US 12,287,581 B2
Method of manufacturing semiconductor devices using a photomask
Chung-Hao Chang, Hsinchu (TW); Ming-Wei Chen, Hsinchu (TW); Ai-Jay Ma, Taoyuan County (TW); and Ching-Yueh Chen, Hsinchu County (TW)
Assigned to TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on Dec. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/566,301.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/194,397, filed on May 28, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0382168 A1, Dec. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. G03F 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC G03F 7/70358 (2013.01) [G03F 7/70875 (2013.01); G03F 7/0035 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:
performing, in an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) scanner, an EUV lithography operation using an EUV mask on a photo resist layer formed over a semiconductor substrate;
after the EUV lithography operation, unloading the EUV mask from a mask stage of the EUV scanner;
placing the EUV mask under a reduced pressure below an atmospheric pressure;
heating the EUV mask under the reduced pressure at a first temperature in a range from 100° C. to 350° C.;
after the heating, annealing the EUV mask at a second temperature below the first temperature; and
after the annealing, storing the EUV mask in a mask stocker.