Coated nanotubes and bundles of nanotubes are formed into membranes useful in optical assemblies in EUV photolithography systems. These optical assemblies are useful in methods for patterning materials on a semiconductor substrate. Such methods involve generating, in a UV lithography system, UV radiation. The UV radiation is passed through a coating layer of the optical assembly, e.g., a pellicle assembly. The UV radiation that has passed through the coating layer is passed through a matrix of individual nanotubes or matrix of nanotube bundles. UV radiation that passes through the matrix of individual nanotubes or matrix of nanotube bundles is reflected from a mask and received at a semiconductor substrate.

This application relates to a pellicle for extreme ultraviolet lithography containing amorphous carbon and a manufacturing method thereof. In one aspect, the pellicle includes a substrate having an opening formed in a central portion, a support layer formed on the substrate to cover the opening, and a pellicle layer formed on the support layer and containing amorphous carbon. The pellicle layer may include a core layer formed on the support layer, and a capping layer formed on the core layer and may further include a buffer layer. At least one of the core layer, the capping layer, or the buffer layer may be an amorphous carbon layer.

This application relates to a pellicle for extreme ultraviolet lithography and a manufacturing method thereof using the low-temperature direct growth method of multilayer graphene. In one aspect, the method includes forming an etch stopper on a substrate, forming a seed layer on the etch stopper, the seed layer including at least one of amorphous boron, BN, BCN, B.sub.4C, or Me-X (Me is at least one of Si, Ti, Mo, or Zr, and X is at least one of B, C, or N). The method may also include forming a metal catalyst layer on the seed layer; forming an amorphous carbon layer on the metal catalyst layer, and directly growing multilayer graphene on the seed layer through interlayer exchange between the metal catalyst layer and the amorphous carbon layer by performing a low-temperature heat treatment at 450° C. to 600° C.

A catalyst including: a first layer including a transition metal; a base layer; and an interlayer, wherein the interlayer is disposed between the base layer and the first layer is disclosed. Also disclosed are methods for preparing a catalyst as well as for synthesizing graphene, a pellicle produced using the catalyst or methods disclosed herein, as well as a lithography apparatus including such a pellicle.

A catalyst including: a first layer including a transition metal; a base layer; and an interlayer, wherein the interlayer is disposed between the base layer and the first layer is disclosed. Also disclosed are methods for preparing a catalyst as well as for synthesizing graphene, a pellicle produced using the catalyst or methods disclosed herein, as well as a lithography apparatus including such a pellicle.

There is provided a photomask including a pellicle. The photomask may include a substrate and a pellicle, and mask patterns may be disposed on the substrate. The pellicle may include a carbon nanotube membrane providing a plurality of pores. The pellicle may include a coating layer on the carbon nanotube membrane.

A method for manufacturing a membrane assembly for EUV lithography, the method including: providing a stack having a planar substrate and at least one membrane layer, wherein the planar substrate includes an inner region and a border region around the inner region; and selectively removing the inner region of the planar substrate. The membrane assembly includes: a membrane formed from the at least one membrane layer; and a border holding the membrane, the border formed from the border region of the planar substrate. The stack is provided with a mechanical protection material configured to mechanically protect the border region during the selectively removing the inner region of the planar substrate.

A method for manufacturing a membrane assembly for EUV lithography, the method including: providing a stack having a planar substrate and at least one membrane layer, wherein the planar substrate includes an inner region and a border region around the inner region; and selectively removing the inner region of the planar substrate. The membrane assembly includes: a membrane formed from the at least one membrane layer; and a border holding the membrane, the border formed from the border region of the planar substrate. The stack is provided with a mechanical protection material configured to mechanically protect the border region during the selectively removing the inner region of the planar substrate.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally include apparatus and methods for removing adhesive residues from a surface of a lithography mask. In particular, the processing systems described herein provide for the delivery of a solvent to a discrete plurality of locations on the surface of the lithography mask to facilitate the removal of adhesive residue therefrom. In one embodiment, a method of processing a substrate includes positioning the substrate on a substrate support of a processing system, sealing individual ones of a plurality of cleaning units to a surface of the substrate at a corresponding plurality of locations, heating a cleaning fluid to a temperature between about 50° C. and about 150° C., flowing the cleaning fluid to, and thereafter, from, the plurality of cleaning units, and exposing the surface of the substrate to the cleaning fluid at the plurality of locations.

A method for manufacturing a compound semiconductor substrate that can achieve thinning of SiC film, wherein the method includes forming a SiC film on one principal surface side of a Si substrate and forming a recessed part in which a bottom surface is Si in a central part of another principal surface of the Si substrate.