A photomask blank includes a light-transmitting substrate, and a shading layer part disposed on the light-transmitting substrate, the shading layer part including a first shading layer having a first hardness and a second shading layer having a second hardness. The first shading layer is disposed closer to the light-transmitting substrate than the second shading layer, and a value of the first hardness is larger that a value of the second hardness.

Provided is a substrate with a multilayer reflective film, the substrate being used for manufacturing a reflective mask blank and a reflective mask each having a multilayer reflective film having a high reflectance to exposure light and a low background level during defect inspection.

A substrate with a multilayer reflective film 110 comprises a substrate 1 and a multilayer reflective film 5. The multilayer reflective film 5 is formed of a multilayer film in which a low refractive index layer and a high refractive index layer are alternately layered on the substrate 1. The multilayer reflective film 5 comprises at least one additive element selected from hydrogen (H), deuterium (D), and helium (He). The additive element in the multilayer reflective film 5 has an atomic number density of 0.006 atom/nm.sup.3 or more and 0.50 atom/nm.sup.3 or less.

Provided is a substrate with a multilayer reflective film, the substrate being used for manufacturing a reflective mask blank and a reflective mask each having a multilayer reflective film having a high reflectance to exposure light and a low background level during defect inspection.

A substrate with a multilayer reflective film 110 comprises a substrate 1 and a multilayer reflective film 5. The multilayer reflective film 5 is formed of a multilayer film in which a low refractive index layer and a high refractive index layer are alternately layered on the substrate 1. The multilayer reflective film 5 comprises at least one additive element selected from hydrogen (H), deuterium (D), and helium (He). The additive element in the multilayer reflective film 5 has an atomic number density of 0.006 atom/nm.sup.3 or more and 0.50 atom/nm.sup.3 or less.

A photomask includes a substrate, a multilayer stack disposed over the substrate and configured to reflect a radiation, a capping layer over the multilayer stack, and an anti-reflective layer over the capping layer. The anti-reflective layer comprises a first pattern, wherein the first pattern exposes the capping layer and is configured as a printable feature. The photomask also includes an absorber spaced apart from the printable feature from a top-view perspective.

A photomask includes a substrate, a multilayer stack disposed over the substrate and configured to reflect a radiation, a capping layer over the multilayer stack, and an anti-reflective layer over the capping layer. The anti-reflective layer comprises a first pattern, wherein the first pattern exposes the capping layer and is configured as a printable feature. The photomask also includes an absorber spaced apart from the printable feature from a top-view perspective.

A substrate and a method for producing the same are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a substrate includes a base layer, a black layer formed on the base layer, and column spacers formed on the black layer, wherein a loss rate of spacers measured by a peel test is 15% or less. The substrate can have excellent adhesiveness of the spacer to the base layer or the black layer and ensuring appropriate darkening properties. The method can effectively produce such a substrate without adverse effects such as occurrence of foreign materials without separate treatment such as heat treatment.

A substrate and a method for producing the same are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a substrate includes a base layer, a black layer formed on the base layer, and column spacers formed on the black layer, wherein a loss rate of spacers measured by a peel test is 15% or less. The substrate can have excellent adhesiveness of the spacer to the base layer or the black layer and ensuring appropriate darkening properties. The method can effectively produce such a substrate without adverse effects such as occurrence of foreign materials without separate treatment such as heat treatment.

The prevent disclosure provides a reflective mask. In some embodiments, the reflective mask includes a substrate, a sp.sup.2-hybrid carbon layer, a reflective multilayer, and an absorption pattern. The sp.sup.2-hybrid carbon layer is over the substrate. The reflective multilayer is over the sp.sup.2-hybrid carbon layer. The absorption pattern is over the reflective multilayer.

A blank mask including a transparent substrate and a light shielding film disposed on the transparent substrate, wherein the light shielding film comprises a transition metal and at least one selected from the group consisting of oxygen and nitrogen, and wherein when an optical density of the light shielding film is measured ten times by a light with a wavelength of 193 nm, a standard deviation of measured optical density is 0.009 or less, is disclosed.

Embodiments disclosed herein include EUV reticles and methods of forming such reticles. In an embodiment a method of forming an EUV reticle comprises providing a reticle, where the reticle comprises, a substrate, a mirror layer over the substrate, where the mirror layer comprises a plurality of first mirror layers and second mirror layers in an alternating pattern, and a capping layer over the mirror layer. In an embodiment, the method may further comprise disposing a first layer over the capping layer, patterning an opening in the first layer, and disposing a second layer in the opening, where the second layer is disposed with an electroless deposition process.