Abstract: Provided is a reflective mask blank capable of facilitating the discovery of contaminants, scratches and other critical defects by inhibiting the detection of pseudo defects attributable to surface roughness of a substrate or film in a defect inspection using a highly sensitive defect inspection apparatus. The reflective mask blank has a mask blank multilayer film comprising a multilayer reflective film, obtained by alternately laminating a high refractive index layer and a low refractive index layer, and an absorber film on a main surface of a mask blank substrate, wherein the root mean square roughness (Rms), obtained by measuring a 3 ?m×3 ?m region on the surface of the reflective mask blank on which the mask blank multilayer film is formed with an atomic force microscope, is not more than 0.5 nm and the power spectrum density at a spatial frequency of 1 ?m?1 to 10 ?m?1 is not more than 50 nm4.

Abstract: Disclosed is a mask blank substrate for use in lithography, wherein a main surface of the substrate satisfies a relational equation of (BA70?BA30)/(BD70?BD30)?350 (%/nm), and has a maximum height (Rmax)?1.2 nm in a relation between a bearing area (%) and a bearing depth (nm) obtained by measuring, with an atomic force microscope, an area of 1 ?m×1 ?m in the main surface on the side of the substrate where a transfer pattern is formed, wherein BA30 is defined as a bearing area of 30%, BA70 is defined as a bearing area of 70%, and BD70 and BD30 are defined to respectively represent bearing depths for the bearing area of 30% and the bearing area of 70%.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing a substrate with a multilayer reflective film for EUV lithography including a multilayer reflective film disposed on a principal surface of a substrate, the method including a multilayer reflective film formation step of forming the multilayer reflective film on the principal surface of the substrate in such a manner that the multilayer reflective film has a slope region in which the film thickness is decreased in a direction from the inside to the outside of the substrate on a peripheral portion of the principal surface, and a fiducial mark formation step of forming fiducial marks in the slope region by removing at least a portion of the multilayer reflective film, the fiducial marks serving as references for a defective location indicated by defect information with respect to the surface of the substrate with the multilayer reflective film.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing a substrate with a multilayer reflective film for EUV lithography including a multilayer reflective film disposed on a principal surface of a substrate, the method including a multilayer reflective film formation step of forming the multilayer reflective film on the principal surface of the substrate in such a manner that the multilayer reflective film has a slope region in which the film thickness is decreased in a direction from the inside to the outside of the substrate on a peripheral portion of the principal surface, and a fiducial mark formation step of forming fiducial marks in the slope region by removing at least a portion of the multilayer reflective film, the fiducial marks serving as references for a defective location indicated by defect information with respect to the surface of the substrate with the multilayer reflective film.

Abstract: Provided is a mask blank glass substrate that has high surface smoothness, that is formed with a fiducial mark capable of improving the detection accuracy of a defect position or the like, and that enables reuse or recycling of a glass substrate included therein. An underlayer is formed on a main surface, on the side where a transfer pattern is to be formed, of a glass substrate for a mask blank. The underlayer serves to reduce surface roughness of the main surface of the glass substrate or to reduce defects of the main surface of the glass substrate. A surface of the underlayer is a precision-polished surface. A fiducial mark which provides a reference for a defect position in defect information is formed on the underlayer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a reflective mask blank comprising a multilayer reflective film formed on a substrate so as to reflect EUV light; and a laminated film formed on the multilayer reflective film. The method includes the steps of depositing the multilayer reflective film on the substrate to form a multilayer reflective film formed substrate; carrying out defect inspection for the multilayer reflective film formed substrate; depositing the laminated film on the multilayer reflective film of the multilayer reflective film formed substrate; forming a fiducial mark for an upper portion of the laminated film to thereby form a reflective mask blank comprising the fiducial mark, the fiducial mark serving as a reference for a defect position in defect information; and carrying out defect inspection of the reflective mask blank by using the fiducial mark as a reference.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing a substrate with a multilayer reflective film for EUV lithography including a multilayer reflective film disposed on a principal surface of a substrate, the method including a multilayer reflective film formation step of forming the multilayer reflective film on the principal surface of the substrate in such a manner that the multilayer reflective film has a slope region in which the film thickness is decreased in a direction from the inside to the outside of the substrate on a peripheral portion of the principal surface, and a fiducial mark formation step of forming fiducial marks in the slope region by removing at least a portion of the multilayer reflective film, the fiducial marks serving as references for a defective location indicated by defect information with respect to the surface of the substrate with the multilayer reflective film.

Abstract: Provided is a mask blank glass substrate that has high surface smoothness, that is formed with a fiducial mark capable of improving the detection accuracy of a defect position or the like, and that enables reuse or recycling of a glass substrate included therein. An underlayer is formed on a main surface, on the side where a transfer pattern is to be formed, of a glass substrate for a mask blank. The underlayer serves to reduce surface roughness of the main surface of the glass substrate or to reduce defects of the main surface of the glass substrate. A surface of the underlayer is a precision-polished surface. A fiducial mark which provides a reference for a defect position in defect information is formed on the underlayer.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a mask blank substrate and the like that enables critical defects to be reliably detected as a result of reducing the number of detected defects, including pseudo defects, even when using highly sensitive defect inspection apparatuses that use light of various wavelengths. The present invention relates to a mask blank substrate that is used in lithography, wherein the power spectral density at a spatial frequency of 1×10?2 ?m?1 to 1 ?m?1, obtained by measuring a 0.14 mm×0.1 mm region on a main surface of the mask blank substrate on the side of which a transfer pattern is formed at 640×480 pixels with a white-light interferometer, is not more than 4×106 nm4, and the power spectral density at a spatial frequency of not less than 1 ?m?1, obtained by measuring a 1 ?m×1 ?m region on the main surface with an atomic force microscope, is not more than 10 nm4.

Abstract: This invention provides a reflective mask blank capable of preventing peeling-off of a multilayer reflective film due to cleaning or the like in a mask manufacturing process or during mask use. The reflective mask blank includes a multilayer reflective film, a protective film, an absorber film, and a resist film formed in this order on a substrate. Assuming that a distance from the center of the substrate to an outer peripheral end of the multilayer reflective film is L(ML), that a distance from the center of the substrate to an outer peripheral end of the protective film is L(Cap), that a distance from the center of the substrate to an outer peripheral end of the absorber film is L(Abs), and that a distance from the center of the substrate to an outer peripheral end of the resist film is L(Res), L(Abs)>L(Res)>L(Cap)?L(ML) and the outer peripheral end of the resist film is located inward of an outer peripheral end of the substrate.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate with a multilayer reflective film that enables the number of detected pseudo defects, to be reduced even when using highly sensitive defect inspection apparatuses using light of various wavelengths, and in particular, is capable of achieving a level of smoothness required of substrates with a multilayer reflective film while reliably detecting critical defects as a result of reducing the number of detected pseudo defects, as well as a method of manufacturing the same.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing a substrate with a multilayer reflective film for EUV lithography including a multilayer reflective film disposed on a principal surface of a substrate, the method including a multilayer reflective film formation step of forming the multilayer reflective film on the principal surface of the substrate in such a manner that the multilayer reflective film has a slope region in which the film thickness is decreased in a direction from the inside to the outside of the substrate on a peripheral portion of the principal surface, and a fiducial mark formation step of forming fiducial marks in the slope region by removing at least a portion of the multilayer reflective film, the fiducial marks serving as references for a defective location indicated by defect information with respect to the surface of the substrate with the multilayer reflective film.

Abstract: Disclosed is a mask blank substrate for use in lithography, wherein the main surface on which the transfer pattern of the substrate is formed has a root mean square roughness (Rms) of not more than 0.15 nm obtained by measuring an area of 1 ?m×1 ?m with an atomic force microscope, and has a power spectrum density of not more than 10 nm4 at a spatial frequency of not less than 1 ?m?1.

Abstract: Disclosed is a mask blank substrate for use in lithography, wherein a main surface of the substrate satisfies a relational equation of (BA70?BA30)/(BD70?BD30)?350 (%/nm), and has a maximum height (Rmax)?1.2 nm in a relation between a bearing area (%) and a bearing depth (nm) obtained by measuring, with an atomic force microscope, an area of 1 ?m×1 ?m in the main surface on the side of the substrate where a transfer pattern is formed, wherein BA30 is defined as a bearing area of 30%, BA70 is defined as a bearing area of 70%, and BD70 and BD30 are defined to respectively represent bearing depths for the bearing area of 30% and the bearing area of 70%.

Abstract: Provided is a multilayer reflective film formed substrate formed with a fiducial mark for accurately managing coordinates of defects. A multilayer reflective film formed substrate is formed with a multilayer reflective film, which is adapted to reflect EUV light, on a substrate and a fiducial mark which serves as a reference for a defect position in defect information is formed on the multilayer reflective film. The fiducial mark includes a main mark for determining a reference point for the defect position and auxiliary marks arranged around the main mark. The main mark has a point-symmetrical shape and has a portion with a width of 200 nm or more and 10 ?m or less with respect to a scanning direction of an electron beam writing apparatus or defect inspection light.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of cleaning a substrate, comprising cleaning at least one surface of a substrate located in a liquid by injecting pressurized cleaning liquid containing bubbles or cleaning particles from a injection nozzle to at least one surface of the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of cleaning a substrate, comprising cleaning at least one surface of a substrate located in a liquid by injecting pressurized cleaning liquid containing bubbles or cleaning particles from a injection nozzle to at least one surface of the substrate.

Abstract: By forming on a substrate a reference point mark having a concave or convex shape with its side walls being generally upright, even if a multilayer reflective film, an absorber film, and so on are formed over the reference point mark, sufficient contrast for inspection light is obtained so that the position of the reference point mark can be identified with high accuracy.

Abstract: Provided is a reflective mask blank, wherein even if inspection light for defect inspection is irradiated onto an uppermost surface of a multilayer reflective film or of an absorber film formed over a reference point mark, sufficient contrast is obtained between a position of the reference point mark and its peripheral portion so that the position of the reference point mark can be identified with high accuracy. By forming a reference point mark (11) in the form of a recess having a depth of 10 ?m or more and a width of 80 ?m or more on a main surface of a substrate (12), even if a multilayer reflective film (13), an absorber film (15), and so on are formed over the reference point mark (11), sufficient contrast for the inspection light is obtained so that the position of the reference point mark (11) can be identified with high accuracy.

Abstract: A reflective mask of this invention includes a multilayer reflective film (13), on a substrate (11), having a structure in which high refractive index layers and low refractive index layers are alternately laminated, and an absorbing film (15) stacked on the multilayer reflective film (13) and adapted to absorb EUV exposure light. The absorbing film (15) is a phase shift film that allows the EUV exposure light having passed therethrough and reflected by the multilayer reflective film to have a predetermined phase difference with respect to the EUV exposure light directly incident on and reflected by the multilayer reflective film. A plurality of the layers or all the layers of the multilayer reflective film (13) in a blind area are removed from its upper layer.