Abstract: Provided herein are apparatus, systems and methods for processing reticle blanks. A reticle processing system includes a support assembly having a plate coupled to a frame, and a carrier base assembly supported on the support assembly. The carrier base assembly comprises a wall extending from a top surface of the carrier base and defining a containment region for a reticle.

Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods for their manufacture and production systems therefor are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a substrate, a multilayer stack of reflective layers on the substrate, a capping layer on the multilayer stack of reflecting layers, and an absorber on the capping layer. The absorber comprises a first layer selected from the group consisting of Mo, Nb, V, alloys of Mo, Nb and V, oxides of Mo, oxides of Nb, oxides of V, nitrides of Mo, nitrides of Nb and nitrides of V and a second layer selected from the group consisting of TaSb, CSb, SbN, TaNi, TaCu and TaRu.

Abstract: Substrate processing systems or platforms and methods configured to process substrates including of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks are disclosed. Systems or platforms provide a small footprint, high throughput of substrates and minimize defect generation. The substrate processing system platform comprises a single central transfer chamber, a single transfer robot, a substrate flipping fixture, and processing chambers are positioned around the single central transfer chamber.

Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, production systems therefor, and methods of increasing multilayer film reflectance are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a bilayer film on a substrate. The bilayer film comprises a first film layer including silicon (Si), and a second film layer comprising an element selected from the group consisting of ruthenium (Ru), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), tungsten (W), iron (Fe), titanium (Ti) and silicides thereof. Some EUV mask blanks further comprise a multilayer reflective stack comprising alternating layers on the bilayer film and a capping layer on the multilayer reflective stack. Some EUV mask blanks include a smoothing layer selected from the group consisting of molybdenum silicide (MoSi), boron carbide (B4C) and silicon nitride (SiN) on the multilayer reflective stack, a capping layer on the smoothing layer, and an absorber layer on the capping layer.

Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods for their manufacture and production systems therefor are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a substrate, a multilayer stack of reflective layers on the substrate, a capping layer on the multilayer stack of reflecting layers, and an absorber on the capping layer. The absorber comprises a first layer selected from the group consisting of Mo, Nb, V, alloys of Mo, Nb and V, oxides of Mo, oxides of Nb, oxides of V, nitrides of Mo, nitrides of Nb and nitrides of V and a second layer selected from the group consisting of TaSb, CSb, SbN, TaNi, TaCu and TaRu.

Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks and methods for their manufacture, and production systems therefor are disclosed. The method for forming an EUV mask blank comprises smoothing out surface defects on a surface of a substrate.

Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods of forming EUV mask blanks and production systems therefor are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a multilayer reflective stack on a substrate. The multilayer reflective stack comprises a trilayer film including a first film, a second film, and a third film. Some EUV mask blanks include an interface layer on one or more of the first film, the second film and the third film. EUV mask blanks described herein have low Zeff and high reflectance over large bandwidth of reflection angle, thereby minimizing the M3D effect, especially for high-NA EUV scanners.

Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, production systems therefor, and methods of reducing roughness are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a multilayer reflective stack on a substrate comprising a plurality of pairs of alternating layers comprising a first layer and a second layer, the first layer including a first element selected from the group consisting of Si, B, Al, Mg, Zr, Ba, Nb, Ti, Gd, Y, and Ca; and the second layer including a second element selected from the group consisting of Ru, Mo, Ta, Sb, Tc, Nb, Ir, Pt, and Pd. Some EUV mask blanks described herein include interface layer between the first layer and the second layer, the interface layer including an interface element selected from the group consisting of Si, B, C, Al, Mo, and Ru.

Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods for their manufacture and production systems therefor are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a multilayer stack of absorber layers on the capping layer, the multilayer stack of absorber layers including a plurality of absorber layer pairs.

Abstract: A multilayer stack in the form of a Bragg reflector comprising a graded interfacial layer and a method of manufacturing are disclosed. The graded interfacial layer eliminates the formation of low-reflectivity interfaces in a multilayer stack and reduces roughness of interfaces in a multilayer stack.

Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods for their manufacture and production systems therefor are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a substrate; a multilayer stack of reflective layers on the substrate; and an absorber layer comprising tantalum and iridium or ruthenium and antimony.

Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods for their manufacture and production systems therefor are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a substrate; a multilayer stack of reflective layers on the substrate; a capping layer on the multilayer stack of reflecting layers; and an absorber layer on the capping layer, the absorber layer comprising an alloy selected from an alloy of tantalum, iridium and antimony; an alloy of iridium and antimony; and an alloy of tantalum, ruthenium and antimony.

Abstract: A deposition system, and a method of operation thereof are disclosed. The deposition system comprises a cathode assembly comprising a rotating magnet assembly including a plurality of outer peripheral magnets surrounding an inner peripheral magnet.

Abstract: Methods for the manufacture of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks and production systems therefor are disclosed. A method for forming an EUV mask blank comprises forming a bilayer on a portion of a multi-cathode PVD chamber interior and then forming a multilayer stack of Si/Mo on a substrate in the multi-cathode PVD chamber.

Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods for their manufacture and production systems therefor are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a substrate; a multilayer stack of reflective layers on the substrate; a capping layer on the multilayer stack of reflecting layers; and an absorber layer on the capping layer, the absorber layer made from carbon and antimony.

Abstract: A physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber and a method of operation thereof are disclosed. Chambers and methods are described that provide a chamber comprising an upper shield with two holes that are positioned to permit alternate sputtering from two targets.

Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods for their manufacture and production systems therefor are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a substrate; a multilayer stack of reflective layers on the substrate; a capping layer on the multilayer stack of reflecting layers; and an absorber layer on the capping layer, the absorber layer made from antimony and nitrogen.

Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods for their manufacture and production systems therefor are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a substrate; a multilayer stack of reflective layers on the substrate; a capping layer on the multilayer stack of reflecting layers; and an absorber layer on the capping layer, the absorber layer made from tantalum and ruthenium.

Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods for their manufacture and production systems therefor are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a substrate; a multilayer stack of reflective layers on the substrate; a capping layer on the multilayer stack of reflecting layers; and an absorber layer on the capping layer, the absorber layer comprising an alloy selected from an alloy of tantalum, iridium and antimony; an alloy of iridium and antimony; and an alloy of tantalum, ruthenium and antimony.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for measuring surface topography are described. The analysis apparatus and methods detect light reflected from the reflective backside of a cantilever assembly including a tip, calculate a background level (BGL) value obtained from an optical scan of a reference sample using a power spectral density (PSD) value obtained from a topographical scan of a reference sample to generate a correlational coefficient between the BGL and the PSD values. The correlational coefficient between the BGL and PSD values is used to measure the BGL value of additional EUV mask blanks by a topographical scan of the EUV mask blanks using the same tip mounted to the cantilever.