Abstract: A method for repairing mask-blank defects uses repair-zone compensation. Local disturbances are compensated over the post-defect-repair repair-zone by altering a portion of the absorber pattern on the surface of the mask blank. This enables the fabrication of defect-free (since repaired) X-ray Mo—Si multilayer mirrors. Repairing Mo—Si multilayer-film defects on mask blanks is a key for the commercial success of EUVL. It is known that particles are added to the Mo—Si multilayer film during the fabrication process. There is a large effort to reduce this contamination, but results are not sufficient, and defects continue to be a major mask yield limiter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for quantitative determination of the phase of a radiation wave field is disclosed. A representative measure of the rate of change of intensity of the radiation wave field over a selected surface extending generally across the wave field is transformed to produce a first integral transform representation. A first filter is applied to the first integral transform representation corresponding to the inversion of a first differential operator reflected in the measure of rate of change of intensity to produce a first modified integral transform representation. An inverse of the first integral transform is applied to the first modified integral transform representation to produce an untransformed representation. The untransformed representation is corrected based on a measure of intensity over said selected surface and again transformed to produce a second integral transform representation.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an EUV phase shift mask is provided that includes a substrate upon which is deposited a thin film multilayer coating that has a complex-valued reflectance. An absorber layer or a buffer layer is attached onto the thin film multilayer, and the thickness of the thin film multilayer coating is altered to introduce a direct modulation in the complex-valued reflectance to produce phase shifting features.

Abstract: A method of quantitative determination of the phase of a radiation wave field including the steps of producing a representative measure of the rate of change of intensity of the radiation wave field over a selected surface extending generally across the wave field; producing a representative measure of intensity of the radiation wave filed over the selected surface; transforming the measure of rate of change of intensity to produce a first integral transform representation and applying to the first integral transform representation a first filter corresponding to the inversion of a first differential operator reflected in the measure of rate of change of intensity to produce a first modified integral transform representation; applying an inverse of the first integral transform to the first modified integral transform representation to produce an untransformed representation; applying a correction based on the measure of intensity over the selected surface to the untransformed representation; transforming the

Abstract: A method and apparatus for quantitative determination of the phase of a radiation wave field is disclosed. A representative measure of the rate of change of intensity of the radiation wave field over a selected surface extending generally across the wave field is transformed to produce a first integral transform representation. A first filter is applied to the first integral transform representation corresponding to the inversion of a first differential operator reflected in the measure of rate of change of intensity to produce a first modified integral transform representation. An inverse of the first integral transform is applied to the first modified integral transform representation to produce an untransformed representation. The untransformed representation is corrected based on a measure of intensity over said selected surface and again transformed to produce a second integral transform representation.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an EUV phase shift mask is provided that includes a substrate upon which is deposited a thin film multilayer coating that has a complex-valued reflectance. An absorber layer or a buffer layer is attached onto the thin film multilayer, and the thickness of the thin film multilayer coating is altered to introduce a direct modulation in the complex-valued reflectance to produce phase shifting features.