A reticle assembly includes a reticle plate; a reticle pattern provided on the reticle plate; and a pellicle member provided on the reticle pattern and the reticle plate. The pellicle member includes: a pellicle provided on the reticle pattern; and a pellicle frame provided on the reticle plate and surrounding the reticle pattern, and supporting the pellicle to be space apart from the reticle pattern and the reticle plate. A thermal expansion coefficient of the pellicle frame is less than six times of a thermal expansion coefficient of the reticle plate

A reticle assembly includes a reticle plate; a reticle pattern provided on the reticle plate; and a pellicle member provided on the reticle pattern and the reticle plate. The pellicle member includes: a pellicle provided on the reticle pattern; and a pellicle frame provided on the reticle plate and surrounding the reticle pattern, and supporting the pellicle to be space apart from the reticle pattern and the reticle plate. A thermal expansion coefficient of the pellicle frame is less than six times of a thermal expansion coefficient of the reticle plate

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.

The present disclosure relates to a method for forming a carbon nanotube pellicle membrane for an extreme ultraviolet lithography reticle, the method comprising: bonding together overlapping carbon nanotubes of at least one carbon nanotube film by pressing the at least one carbon nanotube film between a first pressing surface and a second pressing surface, thereby forming a free-standing carbon nanotube pellicle membrane. The present disclosure also relates to a method for forming a pellicle for extreme ultraviolet lithography and for forming a reticle system for extreme ultraviolet lithography respectively.

The present disclosure relates to a method for forming a carbon nanotube pellicle membrane for an extreme ultraviolet lithography reticle, the method comprising: bonding together overlapping carbon nanotubes of at least one carbon nanotube film by pressing the at least one carbon nanotube film between a first pressing surface and a second pressing surface, thereby forming a free-standing carbon nanotube pellicle membrane. The present disclosure also relates to a method for forming a pellicle for extreme ultraviolet lithography and for forming a reticle system for extreme ultraviolet lithography respectively.

There is provided a method for procuring an agglutinant structure or in particular an agglutinant layer, from an agglutinant material, which is laid on an end face of a pellicle frame for gluing the pellicle to a photomask, wherein the agglutinant material is processed into the agglutinant layer passing through one more stages wherein the material is under a helium gas atmosphere; the invention is also about a manufacturing method of a pellicle wherein the agglutinant layer is procured in the above described manner.

There is provided a method for procuring an agglutinant structure or in particular an agglutinant layer, from an agglutinant material, which is laid on an end face of a pellicle frame for gluing the pellicle to a photomask, wherein the agglutinant material is processed into the agglutinant layer passing through one more stages wherein the material is under a helium gas atmosphere; the invention is also about a manufacturing method of a pellicle wherein the agglutinant layer is procured in the above described manner.

A lithographic apparatus comprising a support structure constructed to support a patterning device and associated pellicle, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam, and a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate, wherein the support structure is located in a housing and wherein pressure sensors are located in the housing.

A lithographic apparatus comprising a support structure constructed to support a patterning device and associated pellicle, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam, and a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate, wherein the support structure is located in a housing and wherein pressure sensors are located in the housing.