Abstract: The present invention provides a photomask blank which exhibits high adhesion of a resist film to a film containing chromium, and which is capable of achieving good resolution limit and good CD linearity during the formation of an assist pattern of a line pattern, said assist pattern supplementing the resolution of the main pattern of a photomask.

Abstract: A photomask blank having a substrate; and a multilayer film including a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer. The first layer contains 43 at % or less chromium, 32 at % or more oxygen, 25 at % or less nitrogen and 5 at % or more and 18 at % or less carbon and has a thickness of 8 nm or more and 16 nm or less. The second layer contains 66 at % or more and 92 at % or less chromium and 8 at % or more and 30 at % or less nitrogen and has a thickness of 50 nm or more and 75 nm or less. The third layer contains 44 at % or less chromium, 30 at % or more oxygen and 28 at % or less nitrogen and has a thickness of 10 nm or less. A surface roughness Rq of the multilayer film is 0.65 nm or less.

Abstract: A photomask blank including a substrate and chromium-containing film, where the chromium-containing film has first to third layers from a substrate side remote, each containing chromium. The first layer contains oxygen and nitrogen and has 44 atom % or less chromium, 30 atom % or more oxygen, 26 atom % or less nitrogen, and thickness of 8 to 20 nm. The second layer contains nitrogen and 66 to 92 atom % Cr, 8 to 34 atom % N, and thickness of 40 to 70 nm. The third layer further contains oxygen and nitrogen and has 44 atom % or less Cr, 30 atom % or more O, 26 atom % or less N, and thickness of 10 nm or less. Thus, a photomask blank has a chromium-containing film with good surface roughness with defects of 50 nm, low resistivity for foreign matter adherence, and reads a barcode pattern.

Abstract: A phase shift mask blank has a transparent substrate and a phase shift film formed on the transparent substrate. The phase shift film has a phase difference of 160 to 200° and a transmittance of 3 to 15% at exposure wavelength of 200 nm or less and includes a lower layer and an upper layer in order from the transparent substrate side. The upper layer contains transition metal, silicon, nitrogen and/or oxygen, or silicon, nitrogen and/or oxygen. The lower layer contains chromium, silicon, nitrogen and/or oxygen, and the content of silicon is 3% or more to less than 15% for the sum of chromium and silicon in the lower layer. The ratio of oxygen content to the total content of chromium and silicon is less than 1.7, and etching selectivity of the upper layer is 10 or more compared to the lower layer in fluorine-based dry etching.

Abstract: A photomask blank has a first layer, a second layer, a third layer and a fourth layer. The first layer has a chromium content of 40 atomic % or less, an oxygen content of 38 atomic % or more, and a nitrogen content of 22 atomic % or less. The second layer has a chromium content of 38 atomic % or less, an oxygen content of 30 atomic % or more, a nitrogen content of 18 atomic % or less, and a carbon content of 14 atomic % or less. The third layer has a chromium content of 50 atomic % or less, an oxygen content of 30 atomic % or less, and a nitrogen content of 20 atomic % or more. The fourth layer has a chromium content of 44 atomic % or less, an oxygen content of 20 atomic % or more, a nitrogen content of 20 atomic % or less, and a carbon content of 16 atomic % or less.

Abstract: The present invention provides a photomask blank which exhibits high adhesion of a resist film to a film containing chromium, and which is capable of achieving good resolution limit and good CD linearity during the formation of an assist pattern of a line pattern, said assist pattern supplementing the resolution of the main pattern of a photomask.

Abstract: A phase shift mask blank including a transparent substrate, an etching protection film formed on the transparent substrate, and a phase shift film formed in contact with the etching protection film, for exposure light being ArF excimer laser. The etching protection film is composed of a material containing hafnium and oxygen or hafnium, silicon and oxygen, and has a thickness of 1 to 30 nm, and a transmittance of not less than 85% with respect the exposure light, and the phase shift film is composed of a material containing silicon and being free of hafnium, and has a thickness of 50 to 90 nm.

Abstract: A phase shift mask blank has a transparent substrate and a phase shift film formed on the transparent substrate. The phase shift film has a phase difference of 160 to 200° and a transmittance of 3 to 15% at exposure wavelength of 200 nm or less and includes a lower layer and an upper layer in order from the transparent substrate side. The upper layer contains transition metal, silicon, nitrogen and/or oxygen, or silicon, nitrogen and/or oxygen. The lower layer contains chromium, silicon, nitrogen and/or oxygen, and the content of silicon is 3% or more to less than 15% for the sum of chromium and silicon in the lower layer. The ratio of oxygen content to the total content of chromium and silicon is less than 1.7, and etching selectivity of the upper layer is 10 or more compared to the lower layer in fluorine-based dry etching.

Abstract: A photomask blank for a material of a photomask used in pattern transfer by exposure light having a wavelength of up to 250 nm, including a transparent substrate, a chromium-containing film directly formed on the substrate or formed with an optical film intervened between the transparent substrate and the chromium-containing film. The chromium-containing film includes a region (A) composed of a chromium compound containing chromium, oxygen and carbon, wherein each of contents of the elements contained in the chromium compound is continuously varied in the thickness direction of the region (A), and toward the substrate, the content of chromium increases, and the content of carbon decreases.

Abstract: A photomask blank has a first layer, a second layer, a third layer and a fourth layer. The first layer has a chromium content of 40 atomic % or less, an oxygen content of 38 atomic % or more, and a nitrogen content of 22 atomic % or less. The second layer has a chromium content of 38 atomic % or less, an oxygen content of 30 atomic % or more, a nitrogen content of 18 atomic % or less, and a carbon content of 14 atomic % or less. The third layer has a chromium content of 50 atomic % or less, an oxygen content of 30 atomic % or less, and a nitrogen content of 20 atomic % or more. The fourth layer has a chromium content of 44 atomic % or less, an oxygen content of 20 atomic % or more, a nitrogen content of 20 atomic % or less, and a carbon content of 16 atomic % or less.

Abstract: A photomask blank comprising a transparent substrate and a Cr-containing film is provided. The Cr-containing film includes a layer which is composed of a C-containing Cr compound and further contains O or O and N. The layer has a C/Cr atomic ratio of at least 0.3 and a N/Cr atomic ratio of up to 0.1, and has a Cr content of up to 50 at % and a C/O atomic ratio of at least 0.8, or a Cr content of up to 60 at % and a C/O atomic ratio of at least 1. The photomask blank is processed into a photomask by dry etching the Cr-containing film.

Abstract: A photomask blank for a material of a photomask used in pattern transfer by exposure light having a wavelength of up to 250 nm, including a transparent substrate, a chromium-containing film directly formed on the substrate or formed with an optical film intervened between the transparent substrate and the chromium-containing film. The chromium-containing film includes a region (A) composed of a chromium compound containing chromium, oxygen and carbon, wherein each of contents of the elements contained in the chromium compound is continuously varied in the thickness direction of the region (A), and toward the substrate, the content of chromium increases, and the content of carbon decreases.

Abstract: A photomask blank comprising a transparent substrate and a Cr-containing film is provided. The Cr-containing film includes a layer which is composed of a C-containing Cr compound and further contains 0 or 0 and N. The layer has a C/Cr atomic ratio of at least 0.3 and a N/Cr atomic ratio of up to 0.1, and has a Cr content of up to 50 at % and a C/O atomic ratio of at least 0.8, or a Cr content of up to 60 at % and a C/O atomic ratio of at least 1. The photomask blank is processed into a photomask by dry etching the Cr-containing film.