Abstract: Techniques associated with surface treatments for photomasks, semiconductor wafers, and/or optics are generally described. In one example, a method includes preparing a surface of a photomask or semiconductor wafer for cleaning, and removing ionic contamination from a surface of a photomask or semiconductor wafer using radical or atomic hydrogen, or suitable combinations thereof, to reduce the ionic contamination, wherein removing ionic contamination reduces the number of defects and increases semiconductor product yields accordingly.

Abstract: Techniques associated with surface treatments for photomasks, semiconductor wafers, and/or optics are generally described. In one example, a method includes preparing a surface of a photomask or semiconductor wafer for cleaning, and removing ionic contamination from a surface of a photomask or semiconductor wafer using radical or atomic hydrogen, or suitable combinations thereof, to reduce the ionic contamination, wherein removing ionic contamination reduces the number of defects and increases semiconductor product yields accordingly.

Abstract: Photoinduced defects that occur on photomasks used in photolithography may be removed or prevented. In one example a photomask is installed into a vacuum chamber, the contaminants on the photomask are broken down with heat, illumination or both and the broken-down contaminants are removed with a vacuum.

Abstract: A composition comprises a first component that provides a predetermined response to radiation, and a second component. Upon curing of the composition, portions of the first component bind together portions of the second component to form an inhomogeneous material having physical properties substantially determined by the second component. The function provided by the first component's response to radiation and the macroscopic properties determined by the second component are largely decoupled and thus may be separately optimized. Some embodiments provide photo-patternable low dielectric constant materials that may be advantageously employed in metal interconnect layers in integrated circuits, for example.

Abstract: The adhesion of overlying layers to a silicalite-plus-binder dielectric layer is enhanced by forming a layer that includes the binder in a higher concentration. The overlying layer, e.g., silicon dioxide, silicon carbide or silicon nitride, adheres more tightly to the higher-concentration binder layer. Although the presence of the higher-concentration binder layer may increase the dielectric constant of the overall silicalite-plus-binder stack, the increase is generally minimal.