A method for detecting deposited particles (P) on a surface (11) of an object (3, 14) includes: irradiating a partial region of the surface (11) of the object (3, 14) with measurement radiation; detecting measurement radiation scattered on the irradiated partial region, and detecting particles in the partial region of the surface of the object (3, 14) based on the detected measurement radiation. In the steps of irradiating and detecting, the surface (11) of the object (3, 14) has an anti-reflective coating (13) and/or a surface structure (15) for reducing the reflectivity of the surface (11) for the measurement radiation (9), wherein the particle detection limit is lowered due to the anti-reflective coating (13) and/or the surface structure (15). Also disclosed are a wafer (3) and a mask blank for carrying out the method.

A method for detecting deposited particles (P) on a surface (11) of an object (3, 14) includes: irradiating a partial region of the surface (11) of the object (3, 14) with measurement radiation; detecting measurement radiation scattered on the irradiated partial region, and detecting particles in the partial region of the surface of the object (3, 14) based on the detected measurement radiation. In the steps of irradiating and detecting, the surface (11) of the object (3, 14) has an anti-reflective coating (13) and/or a surface structure (15) for reducing the reflectivity of the surface (11) for the measurement radiation (9), wherein the particle detection limit is lowered due to the anti-reflective coating (13) and/or the surface structure (15). Also disclosed are a wafer (3) and a mask blank for carrying out the method.

Negatives and laminates containing negatives for exposing liquid photopolymers in UV flexographic plate making are created by printing opaque images directly onto the protective or release cover films used in plate making processes. Combining negatives and cover films in this way eliminates two layers and two interfaces in the exposure process, reducing cost and improving quality.

Negatives and laminates containing negatives for exposing liquid photopolymers in UV flexographic plate making are created by printing opaque images directly onto the protective or release cover films used in plate making processes. Combining negatives and cover films in this way eliminates two layers and two interfaces in the exposure process, reducing cost and improving quality.

A device (100) includes a light source (130) and a light guide (110). The light source (130) is configured to emit photoresist-curative electromagnetic radiation. The light guide (110) is arranged to receive the photoresist-curative electromagnetic radiation from the light source (130) and to guide the received radiation by total internal reflection, the light guide (110) including a pattern of emission points (210) on at least one surface of the light guide (110), the emission points (210) emitting the photoresist-curative electromagnetic radiation out of the light guide (110) by frustration of total internal reflection caused by the emission points (210).

A device (100) includes a light source (130) and a light guide (110). The light source (130) is configured to emit photoresist-curative electromagnetic radiation. The light guide (110) is arranged to receive the photoresist-curative electromagnetic radiation from the light source (130) and to guide the received radiation by total internal reflection, the light guide (110) including a pattern of emission points (210) on at least one surface of the light guide (110), the emission points (210) emitting the photoresist-curative electromagnetic radiation out of the light guide (110) by frustration of total internal reflection caused by the emission points (210).

A blank mask includes a transparent substrate and a light shielding film disposed on the transparent substrate. A surface of the light shielding film has a controlled power spectrum density value at a spatial frequency of 1 μm.sup.−1 to 10 μm.sup.−1. The surface of the light shielding film has a controlled minimum power spectrum density value at the spatial frequency of 1 μm.sup.−1 to 10 μm.sup.−1. An Rq value of the surface of the light shielding film is 0.25 nm to 0.55 nm.

A mask blank including a light shielding film pattern having high ArF light fastness. The light shielding film is on a transparent substrate. In the mask blank, the light shielding film is a single layer film formed of a material containing silicon and nitrogen, and the light shielding film has an optical density to an ArF excimer laser exposure light of 2.5 or more, a surface reflectance to the exposure light of 40% or less, a back-surface reflectance to the exposure light of 40% or less, a transmittance to a light having a wavelength of 900 nm of 50% or less, an extinction coefficient to a light having a wavelength of 900 nm of 0.04 or more, and a thickness of 60 nm or less.

A mask blank including a light shielding film pattern having high ArF light fastness. The light shielding film is on a transparent substrate. In the mask blank, the light shielding film is a single layer film formed of a material containing silicon and nitrogen, and the light shielding film has an optical density to an ArF excimer laser exposure light of 2.5 or more, a surface reflectance to the exposure light of 40% or less, a back-surface reflectance to the exposure light of 40% or less, a transmittance to a light having a wavelength of 900 nm of 50% or less, an extinction coefficient to a light having a wavelength of 900 nm of 0.04 or more, and a thickness of 60 nm or less.

Embodiments disclosed herein include a lithographic patterning system and methods of using such a system to form a microelectronic device. The lithographic patterning system includes an actinic radiation source, a stage having a surface for supporting a substrate with a resist layer, and a prism with a first surface over the stage, where the first surface has a masked layer and is substantially parallel to the surface of the stage. The prism may have a second surface that is substantially parallel to the first surface. The first and second surfaces are flat surfaces. The prism is a monolithic prism-mask, where an optical path passes through the system and exits the first surface of the prism through the mask layer. The system may include a layer disposed between the mask and resist layers. The mask layer of the prism may pattern the resist layer without an isolated mask layer.