Extreme ultraviolet light (EUV) photomasks, and fabrication methods thereof
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsTao-Min Huang, Chih-Tsung Shih, Chia-Jen Chen, Hsin-Chang Lee, Anthony Yen
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Abstract
Embodiments of EUV photomasks and methods for forming a EUV photomask are provided. The method comprises providing a substrate, a reflective layer, a capping layer, a hard mask layer, and forming an opening therein. An absorber layer is then filled in the opening and over the top surface of the hard mask layer. A planarized process is provided to remove the absorber layer above the top surface of the hard mask layer and form an absorber in the opening, wherein the absorber has a top portion wider than a bottom portion.
Claims20
A method of fabricating an extreme ultraviolet photomask, comprising:
- providing a mask comprising, in order, a substrate, a reflective layer, and a capping layer;
- forming an opening having a first portion in the capping layer and a second portion within at least a portion of the reflective layer, wherein the first portion has a width greater than a width of the second portion;
- forming an absorber layer in the opening and over a top surface of the capping layer;
- and
- removing at least a portion of the absorber layer, while leaving another portion of the absorber layer to form an absorber.
An extreme ultraviolet photomask, comprising:
- a reflective layer over a substrate;
- a capping layer over the reflective layer;
- and
- an absorber in the capping layer and the reflective layer, wherein a portion of the absorber in the capping layer is wider than a portion of the absorber within the reflective layer.
A method for forming an integrated circuit comprising:
- forming a photomask by
- forming a reflective layer over a substrate;
- forming a capping layer over the reflective layer;
- and
- forming an absorber in the capping layer and the reflective layer, wherein a portion of the absorber in the capping layer is wider than a portion of the absorber within the reflective layer;
- forming a layer on a substrate;
- and
- patterning the layer using the photomask in a photolithography step.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.