Development of low damage mask making process on EUV mask with thin CrN buffer layer

Mitsuhiro Kureishi; Ryo Ohkubo; Morio Hosoya; Tsutomu Shoki; Noriyuki Sakaya; Hideo Kobayashi; Osamu Nozawa; Yoh-ichi Usui; Osamu Nagarekawa

doi:10.1117/12.598613

6 May 2005 Development of low damage mask making process on EUV mask with thin CrN buffer layer

Mitsuhiro Kureishi, Ryo Ohkubo, Morio Hosoya, Tsutomu Shoki, Noriyuki Sakaya, Hideo Kobayashi, Osamu Nozawa, Yoh-ichi Usui, Osamu Nagarekawa

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 5751, Emerging Lithographic Technologies IX; (2005) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.598613
Event: Microlithography 2005, 2005, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

Low damage processes for an EUV mask consisting of an LR-TaBN absorber and a thin CrN buffer layer with a thickness of 10-nm have been successfully demonstrated through a dry etching process with high selectivity for the absorber, AFM and EB repair processes, and damage less dry etching process of the CrN buffer layer. Deploying an ICP etching process using CHF₃ gas, we achieved high etching selectivity of 40 between the LR-TaBN absorber and the CrN buffer and LR-TaBN absorber patterns with nearly vertical sidewalls of a feature size of 150-nm in width. Damage to the multilayer film and the CrN buffer induced by repair process was evaluated using a LR-TaBN mask with a 10-nm thick CrN buffer layer via AFM machining and EB etching techniques. Cross sectional TEM analysis of the repaired mask indicated that the multilayer film showed no significant structural damage, against optimized AFM and EB repair processes. Since the CrN buffer lost a mere 1 nm in thickness in the EB etching process, EB repair appear to represent a promising damage-free repair technique for EUV masks with CrN buffer layers. The reflectivity loss on the multilayer film, caused by dry etching of CrN buffer layer with Cl₂ and O₂ mixed gases, was improved by an etching process under relatively high pressure. The CrN buffer layer can be etched for the patterns of 150-nm in width without footing at 50% overetch. The results confirm that the reflectivity losses on multilayer film are within 1% after undergoing the improved CrN buffer etching process.

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Mitsuhiro Kureishi, Ryo Ohkubo, Morio Hosoya, Tsutomu Shoki, Noriyuki Sakaya, Hideo Kobayashi, Osamu Nozawa, Yoh-ichi Usui, and Osamu Nagarekawa "Development of low damage mask making process on EUV mask with thin CrN buffer layer", Proc. SPIE 5751, Emerging Lithographic Technologies IX, (6 May 2005); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.598613

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