Abstract: A mask blank includes: a light transmitting substrate; a first layer disposed on the light transmitting substrate, and including a chromium compound that contains chromium and at least one element selected from oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon; and a second layer disposed on the first layer as an outermost layer from among the first and second layers, and including a silicon compound that contains silicon and at least one element selected from oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon, an alloy of a transition metal and silicon, or a transition metal and silicon compound that contains a transition metal, silicon, and at least one element selected from oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon. The thickness of the first layer is 45 nm or less, and the thickness of the second layer is 5 nm or greater. An optical density of a stack composed of the first layer and the second layer is 3 or greater.

Abstract: A photomask is provided. The photomask comprises: a low thermal expansion material (LTEM) substrate including a first surface and a second surface; a reflective layer disposed on the first surface of the low thermal expansion material substrate and including first material layers and second material layers, which are stacked alternately; a light absorbing pattern on the reflective layer; and a conductive layer on the second surface of the low thermal expansion material substrate, wherein the low thermal expansion material substrate includes a correction defect correcting the light absorbing pattern, and the conductive layer is one of ruthenium oxide (RuO2), iridium oxide (IrO2), and/or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A mask blank includes: a light transmitting substrate; a first layer disposed on the light transmitting substrate, and including a chromium compound that contains chromium and at least one element selected from oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon; and a second layer disposed on the first layer as an outermost layer from among the first and second layers, and including a silicon compound that contains silicon and at least one element selected from oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon, an alloy of a transition metal and silicon, or a transition metal and silicon compound that contains a transition metal, silicon, and at least one element selected from oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon. The thickness of the first layer is 45 nm or less, and the thickness of the second layer is 5 nm or greater. An optical density of a stack composed of the first layer and the second layer is 3 or greater.

Abstract: Reflective masks, and methods of manufacturing the same, include a reflective multi-layer on a mask substrate, a plurality of support patterns spaced apart from one another in the main trench. The plurality of support patterns are in a main trench of the reflective multi-layer. The plurality of support patterns correspond to areas of the reflective mask not transferred onto an exposure target substrate. The support patterns partition the main trench to form a plurality of auxiliary trenches. The reflective mask further includes a light absorption pattern including a plurality of auxiliary light absorption patterns in the auxiliary trenches.

Abstract: Reflective photomask blanks are provided. The reflective photomask blank includes a multi-layered reflection layer on a photomask substrate, a capping layer directly disposed on a top surface of the multi-layered reflection layer to include transition metal and silicon, a passivation layer disposed on a surface of the capping layer opposite to the multi-layered reflection layer, and a light absorption layer on the passivation layer.

Abstract: Reflective masks, and methods of manufacturing the same, include a reflective multi-layer on a mask substrate, a plurality of support patterns spaced apart from one another in the main trench. The plurality of support patterns are in a main trench of the reflective multi-layer. The plurality of support patterns correspond to areas of the reflective mask not transferred onto an exposure target substrate. The support patterns partition the main trench to form a plurality of auxiliary trenches. The reflective mask further includes a light absorption pattern including a plurality of auxiliary light absorption patterns in the auxiliary trenches.

Abstract: A beam generator for an aerial image generating apparatus includes a laser source for emitting a laser beam and a short wavelength beam source for generating a short wavelength beam by processing the laser beam such that the short wavelength beam is coherent with and has a wavelength shorter than that of the laser beam. A spectral unit includes a quartz plate and a spectral layer coated on a surface of the quartz plate. The spectral layer has a Brewster's angle greater than 70° with respect to the laser beam such that the short wavelength beam is reflected from the spectral unit without the laser beam, increasing the reflectivity of the shortwave beam while decreasing the reflectivity and absorptivity of the laser beam in the spectral unit.

Abstract: Reflective photomask blanks are provided. The reflective photomask blank includes a multi-layered reflection layer on a photomask substrate, a capping layer directly disposed on a top surface of the multi-layered reflection layer to include transition metal and silicon, a passivation layer disposed on a surface of the capping layer opposite to the multi-layered reflection layer, and a light absorption layer on the passivation layer.

Abstract: An EUV projection lens includes a substrate and concentric diffraction patterns on the substrate. The concentric diffraction patterns have an out-of phase height with respect to EUV light and include a material through which the EUV light has a transmittance higher than about 50% at the out-of phase height. The EUV projection lens has a high first order diffraction light efficiency and an optic system having the EUV projection lens has a high resolution.

Abstract: A beam generator for an aerial image generating apparatus includes a laser source for emitting a laser beam and a short wavelength beam source for generating a short wavelength beam by processing the laser beam such that the short wavelength beam is coherent with and has a wavelength shorter than that of the laser beam. A spectral unit includes a quartz plate and a spectral layer coated on a surface of the quartz plate. The spectral layer has a Brewster's angle greater than 70° with respect to the laser beam such that the short wavelength beam is reflected from the spectral unit without the laser beam, increasing the reflectivity of the shortwave beam while decreasing the reflectivity and absorptivity of the laser beam in the spectral unit.

Abstract: A reflective photomask includes a phase shift object on a substrate, a reflective layer stacked on the substrate and the phase shift object, a capping layer on the reflective layer, the capping layer including at least one surface portion having a bent shape, and a light absorption pattern on the capping layer, the light absorption pattern including at least one slit exposing the surface portion of the capping layer having the bent shape.

Abstract: A method of forming a mask structure for an extreme ultraviolet ray lithography (EUVL) process includes defining a substrate including a first area and a second area, such that the first area has a pattern structure configured to selectively transmit light for the EUVL process and the second area encloses the first area, forming a reflection layer on the substrate, the reflection layer including alternately stacked molybdenum layers and silicon layers on the substrate, forming a capping layer on the reflection layer, forming an absorption pattern on the capping layer, the absorption pattern including a central portion corresponding to the first area of the substrate and a peripheral portion corresponding to the second area of the substrate, and forming a blind layer on the peripheral portion of the absorption pattern.

Abstract: An EUV projection lens includes a substrate and concentric diffraction patterns on the substrate. The concentric diffraction patterns have an out-of phase height with respect to EUV light and include a material through which the EUV light has a transmittance higher than about 50% at the out-of phase height. The EUV projection lens has a high first order diffraction light efficiency and an optic system having the EUV projection lens has a high resolution.

Abstract: A reflective photomask includes a phase shift object on a substrate, a reflective layer stacked on the substrate and the phase shift object, a capping layer on the reflective layer, the capping layer including at least one surface portion having a bent shape, and a light absorption pattern on the capping layer, the light absorption pattern including at least one slit exposing the surface portion of the capping layer having the bent shape.

Abstract: There is provided a method for forming a capacitor of a semiconductor device capable of preventing a dielectric layer from being damaged in forming a tungsten upper electrode on a dielectic layer, and preventing tungsten siliside from being formed on a tungsten film in the following processes. In the present invention, for protecting a dielectric layer, a polisilicon layer is formed on a dielectric layer as a sacrifical reduction layer. Then, a tungsten seed layer is formed on the dielectric layer by reducing WF6 with the polysilicon layer. After that, a tungsten film to be an upper electrode is formed by subsequently carrying out a deposition process using the reaction of WF6 and H2 or SiH4 Then, for preventing tungsten silicide film from being formed in following thermal process, a thermal process is performed in ammonia(NH3) cointaining ambient, or a plasma process using a nitrogen gas or an ammonia gas is performed to nitrize the surface of the tungsten film.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having a gate electrode (e.g. tungsten gate electrode) of low resistivity. In the method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, a conductive sacrifice polysilicon pattern is formed on a gate insulating film and then a first interlayer insulating film is deposited. The first interlayer insulating film is blank-etched so as to expose the surface of the sacrifice polysilicon pattern and then the exposed sacrifice polysilicon pattern is etched to form a recessed profile, in which, in the recessed portion, a predetermined thickness of sacrifice polysilicon pattern remains. On the surface of the remnant sacrifice polysilicon pattern in the recessed portion a metal film (e.g. a tungsten film) is selectively deposited. When selectively depositing of the metal film, most of remnant sacrifice polysilicon pattern is consumed.