A physical vapor deposition chamber comprising a tilting substrate support is described. Methods of processing a substrate are also provided comprising tilting at least one of the substrate and the target to improve the uniformity of the layer on the substrate from the center of the substrate to the edge of the substrate. Process controllers are also described which comprise one or more process configurations causing the physical deposition chamber to perform the operations of rotating a substrate support within the physical deposition chamber and tilting the substrate support at a plurality of angles with respect to a horizontal axis.

A reflective mask blank includes, on/above a substrate in the following order from the substrate side a multilayer reflective film which reflects EUV light and an absorber film which absorbs EUV light. The absorber film is a tantalum-based material film containing a tantalum-based material. The absorber film provides a peak derived from the tantalum-based material in an X-ray diffraction pattern, the peak having a peak diffraction angle (2θ) of 36.8 degrees or more and a full width at half maximum of 1.5 degrees or more.

A reflective mask blank includes, on/above a substrate in the following order from the substrate side a multilayer reflective film which reflects EUV light and an absorber film which absorbs EUV light. The absorber film is a tantalum-based material film containing a tantalum-based material. The absorber film provides a peak derived from the tantalum-based material in an X-ray diffraction pattern, the peak having a peak diffraction angle (2θ) of 36.8 degrees or more and a full width at half maximum of 1.5 degrees or more.

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.

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.

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, production systems therefor, and methods of reducing roughness are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a multilayer reflective stack on a substrate comprising a plurality of pairs of alternating layers comprising a first layer and a second layer, the first layer including a first element selected from the group consisting of Si, B, Al, Mg, Zr, Ba, Nb, Ti, Gd, Y, and Ca; and the second layer including a second element selected from the group consisting of Ru, Mo, Ta, Sb, Tc, Nb, Ir, Pt, and Pd. Some EUV mask blanks described herein include interface layer between the first layer and the second layer, the interface layer including an interface element selected from the group consisting of Si, B, C, Al, Mo, and Ru.

To provide a reflective photomask blank and a reflective photomask that suppress or reduce a shadowing effect of a reflective photomask for patterning transfer using a light having a wavelength in the extreme ultraviolet region as a light source and have resistance to hydrogen radicals. A reflective photomask blank (10) according to this embodiment is a reflective photomask blank used for manufacturing a reflective photomask for pattern transfer using an extreme ultraviolet light as a light source, and the reflective photomask blank has: a substrate (1); a reflective layer (2) containing a multi-layer film formed on the substrate (1); and an absorption layer (4) formed on the reflective layer (2), in which the absorption layer (4) is formed of a material containing tin (Sn) and oxygen (O) in the proportion of 50 at % or more in total, the atomic number ratio (O/Sn) of oxygen (O) to tin (Sn) in the absorption layer (4) exceeds 2.0, and the film thickness of the absorption layer (4) is within the range of 17 nm or more and 45 nm or less.

To provide a reflective photomask blank and a reflective photomask that suppress or reduce a shadowing effect of a reflective photomask for patterning transfer using a light having a wavelength in the extreme ultraviolet region as a light source and have resistance to hydrogen radicals. A reflective photomask blank (10) according to this embodiment is a reflective photomask blank used for manufacturing a reflective photomask for pattern transfer using an extreme ultraviolet light as a light source, and the reflective photomask blank has: a substrate (1); a reflective layer (2) containing a multi-layer film formed on the substrate (1); and an absorption layer (4) formed on the reflective layer (2), in which the absorption layer (4) is formed of a material containing tin (Sn) and oxygen (O) in the proportion of 50 at % or more in total, the atomic number ratio (O/Sn) of oxygen (O) to tin (Sn) in the absorption layer (4) exceeds 2.0, and the film thickness of the absorption layer (4) is within the range of 17 nm or more and 45 nm or less.

A laser annealing method performed on a reflective photomask may include preparing a reflective photomask including a pattern area and a border area surrounding the pattern area and irradiating a laser beam onto the border area of the reflective photomask. The irradiating of the laser beam may include split-irradiating a plurality of laser beam spots onto the border area. Each of the plurality of laser beam spots may be shaped using a beam shaper. The beam shaper may include a blind area, a transparent area at a center of the blind area, and a semitransparent area between the blind area and the transparent area. Each of the plurality of laser beam spots may include a center portion passing through the transparent area and having a uniform energy profile and an edge portion passing through the semitransparent area and having an inclined energy profile.

Fabricating a photomask includes forming a protection layer over a substrate. A plurality of multilayers of reflecting films are formed over the protection layer. A capping layer is formed over the plurality of multilayers. An absorption layer is formed over capping layer. A first photoresist layer is formed over portions of absorption layer. Portions of the first photoresist layer and absorption layer are patterned, forming first openings in absorption layer. The first openings expose portions of the capping layer. Remaining portions of first photoresist layer are removed and a second photoresist layer is formed over portions of absorption layer. The second photoresist layer covers at least the first openings. Portions of the absorption layer and capping layer and plurality of multilayer of reflecting films not covered by the second photoresist layer are patterned, forming second openings. The second openings expose portions of protection layer and second photoresist layer is removed.