Patent ID: 11906897
Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
Field: Optics (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G  H | IPC G  H

Claim 15:
16. A reflective mask, comprising:
a reflective multilayer disposed over a front side of a substrate;
a capping layer disposed over the reflective multilayer;
an absorber layer disposed over the capping layer and comprising a top surface and a sidewall surface; and
a protection layer comprises a first portion extending along the top surface of the absorber layer and a second portion extending along the sidewall surface of the absorber layer, and the second portion is spaced apart from the reflective multilayer by the capping layer,
wherein the absorber layer is formed of a first material and the protection layer is formed of a second material that is less easily to be oxidized than the first material.