Resist underlayer coating forming composition for mask blank, mask blank and mask

Abstract

There is provided a resist underlayer coating forming composition used in processes for manufacturing a mask blank and a mask, and a mask blank and a mask manufactured from the composition. The resist underlayer coating forming composition comprises a polymer compound having a halogen atom-containing repeating structural unit and a solvent. In a mask blank including a thin film for forming transfer pattern and a chemically-amplified type resist coating on a substrate in that order, the composition is used for forming a resist underlayer coating between the thin film for forming transfer pattern and the resist coating. The polymer compound is preferably a compound containing a halogen atom in an amount of at least 10 mass %.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a mask blank 10 according to a first embodiment for which the resist underlayer coating forming composition of the present invention is applied;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the upper part of the mask blank 10 in FIG. 1 in which a chemically-amplified type resist coating 20 was patterned by electron beam lithography process;

FIG. 3 is a photograph of the section of the chemically-amplified type resist coating and opaque film that were dry etched, in the mask blank 10 according to Example 29;

FIG. 4 is a photograph of the section of the chemically-amplified type resist coating and opaque film that were dry etched, in the mask blank according to Comparative Example 1;

FIG. 5 is a photograph of the section of the chemically-amplified type resist coating and opaque film that were dry etched, in the mask blank according to Comparative Example 2;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a mask blank 10 according to a second embodiment for which the resist underlayer coating forming composition of the present invention is applied;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the upper part of the mask blank 10 in FIG. 6 in which a chemically-amplified type resist coating 20 was patterned by electron beam lithography process;

FIG. 8 is a photograph of the upper face of the mask blank 10 according to Example 30 that was subjected to development treatment; and

FIG. 9 is a photograph of the upper face of the mask blank 10 according to Comparative Example 3 that was subjected to development treatment.

Claims

1. A resist underlayer coating forming composition used for a mask blank in which a thin film for forming transfer pattern, a resist underlayer coating and a chemically-amplified type resist coating are formed on a substrate in that order, comprising a polymer compound having a halogen atom-containing repeating structural unit anda solvent.

2. The resist underlayer coating forming composition according to claim 1, wherein the polymer compound is a compound containing a halogen atom in an amount of at least 10 mass %.

3. The resist underlayer coating forming composition according to claim 1, wherein the polymer compound is a compound of formula (1):

4. The resist underlayer coating forming composition according to claim 3, wherein L is the main chain of acrylic or novolak polymer compound.

5. The resist underlayer coating forming composition according to claim 1, wherein the halogen atom is chlorine atom, bromine atom, or iodine atom.

6. The resist underlayer coating forming composition according to claim 1, further comprising a crosslinking agent and a crosslink catalyst, in addition to the polymer compound and the solvent.

7. The resist underlayer coating forming composition according to claim 1, further comprising an acid generator, in addition to the polymer compound and the solvent.

8. The resist underlayer coating forming composition according to claim 1, wherein the polymer compound has a weight average molecular weight of 700 to 1000000.

9. A mask blank in which a thin film for forming transfer pattern and a resist underlayer coating are formed on a substrate in that order, characterized in that the resist underlayer coating is a resist underlayer coating formed from the resist underlayer coating forming composition according to claim 1.

10. The mask blank according to claim 9, wherein the thin film for forming transfer pattern is composed of a material containing chromium.

11. The mask blank according to claim 9, wherein the mask blank is a mask blank for dry etching treatment that is applied for a mask production process comprising patterning the thin film for forming transfer pattern by dry etching treatment of a chlorine based gas containing chlorine by use of a resist pattern by a chemically-amplified type resist formed on the resist underlayer coating as a mask.

12. The mask blank according to claim 9, wherein a chemically-amplified type resist coating is formed on the resist underlayer coating.

13. A mask characterized by including a mask pattern formed by patterning the thin film for forming transfer pattern in the mask blank according to claim 9.