Abstract: A substrate set is a mask blank substrate set including a plurality of substrates each for use in a mask blank for producing a photomask to be chucked on a mask stage of an exposure apparatus. In each of the substrates in the mask blank substrate set, a main surface, on the side where a thin film for forming a transfer pattern is to be formed, has a convex shape being relatively high at its center and relatively low at its peripheral portion. In each substrate, the flatness in a 142 mm square area, including a central portion, of the main surface is 0.3 ?m or less and the difference upon fitting to a reference main surface of a reference substrate is 40 nm or less.

Abstract: A mask blank manufacturing department manufactures a mask blank by forming a thin film to be a mask pattern on a mask blank transparent substrate. When providing the mask blank to a mask manufacturing department, the mask blank manufacturing department provides optical characteristic information (transmittance variation) of the mask blank transparent substrate and optical characteristic information (transmittance variation and/or phase difference variation) of the mask blank to the mask manufacturing department. The optical characteristic information of the mask blank transparent substrate is provided to the mask blank manufacturing department from a materials processing department that manufactures mask blank transparent substrates.

Abstract: In a simulation step, based on information of a main surface shape of a transparent substrate and shape information of a mask stage of an exposure apparatus and using a deflection differential equation taking into account a twist deformation, height information at a plurality of measurement points is obtained by simulating a state where the transparent substrate is set in the exposure apparatus. Based on the height information obtained through the simulation, a flatness of the transparent substrate when it is set in the exposure apparatus is calculated in a flatness calculation step. Then, by judging in a selection step whether or not the calculated flatness satisfies a specification, the transparent substrate whose flatness satisfies the specification is used as a substrate for a mask blank.

Abstract: On inspecting a glass substrate for a mask blank which substrate has surfaces including one end face, the glass substrate is prepared to have the one end face which has a chamfered surface and a remaining surface serving as a side surface. The chamfered surface of the one end face is smaller in width than a chamfered surface of an opposite end face of the glass substrate. A short-wavelength light having a wavelength of 200 nm or less is introduced into the side surface of the one end face. From either the one end face or a different surface of the surfaces of the glass substrate, a long-wavelength light is received which is longer in wavelength than the short-wavelength light and which is generated by an internal defect of the glass substrate in response to the short-wavelength light. The internal defect is detected with reference to the long-wavelength light.

Abstract: There are provided a manufacturing method of a transparent substrate for a mask blank, a mask blank, or an exposure mask adapted to prevent occurrence of a transfer pattern defect or a mask pattern defect, by correcting a recessed defect existing on the surface of the transparent substrate, and a defect correction method of an exposure mask. With respect to an exposure mask having a transparent substrate 1 formed thereon with a mask pattern 2 which becomes a transfer pattern, correction is performed by removing, by the use of a needle-shaped member 4, a peripheral portion of a recessed defect 3 formed on a surface 1a of the substrate, where the mask pattern 2 is not formed, so as to induce a reduction in transmission light quantity which causes a transfer pattern defect, thereby reducing a level difference between the surface of the substrate and the depth of the recessed defect.

Abstract: An inspection method of transparent articles wherein presence or absence of optical inhomogeneities within the transparent articles can be accurately inspected is provided. In an inspection method of transparent articles used in photolithography, for inspecting whether or not there are in homogeneities within transparent articles (4) formed of transparent material wherein optical properties regionally or locally change with regard to exposure light (specifically, interior defects 16), inspection light having a wavelength of 200 nm or shorter is introduced to the transparent article, and light (15) having a longer wavelength than the inspection light which is regionally or locally emitted is sensed on the optical path over which the inspection light is propagated within the transparent article, thereby detecting presence or absence of optical inhomogeneities within the transparent article.

Abstract: A method includes a preparation step of preparing a transparent substrate having a precision-polished main surface, a surface shape information obtaining step of obtaining, as surface shape information, height information at a plurality of measurement points on the main surface of the transparent substrate that contacts a mask stage of an exposure apparatus, a simulation step of obtaining, based on the surface shape information and shape information of the mask stage, height information at the plurality of measurement points by simulating the state where the transparent substrate is set in the exposure apparatus, a flatness calculation step of calculating, based on the height information obtained through the simulation, a flatness of the transparent substrate when it is set in the exposure apparatus, a judging step of judging whether or not the calculated flatness satisfies a specification, and a thin film forming step of forming a thin film as serving as a mask pattern, on the main surface of the transparent

Abstract: An inspection method of transparent articles wherein presence or absence of optical inhomogeneities within the transparent articles can be accurately inspected is provided. In an inspection method of transparent articles used in photolithography, for inspecting whether or not there are inhomogeneities within transparent articles (4) formed of transparent material wherein optical properties regionally or locally change with regard to exposure light (specifically, interior defects 16), inspection light having a wavelength of 200 nm or shorter is introduced to the transparent article, and light (15) having a longer wavelength than the inspection light which is regionally or locally emitted is sensed on the optical path over which the inspection light is propagated within the transparent article, thereby detecting presence or absence of optical inhomogeneities within the transparent article.

Abstract: In a mask blank substrate to be chucked by a mask stage of an exposure system, the flatness of a rectangular flatness measurement area excluding an area of 2 mm inward from an outer peripheral end surface on a main surface of the mask blank substrate on its side to be chucked by the mask stage is 0.6 ?m or less, and at least three of four corner portions of the flatness measurement area each have a shape that rises toward the outer peripheral side.

Abstract: A method includes a preparation step of preparing a transparent substrate having a precision-polished main surface, a surface shape information obtaining step of obtaining, as surface shape information, height information at a plurality of measurement points on the main surface of the transparent substrate that contacts a mask stage of an exposure apparatus, a simulation step of obtaining, based on the surface shape information and shape information of the mask stage, height information at the plurality of measurement points by simulating the state where the transparent substrate is set in the exposure apparatus, a flatness calculation step of calculating, based on the height information obtained through the simulation, a flatness of the transparent substrate when it is set in the exposure apparatus, a judging step of judging whether or not the calculated flatness satisfies a specification, and a thin film forming step of forming a thin film as serving as a mask pattern, on the main surface of the transparent

Abstract: There are provided a manufacturing method of a transparent substrate for a mask blank, a mask blank, or an exposure mask adapted to prevent occurrence of a transfer pattern defect or a mask pattern defect, by correcting a recessed defect existing on the surface of the transparent substrate, and a defect correction method of an exposure mask. With respect to an exposure mask having a transparent substrate 1 formed thereon with a mask pattern 2 which becomes a transfer pattern, correction is performed by removing, by the use of a needle-shaped member 4, a peripheral portion of a recessed defect 3 formed on a surface 1a of the substrate, where the mask pattern 2 is not formed, so as to induce a reduction in transmission light quantity which causes a transfer pattern defect, thereby reducing a level difference between the surface of the substrate and the depth of the recessed defect.

Abstract: In a mask blank substrate to be chucked by a mask stage of an exposure system, the flatness of a rectangular flatness measurement area excluding an area of 2 mm inward from an outer peripheral end surface on a main surface of the mask blank substrate on its side to be chucked by the mask stage is 0.6 ?m or less, and at least three of four corner portions of the flatness measurement area each have a shape that rises toward the outer peripheral side.

Abstract: A mask blank manufacturing department manufactures a mask blank by forming a thin film to be a mask pattern on a mask blank transparent substrate. When providing the mask blank to a mask manufacturing department, the mask blank manufacturing department provides optical characteristic information (transmittance variation) of the mask blank transparent substrate and optical characteristic information (transmittance variation and/or phase difference variation) of the mask blank to the mask manufacturing department. The optical characteristic information of the mask blank transparent substrate is provided to the mask blank manufacturing department from a materials processing department that manufactures mask blank transparent substrates.

Abstract: In a mask blank substrate to be chucked by a mask stage of an exposure system, the flatness of a rectangular flatness measurement area excluding an area of 2 mm inward from an outer peripheral end surface on a main surface of the mask blank substrate on its side to be chucked by the mask stage is 0.6 ?m or less, and at least three of four corner portions of the flatness measurement area each have a shape that rises toward the outer peripheral side.

Abstract: A photomask blank manufacturing method that forms, on a light-transmissive substrate, a thin film for forming a transfer pattern, thereby producing a thin-film coated substrate and then presses the thin-film coated substrate. The pressing is carried out, for example, by a cold isostatic pressing method in a range of 1000 to 10000 atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: A mask blank manufacturing department manufactures a mask blank by forming a thin film to be a mask pattern on a mask blank transparent substrate. When providing the mask blank to a mask manufacturing department, the mask blank manufacturing department provides optical characteristic information (transmittance variation) of the mask blank transparent substrate and optical characteristic information (transmittance variation and/or phase difference variation) of the mask blank to the mask manufacturing department. The optical characteristic information of the mask blank transparent substrate is provided to the mask blank manufacturing department from a materials processing department that manufactures mask blank transparent substrates.

Abstract: A substrate set is a mask blank substrate set including a plurality of substrates each for use in a mask blank for producing a photomask to be chucked on a mask stage of an exposure apparatus. In each of the substrates in the mask blank substrate set, a main surface, on the side where a thin film for forming a transfer pattern is to be formed, has a convex shape being relatively high at its center and relatively low at its peripheral portion. In each substrate, the flatness in a 142 mm square area, including a central portion, of the main surface is 0.3 ?m or less and the difference upon fitting to a reference main surface of a reference substrate is 40 nm or less.

Abstract: In a mask blank substrate to be chucked by a mask stage of an exposure system, the flatness of a rectangular flatness measurement area excluding an area of 2 mm inward from an outer peripheral end surface on a main surface of the mask blank substrate on its side to be chucked by the mask stage is 0.6 ?m or less, and at least three of four corner portions of the flatness measurement area each have a shape that rises toward the outer peripheral side.

Abstract: A mask blank substrate for a photomask is chucked on a mask stage of an exposure apparatus. A main surface, on the side where a thin film for a transfer pattern is to be formed, of the mask blank substrate has a flatness of 0.3 ?m or less in a 142 mm square area including its central portion and has a convex shape being relatively high at its central portion and relatively low at its peripheral portion.

Abstract: In a mask blank substrate to be chucked by a mask stage of an exposure system, the flatness of a rectangular flatness measurement area excluding an area of 2 mm inward from an outer peripheral end surface on a main surface of the mask blank substrate on its side to be chucked by the mask stage is 0.6 ?m or less, and at least three of four corner portions of the flatness measurement area each have a shape that rises toward the outer peripheral side.