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 selected from the group consisting of oxygen and nitrogen, and wherein a surface of the light shielding film has a first contact angle of 40° to 45° measured by using diiodo-methane as a first liquid contacting the surface of the light shielding film, is disclosed.

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 selected from the group consisting of oxygen and nitrogen, and wherein a surface of the light shielding film has a first contact angle of 40° to 45° measured by using diiodo-methane as a first liquid contacting the surface of the light shielding film, is disclosed.

A method of forming a resist pattern includes applying a photoresist to first and second regions of a processing target to form a resist layer. The processing target includes a stacked body of alternately stacked first and second layers. The first region includes an upper surface of the stacked body, and the second region includes a recess extending into the stacked body from the upper surface. The resist layer is then patterned with light passed through a multi-gradation mask including a partial translucent feature at an outer perimeter of the recess, a light shielding feature corresponding in position to the recess, and a translucent feature surrounding the partial translucent feature. A resist pattern is formed including an overhang portion extending above a portion of the recess.

A method of forming a resist pattern includes applying a photoresist to first and second regions of a processing target to form a resist layer. The processing target includes a stacked body of alternately stacked first and second layers. The first region includes an upper surface of the stacked body, and the second region includes a recess extending into the stacked body from the upper surface. The resist layer is then patterned with light passed through a multi-gradation mask including a partial translucent feature at an outer perimeter of the recess, a light shielding feature corresponding in position to the recess, and a translucent feature surrounding the partial translucent feature. A resist pattern is formed including an overhang portion extending above a portion of the recess.

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.

A photopolymerizable resin composition includes a first layer and a second layer; and a barrier layer disposed between the first layer and the second layer, the barrier layer includes one or more of SiNx, SiOx, SiON, Mo, a Mo oxide, Cu, a Cu oxide, Al, an Al oxide, Ag, and a Ag oxide.

A photopolymerizable resin composition includes a first layer and a second layer; and a barrier layer disposed between the first layer and the second layer, the barrier layer includes one or more of SiNx, SiOx, SiON, Mo, a Mo oxide, Cu, a Cu oxide, Al, an Al oxide, Ag, and a Ag oxide.

A mask blank has a structure where a thin film for pattern formation and a hard mask film are stacked in this order on a transparent substrate, featured in that the thin film is formed of a material containing chromium, the hard mask film includes a stacked structure of a lower layer and an upper layer, the lower layer is formed of a material containing silicon and oxygen, the upper layer is formed of a material containing tantalum and oxygen with an oxygen content of 30 atom % or more, and the ratio of a thickness of the upper layer relative to a total thickness of the hard mask film is 0.7 or less.

A mask blank has a structure where a thin film for pattern formation and a hard mask film are stacked in this order on a transparent substrate, featured in that the thin film is formed of a material containing chromium, the hard mask film includes a stacked structure of a lower layer and an upper layer, the lower layer is formed of a material containing silicon and oxygen, the upper layer is formed of a material containing tantalum and oxygen with an oxygen content of 30 atom % or more, and the ratio of a thickness of the upper layer relative to a total thickness of the hard mask film is 0.7 or less.

A display panel and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. The display panel has a display area and a peripheral area, including: an array substrate, an opposite substrate, and a sealant layer including a first edge close to the display area and a second edge away from the display area. The array substrate includes a base substrate, a driving circuit and an organic insulating layer including a first part and a second part. In a direction perpendicular to a substrate surface, the first part overlaps with the sealant layer, and the second part has no overlap. In a direction parallel to the substrate surface, an edge of the first part away from the display area is between the first edge and the second edge. The driving circuit includes a gate scan driving circuit at least partially overlapped with the first part in the direction perpendicular to the substrate surface.