Provided is a reflective mask blank.

The reflective mask blank has a multilayer reflective film and a thin film for pattern formation in this order on a main surface of a substrate; the thin film consists of a single layer structure consisting of a ruthenium-containing layer at least containing ruthenium, nitrogen, and oxygen or a multilayer structure including the ruthenium-containing layer; and when the ruthenium-containing layer is subjected to an analysis by an In-Plane measurement of an X-ray diffraction method to obtain an X-ray diffraction profile where, provided I_P1 is the maximum value of diffraction intensity within a diffraction angle 2θ ranging from 65 degrees to 75 degrees and I_avg is the average value of diffraction intensity within a diffraction angle 2θ ranging from 55 degrees to 65 degrees, I_P1/I_avg is greater than 1.0 and less than 3.0.

Provided is a substrate with a multilayer reflective film capable of sufficiently reducing a reflectance of the multilayer reflective film with respect to EUV exposure light and preventing occurrence of a phenomenon in which a surface of a protective film on the multilayer reflective film swells and a phenomenon in which the protective film peels off.

A substrate with a multilayer reflective film 110 comprises a multilayer reflective film 5 and a protective film 6 in this order on a main surface of a substrate 1. The substrate 1 contains silicon, titanium, and oxygen as main components, and further contains hydrogen. The multilayer reflective film 5 has a structure in which a low refractive index layer and a high refractive index layer are alternately layered. The multilayer reflective film 5 comprises hydrogen. Hydrogen in the multilayer reflective film 5 has an atomic number density of 7.0×10.sup.−3 atoms/nm.sup.3 or less.

Provided is a substrate with a multilayer reflective film capable of sufficiently reducing a reflectance of the multilayer reflective film with respect to EUV exposure light and preventing occurrence of a phenomenon in which a surface of a protective film on the multilayer reflective film swells and a phenomenon in which the protective film peels off.

A substrate with a multilayer reflective film 110 comprises a multilayer reflective film 5 and a protective film 6 in this order on a main surface of a substrate 1. The substrate 1 contains silicon, titanium, and oxygen as main components, and further contains hydrogen. The multilayer reflective film 5 has a structure in which a low refractive index layer and a high refractive index layer are alternately layered. The multilayer reflective film 5 comprises hydrogen. Hydrogen in the multilayer reflective film 5 has an atomic number density of 7.0×10.sup.−3 atoms/nm.sup.3 or less.

A physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber and a method of operation thereof are disclosed. Chambers and methods are described that provide a chamber comprising an upper shield with two holes that are positioned to permit alternate sputtering from two targets. A process for improving reflectivity from a multilayer stack is also disclosed.

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, production systems therefor, and methods of increasing multilayer film reflectance are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a bilayer film on a substrate. The bilayer film comprises a first film layer including silicon (Si), and a second film layer comprising an element selected from the group consisting of ruthenium (Ru), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), tungsten (W), iron (Fe), titanium (Ti) and silicides thereof. Some EUV mask blanks further comprise a multilayer reflective stack comprising alternating layers on the bilayer film and a capping layer on the multilayer reflective stack. Some EUV mask blanks include a smoothing layer selected from the group consisting of molybdenum silicide (MoSi), boron carbide (B.sub.4C) and silicon nitride (SiN) on the multilayer reflective stack, a capping layer on the smoothing layer, and an absorber layer on the capping layer.

A mask includes a substrate, a reflective multilayer, an absorption layer and an absorption part. The substrate includes a mask image region and a mask frame region, wherein the mask frame region has a mask black border region adjacent to the mask image region. The reflective multilayer is disposed over the substrate. The absorption layer is disposed over the reflective multilayer. The absorption part is disposed in the reflective multilayer and the absorption layer and in the mask black border region, wherein an entire top surface of the absorption part is substantially flush with a top surface of the absorption layer.

A mask includes a substrate, a reflective multilayer, an absorption layer and an absorption part. The substrate includes a mask image region and a mask frame region, wherein the mask frame region has a mask black border region adjacent to the mask image region. The reflective multilayer is disposed over the substrate. The absorption layer is disposed over the reflective multilayer. The absorption part is disposed in the reflective multilayer and the absorption layer and in the mask black border region, wherein an entire top surface of the absorption part is substantially flush with a top surface of the absorption layer.

There are provided a reflective mask blank, a reflective mask, a reflective mask manufacturing method, and a reflective mask correction technique capable of reducing time required for electron beam correction etching, even when a material used for a thin absorption film has a large extinction coefficient k to an EUV light. A reflective photomask blank (10) according to this embodiment has a substrate (1), a multi-layer reflective film (2), a capping layer (3), and a low reflective portion (5), in which the low reflective portion (5) is obtained by alternately depositing an absorption film (A) and an absorption film (B), the correction etching rate in the electron beam correction of the absorption film (A) is larger than the correction etching rate in the electron beam correction of the absorption film (B), and the absorption film (B) contains one or more elements selected from tin, indium, platinum, nickel, tellurium, silver, and cobalt.

A laser annealing method performed on a reflective photomask may include preparing a reflective photomask including a pattern area and a border area surrounding the pattern area and irradiating a laser beam onto the border area of the reflective photomask. The irradiating of the laser beam may include split-irradiating a plurality of laser beam spots onto the border area. Each of the plurality of laser beam spots may be shaped using a beam shaper. The beam shaper may include a blind area, a transparent area at a center of the blind area, and a semitransparent area between the blind area and the transparent area. Each of the plurality of laser beam spots may include a center portion passing through the transparent area and having a uniform energy profile and an edge portion passing through the semitransparent area and having an inclined energy profile.

A blankmask for extreme ultraviolet lithography includes a reflection film, a capping film, and an absorbing film that are sequentially formed on a transparent substrate, in which the reflection film has a surface roughness of 0.5 nm Ra or less. It is possible to prevent footing of an EUV photomask pattern from occurring, improving flatness of an EUV blankmask, and prevent oxidation and defects of a capping film.