To provide a reflective photomask blank and a reflective photomask that suppress or reduce a shadowing effect of a reflective photomask for patterning transfer using a light having a wavelength in the extreme ultraviolet region as a light source and have resistance to hydrogen radicals. A reflective photomask blank (10) according to this embodiment is a reflective photomask blank used for manufacturing a reflective photomask for pattern transfer using an extreme ultraviolet light as a light source, and the reflective photomask blank has: a substrate (1); a reflective layer (2) containing a multi-layer film formed on the substrate (1); and an absorption layer (4) formed on the reflective layer (2), in which the absorption layer (4) is formed of a material containing tin (Sn) and oxygen (O) in the proportion of 50 at % or more in total, the atomic number ratio (O/Sn) of oxygen (O) to tin (Sn) in the absorption layer (4) exceeds 2.0, and the film thickness of the absorption layer (4) is within the range of 17 nm or more and 45 nm or less.

To provide a reflective photomask blank and a reflective photomask that suppress or reduce a shadowing effect of a reflective photomask for patterning transfer using a light having a wavelength in the extreme ultraviolet region as a light source and have resistance to hydrogen radicals. A reflective photomask blank (10) according to this embodiment is a reflective photomask blank used for manufacturing a reflective photomask for pattern transfer using an extreme ultraviolet light as a light source, and the reflective photomask blank has: a substrate (1); a reflective layer (2) containing a multi-layer film formed on the substrate (1); and an absorption layer (4) formed on the reflective layer (2), in which the absorption layer (4) is formed of a material containing tin (Sn) and oxygen (O) in the proportion of 50 at % or more in total, the atomic number ratio (O/Sn) of oxygen (O) to tin (Sn) in the absorption layer (4) exceeds 2.0, and the film thickness of the absorption layer (4) is within the range of 17 nm or more and 45 nm or less.

A blank mask including: a transparent substrate and a light shielding film disposed on the transparent substrate, wherein the light shielding film includes a transition metal and at least one of oxygen and nitrogen, and wherein the light shielding film has an SA1 value of 60 to 90 mN/m according to Equation 1-1:

SA1=γ.sub.SL×tan θ  [Equation 1-1]

where, in the Equation 1-1, the γ.sub.SL is an interfacial energy between the light shielding film and a pure water and θ is a contact angle of the light shielding film measured with the pure water, is disclosed.

An electroconductive-film-coated substrate includes a glass substrate and an electroconductive film disposed on one main surface of the glass substrate. The electroconductive film has an inclined portion in a peripheral edge. A distance from a position in the inclined portion where a thickness of the electroconductive film is 10% of a film thickness of a center of the electroconductive film to an edge end of the glass substrate is 3.00 mm or less. A distance from an end of the inclined portion to the edge end of the glass substrate is longer than 0.00 mm.

An electroconductive-film-coated substrate includes a glass substrate and an electroconductive film disposed on one main surface of the glass substrate. The electroconductive film has an inclined portion in a peripheral edge. A distance from a position in the inclined portion where a thickness of the electroconductive film is 10% of a film thickness of a center of the electroconductive film to an edge end of the glass substrate is 3.00 mm or less. A distance from an end of the inclined portion to the edge end of the glass substrate is longer than 0.00 mm.

An extreme ultraviolet mask including a substrate, a reflective multilayer stack on the substrate and a multi-layer patterned absorber layer on the reflective multilayer stack is provided. Disclosed embodiments include an absorber layer that includes an alloy comprising ruthenium (Ru), chromium (Cr), platinum (Pt), gold (Au), iridium (Ir), titanium (Ti), niobium (Nb), rhodium (Rh), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W) or palladium (Pd), and at least one alloying element. The at least one alloying element includes ruthenium (Ru), chromium (Cr), tantalum (Ta), platinum (Pt), gold (Au), iridium (Ir), titanium (Ti), niobium (Nb), rhodium (Rh), molybdenum (Mo), hafnium (Hf), boron (B), nitrogen (N), silicon (Si), zirconium (Zr) or vanadium (V). Other embodiments include a multi-layer patterned absorber structure with layers that include an alloy and an alloying element, where at least two of the layers of the multi-layer structure have different compositions.

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; and an absorber layer on the capping layer, the absorber layer comprising an alloy of molybdenum (Mo) and antimony (Sb).

Fabricating a photomask includes forming a protection layer over a substrate. A plurality of multilayers of reflecting films are formed over the protection layer. A capping layer is formed over the plurality of multilayers. An absorption layer is formed over capping layer. A first photoresist layer is formed over portions of absorption layer. Portions of the first photoresist layer and absorption layer are patterned, forming first openings in absorption layer. The first openings expose portions of the capping layer. Remaining portions of first photoresist layer are removed and a second photoresist layer is formed over portions of absorption layer. The second photoresist layer covers at least the first openings. Portions of the absorption layer and capping layer and plurality of multilayer of reflecting films not covered by the second photoresist layer are patterned, forming second openings. The second openings expose portions of protection layer and second photoresist layer is removed.

Fabricating a photomask includes forming a protection layer over a substrate. A plurality of multilayers of reflecting films are formed over the protection layer. A capping layer is formed over the plurality of multilayers. An absorption layer is formed over capping layer. A first photoresist layer is formed over portions of absorption layer. Portions of the first photoresist layer and absorption layer are patterned, forming first openings in absorption layer. The first openings expose portions of the capping layer. Remaining portions of first photoresist layer are removed and a second photoresist layer is formed over portions of absorption layer. The second photoresist layer covers at least the first openings. Portions of the absorption layer and capping layer and plurality of multilayer of reflecting films not covered by the second photoresist layer are patterned, forming second openings. The second openings expose portions of protection layer and second photoresist layer is removed.

A semiconductor structure comprises a semiconductor substrate, and a multi-layer patterning material film stack formed on the semiconductor substrate. The patterning material film stack comprises at least a hard mask layer and a resist layer formed over the hard mask layer. The hard mask layer is configured to support selective deposition of a metal-containing layer on a developed pattern of the resist layer through inclusion in the hard mask layer of one or more materials inhibiting deposition of the metal-containing layer on portions of the hard mask layer corresponding to respective openings in the resist layer. The hard mask layer illustratively comprises, for example, at least one of a grafted self-assembled monolayer configured to inhibit deposition of the metal-containing layer, and a grafted polymer brush material configured to inhibit deposition of the metal-containing layer.