LOW-STRESS SPUTTERED CHROMIUM-NITRIDE HARDMASKS FOR X-RAY MASK FABRICATION

Authors
TSUBOI S KOTSUJI S YOSHIHARA T SUZUKI K
Citation
S. Tsuboi et al., LOW-STRESS SPUTTERED CHROMIUM-NITRIDE HARDMASKS FOR X-RAY MASK FABRICATION, Journal of vacuum science & technology. B, Microelectronics and nanometer structures processing, measurement and phenomena, 15(6), 1997, pp. 2228-2231
Citations number
14
Journal title
Journal of vacuum science & technology. B, Microelectronics and nanometer structures processing, measurement and phenomena → ACNP
ISSN journal
10711023
Volume
15
Issue
6
Year of publication
1997
Pages
2228 - 2231
Database
ISI
SICI code
1071-1023(1997)15:6<2228:LSCHFX>2.0.ZU;2-C
Abstract
We have developed low-stress chromium nitride (CrN) films as hardmasks for x-ray absorber etching. The stress in the CrN films is 3 MPa and its distribution (gradient) is less than 10 MPa in a 25x25 mm area. In addition, the CrN film is electrically conductive (1.4 Omega/square). We have fabricated 0.10 mu m line-and-space patterns in 0.4-mu m-thic k tantalum germanide using a 75-nm-thick CrN hardmask. The results dem onstrate that a sputtered CrN film is an excellent hardmask material f or x-ray mask fabrication. (C) 1997 American Vacuum Society.