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).

  • Mask blank, transfer mask, method of manufacturing a mask blank, method of manufacturing a transfer mask and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
    Patent number: 9625807
    Abstract: Provided are a mask blank for which worsening of flatness has been inhibited, a transfer mask, a method of manufacturing a mask blank, a method of manufacturing a transfer mask, and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using this transfer mask. The mask blank is a mask blank provided with a thin film on a main surface of a glass substrate, wherein the glass substrate has a hydrogen content of less than 7.4×1018 molecules/cm3, the thin film is made of a material containing tantalum and being substantially free of hydrogen, and the thin film is formed in contact with the main surface of the glass substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Shishido, Atsushi Kominato, Osamu Nozawa, Toshiharu Kikuchi
  • Mask blank, phase-shift mask, and method for manufacturing the same
    Patent number: 9625806
    Abstract: Provided is a mask blank in which uniformity of the composition and optical characteristics of a phase-shift film in the in-plane direction and direction of film thickness is high, uniformity of the composition and optical characteristics of the phase-shift film between a plurality of substrates is also high, and defectivity is low even if a silicon-based material is applied to the material that forms the phase-shift film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu Nozawa, Hiroaki Shishido, Kazuya Sakai
  • Reflective mask blank, reflective mask and method of manufacturing reflective mask
    Patent number: 9625805
    Abstract: The present invention is a reflective mask blank used to fabricate a reflective mask, which has a laminated structure of a multilayer reflective film, an absorber film and an etching mask film in this order on a substrate, wherein the etching mask film comprises a material containing chromium, the absorber film comprises a material containing tantalum, a highly oxidized layer is formed on the surface layer of the absorber film on the opposite side from the substrate, and a Ta 4f narrow spectrum of the highly oxidized layer when analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy has a maximum peak at a binding energy of more than 23 eV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuya Sakai, Ryo Ohkubo, Osamu Nozawa, Toshiyuki Suzuki
  • Mask blank, transfer mask, method of manufacturing a transfer mask, and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
    Patent number: 9612527
    Abstract: A mask blank for use in the manufacture of a binary mask adapted to be applied with ArF excimer laser exposure light has, on a transparent substrate, a light-shielding film for forming a transfer pattern. The light-shielding film has a laminated structure of a lower layer and an upper layer and has an optical density of 2.8 or more for exposure light and a thickness of 45 nm or less. The lower layer is made of a material in which the total content of a transition metal and silicon is 90 at % or more, and has a thickness of 30 nm or more. The upper layer has a thickness of 3 nm or more and 6 nm or less. The phase difference between exposure light transmitted through the light-shielding film and exposure light transmitted in air for a distance equal to the thickness of the light-shielding film is 30 degrees or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Kominato, Masahiro Hashimoto, Osamu Nozawa
  • MASK BLANK, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING PHASE SHIFT MASK, PHASE SHIFT MASK, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE
    Publication number: 20170075210
    Abstract: A mask blank having a structure in which, on a transparent substrate, a phase shift film, a light shielding film, and a hard mask film are laminated in the stated order from the transparent substrate side. The phase shift film is formed of a material containing silicon, the hard mask film is formed of a material containing at least one element selected from silicon and tantalum, and the light shielding film is formed of a material containing chromium. The mask blank has a structure in which the following three layers: a lower layer, an intermediate layer, and an upper layer are laminated, the upper layer having a highest content of chromium in the light shielding film, the intermediate layer having a lowest content of chromium in the light shielding film, and containing at least one metallic element selected from indium, tin, and molybdenum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki SHISHIDO, Osamu NOZAWA, Takashi UCHIDA
  • MASK BLANK, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING PHASE SHIFT MASK, PHASE SHIFT MASK, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE
    Publication number: 20170068155
    Abstract: A mask blank having a structure in which, on a transparent substrate, a light shielding film and a hard mask film are laminated in the stated order from the transparent substrate side. The hard mask film is formed of a material containing at least one element selected from silicon and tantalum, and the light shielding film is formed of a material containing chromium. The mask blank has a structure of three layers wherein a lower layer, an intermediate layer, and an upper layer are laminated in the stated order from the transparent substrate side. The upper layer has a lowest content of chromium in the light shielding film, the intermediate layer has a highest content of chromium in the light shielding film. It contains at least one metallic element selected from indium, tin, and molybdenum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki SHISHIDO, Osamu NOZAWA, Takashi UCHIDA
  • Phase shift mask blank, method of manufacturing the same, and phase shift mask
    Patent number: 9436079
    Abstract: Provided are a phase shift mask blank that is improved in the irradiation durability of a light-semitransmissive film (phase shift film), made of a material containing mainly a transition metal, silicon, and nitrogen, to exposure light having a wavelength of 200 nm or less and thus can improve the mask lifetime, a method of manufacturing such a phase shift mask blank, and a phase shift mask. The phase shift mask blank is used for manufacturing a phase shift mask adapted to be applied with ArF excimer laser exposure light. The phase shift mask blank has a light-semitransmissive film on a transparent substrate. The light-semitransmissive film is an incomplete nitride film containing mainly a transition metal, silicon, and nitrogen. The content ratio of the transition metal to the transition metal and the silicon in the light-semitransmissive film is less than 9%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu Nozawa, Hiroaki Shishido, Kazuya Sakai
  • MASK BLANK, TRANSFER MASK, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING TRANSFER MASK
    Publication number: 20160202603
    Abstract: A mask blank wherein damage to a light semitransmissive film due to dry etching for removing a light shielding film is inhibited. Mask blank 100 has a light semitransmissive film 2 and light shielding film 4 laminated on a main surface of a transparent substrate 1. Film 2 can be dry etched with a fluorine-based gas. Film 4 has laminated lower layer 41 and upper layer 42. Lower layer 41 contained tantalum and id substantially free from hafnium, zirconium, and oxygen. Upper layer 42 contains tantalum and one or more of hafnium and zirconium and is substantially free from oxygen excluding the surface layer of the upper layer 42. Between the light semitransmissive film 2 and lower layer 41 is an etching stopper film 3 having etch selectivity with respect to the lower layer 41 in dry etching with an etching gas containing the chlorine-based gas and no oxygen gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki SHISHIDO, Ryo OHKUBO, Osamu NOZAWA
  • MASK BLANK, TRANSFER MASK AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME
    Publication number: 20160202602
    Abstract: In a mask blank having a structure in which a light-semitransmissive film and a light-shielding film are laminated on a main surface of a transparent substrate, the light-semitransmissive film is made of a material that can be dry-etched with an etching gas containing a fluorine-based gas, the light-shielding film is made of a material that contains tantalum and one or more elements selected from hafnium and zirconium and contains no oxygen except in a surface layer thereof, an etching stopper film is provided between the light-semitransmissive film and the light-shielding film, and the etching stopper film is made of a material that contains chromium with an oxygen content of 20 at % or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki SHISHIDO, Osamu NOZAWA, Ryo OHKUBO
  • MASK BLANK, TRANSFER MASK, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING TRANSFER MASK, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE
    Publication number: 20160187769
    Abstract: A mask blank is provided, by which an alignment mark can be formed between a transparent substrate and a laminated structure of a light semitransmissive film, etching stopper film, and light shielding film during manufacture of a transfer mask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu NOZAWA, Ryo OHKUBO, Hiroaki SHISHIDO, Yasushi OKUBO
  • Mask blank, transfer mask, method of manufacturing a transfer mask, and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
    Patent number: 9372393
    Abstract: A mask blank for manufacturing a transfer mask adapted to be applied with ArF excimer laser exposure light that has a transparent substrate and a light-shielding film formed into a transfer pattern. The light-shielding film has at least two-layers, one a lower layer composed mainly of a first material containing a transition metal, silicon, and nitrogen, and the other an upper layer composed mainly of a second material containing a transition metal, silicon, and nitrogen. A ratio of a first etching rate of the lower layer to a second etching rate of the upper layer is 1.0 or more and 5.0 or less in etching carried out by supplying a fluorine-containing substance onto a target portion and irradiating charged particles to the target portion. Another ratio satisfies the following formula CN??0.00526CMo2?0.640CMo+26.624.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Kominato, Osamu Nozawa, Hiroyuki Iwashita, Masahiro Hashimoto
  • Mask blank, transfer mask, method of manufacturing a transfer mask, and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
    Patent number: 9354509
    Abstract: A mask blank is used for manufacturing a binary mask adapted to be applied with ArF excimer laser exposure light and has a light-shielding film for forming a transfer pattern on a transparent substrate. The light-shielding film has a laminated structure of a lower layer and an upper layer and has an optical density of 2.8 or more for the exposure light. The lower layer is made of a material containing tantalum and nitrogen and has a thickness of 33 nm or more. The upper layer is made of a material containing tantalum and oxygen and has a thickness of 3 nm or more. The phase difference between the exposure light transmitted through the light-shielding film and the exposure light transmitted in air for a distance equal to the thickness of the light-shielding film is 60 degrees or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noriyuki Sakaya, Osamu Nozawa
  • MASK BLANK, TRANSFER MASK AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING TRANSFER MASK
    Publication number: 20160041464
    Abstract: Provided is a mask blank which enables EB defect correction to be suitably applied and which further enables a reduction in the thickness of a light-shielding film. A mask blank 10 is used for producing a transfer mask adapted to be applied with ArF exposure light and has a light-shielding film 2 on a transparent substrate 1. The light-shielding film 2 is composed mainly of a material containing a transition metal, silicon, and at least one or more elements selected from oxygen and nitrogen. An etching rate of the light-shielding film by a fluorine-containing substance in a state of not being irradiated with charged particles is low enough to at least ensure etching selectivity with respect to an etching rate of the light-shielding film by the fluorine-containing substance in a state of being irradiated with the charged particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro HASHIMOTO, Atsushi KOMINATO, Hiroyuki IWASHITA, Osamu NOZAWA
  • Mask blank, transfer mask, method of manufacturing a transfer mask, and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
    Patent number: 9256122
    Abstract: A mask blank for use in the manufacture of a binary mask adapted to be applied with ArF excimer laser exposure light has, on a transparent substrate, a light-shielding film for forming a transfer pattern. The light-shielding film has a laminated structure of a lower layer and an upper layer and has an optical density of 2.8 or more for exposure light and a thickness of 45 nm or less. The lower layer is made of a material in which the total content of a transition metal and silicon is 90 at % or more, and has a thickness of 30 nm or more. The upper layer has a thickness of 3 nm or more and 6 nm or less. The phase difference between exposure light transmitted through the light-shielding film and exposure light transmitted in air for a distance equal to the thickness of the light-shielding film is 30 degrees or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Kominato, Masahiro Hashimoto, Osamu Nozawa
  • MASK BLANK, PHASE-SHIFT MASK, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME
    Publication number: 20150338731
    Abstract: Provided is a mask blank in which uniformity of the composition and optical characteristics of a phase-shift film in the in-plane direction and direction of film thickness is high, uniformity of the composition and optical characteristics of the phase-shift film between a plurality of substrates is also high, and defectivity is low even if a silicon-based material is applied to the material that forms the phase-shift film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu NOZAWA, Hiroaki SHISHIDO, Kazuya SAKAI
  • Mask blank, transfer mask and method of manufacturing transfer mask
    Patent number: 9195133
    Abstract: Provided is a mask blank which enables EB defect correction to be suitably applied and which further enables a reduction in the thickness of a light-shielding film. A mask blank 10 is used for producing a transfer mask adapted to be applied with ArF exposure light and has a light-shielding film 2 on a transparent substrate 1. The light-shielding film 2 is composed mainly of a material containing a transition metal, silicon, and at least one or more elements selected from oxygen and nitrogen. An etching rate of the light-shielding film by a fluorine-containing substance in a state of not being irradiated with charged particles is low enough to at least ensure etching selectivity with respect to an etching rate of the light-shielding film by the fluorine-containing substance in a state of being irradiated with the charged particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro Hashimoto, Atsushi Kominato, Hiroyuki Iwashita, Osamu Nozawa
  • METHOD OF MANUFACTURING MASK BLANK AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING TRANSFER MASK
    Publication number: 20150331311
    Abstract: Methods of manufacturing a mask blank and a transfer mask that reduce internal stress of a thin film. The methods include preparing a transparent substrate having a pair of opposing main surfaces and composed of a glass material having a hydrogen content of less than 7.4×1018 molecules/cm3, forming a thin film composed of a material containing silicon or metal on one of the main surfaces of the transparent substrate, and carrying out heating treatment or photo irradiation treatment on the transparent substrate with the thin film. The absolute value of a variation of flatness in a predetermined region, as calculated based on a difference in shape obtained from a shape of a main surface of the transparent substrate prior to forming the thin film and a shape of a main surface of the substrate exposed after removing the thin film, is not more than 100 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi KOMINATO, Hiroaki SHISHIDO, Osamu NOZAWA
  • MASK BLANK, TRANSFER MASK, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING MASK BLANK, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING TRANSFER MASK AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE
    Publication number: 20150293441
    Abstract: Provided are a mask blank for which worsening of flatness has been inhibited, a transfer mask, a method of manufacturing a mask blank, a method of manufacturing a transfer mask, and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using this transfer mask. The mask blank is a mask blank provided with a thin film on a main surface of a glass substrate, wherein the glass substrate has a hydrogen content of less than 7.4×1018 molecules/cm3, the thin film is made of a material containing tantalum and being substantially free of hydrogen, and the thin film is formed in contact with the main surface of the glass substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Shishido, Atsushi Kominato, Osamu Nozawa, Toshiharu Kikuchi
  • Method of manufacturing a transfer mask and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
    Patent number: 9140980
    Abstract: In a mask blank for manufacturing a transfer mask, the mask blank has a light-shielding film on a transparent substrate. The light-shielding film is made of a material containing tantalum as a main metal component and includes a highly oxidized layer which has an oxygen content of 60 at % or more and which is formed as a surface layer of the light-shielding film. The highly oxidized layer is placed on a side opposite to a transparent substrate side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu Nozawa, Hiroaki Shishido, Toshiyuki Suzuki
  • REFLECTIVE MASK BLANK, REFLECTIVE MASK AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING REFLECTIVE MASK
    Publication number: 20150261083
    Abstract: The present invention is a reflective mask blank used to fabricate a reflective mask, which has a laminated structure of a multilayer reflective film, an absorber film and an etching mask film in this order on a substrate, wherein the etching mask film comprises a material containing chromium, the absorber film comprises a material containing tantalum, a highly oxidized layer is formed on the surface layer of the absorber film on the opposite side from the substrate, and a Ta 4f narrow spectrum of the highly oxidized layer when analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy has a maximum peak at a binding energy of more than 23 eV.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuya SAKAI, Ryo OHKUBO, Osamu NOZAWA, Toshiyuki SUZUKI