A reflective mask includes a substrate, a reflective multilayer disposed over the substrate, a capping layer disposed over the reflective multilayer, an intermediate layer disposed over the capping layer, an absorber layer disposed over the intermediate layer, and a cover layer disposed over the absorber layer. The absorber layer includes one or more layers of an Ir based material, a Pt based material or a Ru based material.

Collection reflectors with multiple reflector elements defined on a curved surface are used to collect EUV optical radiation from an EUV emitting area. Each of the reflector elements can image the emitting area at or near a corresponding reflective element of a second multi-element reflector that overlaps radiation from each of the multiple reflector element of the collection reflector to illuminate a grating reticle. Systems with such a collection reflector can use fewer optical elements. In addition, grating reticles are defined on a curve substrate an include a plurality of grating phase steps so that the grating reticle provides phase curvature along two axes but with physical curvature along a single axis. Methods of producing varying duty cycle 1D patterns are also disclosed.

An object is to provide a mask blank

A mask blank having a substrate and a thin film, the substrate includes two main surfaces and a side surface with a chamfered surface provided between the two main surfaces and the side surface, one main surface of the two main surfaces includes an inner region including a center of the main surface and an outer peripheral region outside of the inner region, the thin film is provided on the inner region of the main surface, the surface reflectance Rs of the outer peripheral region with respect to light of 400 nm to 700 nm wavelength is 10% or less, and provided that Rf is the surface reflectance with respect to light of 400 nm to 700 nm wavelength in one section among sections of the thin film in the range of 9 nm to 10 nm film thickness, the contrast ratio (Rf/Rs) is 3.0 or more.

An object is to provide a mask blank

A mask blank having a substrate and a thin film, the substrate includes two main surfaces and a side surface with a chamfered surface provided between the two main surfaces and the side surface, one main surface of the two main surfaces includes an inner region including a center of the main surface and an outer peripheral region outside of the inner region, the thin film is provided on the inner region of the main surface, the surface reflectance Rs of the outer peripheral region with respect to light of 400 nm to 700 nm wavelength is 10% or less, and provided that Rf is the surface reflectance with respect to light of 400 nm to 700 nm wavelength in one section among sections of the thin film in the range of 9 nm to 10 nm film thickness, the contrast ratio (Rf/Rs) is 3.0 or more.

A method of controlling a droplet illumination module/droplet detection module system of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation source includes irradiating a target droplet with light from a droplet illumination module and detecting light reflected and/or scattered by the target droplet. The method includes determining whether an intensity of the detected light is within an acceptable range. In response to determining that the intensity of the detected light is not within the acceptable range, a parameter of the droplet illumination module is automatically adjusted to set the intensity of the detected light within the acceptable range.

A method of controlling a droplet illumination module/droplet detection module system of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation source includes irradiating a target droplet with light from a droplet illumination module and detecting light reflected and/or scattered by the target droplet. The method includes determining whether an intensity of the detected light is within an acceptable range. In response to determining that the intensity of the detected light is not within the acceptable range, a parameter of the droplet illumination module is automatically adjusted to set the intensity of the detected light within the acceptable range.

The present disclosure provides masks suitable for Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) and X-ray lithography by including a non-reflective region combined with a reflective multilayer. This non-reflective region replaces a typical absorber layer used to provide the pattern for integrated circuits.

The present disclosure provides masks suitable for Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) and X-ray lithography by including a non-reflective region combined with a reflective multilayer. This non-reflective region replaces a typical absorber layer used to provide the pattern for integrated circuits.

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods for their manufacture and production systems therefor are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise an absorber layer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of ruthenium (Ru) and one or more elements of Group 1, Ru and one or more elements of Group 1 and one or more elements of Group 2, Ru and one or more elements of Group 1 and tantalum (Ta), Ru and one or more elements of Group 1 and Ta and one or more elements of Group 2, tellurium (Te) and nickel (Ni), and tellurium (Te) and aluminum (Al).

A mirror for extreme ultraviolet light includes: a substrate (41); a multilayer film (42) provided on the substrate and configured to reflect extreme ultraviolet light; and a capping layer (53) provided on the multilayer film, and the capping layer includes a first layer (61) containing an oxide of a metal, and a second layer (62) arranged between the first layer and the multilayer film and containing at least one of a boride of the metal and a nitride of the metal.