Abstract: A reflective photomask including a substrate, a multilayer reflection film, a protection film and a pattern of a light absorbing film is provided. The protection film has an extinction coefficient of 0.018 to 0.035, and a thickness of 1 to 6 nm, the light absorbing film is constituted of a single layer or multiple layers, the single layer or each layer of the multiple layers is composed of a material that contains ruthenium and platinum, and has a ruthenium content of 30 to 70 at %, a platinum content of 30 to 70 at %, and a total content of ruthenium and platinum of not less than 96 at %, the light absorbing film has a thickness of 32 to 38 nm, and a reflectance of 1 to 8% and a phase shift of 190 to 240 degrees, with respect to exposure light being light in extreme ultraviolet range.

Abstract: A photomask blank with which a process for removing a hard mask film can be simplified and mask manufacturing process can be simplified. The photomask blank includes: substrate; patterning layer formed of a single layer or multiple layers on substrate; and hard mask film on patterning layer. The hard mask film is made of material containing chromium and at least one element selected from nitrogen, carbon, and oxygen, film density of hard mask film is 6.0 g/cm3 or less, hard mask film has resistance to dry-etching using gas containing fluorine and not containing oxygen, and resistance to dry-etching using gas containing chlorine and not containing oxygen, and photomask blank satisfies following formula: d/v?60 [min], wherein film thickness reduction amount per minute of hard mask film when processed with sulfuric acid-hydrogen peroxide mixture is v [nm/min] and a film thickness of hard mask film is d [nm].

Abstract: A reflective mask blank is a material for a reflective mask used in EUV lithography using EUV light as exposure light. The reflective mask blank comprising: a substrate (1); a multilayer reflective film (2) that reflects the exposure light and is formed above one main surface of the substrate (1); a protective film (3) that protects the multilayer reflective film (2) and is formed above the multilayer reflective film (2); an absorption film (5) that absorbs the exposure light and is formed above the protective film (3); and an etch-stop film (4) that contains niobium (Nb) and is provided between the protective film (3) and the absorption film (5). The protective film (3) has at least one layer containing rhodium (Rh). A layer in contact with the protective film (3) in the multilayer reflective film (2) contains molybdenum (Mo).

Abstract: A reflective mask blank comprises: a substrate (1); a multilayer reflective film (2) that reflects the exposure light and is formed above one main surface of the substrate (1); a protective film (3) that protects the multilayer reflective film (2) and is formed above the multilayer reflective film (2); an absorption film (6) that absorbs the exposure light and is formed above the protective film (3); and an intermediate film provided between the protective film (3) and the absorption film (6). The intermediate film includes a first intermediate film (4) containing niobium (Nb) and a second intermediate film (5) that is provided closer to the absorption film (6) than the first intermediate film (4) and is made of a material that can be dry-etched with an oxygen-containing gas. The absorption film (6) is made of a material that can be dry-etched with a fluorine-containing gas.

Abstract: An absorption film of a reflective mask blank that is formed on a protection film and can be etched by ion beam etching or methanol etching is patterned by providing an etching prevention film contacted with both of the protection film and the absorption film, and a first hard mask film on the absorption film, and patterning the absorption film by ion beam etching or methanol etching with using a pattern of the first hard mask film as an etching mask.

Abstract: A fine and preferable pattern of an absorption film can be formed from the absorption film that can be patterned by dry etching using a gas containing oxygen (O) by a reflective mask blank including a substrate, a multilayer reflection film that is formed on one main surface of the substrate, and reflects exposure light, an absorption film that is formed on the multilayer reflection film, and absorbs the exposure light, and an etching mask film containing niobium (Nb) on the absorption film.

Abstract: As a reflective mask blank that includes a protection film containing ruthenium (Ru), a reflective mask blank in which the protection film is hard to be damaged and can be suppressed decrease of the thickness is provided by a reflective mask blank including a substrate, a multilayer reflection film, a protection film, an absorption film, and an etching prevention film that contains niobium (Nb) and is free of ruthenium (Ru) between the protection film and the absorption film.

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 reflective mask blank that is a material for a reflective mask used in EUV lithography using EUV light as exposure light, including a substrate, a multilayer reflection film that is formed on one main surface of the substrate and reflects the exposure light, and an absorber film containing tungsten, and another metal, a metalloid or a light element that is formed on the multilayer reflection film and absorbs the exposure light.

Abstract: In a reflective mask blank including a substrate, a multilayer reflection film, a protection film, an absorber film and a hard mask film, the protection film is composed of a material containing ruthenium (Ru), the absorber film consists of a first layer and a second layer, or a first layer, a second layer and a third layer, the first layer has a composition containing tantalum (Ta) and being free of nitrogen (N), the second layer has a composition containing tantalum (Ta) and nitrogen (N), the third layer has a composition containing tantalum (Ta), nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O), and the hard mask film is composed of a material containing chromium (Cr).

Abstract: A reflective mask blank that is a material for a reflective mask used in EUV lithography using EUV light as the exposure light, including a substrate, a multilayer reflection film that is formed on one main surface of the substrate and reflects the exposure light, and an absorber film that is formed on the multilayer reflection film and absorbs the exposure light, the absorber film being a single layer consisting of a first layer, or a plurality of layers consisting of, from the substrate side, a first layer and a second layer, the first layer being composed of tantalum and nitrogen and containing 55 to 70 at % of tantalum and 30 to 45 at % of nitrogen, the second layer being composed of tantalum and nitrogen, and oxygen of not more than 40 at %.

Abstract: A reflective photomask blank includes a substrate, a multilayer reflection film that reflects exposure light being light in extreme ultraviolet range, a protection film, a light-absorbing film that absorbs the exposure light, and a hard mask film that is formed in contact with the light-absorbing film. The hard mask film is constituted by a multilayer including a first layer disposed at the side remotest from the substrate, and is composed of a material that is resistant to chlorine-based dry etching, and removable by fluorine-based dry etching, and a second layer composed of a material that is resistant to fluorine-based dry etching, and removable by chlorine-based dry etching. An etching clear time of the light-absorbing film on fluorine-based dry etching under one condition is longer than an etching clear time of the first layer on the fluorine-based dry etching under the same condition.

Abstract: A reflective photomask blank includes a substrate, a multilayer reflection film that is formed on the substrate and reflects exposure light being light in extreme ultraviolet range, a protection film that is formed on the multilayer reflection film to protect the multilayer reflection film, a light-absorbing film that is formed on the protection film and absorbs the exposure light, and a hard mask film that is formed on and in contact with the light-absorbing film and functions as a hard mask in pattering the light-absorbing film by dry etching. The hard mask film is constituted by a multilayer including a first layer and a second layer, the first layer is disposed at the side remotest from the substrate, and is composed of a material containing silicon and free of chromium, and the second layer is composed of a material containing chromium and free of silicon.

Abstract: Metal and metalloid elements for an absorber film of a reflective mask blank are selected from first, second and third elements included in first, second and third regions, respectively, that are defined by a refractive index n and an extinction coefficient k of a simple substance of each of the metal and metalloid elements, and the absorber film is formed so as to have a reflectance ratio of 0.05 to 0.25, and a phase shift of 180 to 260° by the selected metal and metalloid elements.

Abstract: A reflective mask blank that is a material for a reflective mask used in EUV lithography using EUV light as exposure light, including a substrate, a multilayer reflection film that is formed on one main surface of the substrate and reflects the exposure light, and an absorber film containing tungsten, and another metal, a metalloid or a light element that is formed on the multilayer reflection film and absorbs the exposure light.

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 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 reflective mask blank that is a material for a reflective mask used in EUV lithography using EUV light as the exposure light, including a substrate, a multilayer reflection film that is formed on one main surface of the substrate and reflects the exposure light, and an absorber film that is formed on the multilayer reflection film and absorbs the exposure light, the absorber film being a single layer consisting of a first layer, or a plurality of layers consisting of, from the substrate side, a first layer and a second layer, the first layer being composed of tantalum and nitrogen and containing 55 to 70 at % of tantalum and 30 to 45 at % of nitrogen, the second layer being composed of tantalum and nitrogen, and oxygen of not more than 40 at %.

Abstract: The invention is a magnetic recording medium which is effectively protected against forgery by the alteration of recorded data, and a method for carrying out writing and reading on this magnetic recording medium. The magnetic recording medium of the invention comprises a recording material composed of a crystalline alloy containing Fe and Al . In the recoding material, the total amount of Fe and Al is at least 90 at % and the atomic ratio Al/(Fe+Al) ranges from 0.30 to 0.45. The recording material changes from a disordered phase to an ordered phase by heating. The recording material has a saturation magnetization of at least 45 emu/g prior to heating and lowers its saturation magnetization by at least 35 emu/g upon heating. Dark regions are observable in a bright-field image of the recording material by transmission electron microscopy, the dark regions accounting for 15-60% of the recording material in areal ratio and having a maximum breadth of 10-200 nm.