Abstract: Provided are a pellicle for extreme ultraviolet light lithography, a method for producing the same, and an exposure method. A pellicle according to the present invention includes a first frame having a pellicle film located thereon; a second frame supporting the first frame; a through-hole running through the first frame; and a filter covering the through-hole on the side of a surface of the first frame on which the pellicle film is located. The through-hole may run through the pellicle film; and the filter may be located on the pellicle film. The filter may be located, adjacent to the pellicle film, on the first frame.

Abstract: A compound represented by the following formula (1).

Abstract: The object is to provide a mask blank substrate, a mask blank, and a transfer mask which can achieve easy correction of a wavefront by a wavefront correction function of an exposure apparatus. The further object is to provide methods for manufacturing them. A virtual surface shape, which is an optically effective flat reference surface shape defined by a Zernike polynomial, is determined, wherein the Zernike polynomial is composed of only terms in which the order of variables related to a radius is second or lower order and includes one or more terms in which the order of the variables related to a radius is second-order; and the mask blank substrate, in which difference data (PV value) between the maximum value and the minimum value of difference shape between a virtual surface shape and a composite surface shape obtained by composing respective surface shapes of two main surfaces is 25 nm or less, is selected.

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photomask includes a mask substrate, a reflection layer and a light-absorbing pattern layer. The reflection layer is disposed on the mask substrate, wherein the reflection layer has a concave pattern. The light-absorbing pattern layer is in the reflection layer, to fill the concave pattern. The light-absorbing pattern layer is exposed.

Abstract: A mask blank is provided, which makes it possible to form a fine transfer pattern in a light-semitransmissive film with high accuracy even if the light-semitransmissive film is made of a material containing silicon and a light shielding film is made of a material containing chromium. The mask blank 100 has a structure in which the light-semitransmissive film 2, etching mask film 3, and light shielding film 4 are laminated in this order on the transparent substrate 1. It is featured in that the light-semitransmissive film 2 is made of the material containing silicon, the etching mask film 3 is made of the material containing chromium, the light shielding film 4 is made of a material containing chromium and oxygen, and a ratio of the etching rate of the light shielding film 4 to the etching rate of the etching mask film 3 in the dry etching with an oxygen-containing chlorine-based gas is not less than 3 and not more than 12.

Abstract: A photosensitive resin composition includes (A) a binder polymer having a structural unit derived from a hydroxyalkyl (meth)acrylate ester having a hydroxyalkyl group having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, and a structural unit derived from a (meth)acrylic acid; (B) a photopolymerizable compound having an ethylenically unsaturated bond group; (C) a photopolymerization initiator; and (D) a styryl pyridine represented by the Formula (1). In Formula (1), each of R1, R2 and R3 independently represents an alkyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an alkyl ester group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an amino group, an alkyl amino group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a carboxy group, a ciano group, a nitro group, an acetyl group or a (meth)acryloyl group, each of a, b and c independently represents an integer of from 0 to 5. In a case in which each of a, b and c is independently 2 or more, the plural R1s, R2s, and R3s independently may be the same or different.

Abstract: Provided are a photosensitive resin composition including (A) a binder resin, the binder resin including a polymer that includes a structural unit represented by Chemical Formula 1; (B) a black colorant; (C) a photopolymerizable monomer; and (D) a photopolymerization initiator a black pixel defining layer manufactured using the same, and a display device including the black pixel defining layer, wherein, in Chemical Formula 1, each substituent is the same as defined in the detailed description.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a mask blank includes depositing a reflective multilayer over a substrate, depositing a capping layer over the reflective multilayer, depositing an absorber layer over the capping layer, and depositing an anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer over the absorber layer. The ARC layer is a single material film.

Abstract: A photoresist composition includes a photoresist polymer including a repeating unit to which a silicon-containing leaving group is combined, a photo-fluorine generator including a sulfonium fluoride, and a solvent.

Abstract: A photosensitive composition having excellent sensitivity, an insulating film formed using the composition, a color filter formed using the composition, a display device provided with the insulating film or color filter, and a compound suitable for incorporation as a photopolymerization initiator into the composition. This photosensitive composition includes a photopolymerizable compound and a photopolymerization initiator. The photopolymerization initiator contains a compound represented by formula (1) below in which R1 is a hydrogen atom, a nitro group, or a monovalent organic group; R2 and R3 are each an optionally substituted linear alkyl group, an optionally substituted cyclic organic group, or a hydrogen atom, and R2 and R3 may be bonded to one another to form a ring; R4 is a monovalent organic group; R5 is a hydrogen atom, an optionally substituted C1-11 alkyl group, or an optionally substituted aryl group; n is an integer from 0 to 4; and m is 0 or 1.

Abstract: The disclosure herein describes methods for Photosensitized Chemically Amplified Resist Chemicals (PS-CAR) to pattern light sensitive films on a semiconductor substrate. In one embodiment, a two-step exposure process may generate higher acid concentration regions within a photoresist layer. The PS-CAR chemicals may include photoacid generators (PAGs) and photosensitizer elements that enhance the decomposition of the PAGs into acid. The first exposure may be a patterned EUV exposure that generates an initial amount of acid and photosensitizer. The second exposure may be a non-EUV flood exposure that excites the photosensitizer which increases the acid generation rate where the photosensitizer is located on the substrate. The distribution of energy during the exposures may be optimized by using certain characteristics (e.g., thickness, index of refraction, doping) of the photoresist layer, an underlying layer, and/or an overlying layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an apparatus for a semiconductor lithography process in accordance with some embodiments. The apparatus includes a pellicle membrane with a thermal conductive surface; a porous pellicle frame; and a thermal conductive adhesive layer that secures the pellicle membrane to the porous pellicle frame. The porous pellicle frame includes a plurality of pore channels continuously extending from an exterior surface of the porous pellicle frame to an interior surface of the porous pellicle frame.

Abstract: A liquid solder resist composition contains a carboxyl group-containing resin, a photopolymerizable compound containing at least one compound selected from a group consisting of a photopolymerizable monomer and a photopolymerizable prepolymer, a photopolymerization initiator, and a titanium dioxide. The photopolymerization initiator contains a bisacylphosphine oxide-based photopolymerization initiator, a first ?-hydroxyalkyl phenone-based photopolymerization initiator that is a liquid at 25° C., and a second ?-hydroxyalkyl phenone-based photopolymerization initiator that is a solid at 25° C.

Abstract: The composition contains an alkali-soluble resin and a crosslinking agent that is represented by the following General Formula (I). In the formula, each of R1 and R6 independently represents a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group having 5 or less carbon atoms; each of R2 and R5 independently represents an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aryl group, or an acyl group; and each of R3 and R4 independently represents a hydrogen atom or an organic group having 2 or more carbon atoms, and R3 and R4 may be bonded to each other to form a ring.

Abstract: A process for producing a photoresist pattern comprising steps (1) to (5); (1) applying a photoresist composition onto a substrate, said photoresist composition comprising an acid generator and a resin which comprises a structural unit having an acid-liable group; (2) drying the applied composition to form a composition layer; (3) exposing the composition layer; (4) heating the exposed composition layer; and (5) developing the heated composition layer with a developer which comprises butyl acetate, wherein a distance of Hansen solubility parameters between the resin and butyl acetate is from 3.3 to 4.3, the distance is calculated from formula (1): R=(4×(?dR?15.8)2+(?pR?3.7)2+(?hR?6.3)2)1/2??(1) in which ?dR represents a dispersion parameter of the resin, ?pR represents a polarity parameter of the resin, ?hR represents a hydrogen bonding parameter of the resin, and R represents the distance, and a film retention ratio of the photoresist pattern relative to the composition layer is adjusted to 65% or more.

Abstract: A method includes forming a photoresist layer over a substrate, wherein the photoresist layer includes a polymer, a sensitizer, and a photo-acid generator (PAG), wherein the sensitizer includes a resonance ring that includes nitrogen and at least one double bond. The method further includes performing an exposing process to the photoresist layer. The method further includes developing the photoresist layer, thereby forming a patterned photoresist layer.

Abstract: A resist composition comprising a base polymer and a metal salt of an iodinated aromatic group-containing carboxylic acid, the metal being selected from among sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium, rubidium, strontium, cesium, barium, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, cadmium, tin, antimony, zirconium, hafnium, cerium, aluminum, and indium, exhibits a sensitizing effect and an acid diffusion suppressing effect and forms a pattern having improved resolution, LWR and CDU.

Abstract: A compound represented by the following formula (1): wherein each X independently represents an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom, or non-crosslinking, R1 represents a single bond or a 2n-valent group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, the group may have an alicyclic hydrocarbon group, a double bond, a hetero atom, or an aryl group having 6 to 30 carbon atoms, each R2 independently represents a straight, branched or cyclic alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 30 carbon atoms, or a hydroxyl group, in which at least one R2 represents an alkoxy group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms or an aryloxy group having 6 to 30 carbon atoms, each m is independently an integer of 1 to 6, each p is independently 0 or 1, and n is an integer of 1 to 4.

Abstract: A method for forming a photomask includes the following steps. A substrate is provided, which has a pattern region and a peripheral region surrounding the pattern region. A first etching operation is performed on a first surface of the substrate to remove first portions of the substrate in the pattern region, so as to form recesses in the pattern region of the substrate. A blasting operation is performed on the first surface of the substrate. A BARC layer is formed filling the recesses and over the first surface of the substrate. A second etching operation is performed on a second surface of the substrate opposite to the first surface until portions of the BARC layer in the recesses are exposed. The BARC layer is removed after the second etching operation, so as to form openings in the substrate in the pattern region.

Abstract: Provided are a pellicle for extreme ultraviolet light lithography, a production method thereof, and an exposure method. A pellicle according to the present invention includes a first frame having a pellicle film located thereon; a second frame including a thick portion including a first surface carrying a surface of the first frame opposite to a surface on which the pellicle film is located, and also including a second surface connected with the first surface and carrying a side surface of the first frame, the second frame enclosing the pellicle film and the first frame; a through-hole provided in the thick portion of the second frame; and a filter located on an outer side surface of the second frame and covering the through-hole, the outer side surface crossing the surface of the first frame on which the pellicle film is located.