Attenuating phase shift masks and alternating phase shift masks provide
increased resolution of the apparatus by introducing a phase shift in the radiation
transmitted between adjacent features of the pattern on the mask. A phase shift
mask is provided with a layer of inorganic material that is etchable. The inorganic
material layer is formed on a mask blank having a glass or quartz layer and an
etch stop layer. The etch stop layer provides uniform etch depth of the pattern
in the inorganic material layer as the etch stop layer is formed of a material
that is not etched by the etching process. The phase shift mask may be provided
with a layer of attenuating material instead of the resinous inorganic polymer
layer. The features of the pattern of the phase shift mask may also be filled with
an optically transparent or translucent material or with an opaque material having
an index of refraction and a dielectric constant selected to reduce the boundary
effect at side walls of features of the pattern. A device for use in an integrated
circuit, an integrated optical system, magnetic domain memories, liquid-crystal
display panels, and thin-film magnetic heads may be manufactured by exposing a
radiation sensitive material on a substrate to a projection beam of radiation patterned
with a phase shift mask having an etch stop layer and/or a pattern filled with
optically transparent or translucent material or with an opaque material.