Abstract: A blankmask and a photomask using the same are provided. The blankmask can be useful in preventing the loss in thickness of lateral, top and bottom surfaces of a pattern of a light shielding film or a phase shifting film after the manufacture of the photomask by forming protective film, which has an etch selectivity with respect to a pattern of a hard film or the light shielding film, on the light shielding film or the phase shifting film so that the loss of the phase shifting film formed under the light shielding film or the phase shifting film can be prevented when a process of removing the light shielding film disposed under the hard film or a pattern of the light shielding film is performed during a washing process and a process of removing a pattern of the hard film in a method of manufacturing a photomask, thereby securing uniformity in thickness.

Abstract: Provided is a photomask having a high-resolution pattern of a half-pitch of 32 nm or less (particularly, a half-pitch of 22 nm or less), which is manufactured by forming a blankmask in which a light-proof film and a hard film having a small thickness and high etch selectivity with respect to the light-proof film are formed on a transparent substrate. The photomask may have a high quality by adjusting a composition ratio of a metal, silicon (Si), and light elements that constitute the light-proof film to suppress damage to the pattern caused by an XeF2 gas in an electron-beam repair process.

Abstract: Provided are a method of manufacturing a photomask, in which a hardmask film pattern is used as an etch mask for etching a phase-shift layer under the hardmask film pattern, a blankmask, and a photomask using the blankmask. In the method, a resist film for patterning a hardmask film may be formed to a thin thickness, and the phase-shift layer may be etched using the hardmask film pattern having a high etch selectivity with respect to the phase-shift layer. Accordingly, an optical density may be maintained to be 3.0 due to use of a light-shielding film pattern, thereby increasing the resolution and precision of a pattern, reducing a loading effect, and improving critical dimension (CD) features, such as CD uniformity and CD linearity.

Abstract: Provided is a phase-shift blankmask in which a phase-shift layer is formed in at least two continuous layers or a multi-layer film and an uppermost phase-shift layer included in the phase-shift layer is thinly formed to contain a small amount of oxygen (O) so as to enhance chemical resistance and durability thereof. Accordingly, a phase-shift blankmask including the phase-shift layer having enhanced chemical resistance and durability with respect to a cleaning solution containing acid and basic materials, hot deionized water, or ozone water, which is used in a cleaning process that is repeatedly performed during manufacture of a photomask, may be provided using the uppermost phase-shift layer having the enhanced chemical resistance and durability.

Abstract: Provided is a blankmask with a light-shielding layer including a light block layer and an anti-reflective layer, and a hard mask film. The light block layer and the anti-reflective layer are formed by combining a layer formed of a MoSi compound and a layer formed of a MoTaSi compound. Thus, the blankmask enables formation of a pattern of 32 nm or less, since the light-shielding layer can be thinly formed to a thickness of 200 to 700 and a photomask having pattern fidelity corresponding to the resolution of the pattern can be formed. The light-shielding layer has an optical density of 2.0 to 4.0 at an exposure wavelength of 193 nm, chemical resistance, and a sufficient process margin for defect repair. Further, the hard mask film is formed to a thickness of 20 to 50 using a compound including tin (Sn) and chromium (Cr), thereby decreasing an etch rate of the hard mask film. Accordingly, a resist film can be formed as a thin film, thereby manufacturing a high-resolution blankmask.

Abstract: A blankmask and a photomask using the same are provided. The blankmask can be useful in preventing the loss in thickness of lateral, top and bottom surfaces of a pattern of a light shielding film or a phase shifting film after the manufacture of the photomask by forming protective film, which has an etch selectivity with respect to a pattern of a hard film or the light shielding film, on the light shielding film or the phase shifting film so that the loss of the phase shifting film formed under the light shielding film or the phase shifting film can be prevented when a process of removing the light shielding film disposed under the hard film or a pattern of the light shielding film is performed during a washing process and a process of removing a pattern of the hard film in a method of manufacturing a photomask, thereby securing uniformity in thickness.

Abstract: Provided are a method of manufacturing a photomask, in which a hardmask film pattern is used as an etch mask for etching a phase-shift layer under the hardmask film pattern, a blankmask, and a photomask using the blankmask. In the method, a resist film for patterning a hardmask film may be formed to a thin thickness, and the phase-shift layer may be etched using the hardmask film pattern having a high etch selectivity with respect to the phase-shift layer. Accordingly, an optical density may be maintained to be 3.0 due to use of a light-shielding film pattern, thereby increasing the resolution and precision of a pattern, reducing a loading effect, and improving critical dimension (CD) features, such as CD uniformity and CD linearity.

Abstract: Provided is a photomask having a high-resolution pattern of a half-pitch of 32 nm or less (particularly, a half-pitch of 22 nm or less), which is manufactured by forming a blankmask in which a light-proof film and a hard film having a small thickness and high etch selectivity with respect to the light-proof film are formed on a transparent substrate. The photomask may have a high quality by adjusting a composition ratio of a metal, silicon (Si), and light elements that constitute the light-proof film to suppress damage to the pattern caused by an XeF2 gas in an electron-beam repair process.

Abstract: Provided is a blankmask for a hardmask. In the blankmask, a hard film is formed by appropriately controlling contents of nitrogen and carbon therein to reduce a deviation in a critical dimension caused when an etch process is performed. A metal film is formed to a thin thickness by increasing a content of metal in a light-shielding film and reducing a content of metal in an anti-reflective film. Thus, resolution, pattern fidelity, and chemical resistance of the metal film may be improved. Also, the metal film and the hard film are formed such that a reflectivity contrast therebetween is high, thereby allowing the hard film to be easily inspected. Accordingly, the blank mask for a hardmask may be applied to a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a flash memory, or a micro-processing unit (MPU) to have a half-pitch of 32 nm or less, and particularly, a critical dimension of 22 nm or less.

Abstract: Provided is a blankmask with a light-shielding layer including a light block layer and an anti-reflective layer, and a hard mask film. The light block layer and the anti-reflective layer are formed by combining a layer formed of a MoSi compound and a layer formed of a MoTaSi compound. Thus, the blankmask enables formation of a pattern of 32 nm or less, since the light-shielding layer can be thinly formed to a thickness of 200 to 700 and a photomask having pattern fidelity corresponding to the resolution of the pattern can be formed. The light-shielding layer has an optical density of 2.0 to 4.0 at an exposure wavelength of 193 nm, chemical resistance, and a sufficient process margin for defect repair. Further, the hard mask film is formed to a thickness of 20 to 50 using a compound including tin (Sn) and chromium (Cr), thereby decreasing an etch rate of the hard mask film. Accordingly, a resist film can be formed as a thin film, thereby manufacturing a high-resolution blankmask.

Abstract: Provided is a phase-shift blankmask in which a phase-shift layer is formed in at least two continuous layers or a multi-layer film and an uppermost phase-shift layer included in the phase-shift layer is thinly formed to contain a small amount of oxygen (O) so as to enhance chemical resistance and durability thereof. Accordingly, a phase-shift blankmask including the phase-shift layer having enhanced chemical resistance and durability with respect to a cleaning solution containing acid and basic materials, hot deionized water, or ozone water, which is used in a cleaning process that is repeatedly performed during manufacture of a photomask, may be provided using the uppermost phase-shift layer having the enhanced chemical resistance and durability.

Abstract: The present invention forms a intermediate layer between a conductive layer and BPSG layer. In one embodiment, this intermediate layer is a buffer layer that absorbs excess P ions from the BPSG layer to suppress the formation of bubbles and thereby prevent short circuits that may be caused due to the presence of bubbles in the BPSG layer. In the second embodiment the intermediate layer is a thin nitride layer, which prevents the conductive layer and BPSG layer from being in direct contact with each other to suppress the formation of bubbles and also prevent short circuits that may be caused due to the presence of bubbles in the BPSG layer.