Photomasks and method of fabrication thereof

Abstract

Abstract Photomasks and method of fabrication thereof, whereby a thin layer of germanium is deposited to a substrate which may be then etched in a pattern to provide a photomask or information storage device. In the fabrication method, a substrate is carried by belt through a first inert gas curtain into a furnace containing a mixture of suitable gases for causing the deposition of germanium onto the heated substrate, and there outward through a second inert gas curtain into a cooling region. The use of a germanium film for a mask blank results in a mask which is reasonably transparent to visible light but substantially opaque to ultravoilet light, and which may be deposited on to and removed from various substrates including glass using etchants which do not attack the substrate material.

Inventors

• 👤 W Lehrer

Bibliographic Details