TaN-based EUV mask absorber etch study

Extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) is one of the leading candidates for the next generation lithography. As the requirement on critical dimension (CD) and side wall profile control becomes ever stringent as minimum feature sizes keep shrinking following the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) roadmap, the patterning of the EUV mask absorber material, cost of ownership (COO) of mask, and the capability for defect free EUV masks become the crucial path in enabling the overall success of EUV lithography. The purpose of this study is to understand the etch characteristics in TaN-based EUV mask absorber etch, which will enable us to determine robust process condition in terms of CD performance and profile control. In this paper, CD bias performance in TaN-based EUV mask absorber etching is investigated within inductively coupled plasma (ICP) of fluorine-containing and chlorine-containing gas chemistries. The effects of etch parameters, such as plasma source power, bias power, and pressure, on the CD bias are evaluated through design of experiments (DOE). Some other etching characteristics like etch rate and selectivity are also correlated to the CD performance and etch profile to understand the basic etch mechanism in TaN etch. Latest etch results of the TaN-based absorber are also presented.