Abstract: An object is to provide a mask blank A mask blank having a substrate and a thin film, the substrate includes two main surfaces and a side surface with a chamfered surface provided between the two main surfaces and the side surface, one main surface of the two main surfaces includes an inner region including a center of the main surface and an outer peripheral region outside of the inner region, the thin film is provided on the inner region of the main surface, the surface reflectance Rs of the outer peripheral region with respect to light of 400 nm to 700 nm wavelength is 10% or less, and provided that Rf is the surface reflectance with respect to light of 400 nm to 700 nm wavelength in one section among sections of the thin film in the range of 9 nm to 10 nm film thickness, the contrast ratio (Rf/Rs) is 3.0 or more.

Abstract: A mask blank that includes a thin film made of a material containing silicon and nitrogen for forming a transfer pattern on a transparent substrate. In conducting an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy on a plurality of measurement locations in an inner region, which is a region excluding a vicinity region and a surface layer region of the thin film, in order to acquire an average value PSi_fi_av of maximum peaks PSi_fi of photoelectron intensity of Si2p narrow spectrum and conducting an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy on a plurality of measurement locations in the transparent substrate to acquire an average value PSi_sb_av of maximum peaks PSi_sb of photoelectron intensity of Si2p narrow spectrum, (PSi_fi_av)/(PSi_sb_av) is 1.08 or more.

Abstract: In a mask blank, a phase shift film in contact with a transparent substrate includes a stack of two or more layers including a lowermost layer. The, layers other than the lowermost layer are made of a material consisting of silicon and one or more elements selected from a metalloid element and anon-metallic element. The lowermost layer is made of a material consisting of silicon and nitrogen and, optionally, one or more elements selected from a metalloid element and anon-metallic element. A ratio of a number of Si3N4 bonds present in the lowermost layer to a total number of Si3N4 bonds, SiaNb bonds (provided that b/[a+b]<4/7), and Si—Si bonds present is 0.05 or less. A ratio of a number of SiaNb bonds present in the lowermost layer to a total number of Si3N4 bonds, SiaNb bonds, and Si—Si bonds present is 0.1 or more.

Abstract: A mask blank includes a light shielding film for forming a transfer pattern, provided on a transparent substrate. The light shielding film is made of a material that consists of silicon and nitrogen or that further includes one or more elements selected from a metalloid element and a non-metallic element. In an inner region of the light shielding film (excluding a vicinity region of an interface of the light shielding film with the transparent substrate and a surface layer region of the light shielding film opposite the transparent substrate), the ratio of Si3N4 bonds to the total number of Si3N4 bonds, SiaNb bonds (where a relationship b/[a+b]<4/7 is satisfied), and Si—Si bonds is 0.04 or less, and the ratio of SiaNb bonds to the total number of Si3N4 bonds, SiaNb bonds, and Si—Si bonds is 0.1 or more.

Abstract: A mask blank that includes a thin film made of a material containing silicon and nitrogen for forming a transfer pattern on a transparent substrate. In conducting an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy on a plurality of measurement locations in an inner region, which is a region excluding a vicinity region and a surface layer region of the thin film, in order to acquire an average value PSi_fi_av of maximum peaks PSi_fi of photoelectron intensity of Si2p narrow spectrum and conducting an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy on a plurality of measurement locations in the transparent substrate to acquire an average value PSi_sb_av of maximum peaks PSi_sb of photoelectron intensity of Si2p narrow spectrum, (PSi_fi_av)/(PSi_sb_av) is 1.08 or more.