Ag 13 19.9 35.5 -- Zn 24.2 30.7 39.1 52.5 Sn 18.1
19.1 33 40.9 Au 20.7 28 50.6 -- Hf 39.1 46.5 67.7 82.2 Pb 26 33 48
62.7 In 18.5 19.4 33.6 48.2 Cd 19.9 26.8 41.5 56.4 Bi 24.8 26.2
40.4 54.6 Sb 18.3 24.8 33 40.7 Te 17.4 18.4 31.5 38.8
[0059] The atomic scattering factors of these chosen elements have
higher real and imaginary parts than most elements in the periodic
table. The higher imaginary part accounts for the absorption and
the real part corresponds to the ability to modulate the phase of
the incident EUV light. The phase modulation also depends on the
thickness 211 of the absorber layer 210, since it's related to the
path difference induced phase shift.
[0060] The resulting method, process, apparatus, device, product,
and/or system is straightforward, cost-effective, uncomplicated,
highly versatile, accurate, sensitive, and effective, and can be
implemented by adapting known components for ready, efficient, and
economical manufacturing, application, and utilization.
[0061] Another important aspect of the present invention is that it
valuably supports and services the historical trend of reducing
costs, simplifying systems, and increasing performance.
[0062] These and other valuable aspects of the present invention
consequently further the state of the technology to at least the
next level.
[0063] While the invention has been described in conjunction with a
specific best mode, it is to be understood that many alternatives,
modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in
the art in light of the aforegoing description. Accordingly, it is
intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and
variations that fall within the scope of the included claims. All
matters hithertofore set forth herein or shown in the accompanying
drawings are to be interpreted in an illustrative and non-limiting
sense.
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