The inventive concept provides a mask treatment apparatus. The mask treatment may include a support unit that supports the mask, and a light irradiation unit that irradiate the mask with a light to adjust a critical dimension of a pattern formed in the mask, wherein the light irradiation unit includes a light source that generates the light, and a light modulation element that modulates the light generated by the light source and forms an irradiation pattern.

The inventive concept provides a mask treating method. The mask treating method includes treating a mask by supplying a liquid to the mask, and irradiating a laser to a region of the mask on which a specific pattern is formed while the liquid remains on the mask; moving an optical module including a laser unit configured to irradiate the laser between a process position for treating the substrate and a standby position deviating from the process position; and adjusting a state of the optical module at an inspection port provided at the standby position to a set condition before the optical module is moved to the process position.

The inventive concept provides a mask treating method. The mask treating method includes treating a mask by supplying a liquid to the mask, and irradiating a laser to a region of the mask on which a specific pattern is formed while the liquid remains on the mask; moving an optical module including a laser unit configured to irradiate the laser between a process position for treating the substrate and a standby position deviating from the process position; and adjusting a state of the optical module at an inspection port provided at the standby position to a set condition before the optical module is moved to the process position.

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for treating a substrate. The substrate treatment apparatus includes a support unit that supports a substrate, a liquid supply unit that supplies a liquid to the substrate supported by the support unit, and a laser unit that heats the substrate supported by the support unit, wherein the laser unit includes an oscillation unit that emits a light, and a diffraction unit that separates the light into a plurality of light bundles and irradiates the substrate supported by the support unit with an adjustment light having a profile changed from a profile of the light.

A method of inspection for defects on a substrate, such as a reflective reticle substrate, and associated apparatuses. The method includes performing the inspection using inspection radiation obtained from a high harmonic generation source and having one or more wavelengths within a wavelength range of between 20 nm and 150 nm. Also, a method including performing a coarse inspection using first inspection radiation having one or more first wavelengths within a first wavelength range; and performing a fine inspection using second inspection radiation having one or more second wavelengths within a second wavelength range, the second wavelength range comprising wavelengths shorter than the first wavelength range.

A method of inspection for defects on a substrate, such as a reflective reticle substrate, and associated apparatuses. The method includes performing the inspection using inspection radiation obtained from a high harmonic generation source and having one or more wavelengths within a wavelength range of between 20 nm and 150 nm. Also, a method including performing a coarse inspection using first inspection radiation having one or more first wavelengths within a first wavelength range; and performing a fine inspection using second inspection radiation having one or more second wavelengths within a second wavelength range, the second wavelength range comprising wavelengths shorter than the first wavelength range.

Methods for removing a catalyst particle from a nanotube film used in a photolithographic patterning process are disclosed. The catalyst particle is identified based on its size in the nanotube film. This identification can be done using an inspection device such as a confocal microscope, which permits comparison of images taken in two or more separate focal planes to determine the size of particles. The catalyst particle is then exposed to a first absorption wavelength using a laser, which is selectively absorbed by the catalyst particle and which heats the catalyst particle to remove the catalyst particle from the nanotube film. Optionally, the catalyst particle-free nanotube film can be further exposed to a second absorption wavelength which is selectively absorbed by the film and promotes repair of the film. The resulting nanotube film can be used in a pellicle membrane.

Metrology methods and targets are provided for reducing or eliminating a difference between a device pattern position and a target pattern position while maintaining target printability, process compatibility and optical contrast—in both imaging and scatterometry metrology. Pattern placement discrepancies may be reduced by using sub-resolved assist features in the mask design which have a same periodicity (fine pitch) as the periodic structure and/or by calibrating the measurement results using PPE (pattern placement error) correction factors derived by applying learning procedures to specific calibration terms, in measurements and/or simulations. Metrology targets are disclosed with multiple periodic structures at the same layer (in addition to regular target structures), e.g., in one or two layers, which are used to calibrate and remove PPE, especially when related to asymmetric effects such as scanner aberrations, off-axis illumination and other error sources.

Metrology methods and targets are provided for reducing or eliminating a difference between a device pattern position and a target pattern position while maintaining target printability, process compatibility and optical contrast—in both imaging and scatterometry metrology. Pattern placement discrepancies may be reduced by using sub-resolved assist features in the mask design which have a same periodicity (fine pitch) as the periodic structure and/or by calibrating the measurement results using PPE (pattern placement error) correction factors derived by applying learning procedures to specific calibration terms, in measurements and/or simulations. Metrology targets are disclosed with multiple periodic structures at the same layer (in addition to regular target structures), e.g., in one or two layers, which are used to calibrate and remove PPE, especially when related to asymmetric effects such as scanner aberrations, off-axis illumination and other error sources.

With respect to a reflective mask blank for a reflective mask used in EUV lithography using EUV light, the reflective mask blank including a substrate, a multilayer reflection film having a periodically laminated structure in which low-refractive index layers composed of a material containing molybdenum and high-refractive index layers are alternately laminated, a protection film, and an absorber film is provided. The low-refractive index layer consists of one or more of first low-refractive index sublayers, and one or more of second low-refractive index sublayers that have a different composition from a composition of the first low-refractive index sublayer.