# US 10,770,295 B2 · Patterning method

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- Number: US 10,770,295 B2
- Document ID: US10770295B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/556,124
- Filed: 2019-08-29
- Published: 2020-03-05
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2018-08-30
- Assignees: Imec Vzw
- Applicants: Imec Vzw
- Inventors: Frederic Lazzarino; Victor M. Blanco
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10770295B2

## CPC

- H10P 76/4085: {characterised by the processes involved to create the masks}
- H10W 20/089: {using processes for implementing desired shapes or dispositions of the openings, e.g. double patterning}
- H10P 50/73: {using masks for insulating materials}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

An example embodiment includes a patterning method comprising: forming a layer stack comprising a target layer, a lower memorization layer and an upper memorization layer, forming above the upper memorization layer a first mask layer, patterning a set of upper trenches in the upper memorization layer, forming a first block pattern, the first block pattern comprising a set of first blocks, patterning a first set of lower trenches in the lower memorization layer, patterning the patterned upper memorization layer to form a second block pattern comprising a set of second blocks, forming above the patterned lower memorization layer and the second block pattern a second mask layer, patterning a second set of lower trenches in the patterned lower memorization layer, the patterning comprising using the second mask layer, the spacer layer and the second block pattern as an etch mask.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A patterning method comprising:
forming a layer stack comprising in a bottom-up direction a target layer, a lower memorization layer and an upper memorization layer,
forming above the upper memorization layer a first mask layer, wherein a set of trenches are formed in the first mask layer using lithography and etching,
patterning a set of upper trenches in the upper memorization layer, the patterning comprising using the first mask layer as an etch mask,
forming a spacer layer on sidewalls of the set of upper trenches,
forming a first block pattern, the first block pattern comprising a set of first blocks, each first block extending across an upper trench in the upper memorization layer,
patterning a first set of lower trenches in the lower memorization layer, the patterning comprising using the patterned upper memorization layer, the spacer layer and the first block pattern as an etch mask, wherein at least a subset of the first set of lower trenches are interrupted by a trench interruption, each trench interruption being formed by a portion of the lower memorization layer preserved under a respective one of the first blocks,
patterning the patterned upper memorization layer to form a second block pattern comprising a set of second blocks, each second block being formed of a respective remaining portion of the upper memorization layer,
forming above the patterned lower memorization layer and the second block pattern a second mask layer, wherein a set of trenches are formed in the second mask layer using lithography and etching, wherein each trench of the set of trenches is formed over a respective remaining portion of the patterned lower memorization layer,
patterning a second set of lower trenches in the patterned lower memorization layer, the patterning comprising using the second mask layer, the spacer layer and the second block pattern as an etch mask, wherein at least a subset of the second set of lower trenches are interrupted by a trench interruption, each trench interruption being formed by a portion of the lower memorization layer preserved under a respective one of the second blocks, and
wherein the method further comprises patterning in the target layer a first set of target trenches under the first set of lower trenches and a second set of target trenches under the second set of lower trenches.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein patterning of the first set of target trenches is performed prior to patterning of the second set of target trenches, the patterning of the first set of target trenches comprising using the once patterned lower memorization layer and the spacer layer as an etch mask, and the patterning of the second set of target trenches comprising using the twice patterned lower memorization layer as an etch mask.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the first set of target trenches are formed during the patterning of the second block pattern in the once patterned upper memorization layer and prior to forming the second mask layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein trenches of at least a subset of the second set of lower trenches are arranged alternatingly with trenches of at least a subset of the first set of lower trenches.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein the spacer layer defines first and second spacer lines along each upper trench, and wherein each trench of the at least a subset of the second set of lower trenches is spaced from an adjacent trench of the at least a subset of the first set of lower trenches by a thickness portion of the lower memorization layer preserved under a respective one of the first and second spacer lines.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein forming the set of trenches in the first mask layer comprises:
forming a photoresist layer above the first mask layer and lithographically patterning a set of trenches in the photoresist layer, and
patterning the set of trenches in the first mask layer, the patterning comprising using the patterned photoresist layer as an etch mask.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein a transfer layer is formed above the first mask layer, wherein the photoresist layer is formed above the transfer layer, and wherein the patterning the set of trenches in the first mask layer comprises:
transferring the set of trenches in the photoresist layer into the transfer layer by etching, thereby forming a set of trenches in the transfer layer,
subjecting the patterned transfer layer to an etch step thereby forming a trimmed trench pattern in the transfer layer, and
thereafter transferring the trimmed trench pattern into the first mask layer by etching, thereby forming the set of trenches in the first mask layer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the second mask layer is formed to cover the patterned lower memorization layer and the second block pattern, and wherein forming the set of trenches in the second mask layer comprises:
forming a photoresist layer above the second mask layer and lithographically patterning a set of trenches in the photoresist layer, and
patterning the set of trenches in the second mask layer, the patterning comprising using the patterned photoresist layer as an etch mask.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, wherein a transfer layer is formed above the second mask layer, wherein the photoresist layer is formed above the transfer layer, and wherein the patterning the set of trenches in the second mask layer comprises:
transferring the set of trenches in the photoresist layer into the transfer layer by etching, thereby forming a set of trenches in the transfer layer, and
thereafter transferring the set of trenches in the transfer layer into the second mask layer by etching, thereby forming the set of trenches in the second mask layer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein forming the first block pattern comprises:
forming a first block mask layer covering the patterned upper memorization layer,
forming a photoresist layer above the first block mask layer and lithographically patterning the photoresist layer to define a photoresist block mask comprising a set of resist blocks, each resist block extending across an upper trench in the upper memorization layer, and
patterning the first block mask layer to form the second block pattern, the patterning comprising using the photoresist block mask as an etch mask.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein patterning the patterned upper memorization layer to form a second block pattern comprises:
forming a second block mask layer covering the patterned lower memorization layer and the patterned upper memorization layer,
forming a photoresist layer above the second block mask layer and lithographically patterning the photoresist layer to define a photoresist block mask comprising a set of resist blocks, each resist block being formed over a respective remaining portion of the upper memorization layer,
patterning the second block mask layer to form a second block mask comprising a set of second mask blocks, the patterning comprising using the photoresist block mask as an etch mask, and
patterning the patterned upper memorization layer to form the second block pattern, the patterning comprising using the second block mask as an etch mask.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein the patterning of the second block mask layer comprises etching the second block mask layer to form the second block mask comprising the set of second mask blocks and such that portions of the second block mask layer remain in the first set of lower trenches, wherein during the patterning of the patterned upper memorization layer to form the second block pattern, the portions of the second block mask layer remaining in the first set of lower trenches masks the target layer within the first set of lower trenches, and wherein the method further comprises:
removing the second block mask and the portions of the second block mask layer subsequent to forming the second block pattern.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the target layer is a hard mask layer.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method according to claim 13, further comprising transferring the first set of target trenches and the second set of target trenches into an underlying layer using the target layer as an etch mask.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method according to claim 14, wherein the underlying layer is a dielectric layer.