A pellicle for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography is based on yttrium carbide and used in a EUV lithography process. The pellicle for EUV lithography includes a pellicle layer that has a core layer containing yttrium carbide. The yttrium carbide is YC.sub.X (0.25<x<0.45).

A pellicle for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography is based on yttrium carbide and used in a EUV lithography process. The pellicle for EUV lithography includes a pellicle layer that has a core layer containing yttrium carbide. The yttrium carbide is YC.sub.X (0.25<x<0.45).

A method comprising the steps of receiving a mask assembly comprising a mask and a removable EUV transparent pellicle held by a pellicle frame, removing the pellicle frame and EUV transparent pellicle from the mask, using an inspection tool to inspect the mask pattern on the mask, and subsequently attaching to the mask an EUV transparent pellicle held by a pellicle frame. The method may also comprise the following steps: after removing the pellicle frame and EUV transparent pellicle from the mask, attaching to the mask an alternative pellicle frame holding an alternative pellicle formed from a material which is substantially transparent to an inspection beam of the inspection tool; and after using an inspection tool to inspect the mask pattern on the mask, removing the alternative pellicle held by the alternative pellicle frame from the mask in order to attach to the mask the EUV transparent pellicle held by the pellicle frame.

A method comprising the steps of receiving a mask assembly comprising a mask and a removable EUV transparent pellicle held by a pellicle frame, removing the pellicle frame and EUV transparent pellicle from the mask, using an inspection tool to inspect the mask pattern on the mask, and subsequently attaching to the mask an EUV transparent pellicle held by a pellicle frame. The method may also comprise the following steps: after removing the pellicle frame and EUV transparent pellicle from the mask, attaching to the mask an alternative pellicle frame holding an alternative pellicle formed from a material which is substantially transparent to an inspection beam of the inspection tool; and after using an inspection tool to inspect the mask pattern on the mask, removing the alternative pellicle held by the alternative pellicle frame from the mask in order to attach to the mask the EUV transparent pellicle held by the pellicle frame.

An inspection apparatus for inspecting an object such as a pellicle for use in an EUV lithographic apparatus, the inspection apparatus including: a vacuum chamber; a load lock forming an interface between the vacuum chamber and an ambient environment; and a stage apparatus configured to receive the object from the load lock and displace the object inside the vacuum chamber, wherein the vacuum chamber includes a first parking position and a second parking position for temporarily storing the object.

An inspection apparatus for inspecting an object such as a pellicle for use in an EUV lithographic apparatus, the inspection apparatus including: a vacuum chamber; a load lock forming an interface between the vacuum chamber and an ambient environment; and a stage apparatus configured to receive the object from the load lock and displace the object inside the vacuum chamber, wherein the vacuum chamber includes a first parking position and a second parking position for temporarily storing the object.

The present invention is to provide a pellicle characterized by including a pellicle film and a pellicle frame, in which the pellicle film is stretched on the pellicle frame, and the pellicle film is an annealed pellicle film, and to provide a method for producing a pellicle by stretching a pellicle film on a pellicle frame, including the step of annealing the pellicle film alone before stretching the pellicle film on the pellicle frame, annealing the pellicle after stretching the pellicle film on the pellicle frame, or annealing the pellicle film alone and the pellicle both before and after stretching the pellicle film on the pellicle frame.

The present invention is to provide a pellicle characterized by including a pellicle film and a pellicle frame, in which the pellicle film is stretched on the pellicle frame, and the pellicle film is an annealed pellicle film, and to provide a method for producing a pellicle by stretching a pellicle film on a pellicle frame, including the step of annealing the pellicle film alone before stretching the pellicle film on the pellicle frame, annealing the pellicle after stretching the pellicle film on the pellicle frame, or annealing the pellicle film alone and the pellicle both before and after stretching the pellicle film on the pellicle frame.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a method for forming an EUVL pellicle, the method comprising: coating a carbon nanotube, CNT, membrane, and mounting the CNT membrane to a pellicle frame, wherein coating the CNT membrane comprises: pre-coating CNTs of the membrane with a seed material, and forming an outer coating on the pre-coated CNTs, the outer coating covering the pre-coated CNTs, the forming of the outer coating comprising depositing a coating material on the pre-coated CNTs by atomic layer deposition.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a method for forming an EUVL pellicle, the method comprising: coating a carbon nanotube, CNT, membrane, and mounting the CNT membrane to a pellicle frame, wherein coating the CNT membrane comprises: pre-coating CNTs of the membrane with a seed material, and forming an outer coating on the pre-coated CNTs, the outer coating covering the pre-coated CNTs, the forming of the outer coating comprising depositing a coating material on the pre-coated CNTs by atomic layer deposition.