The present invention relates to a method for setting at least one side wall angle of at least one pattern element of a photolithographic mask including the steps of: (a) providing at least one precursor gas; (b) providing at least one massive particle beam which induces a local chemical reaction of the at least one precursor gas; and (c) altering at least one parameter of the particle beam and/or a process parameter during the local chemical reaction in order to set the at least one side wall angle of the at least one pattern element.

The present invention relates to a method for repairing at least one defect of a lithographic mask, the method comprising the step of: ascertaining parameters of at least one repair shape for the at least one defect, wherein ascertaining parameters comprises: allocating at least one numerical value to a parameter, wherein the numerical value deviates from the numerical value predefined by the at least one defect for said parameter.

The present invention relates to a method for repairing at least one defect of a lithographic mask, the method comprising the step of: ascertaining parameters of at least one repair shape for the at least one defect, wherein ascertaining parameters comprises: allocating at least one numerical value to a parameter, wherein the numerical value deviates from the numerical value predefined by the at least one defect for said parameter.

Method for the particle beam-induced etching of a lithography mask, more particularly a non-transmissive EUV lithography mask, having the steps of: a) providing the lithography mask in a process atmosphere, b) beaming a focused particle beam onto a target position on the lithography mask, c) supplying at least one first gaseous component to the target position in the process atmosphere, where the first gaseous component can be converted by activation into a reactive form, where the reactive form reacts with a material of the lithography mask to form a volatile compound, and d) supplying at least one second gaseous component to the target position in the process atmosphere, where the second gaseous component under predetermined process conditions with exposure to the particle beam forms a deposit comprising a compound of silicon with oxygen, nitrogen and/or carbon.

The present application relates to an apparatus for processing a photolithographic mask, said apparatus comprising: (a) at least one time-varying particle beam, which is embodied for a local deposition reaction and/or a local etching reaction on the photolithographic mask; (b) at least one first means for providing at least one precursor gas, wherein the precursor gas is embodied to interact with the particle beam during the local deposition reaction and/or the local etching reaction; and (c) at least one second means, which reduces a mean angle of incidence (φ) between the time-varying particle beam and a surface of the photolithographic mask.

The present application relates to an apparatus for processing a photolithographic mask, said apparatus comprising: (a) at least one time-varying particle beam, which is embodied for a local deposition reaction and/or a local etching reaction on the photolithographic mask; (b) at least one first means for providing at least one precursor gas, wherein the precursor gas is embodied to interact with the particle beam during the local deposition reaction and/or the local etching reaction; and (c) at least one second means, which reduces a mean angle of incidence (φ) between the time-varying particle beam and a surface of the photolithographic mask.

The present application relates to a method for permanently repairing defects of absent material of a photolithographic mask, comprising the following steps: (a) providing at least one carbon-containing precursor gas and at least one oxidizing agent at a location to be repaired of the photolithographic mask; (b) initiating a reaction of the at least one carbon-containing precursor gas with the aid of at least one energy source at the location of absent material in order to deposit material at the location of absent material, wherein the deposited material comprises at least one reaction product of the reacted at least one carbon-containing precursor gas; and (c) controlling a gas volumetric flow rate of the at least one oxidizing agent in order to minimize a carbon proportion of the deposited material.

A method, a device and a computer program for repairing a defect of a mask for lithography, in particular an EUV mask, are described.

A method of repairing a defect of a mask for lithography, in particular an EUV mask, comprises the following steps: (a.) carrying out a first repair step on the defect using a first repair dose, wherein the defect transitions from an initial topology to a first defect topology as a result; (b.) determining an influence of the first repair step on the topology of the defect; (c.) determining a second defect topology for the defect, which is intended to be achieved by way of a second repair step on the defect; and (d.) 1 0 determining a second repair dose for the second repair step, at least in part on the basis of the determined influence of the first repair step on the topology of the defect and the second defect topology. The method may further comprise step (e.) of carrying out the second repair step using the second repair dose.

A method, a device and a computer program for repairing a defect of a mask for lithography, in particular an EUV mask, are described.

A method of repairing a defect of a mask for lithography, in particular an EUV mask, comprises the following steps: (a.) carrying out a first repair step on the defect using a first repair dose, wherein the defect transitions from an initial topology to a first defect topology as a result; (b.) determining an influence of the first repair step on the topology of the defect; (c.) determining a second defect topology for the defect, which is intended to be achieved by way of a second repair step on the defect; and (d.) 1 0 determining a second repair dose for the second repair step, at least in part on the basis of the determined influence of the first repair step on the topology of the defect and the second defect topology. The method may further comprise step (e.) of carrying out the second repair step using the second repair dose.

The invention relates to a method for processing a substrate with a focussed particle beam which incidents on the substrate, the method comprising the steps of: (a) generating at least one reference mark on the substrate using the focused particle beam and at least one processing gas, (b) determining a reference position of the at least one reference mark, (c) processing the substrate using the reference position of the reference mark, and (d) removing the at least one reference mark from the substrate.