Abstract: A large-size substrate having improved flatness is prepared by measuring the flatness of one surface or opposite surfaces of a large-size substrate having a diagonal length of at least 500 mm, and partially removing raised portions on the one surface or opposite surfaces of the substrate by means of a processing tool on the basis of the measured data. The processing tool is adapted to blast a slurry of microparticulates in water carried on compressed air against the substrate.

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: A glass substrate is to be used as a photomask having a patterned light-shielding film on a surface thereof and thus exposed to light. The substrate is leveled by local plasma etching such that an exposure surface may have a flatness of 0.04-2.2 nm/cm2. Since the glass substrate is configured such that the exposure surface or hold surface of the resulting photomask is fully flat during the exposure step, it is suited for use as silica glass substrates for photomasks used in the photolithography of great interest in the fabrication of ICs, thus contributing to the achievement of finer patterns in the semiconductor field.

Abstract: A glass substrate having a surface which has been leveled, preferably to a flatness of 0.04-1.3 nm/cm2 of the surface, by local plasma etching is provided. A glass substrate whose surface carries microscopic peaks and valleys is leveled by measuring the height of peaks and valleys on the substrate surface, and plasma etching the substrate surface while controlling the amount of plasma etching in accordance with the height of peaks.

Abstract: A large-size substrate adapted for light exposure is of a plate shape having a diagonal length or diameter of 500-2,000 mm, a thickness of 1-20 mm, and a peripheral surface with a roughness Ra of 0.05-0.4 ?m. The number of particles released from the substrate periphery during cleaning is minimized, leading to an improved yield in the cleaning step. The substrate can be manually handled, achieving an improvement in substrate quality without a need for a handling mechanism.

Abstract: A large-sized substrate having a diagonal length of not less than 500 mm and a ratio of flatness/diagonal length of not more than 6.0×10−6 is disclosed. By use of the large-sized substrate for exposure of the present invention, the exposure accuracy, particularly the register accuracy and resolution are enhanced, so that it is possible to achieve high-precision exposure of a large-sized panel. With the processing method according to the present invention, it is possible to stably obtain a large-sized photomask substrate with a high flatness, and since the CD accuracy (dimensional accuracy) at the time of exposure of the panel is enhanced, it is possible to perform exposure of a fine pattern, leading to a higher yield of the panel. Furthermore, by applying the processing method according to the present invention, it is also possible to create an arbitrary surface shape.

Abstract: A glass substrate having a surface which has been leveled, preferably to a flatness of 0.04-1.3 nm/cm2 of the surface, by local plasma etching is provided. A glass substrate whose surface carries microscopic peaks and valleys is leveled by measuring the height of peaks and valleys on the substrate surface, and plasma etching the substrate surface while controlling the amount of plasma etching in accordance with the height of peaks.

Abstract: A glass substrate is to be used as a photomask having a patterned light-shielding film on a surface thereof and thus exposed to light. The substrate is leveled by local plasma etching such that an exposure surface may have a flatness of 0.04-2.2 nm/cm2. Since the glass substrate is configured such that the exposure surface or hold surface of the resulting photomask is fully flat during the exposure step, it is suited for use as silica glass substrates for photomasks used in the photolithography of great interest in the fabrication of ICs, thus contributing to the achievement of finer patterns in the semiconductor field.

Abstract: A synthetic quartz glass substrate is prepared by annealing a synthetic quartz glass member having a higher hydroxyl content in a peripheral portion than in a central portion, machining off the peripheral portion of the member, slicing the member into a plate shaped substrate, chamfering and etching the substrate. The synthetic quartz glass substrate has a minimized birefringence and is suited for use as a photomask in photolithography.

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.