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US-12619142-B2 - Methods of manufacturing pellicle for EUV lithography masks

US12619142B2US 12619142 B2US12619142 B2US 12619142B2US-12619142-B2

Abstract

In a method of manufacturing a pellicle for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photomask, a nanotube layer including a plurality of carbon nanotubes is formed, the nanotube layer is attached to a pellicle frame, and a solvent dipping treatment is performed to the nanotube layer by applying bubbles in a solvent to the nanotube layer.

Inventors

  • Ting-Pi Sun
  • Pei-Cheng Hsu
  • Hsin-Chang Lee

Assignees

  • TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20230302

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A method of manufacturing a pellicle for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photomask, comprising: forming a nanotube layer including a plurality of carbon nanotubes; and performing a solvent dipping treatment on the nanotube layer by applying bubbles in a solvent on the nanotube layer, wherein the bubbles are generated by pulsed laser or by injecting gas or a mixture of gas and liquid into the solvent.
  2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the solvent includes an organic solvent or a mixture of water and an organic solvent.
  3. 3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the organic solvent includes at least one selected from the group consisting of aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, amines, esters, ethers, ketones and alcohols.
  4. 4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the organic solvent includes at least one selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol and isopropanol.
  5. 5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the organic solvent includes at least one selected from the group consisting of benzene, acetone and toluene.
  6. 6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the solvent dipping treatment is performed for one minute to 2 hours.
  7. 7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanotube layer is formed by chemical vapor deposition.
  8. 8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein an innermost carbon nanotube has a diameter of 0.5 nm to 20 nm.
  9. 9 . A method of manufacturing a pellicle for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photomask, comprising: forming a nanotube layer including a plurality of carbon nanotubes; performing a solvent dipping treatment on the nanotube layer by applying bubbles in a solvent on the nanotube layer; and drying the nanotube layer by placing the nanotube layer on a hot plate and heating the nanotube layer at a temperature in a range from 300° C. to 1000° C. in an inert gas ambient.
  10. 10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the nanotube layer is inserted into the solvent at a speed of 1 mm per minute to 1000 mm per minute.
  11. 11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the solvent dipping treatment is performed for one minute to 2 hours.
  12. 12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the nanotube layer is removed from the solvent at a speed of 1 mm per minute to 1000 mm per minute.
  13. 13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein a size of the bubbles is in a range from 1 nm to 500 nm.
  14. 14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein a size of the bubbles is in a range from 1 μm to 10 μm.
  15. 15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the nanotube layer is formed by chemical vapor deposition.
  16. 16 . The method of claim 9 , wherein an innermost carbon nanotube has a diameter of 0.5 nm to 20 nm.
  17. 17 . A method of manufacturing a pellicle for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photomask, comprising: forming a nanotube layer including a plurality of single carbon nanotubes; performing a solvent dipping treatment on the nanotube layer by applying bubbles in a solvent on the nanotube layer, thereby forming a plurality of bundles of the carbon nanotubes; and drying the nanotube layer by placing the nanotube layer on a hot plate and heating the nanotube layer at a temperature in a range from 300° C. to 1000° C. in an inert gas ambient, wherein an average number of carbon nanotubes in each bundle of carbon nanotubes in the plurality of bundles of carbon nanotubes is 3 to 30 after the solvent dipping treatment.
  18. 18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein a peak diameter in a size distribution of the plurality of bundles of carbon nanotubes is 10 nm to 50 nm after the solvent dipping treatment.
  19. 19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the nanotube layer is formed by chemical vapor deposition.
  20. 20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein an innermost carbon nanotube has a diameter of 0.5 nm to 20 nm.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/402,860 filed on Aug. 31, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND A pellicle is a thin transparent film stretched over a frame that is glued over one side of a photo mask to protect the photo mask from damage, dust and/or moisture. In extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, a pellicle having a high transparency in the EUV wavelength region, a high mechanical strength and a low or no contamination is generally required. An EUV transmitting membrane is also used in an EUV lithography apparatus instead of a pellicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Aspects of the present disclosure are best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is noted that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion. FIGS. 1A and 1B show pellicles for an EUV photo mask in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D show various views of multiwall nanotubes in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C show a manufacturing process of a network membrane in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3D shows a manufacturing process of a network membrane, and FIG. 3E shows a flow chart thereof in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIGS. 4A and 4B show a cross sectional view and a plan (top) view of one of the various stages for manufacturing a pellicle for an EUV photo mask in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIGS. 5A and 5B show a cross sectional view and a plan (top) view of one of the various stages for manufacturing a pellicle for an EUV photo mask in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIGS. 6A and 6B show a cross sectional view and a plan (top) view of one of the various stages for manufacturing a pellicle for an EUV photo mask in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIGS. 7A and 7B show a flow chart for manufacturing a pellicle for an EUV photo mask in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 8A, 8B and 8C show various views of a sequential solvent dipping operation for a pellicle or a pellicle membrane in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 9 and 10 show schematic views illustrating formation of a bundle of nanotubes according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIGS. 11A, 11B, 11C and 11D show various views of a sequential solvent dipping operation for a pellicle or a pellicle membrane in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 12A and 12B show schematic views illustrating a heating or drying apparatus in the solvent dipping operation according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 13A, 13B, 13C, 13D and 13E show various views of removal of residual catalysts and formation of a bundle of nanotubes in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure FIG. 14 is a flow chart for treating a pellicle for an EUV photo mask in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 15A, 15B, 15C, 15D, 15E and 15F show an EUV lithography process in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E show diagrams of a pellicle in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 17A shows a flowchart of a method making a semiconductor device, and FIGS. 17B, 17C, 17D and 17E show a sequential manufacturing operation of a method of making a semiconductor device in accordance with embodiments of present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION It is to be understood that the following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of the invention. Specific embodiments or examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the present disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. For example, dimensions of elements are not limited to the disclosed range or values, but may depend upon process conditions and/or desired properties of the device. Moreover, the formation of a first feature over or on a second feature in the description that follows may include embodiments in which the first and second features are formed in direct contact, and may also include embodiments in which additional features may be formed interposing the first and second features, such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact. Various features may be arbitrarily drawn in different scales for simplicity and clarity. In the accompanying drawings, some layers/features may be omitted for simplification. Further, spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above