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US 11,894,237 B2Granted
Ultra narrow trench patterning with dry plasma etching
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsChao-Hsuan Chen, Yuan-Sheng Huang
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Abstract
A method includes forming a polymer layer on a patterned photo resist. The polymer layer extends into an opening in the patterned photo resist. The polymer layer is etched to expose the patterned photo resist. The polymer layer and a top Bottom Anti-Reflective Coating (BARC) are etched to pattern the top BARC, in which the patterned photo resist is used as an etching mask. The top BARC is used as an etching mask to etching an underlying layer.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- forming a first mask layer over a target layer;
- forming a second mask layer over the first mask layer, wherein the second mask layer is patterned with an opening therein to reveal a first portion of the first mask layer, and wherein a second portion of the first mask layer is covered by the second mask layer;
- depositing a third mask layer comprising:
- a first part over the second mask layer;
- and
- a second part extending into the opening to contact the first mask layer;
- etching the third mask layer and the first mask layer, wherein after the etching, the first mask layer comprises:
- a remaining portion of the first portion, wherein portions of the first mask layer on opposite sides of the remaining portion are removed;
- and
- transferring patterns of the first mask layer into the target layer.
7 more elements
A method comprising:
- forming a first mask layer over a target layer;
- forming a second mask layer over the first mask layer, wherein the second mask layer is patterned with an opening therein to reveal a first portion of the first mask layer, and wherein a second portion of the first mask layer is covered by the second mask layer;
- depositing a third mask layer, wherein the third mask layer comprises a photoresist, and wherein the third mask layer comprises:
- a first part over the second mask layer;
- and
- a second part extending into the opening to contact the first mask layer;
- etching the third mask layer and the first mask layer, wherein after the etching, the first mask layer comprises:
- a remaining portion of the first portion, wherein portions of the first mask layer on opposite sides of the remaining portion are removed;
- and
- transferring patterns of the first mask layer into the target layer.
7 more elements
A method comprising:
- forming a first mask layer over a target layer, wherein the target layer comprises a semiconductor fin;
- forming a second mask layer over the first mask layer, wherein the second mask layer is patterned with an opening therein to reveal a first portion of the first mask layer, and wherein a second portion of the first mask layer is covered by the second mask layer, and wherein the opening overlaps the semiconductor fin;
- depositing a third mask layer comprising:
- a first part over the second mask layer;
- and
- a second part extending into the opening to contact the first mask layer;
- etching the third mask layer and the first mask layer, wherein after the etching, the first mask layer comprises:
- a remaining portion of the first portion, wherein portions of the first mask layer on opposite sides of the remaining portion are removed;
- and
- transferring patterns of the first mask layer into the target layer, wherein a portion of the semiconductor fin is removed by the transferring.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.