A mask blank including a phase shift film is provided, wherein the phase shift film has a predetermined transmittance and a predetermined phase difference with respect to exposure light of an ArF excimer laser, and it is relatively easy to detect an etching end point for detecting a boundary between the phase shift film and a transparent substrate upon the EB defect repair. The phase shift film has a function to transmit the exposure light of the ArF excimer laser at a transmittance of not less than 10% and not more than 20%, and a function to generate a phase difference of not less than 150 degrees and not more than 190 degrees between the exposure light transmitted through the phase shift film and the exposure light transmitted through the air for the same distance as a thickness of the phase shift film. The phase shift film is made of a material containing a metal, silicon, nitrogen, and oxygen. A ratio of the metal content to the total content of the metal and silicon in the phase shift film is not less than 5% and not more than 10%, the oxygen content in the phase shift film is 10 atom % or more, and the silicon content in the phase shift film is three times or more the oxygen content.

The present invention relates to a method for ascertaining a repair shape for processing at least one defect of a photolithographic mask including the following steps: (a) determining at least one correction value for the repair shape of the at least one defect, wherein the correction value takes account of a position of at least one pattern element of the photolithographic mask, said at least one pattern element not contacting the at least one defect; and (b) correcting the repair shape by applying the at least one correction value.

A reflective mask blank includes a multilayer reflective film, a first thin film, and a second thin film in this order on a main surface of a substrate, a relative reflectance R.sub.2 of the second thin film with respect to a reflectance of the multilayer reflective film in the light of 13.5 nm wavelength is 3% or more, and an extinction coefficient k.sub.1 of the first thin film in the light of 13.5 nm wavelength and a thickness d.sub.1 [nm] of the first thin film satisfy a relationship of (Formula 1).

21.5?k.sub.1.sup.2?d.sub.1.sup.2?52.5?k.sub.1?d.sub.1+32.1>R.sub.2(Formula 1)

A reflective mask blank includes a multilayer reflective film, a first thin film, and a second thin film in this order on a main surface of a substrate, a relative reflectance R.sub.2 of the second thin film with respect to a reflectance of the multilayer reflective film in the light of 13.5 nm wavelength is 3% or more, and an extinction coefficient k.sub.1 of the first thin film in the light of 13.5 nm wavelength and a thickness d.sub.1 [nm] of the first thin film satisfy a relationship of (Formula 1).

21.5?k.sub.1.sup.2?d.sub.1.sup.2?52.5?k.sub.1?d.sub.1+32.1>R.sub.2(Formula 1)

A method for particle beam-induced processing of a defect of a microlithographic photomask, including the steps of: a) providing an image of at least a portion of the photomask, b) determining a geometric shape of a defect in the image as a repair shape, with the repair shape comprising a number n of pixels, c) subdividing, in computer-implemented fashion, the repair shape into a number k of sub-repair shapes, with an i-th of the k sub-repair shapes having a number m.sub.i of pixels, which are a subset of the n pixels of the repair shape, d) providing an activating particle beam and a process gas at each of the m.sub.i pixels of a first of the sub-repair shapes for the purposes of processing the first of the sub-repair shapes, e) repeating step d) for the first of the sub-repair shapes over a number j of repetition cycles, and f) repeating steps d) and e) for each further sub-repair shape.

A method for particle beam-induced processing of a defect of a microlithographic photomask, including the steps of: a) providing an image of at least a portion of the photomask, b) determining a geometric shape of a defect in the image as a repair shape, with the repair shape comprising a number n of pixels, c) subdividing, in computer-implemented fashion, the repair shape into a number k of sub-repair shapes, with an i-th of the k sub-repair shapes having a number m.sub.i of pixels, which are a subset of the n pixels of the repair shape, d) providing an activating particle beam and a process gas at each of the m.sub.i pixels of a first of the sub-repair shapes for the purposes of processing the first of the sub-repair shapes, e) repeating step d) for the first of the sub-repair shapes over a number j of repetition cycles, and f) repeating steps d) and e) for each further sub-repair shape.

The present disclosure is directed to a repair method including providing a scanning electron microscope (SEM) with an electron beam directed at a defective multilayer photomask disposed in the SEM; disposing a droplet of a liquid precursor on a surface of the defective multilayer photomask with a defect; pointing a gas flow on the droplet, wherein the gas flow is configured to planarize the droplet; and repairing the defect in the defective multilayer photomask by performing a chemical reaction on the planarized droplet. A photomask repair system and a photomask repair tool is also provided.

The present disclosure is directed to a repair method including providing a scanning electron microscope (SEM) with an electron beam directed at a defective multilayer photomask disposed in the SEM; disposing a droplet of a liquid precursor on a surface of the defective multilayer photomask with a defect; pointing a gas flow on the droplet, wherein the gas flow is configured to planarize the droplet; and repairing the defect in the defective multilayer photomask by performing a chemical reaction on the planarized droplet. A photomask repair system and a photomask repair tool is also provided.

Disclosed is a mask defect repair apparatus that is capable of performing defect repair with high accuracy without exposure of a mask to air while being moved between the mask defect repair apparatus and an inspection device. The mask defect repair apparatus emits charged particle beams with an amount of irradiation therewith which is corrected by a correction unit while supplying gas to a defect of the mask, thereby forming a deposition film.

Disclosed is a mask defect repair apparatus that is capable of performing defect repair with high accuracy without exposure of a mask to air while being moved between the mask defect repair apparatus and an inspection device. The mask defect repair apparatus emits charged particle beams with an amount of irradiation therewith which is corrected by a correction unit while supplying gas to a defect of the mask, thereby forming a deposition film.