TW202334731A - Euv lithography using polymer crystal based reticle - Google Patents

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a photomask. The photomask may include: a substrate; and one or more pixel units formed over the substrate. Each pixel unit may include: at least one polymer crystal element configured to interact with extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light based on an orientation of the polymer crystal element; and a plurality of electrodes configured to control the orientation of the polymer crystal element by applying voltage across the polymer crystal element. Each pixel unit is controlled by the respective plurality of electrodes independently, and the one or more pixel units generate a pattern for lithography upon exposure to the EUV light.

Description

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography using polymer crystal-based reticle

The present invention relates generally to semiconductor fabrication, and in particular to semiconductor fabrication using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. Cross-references to related applications

This application claims the rights and interests of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/257,363 filed on October 19, 2021 and the U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application No. 17/961,164 filed on October 6, 2022. These patents The application is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

EUV masks work by reflecting light. A typical EUV reticle (also called a mask or reticle) is a complex stack of multiple layers of silicon and molybdenum. Photomasks are necessary to create transistor and metal trace patterns on wafers (e.g., silicon/III-V wafers). Advanced technology nodes such as 14 nm or 7 nm may require about 50 to 100 masks, with the typical cost of each mask ranging from $350k to $750k. Therefore, significant investment is required in self-technology development to optimize the manufacturing process before moving to high volumes. Optical proximity correction (OPC) is a key aspect of mask development, which depends on light wavelength, diffraction compensation, etc. to optimize the pattern on the mask. If done incorrectly, the mask may need to be redesigned, and the cost and time involved in designing and producing a new mask may be extremely high.

Specific examples of the present invention demonstrate polymer crystal-based photomasks that allow the user to optimize OPC (or other pattern-related issues) during the lithography process. Depending on the OPC, the angle of EUV light used and the type of pattern to be transferred onto the wafer with photoresist, the mask can be modified in situ.

In one aspect, the invention relates to photomasks for EUV lithography. The photomask may include: a substrate; and one or more pixel units formed on the substrate. Each pixel unit may include: at least one polymer crystal element configured to interact with extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light based on an orientation of the polymer crystal element; and a plurality of electrodes configured to interact with A voltage is applied to the polymer crystal element to control the orientation of the polymer crystal element. Each pixel unit is independently controlled by the respective plurality of electrodes, and the one or more pixel units generate a pattern for lithography immediately after exposure to the EUV light.

In another aspect, the invention relates to methods of EUV lithography. The method may include: receiving an instruction including a target mask design; generating an OPC-adjusted mask pattern based on the mask design; determining a pixel pattern based on the OPC-adjusted mask pattern; and based on the determined pixel The pattern configures one or more pixel units of a photomask based on polymer crystals. Each of the one or more pixel units may include at least one polymer crystal element configured to interact with extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light based on an orientation of the polymer crystal element; and a plurality of electrodes, It is configured to control the orientation of the polymer crystal element by applying a voltage across the polymer crystal element. Each pixel unit is independently controlled by the respective plurality of electrodes, and the one or more pixel units generate the determined pixel pattern for lithography upon exposure to the EUV light.

The drawings and the following description describe certain specific examples by way of illustration only. Those of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of structures and methods may be employed without departing from the principles described. Wherever practicable, similar or similar reference numbers identify similar or identical structural elements or identify similar or similar functions. Where elements share a common number followed by different letters, the elements are similar or identical. Individual numbers refer to any one or any combination of these elements.

A specific example relates to an EUV mask having a pixel array containing polymer crystals (such as liquid crystals) that change from absorbing EUV light to reflecting EUV light by changing the orientation of the polymer crystals. The pixel array includes a plurality of pixel units controlled by electrodes. By using pixel units that can selectively absorb or reflect EUV light, the mask can be modified in situ depending on: OPC, the angle of the EUV light used, and the pattern to be transferred onto the wafer with the photoresist. type, or some combination thereof. The proposed design will enable rapid prototyping without the need for a semiconductor mask shop because photomasks based on polymer crystals allow for correction and correction by adjusting electrodes that control the orientation of the crystals (e.g., thin film transistors). OPC related issues rather than a very expensive redesign of the mask. Additionally, the need for multiple masks is reduced because polymer crystal-based masks can be programmed to display different layers, allowing the time required for mask changes to be reduced.

Figure 1 illustrates a diagram of a system 100 for performing EUV lithography according to one or more embodiments. System 100 may include a light source 102, a mask 104, a wafer 106, and a plurality of optical components. The plurality of optical components may include one or more collection/illumination optics 108a and 108b (collectively, "illumination optics 108"), and one or more projection optics 110a and 110b (collectively, "projection optics 110" ). Light source 102 generates light and transmits the light onto mask 104 via one or more illumination optics 108 . The light is in the EUV wavelength range, about 13.5 nm or in the range of 13.3 to 13.7 nm. Mask 104 is a reflective EUV mask. In some embodiments, mask 104 may have dimensions of 6" by 6" and be composed of a multi-layer stack (eg, up to 40 layers) of molybdenum and silicon (Mo/Si). Projection optics 110 transfer the pattern generated by mask 104 onto wafer 106 such that the resist on wafer 106 is exposed according to the pattern. The exposed resist is then developed, resulting in a patterned resist on wafer 106 . This is used, for example, to fabricate structures on a wafer via deposition, doping, etching or other processes. Other types of lithography systems may also be used, including lithography using transmissive masks and/or optics at other wavelengths, including deep ultraviolet (DUV), and using positive or negative resists. system. In some embodiments, the system 100 may further include a controller 120 for controlling the system 100 to perform a lithography process. The controller 120 may include a processor and a computer-readable storage medium. The controller 120 may receive instructions including a target mask design and generate a pixel pattern for the mask 104 for lithography. In some embodiments, controller 120 is in communication with mask 104 and may be used to dynamically adjust the mask pattern during the lithography process (eg, as described below with respect to FIG. 6 ). Alternatively, controller 120 may be a separate computer capable of communicating with system 100 that may provide control and/or configuration data to EUV system 100 .

Optical Proximity Correction (OPC) is a photolithographic enhancement technique commonly used to compensate for image errors due to diffraction or process effects. After processing, the projected image (i.e., the etched image on the wafer) may appear irregular (such as narrower or wider than the designed linewidth) due to limitations in maintaining the integrity of the edge placement of the original design. If not corrected, such distortion can significantly alter the electrical properties of the device being manufactured. OPC can correct these errors by changing the pattern on the reticle used for imaging (for example, by moving edges or adding extra polygons to the pattern written on the reticle). The goal is to reproduce the original layout drawn by the designer as well as possible on the wafer. During OPC, a design-level component is represented as a set of polygons sculpted into a pixelated template that is a mask. The design of the mask can be adjusted based on the incident angle of light, diffraction, interference, divergence, wavelength, etc. to ensure that the desired pattern is printed on the wafer (and to resolve quality degradation to avoid distortion). For example, FIGS. 2A-2C below illustrate example mask patterns associated with an OPC process according to one or more embodiments. Figure 2A shows an example of a required mask pattern, and Figure 2B shows an OPC-adjusted mask pattern adjusted to account for the way light is reflected from the reticle (e.g., changes in the angle at which light interacts with the reticle) . Figure 2C illustrates the pattern produced by using an OPC-adjusted mask. Through an exposure process, EUV light is projected onto the photoresist coating on the silicon wafer through a mask. In the exposure process, the exposed area is then etched to form a target circuit system on the silicon wafer. If masking and/or OPC are not performed correctly, distortions in the pattern will be observed, leading to circuit malfunctions such as rounded corners not adequately connecting to underlying vias, metal shorts, increased capacitance, and/or other issues .

For advanced lithography processes, a large number of EUV masks may be required. For example, for the 5 nm technology node, approximately 50 EUV masks may be required. In another example, multiple masks are required to create fin field-effect transistors (FinFETs) or back end of line (BEOL) processes. Roughly 10 to 15 layers of metal lines form the logic traces of the 14 nm node. Different types of masks can be used, such as metallization masks, ohmic contact masks, emitter diffusion masks, base diffusion masks, isolation diffusion masks, buried layer masks, etc. In some embodiments, each layer requires several masks to ensure that the desired pattern is properly etched into the photoresist. Additionally, defects in the reticle (e.g., due to amplitude defects, phase defects, incorrect OPC execution) may require the reticle to be redesigned, further increasing costs. Specific examples of the present invention demonstrate polymer crystal-based photomasks that allow the user to optimize the OPC during the lithography process. By controlling the electric field applied to the polymer crystal element in the reticle, the polymer crystal element can change its orientation to reflect or absorb incident EUV light. In this way, the desired mask pattern can be achieved and adjusted during the lithography process without creating new masks.

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a photomask 300 according to one or more embodiments. As shown in FIG. 3 , the photomask 300 may include a substrate 302 , an active layer 304 , a surface film layer 306 and one or more pixel units 310 . Substrate 302 may include silicon and provide structural support for photomask 300 . The active layer 304 is formed between the substrate 302 and one or more pixel units 310. Active layer 304 includes circuitry connected to each pixel unit 310 .

Each pixel unit 310 may include at least one polymer crystal element 312 and a plurality of electrodes 314. In some embodiments, the plurality of electrodes 314 is configured to divide the reticle 300 into arrays and/or individual pixel units 310 . Polymer crystal element 312 may be a liquid crystal element configured to interact with EUV light based on the orientation of polymer crystal element 312 . In some embodiments, each pixel unit 310 may include a plurality of polymer crystal elements 312 formed in an array and/or stacked on multiple layers. For example, reticle 300 may include multiple layers of pixel units 310 stacked on substrate 302, and each layer in pixel units 310 may be configured to interact with EUV light at different wavelengths. The plurality of electrodes 314 are connected to the circuit system in the active layer 304 . In some embodiments, the photomask 300 may further include one or more thin film transistors (TNT) coupled to the electrode 314 for controlling the movement of the polymer crystal element 312 Orientation. Electrode 314 is configured to electrically connect to polymer crystal element 312 to control the orientation of polymer crystal element 312 by applying a voltage. Each pixel unit 310 can be independently controlled by a plurality of electrodes 314 . Alternatively, adjacent pixel units 310 may share at least a portion of the electrode 314, and some of the pixel units 310 may be formed into a plurality of groups. The pixel units 310 in each group may be collectively controlled by the same electrode 314 .

In some specific examples, the polymer crystal element 312 may be a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) material. CLC materials can be used for selective reflectivity, where changes in reflectivity can be induced by voltage (eg, based on a voltage applied at a set angle relative to the helical axis of the polymer). In some embodiments, other possible stimuli, such as heat, mechanical compression/shear, or another light wavelength (eg, for CLC materials containing azobenzene chiral dyes) may be used to control the selective reflectivity of the CLC material. In some embodiments, multiple layers of CLC can be used to interact with multiple different wavelengths because the orientation of the helical axis of the polymer crystal may affect how the polymer crystal element reflects different wavelengths of light.

4A-4C illustrate cross-sectional views of a reticle with incident EUV light, according to one or more embodiments. The orientation of polymer crystal element 312 can be changed by an electric field (eg, induced by a small voltage) and thus affect the optical properties accordingly. For example, electrode 314 in pixel unit 310 may be configured to apply a voltage at a set angle relative to the helical axis of polymer crystal element 312 (eg, liquid crystal) to control the orientation of the polymer. In one example, electrode 314 applies a first voltage to set polymer crystal element 312 in a first orientation such that polymer crystal element 312 absorbs incident EUV light (shown as an example in pixel unit 310a in Figure 4A ). In another example, the electrode 314 may apply a second voltage to set the polymer crystal element 312 in a second orientation such that the polymer crystal element 312 reflects the incident EUV light (as an example shown in the pixel unit of FIG. 4B 310b). As shown in Figure 4C, polymer crystal elements 312 in pixel units 310a and 310b are oriented based on the potential difference between the voltages of electrodes 314, and one or more pixel units 310a and 310b are oriented upon exposure to EUV light. Patterns used for lithography.

The pellicle layer 306 may be a thin transparent film that covers the photomask 300 during the lithography process. For example, the surface film layer 306 may be composed of polycrystalline silicon. The surface film layer 306 is a dust cover because it prevents particles and contamination from falling onto the photomask 300 . The surface film layer 306 is positioned on the pixel unit 310 and exposed to incident EUV light. In some embodiments, pixel unit 310 may further include an alignment layer 316 configured to ensure correct reticle orientation and check alignment accuracy.

5A-5B illustrate graphical representations of a reticle 500 according to one or more embodiments. The orientation of the polymer crystal element 520 in different pixel units 510 may be different. The substrate surface is defined as a base plane. The polymer crystal element 520a in the pixel unit 510a is perpendicular to the base plane; and the polymer crystal element 520b in other pixel units 510b is parallel to the base plane (or at least has an acute angle). Polymer crystal element 520a can absorb incident EUV light when polymer crystal element 520a is perpendicular to the base plane (defined as the cut-off position). On the other hand, when polymer crystal element 520b is parallel to the base plane (defined as the on position), polymer crystal element 520b may reflect incident EUV light. In some embodiments, the polymer crystal elements 520 in each pixel unit 510 are controlled by the same electrodes and are therefore oriented in the same direction. In this manner, the separation of the reticle 500 into individual pixel units 510 enables the reticle 500 to be transformed into a display having areas that absorb EUV light and areas that reflect EUV light. This allows users to calibrate the OPC during the photolithography process and achieve extremely high and precise photolithography.

In some embodiments, reticle 500 may include one or more backing plates 530 (as shown in FIG. 5A ) to cool individual polymer crystals in pixel units 510a and 510b (collectively, "pixel units 510"). Elements 520a and 520b (collectively, "polymer crystal elements 520"). The reticle 500 may be divided into individual pixel units 510 by one or more electrodes 514 . The physical properties of polymer crystal element 520 may be affected by temperature, as thermal energy may cause polymer crystal element 520 to undergo certain crystalline transformations (e.g., "resetting" the alignment of polymer crystal element 520 to be entropically most favorable orientation), which may interfere with the orientation control of the polymer crystal element 520 through the electrodes. To mitigate thermal interference, in some embodiments, reticle 500 may include components for active temperature monitoring and control to improve performance and longevity. As shown in FIG. 5A , a backplate 530 located at the bottom of the reticle 500 is configured to perform active temperature management to maintain the performance of the polymer crystal elements in the reticle 500 .

In some embodiments, the reticle 500 may further include slider tracks along the X-axis and Y-axis. As shown in Figure 5B, the X-axis and Y-axis are parallel to the base plane and perpendicular to each other. In some embodiments, piezoelectric-based motors are connected to the slide track. In some embodiments, pixel elements 510 of reticle 500 may produce a pixelated imprint on the wafer (eg, due to non-reflective areas corresponding to electrodes between pixels of the pixel array). With slide rails and piezoelectric-based motors, the reticle 500 can be rotated in the X-Y plane (eg, translated along the +X, -X, +Y, and/or -Y directions) to reduce Or soften the pixelated imprint.

6 is a flowchart illustrating a process for producing a photomask for EUV lithography according to one or more embodiments. An EUV lithography system (eg, system 100) may include a controller 120 (eg, controller 120) for generating a reticle. The controller may include a processor and a computer-readable storage medium. As shown in Figure 6, the controller receives 610 instructions containing a target reticle design for performing EUV lithography (eg, as shown in Figure 2A). To correct image errors that may occur during the lithography process, the controller generates 620 an OPC-adjusted mask pattern based on the target mask design (eg, as shown in Figure 2B). The EUV lithography system includes a polymer crystal-based mask, and the controller determines a 630-pixel pattern based on the OPC-adjusted mask pattern. A polymer crystal-based photomask may include one or more pixel units containing polymer crystal elements. Polymer crystal elements can interact with EUV light depending on their orientation. The orientation of the polymer crystal element can be controlled by a plurality of electrodes. The electrode can set the polymer crystal element in a first orientation by applying a first voltage, and the polymer crystal element absorbs EUV light; alternatively, the electrode can set the polymer crystal element in a first orientation by applying a second voltage. The second bit is centered and the polymer crystal element reflects EUV light. Therefore, by controlling the electrodes, the EUV lithography system configures 640 the pixel units of the polymer crystal-based mask based on the determined pixel pattern, such that the polymer crystal-based mask is generated for lithography immediately after exposure to EUV light. the required pattern.

The mask disclosed herein uses pixels of polymer material (eg, liquid crystal) to enable rapid prototyping of test wafers and reduce manufacturing time, thereby significantly reducing investment in mask development and mask factories. For example, in some embodiments, a single polymeric material-based reticle can be programmed to display different patterns, thereby reducing the cost of replacing or redesigning conventional reticles. The disclosed mask also allows for rapid optimization of layer thickness based on performance, where layer thickness in FinFET and advanced technology nodes can be optimized without expensive mask redesign. In some embodiments, microlenses and waveguides can be prototyped, tested, and manufactured in significantly less time and with reduced capital investment.

7 is a block diagram illustrating components of an example machine capable of reading instructions from a machine-readable medium and executing the instructions in a processor (eg, controller 120). Specifically, FIG. 7 shows a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the form of an example computer system 700 within which program code may be executed for causing the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein (e.g., , software). The program code may include instructions 724 executed by one or more processors 702 . In alternative embodiments, the machine operates as a stand-alone device or may be connected (eg, via a network connection) to other machines. In a network-connected deployment, the machine can operate in the capacity of a server machine or a client machine in a server-client network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. operate.

The machine can be a server computer, a client computer, a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a cellular phone, A smartphone, tablet, network device, network router, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing instructions 724 (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by the machine. Furthermore, although a single machine is illustrated, the term "machine" shall also be taken to include any collection of machines that individually or jointly execute instructions 124 to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein.

Example computer system 700 includes a processor 702 (eg, central processing unit; CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU), digital signal processor (DSP), one or more special An application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), one or more radio-frequency integrated circuits (RFIC), or any combination thereof), main memory 704 and static memory 706, which are are configured to communicate with each other via bus 708 . Computer system 700 may further include a visual display interface 710. The visual interface may include software drivers that enable display of the user interface on a screen (or display). The visual interface may display the user interface directly (eg, on a screen) or indirectly on a surface, window, etc. (eg, via a visual projection unit). For ease of discussion, the visual interface can be described as a screen. The visual interface 710 may include or interface with a touch-enabled screen. The computer system 700 may also include an alphanumeric input device 712 (eg, a keyboard or a touch screen keyboard), a cursor control device 714 (eg, a mouse, trackball, joystick, motion sensor, or other pointing device), a storage unit 716. Signal generation device 718 (eg, speaker) and network interface device 720, which are also configured to communicate via bus 708.

Storage unit 716 includes machine-readable media 722 having stored thereon instructions 724 (eg, software) that embody any one or more of the methods or functions described herein. During execution by computer system 700 , instructions 724 (eg, software) may also reside fully or at least partially within main memory 704 or within processor 702 (eg, within the processor's cache). 704 and processor 702 also constitute machine-readable media. Instructions 724 (eg, software) may be transmitted or received over network 726 via network interface device 720 .

Although machine-readable medium 722 is shown as a single medium in the exemplary embodiment, the term "machine-readable medium" should be considered to include a single medium or multiple media capable of storing instructions (eg, instructions 724) ( For example, a centralized or distributed database, or associated cache and server). The term "machine-readable medium" shall also be deemed to include any medium capable of storing instructions (eg, instructions 724) for execution by a machine and causing the machine to perform any one or more of the methods disclosed herein. The term "machine-readable media" includes, but is not limited to, data storage in the form of solid-state memory, optical media, and magnetic media. Additional configuration information

The foregoing description of specific examples has been presented for purposes of illustration; it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the patent rights to the precise forms disclosed. Those with ordinary knowledge in the relevant technical fields will understand that many modifications and changes can be made taking into account the above disclosure.

Some portions of this specification describe specific examples in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on information. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are commonly used by those skilled in data processing techniques to effectively convey the essence of their work to those with ordinary knowledge in their respective technical fields. Although such operations are described functionally, computationally, or logically, they should be understood to be implemented by computer programs or equivalent circuits, microcode, or the like. Furthermore, without loss of generality, it sometimes proves convenient to refer to these operating configurations as modules. The described operations and their associated modules may be implemented in software, firmware, hardware, or any combination thereof.

Any of the steps, operations, or processes described herein may be performed or implemented by one or more hardware or software modules, alone or in combination with other devices. In one specific example, a software module is implemented by a computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium containing computer code that is executable by a computer processor to perform any of the described or All steps, operations or processes.

Specific examples may also relate to equipment used to perform the operations described herein. This device may be specially constructed for the required purposes, and/or it may comprise a general-purpose computing device selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. The computer program may be stored on a non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium or any type of medium suitable for storing electronic instructions that may be coupled to a computer system bus. Additionally, any computing system mentioned in this specification may include a single processor, or may be an architecture designed to use multiple processors to increase computing power.

Specific examples may also relate to products resulting from computational processes described herein. This product may include information generated by a computing process that is stored on a non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium, and may include any specific instance of a computer program product or other combination of data described herein.

Finally, the language used in this specification has been selected primarily for readability and instructional purposes, and it may not have been selected to delineate or limit patent rights. Therefore, it is intended that the scope of patent rights be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the scope of any patent application issued based on this application. Accordingly, the disclosure of specific examples is intended to be illustrative but not to limit the scope of patent rights set forth in the following claims.

100:System 102:Light source 104:Mask 106:wafer 108a: Illumination optics 108b: Lighting optics 110a: Projection optics 110b: Projection optics 120:Controller 300: Photomask 302:Substrate 304:Action layer 306: Surface film layer 310: Pixel unit 310a: Pixel unit 310b: Pixel unit 312:Polymer crystal components 314:Electrode 316: Alignment layer 500: Photomask 510a: Pixel unit 510b: Pixel unit 514:Electrode 520a:Polymer crystal 520b:Polymer crystal 530:Back plate 610: Steps 620: Steps 630: Steps 640: Step 700:Computer system 702: Processor 704: Main memory 706: Static memory 708:Bus 710:Visual interface 712: Alphanumeric input device 714: Cursor control device 716:Storage unit 718: Signal generating device 720:Network interface device 722: Machine-readable media 724:Command 726:Internet

[FIG. 1] illustrates a diagram of a system for performing EUV lithography according to one or more embodiments.

[FIGS. 2A]-[FIG. 2C] illustrate example mask patterns associated with an OPC process according to one or more embodiments.

[Fig. 3] illustrates a cross-sectional view of a photomask according to one or more embodiments.

[FIGS. 4A]-[FIG. 4C] illustrate cross-sectional views of a reticle with incident EUV light according to one or more embodiments.

[FIGS. 5A]-[FIG. 5B] illustrate graphical representations of photomasks in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[FIG. 6] is a flow chart illustrating a process for producing a photomask for EUV lithography according to one or more embodiments.

[FIG. 7] is a block diagram illustrating components of an example machine capable of reading instructions from a machine-readable medium and executing the instructions in a processor, according to one or more embodiments.

300: Photomask

302:Substrate

304:Action layer

306: Surface film layer

310: Pixel unit

312:Polymer crystal components

314:Electrode

316: Alignment layer

Claims (20)

A photomask containing: substrate; and One or more pixel units are formed on the substrate. Each pixel unit of the one or more pixel units includes: At least one polymer crystal element configured to interact with extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light based on the orientation of the polymer crystal element; and a plurality of electrodes configured to control the orientation of the polymer crystal element by applying a voltage to the polymer crystal element; Each pixel unit is independently controlled by a plurality of electrodes, and the one or more pixel units generate patterns for lithography immediately after being exposed to the EUV light. The photomask of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrodes sets the polymer crystal element in a first orientation by applying a first voltage, and the polymer crystal element is configured to be in the first orientation absorbs the EUV light. The photomask of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrodes sets the polymer crystal element in a second orientation by applying a second voltage, and the polymer crystal element is configured to be in the second orientation Reflect the EUV light. The photomask of claim 1, further comprising a surface film layer covering the one or more pixel units to prevent contamination. The photomask of claim 1 further includes an active layer between the substrate and the one or more pixel units, wherein the active layer includes a circuit system connected to the plurality of electrodes. The photomask of claim 1, wherein the polymer crystal element is a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) material. The photomask of claim 1, further comprising a backplane configured to cool the one or more pixel units. The reticle of claim 1, further comprising one or more slide tracks and motors configured to rotate the reticle. The photomask of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of pixel unit layers stacked on the substrate, each of the plurality of pixel unit layers being configured to interact with the EUV light at different wavelengths. The photomask of claim 1 further includes a temperature control component for monitoring and controlling the temperature of the photomask. A method that contains: Receive instructions containing the target mask design; Generate an OPC-adjusted mask pattern based on the target mask design; Determine the pixel pattern based on the OPC-adjusted mask pattern; and One or more pixel units of the polymer crystal-based photomask are configured based on the determined pixel pattern, wherein each of the one or more pixel units includes: At least one polymer crystal element configured to interact with extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light based on the orientation of the polymer crystal element; and A plurality of electrodes configured to control the orientation of the polymer crystal element by applying a voltage to the polymer crystal element. The method of claim 11, wherein configuring the one or more pixel units includes applying a first voltage to set the polymer crystal element in a first orientation, such that the polymer crystal element is in the first orientation Absorb this EUV light. The method of claim 11, wherein configuring the one or more pixel units includes applying a second voltage to set the polymer crystal element in a second orientation, such that the polymer crystal element is in the second orientation Reflect this EUV light. The method of claim 11, wherein the photomask based on polymer crystal further includes: a substrate on which the one or more pixel units are formed; and A surface film layer covers the one or more pixel units to prevent contamination. The method of claim 14, wherein the polymer crystal-based photomask further includes an active layer between the substrate and the one or more pixel units, and the active layer includes circuitry connected to the plurality of electrodes. The method of claim 14, wherein the polymer crystal-based reticle further includes one or more slide tracks and a motor configured to rotate the polymer crystal-based reticle. The method of claim 14, wherein the polymer crystal-based photomask further includes a plurality of pixel unit layers stacked on the substrate, and each pixel unit layer in the plurality of pixel unit layers is configured to emit light at different wavelengths. Interact with this EUV light. The method of claim 11, wherein the polymer crystal element is a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) material. The method of claim 11, wherein the polymer crystal-based photomask further includes a backplane configured to cool the one or more pixel units. The method of claim 11, wherein the polymer crystal-based photomask further includes a temperature control component for monitoring and controlling the temperature of the polymer crystal-based photomask.