A photomask mask assembly includes a reflective photomask and a protection structure. The reflective photomask includes a substrate and a reflective multilayer on a first substrate surface of the substrate at a front side of the reflective photomask. The protection structure is on a second substrate surface of the substrate at a backside of the reflective photomask, and is detachable from the reflective photomask at a temperature below 150 degree Celsius.

There are provided a reflective mask having a coating film uniformly formed along the outermost surface and the side surfaces of a transfer pattern, having high EUV transmittance, and having high cleaning resistance and a production method therefor. To achieve the object, for example, a reflective mask (100) includes: a substrate (1); a multilayer reflective film (2) formed on the substrate (1) and reflecting an incident EUV light; an absorption layer (4) formed on at least a part of the multilayer reflective film (2) and absorbing the incident EUV light; and a coating film (5) formed on the multilayer reflective film (2) and on the absorption layer (4) and transmitting the incident EUV light, in which the coating film (5) has an extinction coefficient k of 0.04 or less to the EUV light, is resistant to cleaning with a cleaning chemical solution, and is formed with a uniform film thickness on the surface and the side surfaces of the absorption layer (4).

There are provided a reflective mask having a coating film uniformly formed along the outermost surface and the side surfaces of a transfer pattern, having high EUV transmittance, and having high cleaning resistance and a production method therefor. To achieve the object, for example, a reflective mask (100) includes: a substrate (1); a multilayer reflective film (2) formed on the substrate (1) and reflecting an incident EUV light; an absorption layer (4) formed on at least a part of the multilayer reflective film (2) and absorbing the incident EUV light; and a coating film (5) formed on the multilayer reflective film (2) and on the absorption layer (4) and transmitting the incident EUV light, in which the coating film (5) has an extinction coefficient k of 0.04 or less to the EUV light, is resistant to cleaning with a cleaning chemical solution, and is formed with a uniform film thickness on the surface and the side surfaces of the absorption layer (4).

A reflective mask blank includes a substrate, a reflective multilayer (RML) disposed on the substrate, a capping layer disposed on the reflective multilayer, and an absorber layer disposed on the capping layer. The absorber layer has length or width dimensions smaller than the capping layer, and part of the capping layer is exposed by the absorber layer. The dimension of the absorber layer and the hard mask layer ranges between 146 cm to 148 cm. The dimensions of the substrate, the RML, and the capping layer range between 150 cm to 152 cm.

A reflective mask blank includes a substrate, a reflective multilayer (RML) disposed on the substrate, a capping layer disposed on the reflective multilayer, and an absorber layer disposed on the capping layer. The absorber layer has length or width dimensions smaller than the capping layer, and part of the capping layer is exposed by the absorber layer. The dimension of the absorber layer and the hard mask layer ranges between 146 cm to 148 cm. The dimensions of the substrate, the RML, and the capping layer range between 150 cm to 152 cm.

Provided is a reflective mask blank comprising a phase shift film having a small change in the phase difference and/or reflectance of the phase shift film even in a case where the film thickness of the phase shift film changes.

A reflective mask blank comprises a multilayer reflective film and a phase shift film in this order on a main surface of a substrate. The phase shift film comprises a lower layer and an uppermost layer. The lower layer is located between the uppermost layer and the multilayer reflective film. The lower layer is formed of a material in which the total content of ruthenium and chromium is 90 atomic % or more, or a material in which the total content of ruthenium, chromium, and nitrogen is 90 atomic % or more. The uppermost layer is formed of a material in which the total content of ruthenium, chromium, and oxygen is 90 atomic % or more.

Provided is a reflective mask blank comprising a phase shift film having a small change in the phase difference and/or reflectance of the phase shift film even in a case where the film thickness of the phase shift film changes.

A reflective mask blank comprises a multilayer reflective film and a phase shift film in this order on a main surface of a substrate. The phase shift film comprises a lower layer and an uppermost layer. The lower layer is located between the uppermost layer and the multilayer reflective film. The lower layer is formed of a material in which the total content of ruthenium and chromium is 90 atomic % or more, or a material in which the total content of ruthenium, chromium, and nitrogen is 90 atomic % or more. The uppermost layer is formed of a material in which the total content of ruthenium, chromium, and oxygen is 90 atomic % or more.

The present disclosure relates to a blank mask and the like, and comprises a transparent substrate and a light shielding film disposed on the transparent substrate. The light shielding film comprises a transition metal and at least any one between oxygen and nitrogen. The light shielding film comprises a first light shielding layer and a second light shielding layer disposed on the first light shielding layer. The light shielding film has an Rd value of Equation 1 below which is 0.4 to 0.8.

Rd=er.sub.2/er.sub.1  [Equation 1]

In the Equation 1, the er.sub.1 value is an etching rate of the first light shielding layer measured by etching with argon gas.

The er.sub.2 value is an etching rate of the second light shielding layer measured by etching with argon gas.

In such a blank mask, a resolution degradation can be suppressed effectively when the light shielding film is patterned.

The present disclosure relates to a blank mask and the like, and comprises a transparent substrate and a light shielding film disposed on the transparent substrate. The light shielding film comprises a transition metal and at least any one between oxygen and nitrogen. The light shielding film comprises a first light shielding layer and a second light shielding layer disposed on the first light shielding layer. The light shielding film has an Rd value of Equation 1 below which is 0.4 to 0.8.

Rd=er.sub.2/er.sub.1  [Equation 1]

In the Equation 1, the er.sub.1 value is an etching rate of the first light shielding layer measured by etching with argon gas.

The er.sub.2 value is an etching rate of the second light shielding layer measured by etching with argon gas.

In such a blank mask, a resolution degradation can be suppressed effectively when the light shielding film is patterned.

A mask element for flexographic printing can include: a substrate; a polymeric layer on the substrate and having a first infrared absorbing material; a non-silver halide thermally-ablatable imaging layer on the polymeric layer and having a second infrared absorbing material and an ultraviolet absorbing material in an thermally-ablatable polymeric binder; and a particulate-treated protective topcoat on the non-silver halide thermally-ablatable imaging layer and having a thermally-ablatable polymer containing inorganic particles of from about 0.25% to about 20% by dry weight of the particulate-treated protective topcoat. The inorganic particles include silicon dioxide or metal dioxide or combinations thereof. The inorganic particles can be thermally-ablatable particles, such as iron oxide, or be not thermally ablatable particles, such as silica, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or combinations thereof. the inorganic particles are present from about 0.5% to 10%. The inorganic particles have a size range from 0.05 microns to 1 micron.