Process for improved reflectivity uniformity in extreme-ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) masks

Carey Thiel; Kenneth C. Racette; Emily Fisch; Mark Lawliss; Louis Kindt; Chester Huang; Robin Ackel; Max Levy

doi:10.1117/12.484988

16 June 2003 Process for improved reflectivity uniformity in extreme-ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) masks

Carey Thiel, Kenneth C. Racette, Emily Fisch, Mark Lawliss, Louis Kindt, Chester Huang, Robin Ackel, Max Levy

Proceedings Volume 5037, Emerging Lithographic Technologies VII; (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.484988
Event: Microlithography 2003, 2003, Santa Clara, California, United States

Abstract

Fabrication of EUVL masks requires formation of both a repair buffer layer and an EUV absorber layer on top of a molybdenum/silicon (Mo/Si) multilayer coated mask blank. Alteration of the Mo/Si multilayer during etch, repair or cleaning of the EUVL mask can be detrimental to the reflectivity and thus the functionality of the final mask. IBM’s Next Generation Lithography (NGL) group has reported on EUVL mask fabrication based on an absorber of low stress chromium (Cr) and a buffer layer of silicon dioxide (SiO₂). Due to poor etch selectivity between SiO₂ and the underlying silicon capping layer, the finished masks had non-uniform and reduced EUV reflectivity after processing. This led to the development of an alternative absorber stack combination of an absorber layer of low stress TaN_x on a buffer layer of low stress Cr. This paper describes the improved reflectivity uniformity of this type of mask along with several aspects of mask quality, such as CD control and image placement.

Citation Download Citation

Carey Thiel, Kenneth C. Racette, Emily Fisch, Mark Lawliss, Louis Kindt, Chester Huang, Robin Ackel, and Max Levy "Process for improved reflectivity uniformity in extreme-ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) masks", Proc. SPIE 5037, Emerging Lithographic Technologies VII, (16 June 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.484988

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