Applied Materials, Inc.
Extreme Ultraviolet Mask Blank Structure

Abstract:

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods for their manufacture and production systems therefor are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a substrate; a multilayer stack of reflective layers on the substrate; a capping layer on the multilayer stack of reflecting layers; an absorber layer on the capping layer, the absorber layer comprising an antimony-containing material; and a trilayer on the second side of the substrate, the trilayer including a first layer on the second side of the substrate, a second layer on the first layer and a third layer on the second layer. In some embodiments, separately from or in addition to the trilayer the mask blank includes an etch stop layer between the absorber layer and the capping layer, and there is a hard mask layer on the absorber layer.