Abstract: A reflective mask blank includes a substrate; a multilayer reflective film that reflects EUV light; a phase shift film that shifts a phase of the EUV light, in this order. An opening pattern is to be formed in the phase shift film. The phase shift film has a refractive index of 0.920 or less with respect to the EUV light, an extinction coefficient of 0.024 or more with respect to the EUV light, a thickness of 50 nm or less, a normalized image log slope of 2.9 or more for a transferred image when a line-and-space pattern is formed on a target substrate, and a tolerance range of a focal depth of the transferred image is 60 nm or less.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a reflective mask blank for EUV lithography, including: a substrate, a multilayer reflective film reflecting EUV light, and a phase shift film shifting a phase of the EUV light, in which the substrate, the multilayer reflective film, and the phase shift film are formed in this order, the phase shift film includes a layer 1 including ruthenium (Ru) and nitrogen (N), and the layer 1 has an absolute value of a film stress of 1,000 MPa or less.

Abstract: An aperture unit includes a base plate, a cover, a plurality of aperture blades, a drive ring, and protrusions. The aperture blades are disposed between the base plate and the cover, and adjust the amount of light passing through by varying the size of an opening. The drive ring is disposed between the base plate and the cover, and is rotationally driven when the aperture blades are opened and closed. The protrusions are provided to the drive ring and the cover, respectively, and support the aperture blades in the direction of suppressing upward warpage of the aperture blades in a state in which the aperture blades move in the direction of reducing the size of the opening.

Abstract: A reflective mask blank includes a substrate and, on or above the substrate in order, a reflective layer for reflecting EUV light, a protective layer for protecting the reflective layer, and an absorbent layer for absorbing EUV light. The absorbent layer has a reflectance for a wavelength of 13.53 nm of from 2.5% to 10%. A film thickness d of the absorbent layer satisfies a relationship of: d M ? A ? X - ( i × 6 + 1 ) ? nm ? d ? d M ? A ? X - ( i × 6 - 1 ) ? nm where the integer i is 0 or 1, and dMAX is represented by: d MAX ( nm ) = 13.53 2 ? n ? cos ? 6 ? ° { INT ? ( 0.58 1 - n ) + 1 2 ? ? ? ( tan - 1 ( - k 1 - n ) + 0.64 ) } where n is a refractive index of the absorbent layer, k is an absorption coefficient of the absorbent layer, and INT(x) is a function of returning an integer value obtained by truncating a decimal part.

Abstract: A reflective mask blank for EUV lithography includes: a substrate; a multilayer reflective film for reflecting EUV light; and a phase shift film for shifting a phase of EUV light, the multilayer reflective film and the phase shift film formed on or above the substrate in this order. The phase shift film includes a layer 1 including ruthenium (Ru) and at least one selected from the group consisting of oxygen (O) and nitrogen (N). Among diffraction peaks derived from the phase shift film observed at 2?: from 20° to 50° by out-of-plane XRD method, a peak having the highest intensity has a half value width FWHM of 1.0° or more.

Abstract: A reflective mask blank for EUV lithography includes: a substrate; a multilayer reflective film for reflecting EUV light; and a phase shift film for shifting a phase of EUV light, the multilayer reflective film and the phase shift film formed on or above the substrate in this order. The phase shift film includes a layer 1 including ruthenium (Ru) and at least one selected from the group consisting of oxygen (O) and nitrogen (N). Among diffraction peaks derived from the phase shift film observed at 2?: from 20° to 50° by out-of-plane XRD method, a peak having the highest intensity has a half value width FWHM of 1.0° or more.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a reflective mask blank for EUV lithography, including: a substrate, a multilayer reflective film reflecting EUV light, and a phase shift film shifting a phase of the EUV light, in which the substrate, the multilayer reflective film, and the phase shift film are formed in this order, the phase shift film includes a layer 1 including ruthenium (Ru) and nitrogen (N), and the layer 1 has an absolute value of a film stress of 1,000 MPa or less.

Abstract: A reflective mask blank for EUV lithography includes a substrate, a reflective layer for reflecting EUV light, and an absorption layer for absorbing EUV light. The reflective layer and the absorption layer are formed on or above the substrate in this order. The absorption layer contains tantalum (Ta) and niobium (Nb), and the absorption layer has a composition ratio Ta:Nb of Ta (at %) to Nb (at %) of from 4:1 to 1:4. Among diffraction peaks derived from the absorption layer observed at 2?: from 20° to 50° by out-of-plane XRD method, a peak having the highest intensity has a half width FWHM of 1.0° or more.

Abstract: A reflective mask blank for EUV lithography, includes, in the following order, a substrate, a multilayer reflective film reflecting EUV light, a protective film for the multilayer reflective film, and an absorption layer absorbing EUV light, in which the protective film includes rhodium (Rh) or a rhodium material including Rh and at least one element selected from the group consisting of nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), carbon (C), boron (B), ruthenium (Ru), niobium (Nb), molybdenum (Mo), tantalum (Ta), iridium (Ir), palladium (Pd), zirconium (Zr), and titanium (Ti).

Abstract: A reflective mask blank for EUV lithography includes a substrate, a reflective layer for reflecting EUV light, and an absorption layer for absorbing EUV light. The reflective layer and the absorption layer are formed on or above the substrate in this order. The absorption layer contains tantalum (Ta) and niobium (Nb), and the absorption layer has a composition ratio Ta:Nb of Ta (at %) to Nb (at %) of from 4:1 to 1:4. Among diffraction peaks derived from the absorption layer observed at 2?: from 20° to 50° by out-of-plane XRD method, a peak having the highest intensity has a half width FWHM of 1.0° or more.

Abstract: A reflective mask blank for EUV lithography includes, in the following order, a substrate, a multilayer reflective film for reflecting EUV light, a phase shift film for shifting a phase of EUV light, and an etching mask film. The phase shift film is constituted of a ruthenium-based material containing ruthenium as a main component. The phase shift film has a film thickness of 20 nm or larger. The etching mask film is removable with a cleaning liquid comprising an acid or a base.

Abstract: A reflective mask blank includes a substrate and, on or above the substrate in order, a reflective layer for reflecting EUV light, a protective layer for protecting the reflective layer, and an absorbent layer for absorbing EUV light. The absorbent layer has a reflectance for a wavelength of 13.53 nm of from 2.5% to 10%. A film thickness d of the absorbent layer satisfies a relationship of: d M ? A ? X - ( i × 6 + 1 ) ? nm ? d ? d M ? A ? X - ( i × 6 - 1 ) ? nm where the integer i is 0 or 1, and dMAX is represented by: d M ? A ? X ( nm ) = 1 ? 3 . 5 ? 3 2 ? n ? cos ? 6 ? ° ? { INT ? ( 0 . 5 ? 8 1 - n ) + 1 2 ? ? ? ( tan - 1 ( - k 1 - n ) + 0 . 6 ? 4 ) } where n is a refractive index of the absorbent layer, k is an absorption coefficient of the absorbent layer, and INT(x) is a function of returning an integer value obtained by truncating a decimal part.

Abstract: A reflective mask blank for EUV lithography includes a substrate and, formed on or above the substrate in the following order, a reflective layer for reflecting EUV light, a protective layer for the reflective layer, an absorption layer for absorbing EUV light, and a hard mask layer. The protective layer contains ruthenium (Ru), the absorption layer contains tantalum (Ta), the hard mask layer contains chromium (Cr) and at least one of nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O), and the hard mask layer has a film density of from 3.00 g/cm3 to 5.40 g/cm3.

Abstract: A reflective mask blank for EUV lithography includes: a substrate; a multilayer reflective film for reflecting EUV light; and a phase shift film for shifting a phase of EUV light, the multilayer reflective film and the phase shift film formed on or above the substrate in this order. The phase shift film includes a layer 1 including ruthenium (Ru) and at least one selected from the group consisting of oxygen (O) and nitrogen (N). Among diffraction peaks derived from the phase shift film observed at 2?: from 20° to 50° by out-of-plane XRD method, a peak having the highest intensity has a half value width FWHM of 1.0° or more.

Abstract: A reflective mask blank for EUV lithography includes a substrate, a reflective layer for reflecting EUV light, and an absorption layer for absorbing EUV light. The reflective layer and the absorption layer are formed on or above the substrate in this order. The absorption layer contains tantalum (Ta) and niobium (Nb), and the absorption layer has a composition ratio Ta:Nb of Ta (at %) to Nb (at %) of from 4:1 to 1:4. Among diffraction peaks derived from the absorption layer observed at 2?: from 20° to 50° by out-of-plane XRD method, a peak having the highest intensity has a half width FWHM of 1.0° or more.

Abstract: A reflective mask blank includes a backside conductive film on a back surface of a substrate. The backside conductive film has a laminated structure including a stress compensation layer and a conductive layer in this order from the substrate side. The conductive layer includes a metal nitride. The stress compensation layer has a compressive stress and the stress compensation layer includes at least one compound selected from the group consisting of oxides, oxynitrides, and nitrides, each having an absorption coefficient (k) over the wavelength range of 400 nm to 800 nm being 0.1 or less. The conductive layer has a thickness of 5 nm or more and 30 nm or less. The backside conductive film has a total thickness of 50 nm or more.

Abstract: A process for producing a reflective element for a mask blank, of which a reflective layer is hardly damaged at the time of etching treatment of an absorber layer. A process for producing a reflective element for a mask blank, which comprises (1) a step of forming a reflective layer on a first surface of a substrate, (2) a step of forming a first protective layer on the reflective layer, (3) a step of cleaning the substrate to form an exposed part of the reflective layer, which is not covered with the first protective layer, and (4) a step of forming a second protective layer on the first surface of the substrate to cover the exposed part of the reflective layer with the second protective layer.

Abstract: A reflective mask blank includes a backside conductive film on a back surface of a substrate. The backside conductive film has a laminated structure including a stress compensation layer and a conductive layer in this order from the substrate side. The conductive layer includes a metal nitride. The stress compensation layer has a compressive stress and the stress compensation layer includes at least one compound selected from the group consisting of oxides, oxynitrides, and nitrides, each having an absorption coefficient (k) over the wavelength range of 400 nm to 800 nm being 0.1 or less. The conductive layer has a thickness of 5 nm or more and 30 nm or less. The backside conductive film has a total thickness of 50 nm or more.

Abstract: A process for producing a reflective element for a mask blank, of which a reflective layer is hardly damaged at the time of etching treatment of an absorber layer. A process for producing a reflective element for a mask blank, which comprises (1) a step of forming a reflective layer on a first surface of a substrate, (2) a step of forming a first protective layer on the reflective layer, (3) a step of cleaning the substrate to form an exposed part of the reflective layer, which is not covered with the first protective layer, and (4) a step of forming a second protective layer on the first surface of the substrate to cover the exposed part of the reflective layer with the second protective layer.

Abstract: To provide an EUV mask blank with which the etching selectivity under etching conditions for absorber layer is sufficiently high, line edge roughness after pattern formation will not be large, and a pattern with high resolution can be obtained. A reflective mask blank for EUV lithography comprising a substrate, and a reflective layer for reflecting EUV light, an absorber layer for absorbing EUV light and a hard mask layer formed in this order on the substrate; wherein the absorber layer contains at least one of tantalum (Ta) and palladium (Pd) as the main component; the hard mask layer contains chromium (Cr), either one of nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O) and hydrogen (H); and in the hard mask layer, the total content of Cr and either one of N and O is from 85 to 99.9 at %, and the content of H is from 0.1 to 15 at %.