Method of patterning photoresist on a wafer using a reflective mask with a multi-layer ARC

A method of patterning photoresist on a semiconductor wafer comprising:

• providing a semiconductor substrate;
• forming a semiconductor mask, the semiconductor mask comprising:
• a mask substrate;
• a reflecting layer overlying the mask substrate for reflecting light from the semiconductor mask;
• an absorber stack selectively formed overlying the reflecting layer, the absorber stack having a plurality of layers, an upper layer of the absorber stack that is opposite the reflecting layer comprises a predetermined metal;
• and
• a multiple layer anti-reflective coating overlying the upper layer of the absorber stack, the multiple layer anti-reflective coating comprising adjoining layers that respectively have nitrogen, oxygen and nitrogen combined with the predetermined metal of the upper layer of the absorber stack;
• projecting incident radiation on the semiconductor mask;
• reflecting the incident radiation from reflective portions of the reflective mask as reflected radiation;
• and
• illuminating the photoresist on the semiconductor wafer with the reflected radiation.

A method of providing a semiconductor mask comprising:

• providing a substrate;
• forming a reflecting layer overlying the substrate for reflecting light from the semiconductor mask;
• forming an absorber stack selectively formed overlying the reflecting layer, the absorber stack having a plurality of layers, an upper layer of the absorber stack that is opposite the reflecting layer comprises a predetermined metal;
• and
• forming a multiple layer anti-reflective coating overlying the upper layer of the absorber stack, the multiple layer anti-reflective coating comprising adjoining layers that respectively have nitrogen, oxygen and nitrogen combined with the predetermined metal of the upper layer of the absorber stack.

A method of patterning photoresist on a semiconductor wafer comprising:

• providing a semiconductor substrate;
• forming a reflective semiconductor mask, the reflective semiconductor mask comprising:
• a mask substrate;
• a reflecting layer overlying the mask substrate for reflecting light from the semiconductor mask;
• an absorber stack selectively formed overlying the reflecting layer, the absorber stack having a plurality of layers, an upper layer of the absorber stack that is opposite the reflecting layer comprises tantalum silicide;
• and
• at least three layers of anti-reflective coating overlying the upper layer of the absorber stack, the at least three layers of anti-reflective coating comprising adjoining layers that respectively have nitrogen, oxygen and nitrogen combined with tantalum silicide;
• projecting incident radiation on the reflective semiconductor mask;
• reflecting the incident radiation from a reflective portion of the reflective semiconductor mask as reflected radiation;
• and
• illuminating the photoresist on the semiconductor wafer with the reflected radiation.