Mask and method for forming the mask
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsChia-Jen Chen, Anthony Yen, Hsin-Chang Lee, Sheng-Chi Chin
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Abstract
Provided is a method for reducing phase defects on many different types of semiconductor mask blanks. The method includes receiving a semiconductor mask blank substrate, creating alignment marks on the surface of the substrate, performing an inspection of the surface of the substrate to locate a plurality of surface defects, and repairing the plurality of surface defects on the surface of the substrate. A semiconductor mask is also provided that includes a repaired substrate a multilayer stack comprising a plurality of molybdenum and silicon layers, a capping layer, an absorber layer, and in some instances a photoresist layer.
Claims20
A method for decreasing phase defects on a surface of a mask blank substrate, the method comprising:
- receiving the mask blank substrate;
- creating two or more alignment marks on a surface of the mask blank substrate;
- performing an inspection of the surface of the mask blank substrate to locate a plurality of surface defects;
- and
- repairing the plurality of surface defects on the surface of the substrate.
A method for producing a mask blank, the method comprising:
- receiving a mask blank substrate;
- creating a plurality of alignment marks on a surface of the mask blank substrate;
- performing an inspection of the surface of the mask blank substrate to locate and catalog a plurality of surface defects;
- repairing the plurality of surface defects on the surface of the substrate;
- and
- depositing a plurality of alternating layers of high index of refraction and low index of refraction materials on the inspected surface of the mask blank substrate.
A semiconductor mask, the mask comprising:
- a repaired substrate;
- a multilayer stack comprising a plurality of alternating high and low index of refraction materials above the repaired substrate;
- a capping layer above the multilayer stack;
- and
- an absorber layer above the multilayer stack.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.