Thin tantalum silicon composite film formation and annealing for use as electron projection scatterer
US6696205B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 21, 2000 |
| Grant date | Feb 24, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 13, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J2237/31791
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A thin transition-metal based scattering layer of a mask blank for use in EPL systems is formed by providing the thin transition-metal scattering layer directly over membrane layers on a lot of substrates, thereby forming a continuous contact between the single transition metal-based scattering layer and the membrane layer. Preferably, the single transition metal-based scattering layer is a single tantalum-silicon composite scattering layer having a stoichiometry of TaxSi. The deposition parameters for depositing the thin transition-metal based scattering layer are adjusted to provide the scattering layer uniformly over all substrates within the lot. A first substrate from the lot of substrates is then selected, an initial stress measurement of the scattering layer is determined and then the substrate is annealed at a first temperature. The stress of the scattering layer over the first annealed substrate is determined, and subsequently the anneal temperature is adjusted based on a comparison between the pre-anneal, initial stress measurement and the post-annealed stress measurement. A second substrate from the lot of substrates is then selected, annealed at the adjusted temperature…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.