PHOTOMASK BLANK AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME, PROCESS FOR PRODUCING PHOTOMASK, AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE

摘要

It is provided a photomask blank that has good flatness when a light-shielding film is patterned and hence can provide a good mask pattern accuracy and a good pattern transfer accuracy, and a method of producing a photomask. A photomask blank of the present invention includes a light-shielding film containing at least chromium on a light-transmitting substrate. The light-shielding film is formed so as to cause a desired film stress in the direction opposite to that of a change in the film stress that is anticipated to be caused in the light-shielding film by heat treatment according to a resist film formed on the light-shielding film. A photomask is produced by patterning the light-shielding film of the photomask blank by dry etching.