Abstract: A reflective mask includes a substrate, a reflective multilayer disposed over the substrate, a capping layer disposed over the reflective multilayer, an intermediate layer disposed over the capping layer, an absorber layer disposed over the intermediate layer, and a cover layer disposed over the absorber layer. The intermediate layer includes a material having a lower hydrogen diffusivity than a material of the capping layer.

Abstract: Coated nanotubes and bundles of nanotubes are formed into membranes useful in optical assemblies in EUV photolithography systems. These optical assemblies are useful in methods for patterning materials on a semiconductor substrate. Such methods involve generating, in a UV lithography system, UV radiation. The UV radiation is passed through a coating layer of the optical assembly, e.g., a pellicle assembly. The UV radiation that has passed through the coating layer is passed through a matrix of individual nanotubes or matrix of nanotube bundles. UV radiation that passes through the matrix of individual nanotubes or matrix of nanotube bundles is reflected from a mask and received at a semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A method for forming a pellicle for an extreme ultraviolet lithography is provided. The method includes forming a pellicle membrane over a filter membrane and transferring the pellicle membrane from the filter membrane to a membrane border. Forming the pellicle membrane includes growing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) from in-situ formed metal catalyst particles in a first reaction zone of a reactor, each of the CNTs including a metal catalyst particle at a growing tip thereof, growing boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) to surround individual CNTs in a second reaction zone of the reactor downstream of the first reaction zone, thereby forming heterostructure nanotubes each including a CNT core and a BNNT shell, and collecting the heterostructure nanotubes on the filter membrane. The metal catalyst particles are partially or completely removed during growing the BNNTs.

Abstract: Coated nanotubes and bundles of nanotubes are formed into membranes useful in optical assemblies in EUV photolithography systems. These optical assemblies are useful in methods for patterning materials on a semiconductor substrate. Such methods involve generating, in a UV lithography system, UV radiation. The UV radiation is passed through a coating layer of the optical assembly, e.g., a pellicle assembly. The UV radiation that has passed through the coating layer is passed through a matrix of individual nanotubes or matrix of nanotube bundles. UV radiation that passes through the matrix of individual nanotubes or matrix of nanotube bundles is reflected from a mask and received at a semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A reflective mask includes a substrate, a reflective multilayer disposed on the substrate, a capping layer disposed on the reflective multilayer, and an absorber layer disposed on the capping layer. The absorber layer includes one or more alternating pairs of a first Cr based layer and a second Cr based layer different from the first Cr based layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method of patterning a semiconductor wafer using extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL). The method includes receiving an EUVL mask 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 includes patterning the absorber layer to form a trench on the EUVL mask, wherein the trench has a first width above a target width. The method further includes treating the EUVL mask with oxygen plasma to reduce the trench to a second width, wherein the second width is below the target width. The method may also include treating the EUVL mask with nitrogen plasma to protect the capping layer, wherein the treating of the EUVL mask with the nitrogen plasma expands the trench to a third width at the target width.

Abstract: A reticle carrier includes an inner pod, a first auxiliary structure, and an outer pod. The inner pod is configured to receive a reticle. The inner pod comprises an inner baseplate and an inner cover plate, and an inner surface of the inner baseplate and an inner surface of the inner cover plate face each other. The first auxiliary structure is on one of the inner surface of the inner baseplate and the inner surface of the inner cover plate. The first auxiliary structure includes a raised structure and a contact pattern on the raised structure, and the contact pattern includes a plurality of parallel strips. The outer pod houses the inner pod.

Abstract: In a method of cleaning a photo mask, the photo mask is placed on a support such that a pattered surface faces down, and an adhesive sheet is applied to edges of a backside surface of the photo mask.

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask and method of forming an EUV mask are provided. The method includes forming a mask layer on a semiconductor wafer, generating extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light by a lithography exposure system, forming patterned EUV light by patterning the EUV light by a mask including an absorber having extinction coefficient at an EUV wavelength that exceeds extinction coefficients of TaBN and TaN at the EUV wavelength, and exposing the mask layer by the patterned EUV light.

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet mask including a substrate, a reflective multilayer stack on the substrate and a capping layer on the reflective multilayer stack is provided. The reflective multilayer stack is treated prior to formation of the capping layer on the reflective multilayer stack. The capping layer is formed by an ion-assisted ion beam deposition or an ion-assisted sputtering process.

Abstract: In a method of cleaning a photo mask, the photo mask is placed on a support such that a pattered surface faces down, and an adhesive sheet is applied to edges of a backside surface of the photo mask.

Abstract: A pellicle comprising a pellicle membrane with improved stability to hydrogen plasma is provided. The pellicle membrane includes a network of a plurality of carbon nanotubes. At least one carbon nanotube of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is surrounded by a multilayer protective coating that includes a stress control layer and a hydrogen permeation barrier layer over the stress control layer. The stress control layer and the hydrogen permeation barrier layer independently include an Me-containing nitride or an Me-containing oxynitride with Me selected from the group consisting of Si, Ti, Y, Hf, Zr, Zn, Mo, Cr and combinations thereof. The Me-containing nitride or the Me-containing oxynitride in the stress control layer has a first Me concentration, and the Me-containing nitride or the Me-containing oxynitride in the hydrogen permeation barrier layer has a second Me concentration less than the first Me concentration.

Abstract: A method includes placing a photomask having a contamination on a surface thereof in a plasma processing chamber. The contaminated photomask is plasma processed in the plasma processing chamber to remove the contamination from the surface. The plasma includes oxygen plasma or hydrogen plasma.

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet mask including a substrate, a reflective multilayer stack on the substrate and a multi-layer patterned absorber layer on the reflective multilayer stack is provided. Disclosed embodiments include an absorber layer that includes an alloy comprising ruthenium (Ru), chromium (Cr), platinum (Pt), gold (Au), iridium (Ir), titanium (Ti), niobium (Nb), rhodium (Rh), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W) or palladium (Pd), and at least one alloying element. The at least one alloying element includes ruthenium (Ru), chromium (Cr), tantalum (Ta), platinum (Pt), gold (Au), iridium (Ir), titanium (Ti), niobium (Nb), rhodium (Rh), molybdenum (Mo), hafnium (Hf), boron (B), nitrogen (N), silicon (Si), zirconium (Zr) or vanadium (V). Other embodiments include a multi-layer patterned absorber structure with layers that include an alloy and an alloying element, where at least two of the layers of the multi-layer structure have different compositions.

Abstract: A method includes placing a photomask having a contamination on a surface thereof in a plasma processing chamber. The contaminated photomask is plasma processed in the plasma processing chamber to remove the contamination from the surface. The plasma includes oxygen plasma or hydrogen plasma.

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet mask includes a substrate, a reflective multilayer stack over the substrate, a capping layer over the reflective multilayer stack, a patterned absorber layer over a first portion of the capping layer, and a magnetic layer over a second portion of the capping layer around the first portion.

Abstract: A pellicle for protecting a photomask from contaminant particles is provided. The pellicle includes a pellicle membrane containing at least one porous film. The at least one porous film includes a network of a plurality of nanotubes. At least one nanotube of the plurality of nanotubes includes a core nanotube and a shell nanotube surrounding the core nanotube. The core nanotube includes a material different from the shell nanotube. The pellicle further includes a pellicle border attached to the pellicle membrane along a peripheral region of the pellicle membrane and a pellicle frame attached to the pellicle border.

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet mask including a substrate, a reflective multilayer stack on the substrate and a patterned absorber layer on the reflective multilayer stack is provided. The patterned absorber layer includes an alloy comprising tantalum and at least one alloying element. The at least one alloying element includes at least one transition metal element or at least one Group 14 element.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a reflective mask, a photo resist layer is formed over a mask blank. The mask blank includes a substrate, a reflective multilayer on the substrate, a capping layer on the reflective multilayer, an absorber layer on the capping layer and a hard mask layer, and the absorber layer is made of Cr, CrO or CrON. The photo resist layer is patterned, the hard mask layer is patterned by using the patterned photo resist layer, the absorber layer is patterned by using the patterned hard mask layer, and an additional element is introduced into the patterned absorber layer to form a converted absorber layer.

Abstract: A plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) system includes a process chamber. A target substrate is supported in the process chamber. A grid is positioned in the process chamber above the target substrate. The grid includes a plurality of apertures extending from a first side of the grid to a second side of the grid. During a PEALD process, a plasma generator generates a plasma. The energy of the plasma is reduced by passing the plasma through the apertures in the grid prior to reacting the plasma with the target substrate.