Abstract: There is disclosed a photo mask blank comprising at least a light-shielding film containing Cr and one or more layers of an anti-reflection film disposed on a substrate, wherein at least one layer of the anti-reflection film contains any one selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide, silicon nitride and silicon oxynitride. And there is also disclosed a photo mask blank comprising at least a light-shielding film containing Cr and two or more layers of an anti-reflection film disposed on a substrate, wherein the anti-reflection film comprises at least a layer of film with high transmittance at exposure wavelength, and a layer of film with lower transmittance at exposure wavelength than that of the layer and higher transmittance at inspection wavelength than at that exposure wavelength. Thus, there can be provided a photo mask blank having an anti-reflection film that can sufficiently reduce reflectance even if the exposure wavelength is short.

Abstract: A photomask blank having a film of at least one layer formed on a substrate is manufactured by forming a film on a substrate and irradiating the film with light from a flash lamp. A photomask is manufactured from the thus manufactured photomask blank by forming a patterned resist on the film on the blank by photolithography, etching away those portions of the film which are not covered with the resist, and removing the resist. The photomask blank and photomask have minimized warpage and improved chemical resistance.

Abstract: A phase shift mask blank is composed of a transparent substrate and a phase shift film thereon. The phase shift film is made of at least two types of layer stacked in alternation, each type having a different composition and containing at least one element selected from among metals, silicon, oxygen and nitrogen. The alternately layered film enables a high-quality phase shift mask blank having improved chemical resistance to be achieved.

Abstract: A silica glass substrate is obtained by polishing, cleaning, drying and etching a silica glass substrate slice. When the substrate on one surface is treated with a reactive reagent, defects having a size of at least 0.3 ?m in a direction parallel to the substrate major surface are absent on the substrate surface. The silica glass substrate, in which no submicron defects manifest on the substrate surface even when treated as by cleaning or etching, serves as a reticle for use in photolithographic IC fabrication, achieving an improved manufacturing yield in the semiconductor device fabrication and microelectronic system fields.

Abstract: There is disclosed a photo mask blank comprising at least a light-shielding film containing Cr and one or more layers of an anti-reflection film disposed on a substrate, wherein at least one layer of the anti-reflection film contains any one selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide, silicon nitride and silicon oxynitride. And there is also disclosed a photo mask blank comprising at least a light-shielding film containing Cr and two or more layers of an anti-reflection film disposed on a substrate, wherein the anti-reflection film comprises at least a layer of film with high transmittance at exposure wavelength, and a layer of film with lower transmittance at exposure wavelength than that of the layer and higher transmittance at inspection wavelength than at that exposure wavelength. Thus, there can be provided a photo mask blank having an anti-reflection film that can sufficiently reduce reflectance even if the exposure wavelength is short.

Abstract: A photomask blank having a film of at least one layer formed on a substrate is manufactured by forming a film on a substrate and irradiating the film with light from a flash lamp. A photomask is manufactured from the thus manufactured photomask blank by forming a patterned resist on the film on the blank by photolithography, etching away those portions of the film which are not covered with the resist, and removing the resist. The photomask blank and photomask have minimized warpage and improved chemical resistance.

Abstract: In the manufacture of a photomask blank, a seed layer of a chromium material containing oxygen, nitrogen and/or carbon is formed on a transparent substrate before a light-shielding film and an antireflective film are deposited thereon. Any film on the seed layer builds up in accordance with fine granular growth, and so the resulting photomask blank has an improved surface roughness, which enables high-sensitivity detection in the process of defect inspection and circuit pattern inspection. By lithographically patterning the photomask blank, a photomask is fabricated.

Abstract: A phase shift mask blank is composed of a transparent substrate and a phase shift film thereon. The phase shift film is made of at least two types of layer stacked in alternation, each type having a different composition and containing at least one element selected from among metals, silicon, oxygen and nitrogen. The alternately layered film enables a high-quality phase shift mask blank having improved chemical resistance to be achieved.

Abstract: In the manufacture of a photomask blank, a seed layer of a chromium material containing oxygen, nitrogen and/or carbon is formed on a transparent substrate before a light-shielding film and an antireflective film are deposited thereon. Any film on the seed layer builds up in accordance with fine granular growth, and so the resulting photomask blank has an improved surface roughness, which enables high-sensitivity detection in the process of defect inspection and circuit pattern inspection. By lithographically patterning the photomask blank, a photomask is fabricated.

Abstract: A silica glass substrate is obtained by polishing, cleaning, drying and etching a silica glass substrate slice. When the substrate on one surface is treated with a reactive reagent, defects having a size of at least 0.3 &mgr;m in a direction parallel to the substrate major surface are absent on the substrate surface. The silica glass substrate, in which no submicron defects manifest on the substrate surface even when treated as by cleaning or etching, serves as a reticle for use in photolithographic IC fabrication, achieving an improved manufacturing yield in the semiconductor device fabrication and microelectronic system fields.