Abstract: A pellicle includes a frame having an attachment surface configured to attach to a photomask, wherein the frame comprises a vent hole. The pellicle further includes a filter covering the vent hole, wherein the filter directly contacts an inner surface of the frame, and the filter extends in a direction parallel to the attachment surface. The pellicle further includes a membrane extending over a top surface of the frame.

Abstract: A pellicle includes a frame configured to attach to a photomask, wherein the frame includes a vent hole. The pellicle further includes a filter covering the vent hole, wherein the filter directly connects to an outer surface of the frame. The pellicle further includes a membrane extending over a top surface of the frame. The pellicle further includes a mount between the frame and the membrane, wherein the mount is attachable to the frame by an adhesive.

Abstract: A deflecting plate includes a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. The SOI substrate includes: an insulator layer having a top surface and a bottom surface; a device layer coupled to the insulator layer at the top surface, wherein multiple deflecting apertures are disposed in the device layer, each of which extending from a top open end to a bottom open end through the device layer, and wherein the bottom open end is coplanar with the top surface of the insulator layer; and a handle substrate coupled to the insulator layer at the bottom surface, wherein a cavity is disposed in the handle substrate and extends from a cavity open end to a cavity bottom wall, and wherein the bottom wall is coplanar with the top surface of the insulator layer, such that the bottom open end of each deflecting aperture is exposed to the cavity.

Abstract: A reflective mask includes a reflective multilayer over a substrate, a capping layer over the reflective multilayer, an absorber layer over the capping layer and including a top surface, and a protection layer directly on the top surface of the absorber layer. The absorber layer is formed of a first material and the protection layer is formed of a second material that is less easily to be oxidized than the first material.

Abstract: A pellicle includes a frame configured to attach to a photomask, wherein the frame includes a vent hole. The pellicle further includes a filter covering the vent hole, wherein the filter directly connects to an outer surface of the frame. The pellicle further includes a membrane extending over a top surface of the frame. The pellicle further includes a mount between the frame and the membrane, wherein the mount is attachable to the frame by an adhesive.

Abstract: A method of removing a pellicle from a photomask includes removing a portion of a membrane from a pellicle frame, wherein the pellicle frame remains attached to the photomask following the removing of the portion of the membrane. The method further includes removing the pellicle frame from the photomask. The method further includes cleaning the photomask.

Abstract: A reflective mask includes a reflective multilayer over a substrate, a capping layer over the reflective multilayer, an absorber layer over the capping layer and including a top surface, and a protection layer directly on the top surface of the absorber layer. The absorber layer is formed of a first material and the protection layer is formed of a second material that is less easily to be oxidized than the first material.

Abstract: A method comprises receiving a workpiece that includes a substrate having a low temperature expansion material, a reflective multilayer over the substrate, a capping layer over the reflective multilayer, and an absorber layer over the capping layer. The method further comprises patterning the absorber layer to provide first trenches corresponding to circuit patterns on a wafer, and patterning the absorber layer, the capping layer, and the reflective multilayer to provide second trenches corresponding to a die boundary area on the wafer, thereby providing an extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) mask. The method further comprises treating the EUVL mask with a treatment chemical that prevents exposed surfaces of the absorber layer from oxidation.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method to form alignment marks on or in the top layer of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank without the use of photolithographic methods. For example, the method can include forming a metal structure on the top layer of the EUV mask blank by dispensing a hexacarbonylchromium vapor on the top layer of the EUV mask and exposing the hexacarbonylchromium vapor to an electron-beam. The hexacarbonylchromium vapor is decomposed to form the metal structure at an area which is proximate to where the hexacarbonylchromium vapors interact with the electron-beam. In another example, the method can include forming a patterned structure in the top layer of an EUV mask blank with the use of an etcher aperture and an etching process.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method to form alignment marks on or in the top layer of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank without the use of photolithographic methods. For example, the method can include forming a metal structure on the top layer of the EUV mask blank by dispensing a hexacarbonylchromium vapor on the top layer of the EUV mask and exposing the hexacarbonylchromium vapor to an electron-beam. The hexacarbonylchromium vapor is decomposed to form the metal structure at an area which is proximate to where the hexacarbonylchromium vapors interact with the electron-beam. In another example, the method can include forming a patterned structure in the top layer of an EUV mask blank with the use of an etcher aperture and an etching process.

Abstract: A method comprises receiving a workpiece that includes a substrate having a low temperature expansion material, a reflective multilayer over the substrate, a capping layer over the reflective multilayer, and an absorber layer over the capping layer. The method further comprises patterning the absorber layer to provide first trenches corresponding to circuit patterns on a wafer, and patterning the absorber layer, the capping layer, and the reflective multilayer to provide second trenches corresponding to a die boundary area on the wafer, thereby providing an extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) mask. The method further comprises treating the EUVL mask with a treatment chemical that prevents exposed surfaces of the absorber layer from oxidation.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method to form alignment marks on or in the top layer of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank without the use of photolithographic methods. For example, the method can include forming a metal structure on the top layer of the EUV mask blank by dispensing a hexacarbonylchromium vapor on the top layer of the EUV mask and exposing the hexacarbonylchromium vapor to an electron-beam. The hexacarbonylchromium vapor is decomposed to form the metal structure at an area which is proximate to where the hexacarbonylchromium vapors interact with the electron-beam. In another example, the method can include forming a patterned structure in the top layer of an EUV mask blank with the use of an etcher aperture and an etching process.

Abstract: A method of removing a pellicle from a photomask includes removing a portion of a membrane from a pellicle frame, wherein the pellicle frame remains attached to the photomask following the removing of the portion of the membrane. The method further includes removing the pellicle frame from the photomask. The method further includes cleaning the photomask.

Abstract: An apparatus for increasing the uniformity in a critical dimension of chemical vapor deposition and etching during substrate processing, comprising a plurality of gas injectors for admitting a processing gas into an etching chamber. Each gas injector of the plurality of gas injectors is disposed along a track within the etching chamber and moveable along the track. Further, each gas injector is coupled with a throttling valve or nozzle to permit adjustment of processing gas flow rate. A method for increasing the uniformity in a critical dimension of chemical vapor deposition and etching during substrate processing includes performing a chemical deposition or etch using the plurality of moveable and adjustable gas injectors and measuring the critical dimension uniformity. Adjustments to the location of at least one gas injector or the processing gas flow rate to at least one gas injector are made to increase critical dimension uniformity.

Abstract: A system and method for repairing a photolithographic mask is provided. An embodiment comprises forming a shielding layer over an absorbance layer on a substrate. Once the shielding layer is in place, the absorbance layer may be repaired using, e.g., an e-beam process to initiate a reaction to repair a defect in the absorbance layer, with the shielding layer being used to shield the remainder of the absorbance layer from undesirable etching during the repair process.

Abstract: A method includes depositing a first material layer over a first substrate; and depositing a graphene layer over the first material layer. The method further includes depositing an amorphous silicon layer over the graphene layer and bonding the amorphous silicon layer to a second substrate, thereby forming an assembly. The method further includes annealing the assembly, thereby converting the amorphous silicon layer to a silicon oxide layer. The method further includes removing the first substrate from the assembly and removing the first material layer from the assembly, thereby exposing the graphene layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method to form alignment marks on or in the top layer of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank without the use of photolithographic methods. For example, the method can include forming a metal structure on the top layer of the EUV mask blank by dispensing a hexacarbonylchromium vapor on the top layer of the EUV mask and exposing the hexacarbonylchromium vapor to an electron-beam. The hexacarbonylchromium vapor is decomposed to form the metal structure at an area which is proximate to where the hexacarbonylchromium vapors interact with the electron-beam. In another example, the method can include forming a patterned structure in the top layer of an EUV mask blank with the use of an etcher aperture and an etching process.

Abstract: A method includes depositing a first material layer over a first substrate; and depositing a graphene layer over the first material layer. The method further includes depositing an amorphous silicon layer over the graphene layer and bonding the amorphous silicon layer to a second substrate, thereby forming an assembly. The method further includes annealing the assembly, thereby converting the amorphous silicon layer to a silicon oxide layer. The method further includes removing the first substrate from the assembly and removing the first material layer from the assembly, thereby exposing the graphene layer.

Abstract: A method for inspecting a manufactured product includes applying a first test regimen to the manufactured product to identify product defects. The first test regimen produces a first set of defect candidates. The method further includes applying a second test regimen to the manufactured product to identify product defects. The second test regimen produces a second set of defect candidates, and the second test regimen is different from the first test regimen. The method also includes generating a first filtered defect set by eliminating ones of the first set of defect candidates that are not identified in the second set of defect candidates.

Abstract: A system and method for repairing a photolithographic mask is provided. An embodiment comprises forming a shielding layer over an absorbance layer on a substrate. Once the shielding layer is in place, the absorbance layer may be repaired using, e.g., an e-beam process to initiate a reaction to repair a defect in the absorbance layer, with the shielding layer being used to shield the remainder of the absorbance layer from undesirable etching during the repair process.