Patents by Inventor Osamu Nozawa

Osamu Nozawa has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240053672
    Abstract: A mask blank has a substrate and a pattern-forming thin film formed on the substrate. The pattern-forming thin film is one of a single-layer film containing chromium and nitrogen or a multi-layer film comprising at least one chromium nitride-based layer. An arithmetic mean roughness Sa is 1.0 nm or less and a ratio of a maximum height Sz to the arithmetic mean roughness Sa Sz/Sa is 14 or less in a 1-?m square positioned in a central region on a surface of the pattern-forming thin film with respect to a center of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki SHISHIDO, Osamu NOZAWA
  • Publication number: 20230393457
    Abstract: Provided is a mask blank. A mask blank comprising a phase shift film on a transparent substrate, the phase shift film having a structure in which a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer are layered in this order on the transparent substrate, the first layer and the third layer including hafnium and oxygen, and the second layer including silicon and oxygen, wherein when thicknesses of the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer are represented by D1, D2, and D3, respectively, all relationships of (Expression 1-A) to (Expression 1-D) are satisfied, or all relationships of (Expression 2-A) to (Expression 2-D) are satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu NOZAWA, Hitoshi MAEDA
  • Publication number: 20230367196
    Abstract: A light shielding film made up of a material containing one or more elements selected from silicon and tantalum and a hard mask film made up of a material containing chromium, oxygen, and carbon are laminated on a transparent substrate. The hard mask film is a single layer film having a composition gradient portion with increased oxygen content on the surface and on the neighboring region. The maximum peak for N1s in a narrow spectrum obtained via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis is the lower limit of detection or less. The portions excluding the composition gradient portion of the hard mask film have a 50 atom% or more chromium content, and the maximum peak for Cr2p in a narrow spectrum obtained via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis has a binding energy of 574 eV or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu NOZAWA, Ryo OHKUBO, Hiroaki SHISHIDO
  • Publication number: 20230314929
    Abstract: A mask blank comprises: a light-transmissive substrate; and a phase shift film formed on the light-transmissive substrate, in which the phase shift film includes a lower layer containing hafnium and oxygen and an upper layer formed on the lower layer and containing silicon, oxygen, and nitrogen, a total content of hafnium and oxygen in the lower layer is 95 atom % or more, and a content of nitrogen in the upper layer is 15 atom % or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi MAEDA, Osamu NOZAWA
  • Patent number: 11762279
    Abstract: A light shielding film made up of a material containing one or more elements selected from silicon and tantalum and a hard mask film made up of a material containing chromium, oxygen, and carbon are laminated on a transparent substrate. The hard mask film is a single layer film having a composition gradient portion with increased oxygen content on the surface and on the neighboring region. The maximum peak for N1s in a narrow spectrum obtained via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis is the lower limit of detection or less. The portions excluding the composition gradient portion of the hard mask film have a 50 atom % or more chromium content, and the maximum peak for Cr2p in a narrow spectrum obtained via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis has a binding energy of 574 eV or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu Nozawa, Ryo Ohkubo, Hiroaki Shishido
  • Publication number: 20230259015
    Abstract: Provided is a mask blank. The mask blank has a structure where a thin film for pattern formation, a first hard mask film, and a second hard mask film are stacked in this order on a main surface of a substrate, the thin film for pattern formation contains a transition metal, the first hard mask film contains oxygen and one or more elements selected from silicon and tantalum, the second hard mask film contains a transition metal, a content of transition metal of the second hard mask film is less than the content of transition metal of the thin film for pattern formation, a region where the first hard mask film is formed on the main surface is smaller than a region where the thin film for pattern formation is formed, and the second hard mask film and the thin film for pattern formation are in contact with each other at least in part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki SHISHIDO, Osamu NOZAWA
  • Patent number: 11720014
    Abstract: The phase shift film has a function to transmit an exposure light of a KrF excimer laser at a transmittance of 2% or more, and a function to generate a phase difference of 150 degrees or more and 210 degrees or less between the exposure light transmitted through the phase shift film and the exposure light transmitted through the air for a same distance as a thickness of the phase shift film, in which the phase shift film has a structure where a lower layer and an upper layer are stacked in order from a side of the transparent substrate, in which a refractive index nL of the lower layer at a wavelength of the exposure light and a refractive index nU of the upper layer at a wavelength of the exposure light satisfy a relation of nL>nU, in which an extinction coefficient kL of the lower layer at a wavelength of the exposure light and an extinction coefficient kU of the upper layer at a wavelength of the exposure light satisfy a relation of kL>kU; and in which a thickness dL of the lower layer and a thicknes
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi Maeda, Osamu Nozawa, Hiroaki Shishido
  • Publication number: 20230194973
    Abstract: Provided is a mask blank . A transmittance adjusting film is provided on a phase shift film; the phase shift film generates a phase difference of 150 degrees or more and 210 degrees or less between an ArF excimer laser exposure light transmitted through the phase shift film and the exposure light transmitted through the air for a same distance as a thickness of the phase shift film; and a refractive index nu with respect to a wavelength of the exposure light, an extinction coefficient ku with respect to the wavelength of the exposure light, and a thickness du[nm] of the transmittance adjusting film satisfy both equations (1) and (2) given below. d U ? -17 .63 × n U 3 +142 .0 × n U 2 -364 .9 × n U +315 .8 d U ? -2 .805 × k U 3 +19 .48 × k U 2 -43 .58 × k U +38 .
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu NOZAWA, Keishi AKIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20230142180
    Abstract: A mask blank includes a substrate and a thin film formed on the substrate, the thin film including hafnium and oxygen. A total content of hafnium and oxygen of the thin film is 95 atom % or more. An oxygen content of the thin film is 60 atom % or more. An X-ray diffraction profile of a diffraction angle 2? between 25 degrees and 35 degrees has a maximum diffraction intensity in a diffraction angle 2? between 28 degrees and 29 degrees, the X-ray diffraction profile being obtained by an X-ray diffraction analysis with an Out-of-Plane measurement with respect to the thin film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi MAEDA, Osamu NOZAWA
  • Patent number: 11630388
    Abstract: Provided is a mask blank (100) for manufacturing a phase shift mask, the mask blank enabling formation of a high-precision and fine pattern on a light shielding film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu Nozawa, Ryo Ohkubo, Hiroaki Shishido
  • Publication number: 20230097280
    Abstract: An object is to provide a mask blank A mask blank having a substrate and a thin film, the substrate includes two main surfaces and a side surface with a chamfered surface provided between the two main surfaces and the side surface, one main surface of the two main surfaces includes an inner region including a center of the main surface and an outer peripheral region outside of the inner region, the thin film is provided on the inner region of the main surface, the surface reflectance Rs of the outer peripheral region with respect to light of 400 nm to 700 nm wavelength is 10% or less, and provided that Rf is the surface reflectance with respect to light of 400 nm to 700 nm wavelength in one section among sections of the thin film in the range of 9 nm to 10 nm film thickness, the contrast ratio (Rf/Rs) is 3.0 or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Applicants: HOYA CORPORATION, HOYA ELECTRONICS SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Osamu NOZAWA, Keishi AKIYAMA, Hok Tak Lim, Tham Hui Jun
  • Publication number: 20220390826
    Abstract: Provided is a reflective mask blank comprising a phase shift film having a small change in the phase difference and/or reflectance of the phase shift film even in a case where the film thickness of the phase shift film changes. A reflective mask blank comprises a multilayer reflective film and a phase shift film in this order on a main surface of a substrate. The phase shift film comprises a lower layer and an uppermost layer. The lower layer is located between the uppermost layer and the multilayer reflective film. The lower layer is formed of a material in which the total content of ruthenium and chromium is 90 atomic % or more, or a material in which the total content of ruthenium, chromium, and nitrogen is 90 atomic % or more. The uppermost layer is formed of a material in which the total content of ruthenium, chromium, and oxygen is 90 atomic % or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yohei IKEBE, Osamu NOZAWA
  • Publication number: 20220252972
    Abstract: Provided is a mask blank that can manufacture a phase shift mask. Provided is a mask blank having a phase shift film on a transparent substrate, the phase shift film contains hafnium, silicon, and oxygen, a ratio of a hafnium content to a total content of hafnium and silicon in the phase shift film by atom % is 0.4 or more, a refractive index n of the phase shift film to a wavelength of an exposure light of an Arf excimer laser is 2.5 or more, and an extinction coefficient k of the phase shift film to a wavelength of the exposure light is 0.30 or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2020
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi MAEDA, Osamu NOZAWA
  • Publication number: 20220214608
    Abstract: A mask blank 100 has a structure in which a pattern-forming thin film 3 and a hard mask film 4 are formed on a transparent substrate 1 in this order. An Si2p narrow spectrum obtained by analyzing the hard mask film by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy has a maximum peak at a binding energy of at least 103 eV. An N1s narrow spectrum obtained by analyzing the hard mask film by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy has a maximum peak below a detection lower limit value. In the hard mask film 4, a content ratio (atomic %) of silicon and oxygen is Si:O=1:less than 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki SHISHIDO, Ryo OHKUBO, Osamu NOZAWA
  • Publication number: 20220179300
    Abstract: A mask blank has a structure in which a pattern-forming thin film and a hard mask film are formed on a substrate in this order. The hard mask film is made of a material containing silicon, oxygen, and nitrogen. The hard mask film has a nitrogen content of at least 2% and at most 18%. An Si2p narrow spectrum obtained by analyzing the hard mask film by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy has a maximum peak at a binding energy of at least 103 eV.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki SHISHIDO, Ryo OHKUBO, Osamu NOZAWA
  • Publication number: 20220163880
    Abstract: A light shielding film made up of a material containing one or more elements selected from silicon and tantalum and a hard mask film made up of a material containing chromium, oxygen, and carbon are laminated on a transparent substrate. The hard mask film is a single layer film having a composition gradient portion with increased oxygen content on the surface and on the neighboring region. The maximum peak for Nis in a narrow spectrum obtained via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis is the lower limit of detection or less. The portions excluding the composition gradient portion of the hard mask film have a 50 atom % or more chromium content, and the maximum peak for Cr2p in a narrow spectrum obtained via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis has a binding energy of 574 eV or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu NOZAWA, Ryo OHKUBO, Hiroaki SHISHIDO
  • Patent number: 11333966
    Abstract: Provided is a mask blank including a phase shift film. The phase shift film is made of a material containing a non-metallic element and silicon and includes first, second, and third layers; refractive indexes n1, n2, and n3 of the first, second, and third layers, respectively, at the wavelength of an exposure light satisfy the relations of n1<n2 and n2>n3; and extinction coefficients k1, k2, and k3 of the first, second, and third layers, respectively, at the wavelength of an exposure light satisfy the relation of k1>k2>k3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu Nozawa, Yasutaka Horigome, Hitoshi Maeda
  • Publication number: 20220128898
    Abstract: A mask blank including a phase shift film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi MAEDA, Osamu NOZAWA, Hiroaki SHISHIDO
  • Publication number: 20220121104
    Abstract: Provided is a mask blank, including a phase shift film. The phase shift film has a function to transmit an exposure light of an ArF excimer laser at a transmittance of 15% or more and a function to generate a phase difference of 150 degrees or more and 210 degrees or less; the phase shift film is formed of a material containing a non-metallic element and silicon; the phase shift film has a structure where a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer are stacked in this order; refractive indexes n1, n2, n3 of the first, second, and third layers, respectively, at a wavelength of an exposure light satisfy relations of n1>n2 and n2<n3; extinction coefficients k1, k2, k3 of the first, second, and third layers, respectively, at a wavelength of an exposure light satisfy relations of k1>k2 and k2<k3; and film thicknesses di, d3 of the first layer and the third layer, respectively, satisfy a relation of 0.5?d1/d3<1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi MAEDA, Osamu NOZAWA
  • Patent number: 11281089
    Abstract: A light shielding film made up of a material containing one or more elements selected from silicon and tantalum and a hard mask film made up of a material containing chromium, oxygen, and carbon are laminated on a transparent substrate. The hard mask film is a single layer film having a composition gradient portion with increased oxygen content on the surface and on the neighboring region. The maximum peak for N1s in a narrow spectrum obtained via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis is the lower limit of detection or less. The portions excluding the composition gradient portion of the hard mask film have a 50 atom % or more chromium content, and the maximum peak for Cr2p in a narrow spectrum obtained via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis has a binding energy of 574 eV or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu Nozawa, Ryo Ohkubo, Hiroaki Shishido