Abstract: An X-ray absorber is deposited on a membrane. A stress adjust step is applied so that the average film stress of the X-ray absorber is 0. After patterning the X-ray absorber, the position accuracy of the pattern is measured. Then, a stress adjust process is applied to the patterned X-ray mask. Accordingly, a stress adjustment method is used to acquire an X-ray mask that has no pattern position offset of the X-ray absorber.

Abstract: An X-ray mask which is provided with an alignment mark and a transfer circuit pattern having a high position accuracy can be manufactured through a simplified manufacturing process. A membrane allowing passage of X-rays is formed on a substrate. A X-ray absorber intercepting transmission of X-rays is formed on the membrane. The substrate includes a window exposing the membrane. The X-ray absorber includes a transfer circuit pattern and an alignment mark formed in a region not overlapping with the window in a plan view.

Abstract: An antireflection film formed on a membrane of an X-ray mask has an amorphous structure. A patterned X-ray absorber intercepting transmission of X-rays is formed to be in contact with the front surface of the antireflection film. Thus, an X-ray mask having excellent pattern positional accuracy and a method of fabricating the same are obtained.

Abstract: A film-forming method and an apparatus for a X-ray mask and a film-forming apparatus which are able to diminish stress unevenness in the X-ray mask to zero when a X-ray absorber is formed on a mask substrate by sputtering a target 3 during rotation of the mask substrate. Firstly, a dummy mask substrate is prepared instead of a mask substrate. A dummy X-ray absorber 6 is formed on this dummy X-ray substrate 5 within a sputtering range. Secondly, a stress distribution is measured at every position along a straight line passing through a center of the dummy X-ray absorber 6 and then a desirable stress distribution range X is selected at such a location so as to have a good linear characteristic in a portion of a compressive stress curve which decreases toward an outer periphery of the dummy X-ray absorber 6 in the stress distribution.