Mask blanks

Abstract

The present invention provides a mask blank which comprises a substrate made of a synthetic quartz glass and a light-shielding film laminated on a surface of the substrate and is for use in a semiconductor device production technique employing an exposure light wavelength of 200 nm or shorter, wherein the mask blank has a birefringence, as measured at a wavelength of 193 nm, of 1 nm or less per substrate thickness. According to the present invention, mask blanks suitable for use in the immersion exposure technique and the polarized illumination technique are provided.

1 . A mask blank which comprises a substrate made of a synthetic quartz glass and a light-shielding film laminated on a surface of the substrate and is for use in a semiconductor device production technique employing an exposure light wavelength of 200 nm or shorter, 
 wherein the mask blank has a birefringence, as measured at a wavelength of 193 nm, of 1 nm or less per substrate thickness.    
     
     
         2 . A mask blank which comprises a substrate made of a synthetic quartz glass and a light-shielding film laminated on a surface of the substrate and is for use in a semiconductor device production technique employing an exposure light wavelength of 200 nm or shorter, 
 wherein when a light-transmitting area of 260 nm×1,040 nm is formed in the light-shielding film, then the birefringence at this light-transmitting area, as measured at a wavelength of 193 nm, is 1 nm or less per substrate thickness.    
     
     
         3 . A mask blank which comprises a substrate made of a synthetic quartz glass and a light-shielding film laminated on a surface of the substrate and is for use in a semiconductor device production technique employing an exposure light wavelength of 200 nm or shorter, 
 wherein the substrate has a birefringence, as measured at a wavelength of 193 nm, of 0.5 nm or less per substrate thickness, and    wherein the light-shielding film has a film stress of 800 MPa or lower.    
     
     
         4 . A mask blank which comprises a substrate made of a synthetic quartz glass and a light-shielding film laminated on a surface of the substrate and is for use in a semiconductor device production technique employing an exposure light wavelength of 200 nm or shorter, 
 wherein the substrate has a birefringence, as measured at a wavelength of 193 nm, of 0.5 nm or less per substrate thickness, and    wherein the mask blank has a warpage amount of 2 μm or smaller.    
     
     
         5 . The mask blank of  claim 1 , wherein the synthetic quartz glass has an OH group concentration of 100 ppm or lower.  
     
     
         6 . The mask blank of  claim 1 , wherein the synthetic quartz glass has a fluorine concentration of 100 to 10,000 ppm.  
     
     
         7 . The mask blank of  claim 1 , wherein the synthetic quartz glass has a concentration of oxygen-deficient defects of 5×10 14  defects per cm 3  or lower.  
     
     
         8 . The mask blank of  claim 1 , wherein the synthetic quartz glass has an OH group concentration of 100 ppm or lower and a fluorine concentration of 100 to 10,000 ppm.