Non hydrogenated materials for X-ray masks (Si 3 N 4 and SiC)

Abstract It has been shown recently that high flux X-Ray exposures induce damages in hydrogenated membranes, due to a change in the hydrogenated bond configurations. This is why we have studied the R.F. sputtering deposition of non-hydrogenated silicon nitride and silicon carbide. Sputtered Si x N y films are compared with plasma C.V.D. Si x N y H z films. Silicon carbide has been also deposited by R.F. sputtering and its high Young Modulus has allowed the elaboration of thin membranes in view of soft X-Ray lithography (λ > 1 nm).