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US 11,114,299 B2Granted
Techniques for reducing tip to tip shorting and critical dimension variation during nanoscale patterning
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsQintao Zhang, Kyu-Ha Shim, Rajesh Prasad
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of forming surface features in a hardmask layer, including etching a first surface feature into the hardmask layer, the first surface feature having a first critical dimension, performing an ion implantation process on the first surface feature to make the first surface feature resistant to subsequent etching processes, etching a second surface feature into the hardmask layer adjacent the first surface feature, wherein the first critical dimension is preserved.
Claims19
A method of forming surface features in a hardmask layer, comprising:
- etching a first surface feature into a top surface of the hardmask layer, the first surface feature having a first critical dimension;
- performing an ion implantation process on the first surface feature, wherein an ion beam formed of an ionized dopant species is directed at the first surface feature and implants the ionized dopant species into the first surface feature to make the first surface feature resistant to subsequent etching processes;
- depositing a planarization layer on the hardmask layer, the planarization layer filling the first surface feature;
- and
- etching a second surface feature into the top surface of the hardmask layer distant from the first surface feature along the top surface of the hardmask layer;
- and
- performing an etching process to remove the planarization layer from the hardmask layer and from within the first surface feature, wherein the first surface feature is resistant to the etching process and the first critical dimension is preserved.
4 more elements
A method of forming surface features in a hardmask layer, comprising:
- providing a layer stack including the hardmask layer, a first bottom antireflective coating (BARC) layer disposed on the hardmask layer, a first planarization layer disposed on the BARC layer, and a first photoresist layer disposed on the first planarization layer;
- performing a first photolithography process to etch a first trench patterned by the first photoresist layer into the first planarization layer and the first BARC layer;
- performing a first ion etching process wherein an ion beam formed of reactive plasma ions is directed into the first trench to extend the first trench into the hardmask layer, the first trench having a first critical dimension;
- performing an ion implantation process on the first trench to make the first trench resistant to subsequent etching processes;
- removing the first photoresist layer, the first planarization layer, and the first BARC layer from the hardmask layer;
- applying a second BARC layer, a second planarization layer, and a second photoresist layer a atop the hardmask layer;
- performing a second photolithography process to etch a second trench patterned by the second photoresist layer into the second planarization layer and the second BARC layer;
- and
- performing a second ion etching process wherein an ion beam formed of reactive plasma ions is directed into the second trench to extend the second trench into the hardmask layer, wherein the first critical dimension is preserved.
6 more elements
A method of forming surface features in a hardmask layer, comprising:
- etching a first surface feature into the hardmask layer, the first surface feature having a first critical dimension and having lateral sidewalls extending in a first direction and longitudinal sidewalls extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
- etching a second surface feature into the hardmask layer, the second surface feature spaced apart from the first surface feature a first distance in the first direction, the second surface feature having a second critical dimension and having lateral sidewalls extending in the first direction and longitudinal sidewalls extending in the second direction;
- performing an ion implantation process on the lateral sidewalls of the first and second surface features to make the lateral sidewalls resistant to subsequent etching processes;
- and
- performing an etching process on the first and second surface features, wherein the longitudinal sidewalls of the first and second surface features are etched to shorten a spacing between the first and second surface features from the first distance to a second distance, and wherein the lateral sidewalls are unaffected by the etching process and the first and second critical dimensions are maintained.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.