# US 2010/0167186 A1 · Extreme ultraviolet photomask and methods and apparatuses for manufacturing the extreme ultraviolet photomask

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- Number: US 2010/0167186 A1
- Document ID: US20100167186A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/654,174
- Filed: 2009-12-11
- Published: 2010-07-01
- Earliest claimed: 2008-12-11
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Ilyong Jang; SangGyun Woo; Sungmin Huh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100167186A1

## CPC

- G03F 1/24: Reflection masks; Preparation thereof
- B82Y 10/00: Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
- B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
- G03F 1/80: Etching
- H01J 37/3174: {Particle-beam lithography, e.g. electron beam lithography}
- G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G)
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)

## Abstract

A method of manufacturing a photomask includes forming an upper layer on a photomask substrate, and patterning the upper layer to form an upper pattern having an inclined sidewall, wherein patterning the upper layer includes anisotropically etching the upper layer using charged particles moving in parallel to a first direction inclined toward a top surface of the upper layer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of manufacturing a photomask, comprising:
forming an upper layer on a photomask substrate; and
patterning the upper layer to form an upper pattern having an inclined sidewall, wherein patterning the upper layer includes anisotropically etching the upper layer using charged particles moving in parallel to a first direction inclined toward a top surface of the upper layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein anisotropically etching the upper layer includes maintaining the photomask substrate fixed during the etching.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein anisotropically etching the upper layer includes forming the upper pattern to have a cross section of a parallelogram.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein anisotropically etching the upper layer includes rotating the photomask substrate around a rotating axis parallel to a normal to a top surface of the photomask during the etching.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein rotating the photomask substrate includes setting the photomask substrate at discrete angles around the rotating axis during the etching.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein rotating the photomask substrate includes continuously rotating the photomask substrate around the rotating axis during the etching.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein anisotropically etching the upper layer includes forming the upper pattern to have a cross section of an inverted trapezoid.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper layer is formed of a material configured to absorb an extreme ultraviolet light.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising forming a multilayer on the photomask substrate, before forming the upper layer, the multilayer being configured to be used as a Bragg reflector with respect to an extreme ultraviolet light.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising forming a buffer layer between the upper layer and the multilayer, the buffer layer including at least one material having an etching selectivity with respect to the upper layer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising, after forming the upper pattern:
forming an absorbing pattern on the photomask substrate using the upper pattern as a molder; and
removing the upper pattern to expose a sidewall of the absorbing pattern.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein forming the absorbing pattern includes:
forming an absorbing layer on the photomask substrate to surround the upper pattern, such that a space around the upper pattern is filled; and
etching back the absorbing layer to expose a top surface of the upper pattern.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein anisotropically etching the upper layer includes arranging the photomask substrate with the upper layer thereon in a plasma etching chamber, such that the plasma etching chamber generates the charged particles to be directed at an oblique angle with respect to a top surface of the upper layer.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein anisotropically etching the upper layer further comprises:
controlling a moving direction of the charged particles in the plasma etching chamber via a Faraday cage; and
controlling an angle between the photomask substrate and the first direction via a position controller.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein anisotropically etching the upper layer further comprises controlling a rotation of the photomask on a rotating axis thereof via a rotation controller in the position controller.

### Claim 16

A photomask, comprising:
a photomask substrate;
an absorbing pattern disposed on the photomask substrate; and
a multilayer disposed between the absorbing pattern and the photomask substrate, wherein a top surface and one sidewall of the absorbing pattern define an acute angle.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The photomask as claimed in claim 16, wherein the absorbing pattern has a cross section of a parallelogram in a plane substantially perpendicular to a top surface of the photomask substrate.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The photomask as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a buffer layer disposed between the absorbing pattern and the multilayer.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The photomask as claimed in claim 18, wherein the buffer layer overlaps the entire multilayer, a thickness of the buffer layer being greater under the absorbing pattern than in a region around the absorbing pattern.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The photomask as claimed in claim 18, wherein the buffer layer includes a material having an etching selectivity with respect to the absorbing pattern.

### Claim 21

A photomask, comprising:
a photomask substrate;
an absorbing pattern disposed on the photomask substrate; and
a multilayer disposed between the absorbing pattern and the photomask substrate, wherein the absorbing pattern has at least one sidewall to make an obtuse angle with a top surface of the absorbing pattern.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The photomask as claimed in claim 21, wherein at least two sidewalls of the absorbing pattern define an obtuse angle with the top surface of the absorbing pattern.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The photomask as claimed in claim 21, wherein at least one corner of the absorbing pattern has a rounded sidewall.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The photomask as claimed in claim 21, wherein at least a pair of sidewalls of the absorbing pattern have a depression portion in a corner region therebetween, the depression portion having a right triangular pyramid shape, and the pair of sidewalls of the absorbing pattern being substantially perpendicular to each other.

### Claim 25 (depends on 21)

The photomask as claimed in claim 21, further comprising a buffer layer disposed between the absorbing pattern and the multilayer.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The photomask as claimed in claim 25, wherein a thickness of the buffer layer is smaller at a center of the absorbing pattern than at an edge of the absorbing pattern.

### Claim 27

A plasma etching chamber system, comprising:
a chuck configured to support a substrate;
a plasma generation portion configured to ionize an etching gas; and
a position controller configured to control a position of the chuck, wherein the position controller includes an inclined angle controller configured to control an angle of a top surface of the chuck with respect to a moving direction of the ionized etching gas.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The plasma etching chamber system as claimed in claim 27, further comprising an ion direction controller configured to control a moving direction of the ionized etching gas.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The plasma etching chamber system as claimed in claim 28, wherein the ion direction controller includes a Faraday cage.

### Claim 30 (depends on 27)

The plasma etching chamber system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the position controller further comprises a rotation controller configured to control a rotation of the photomask substrate on a rotation axis parallel to a top surface of the photomask substrate, the rotation controller being configured to rotate the chuck while an etching process is performed.

### Claim 31 (depends on 27)

The plasma etching chamber system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the inclined angle controller is configured to control variably an angle of the top surface of the chuck in a range of about (−60) degrees to about 60 degrees.