# US 12,191,155 B2 · Semiconductor structures and method for manufacturing the same

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- Number: US 12,191,155 B2
- Document ID: US12191155B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/573,998
- Filed: 2022-01-12
- Published: 2023-05-18
- Granted: 2025-01-07
- Earliest claimed: 2021-11-17
- Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd.
- Inventors: Hsin-Yuan Lee; Chih-Min Hsiao; Chien-Wen Lai; Shih-Ming Chang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12191155B2

## CPC

- H10P 50/695: {characterised by the process involved to create the mask, e.g. lift-off masks or sidewalls or to modify the mask}
- H10D 30/024: {of fin field-effect transistors [FinFET]}
- H10P 50/242: {of Group IV materials}
- H10P 50/283: {by chemical means}
- H10P 50/285: {of materials not containing Si, e.g. PZT or Al2O3}
- H10W 10/014: {using trench refilling with dielectric materials, e.g. shallow trench isolations}
- H10W 10/17: formed using trench refilling with dielectric materials, e.g. shallow trench isolations
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure. The method includes providing a substrate; depositing a mask layer over the substrate; forming a mandrel pattern over the mask layer; forming a spacer pattern around the mandrel pattern; removing the mandrel pattern; and applying at least one directional etching operation along a first direction to etch two opposing ends of the spacer pattern and form a first spacer feature and a second spacer feature apart from each other.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure, comprising:
providing a substrate;
depositing a mask layer over the substrate;
forming a mandrel pattern over the mask layer;
forming a spacer pattern around the mandrel pattern;
removing the mandrel pattern; and
applying at least one directional etching operation along a first direction to etch two opposing ends of the spacer pattern and form a first spacer feature and a second spacer feature apart from each other.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the forming the spacer pattern around the mandrel pattern comprises:
depositing a spacer layer to cover an upper surface and sidewalls of the mandrel pattern; and
removing portions of the spacer layer to expose a top surface of the mandrel pattern and a top surface of the mask layer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
patterning the mask layer using the first spacer feature and the second spacer feature as a first etch mask to form a mask pattern;
patterning the substrate using the mask pattern as a second etch mask to form a fin pattern; and
depositing a dielectric layer in the target pattern.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first spacer feature and the second spacer feature are symmetrical from a top-view perspective.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first spacer feature and the second spacer feature are arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one directional etching operation includes a first etching operation, during which a first plasma is configured with a first tilt angle to bombard an exterior side of a first end of the spacer pattern and an interior side of a second end of the spacer pattern.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one directional etching operation includes a second etching operation, during which a second plasma is configured with a second tilt angle to bombard an interior side of the first end of the spacer pattern and an exterior side of the second end of the spacer pattern.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the applying of the at least one directional etching operation includes performing a slanted plasma etching.

### Claim 9

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure, comprising:
providing a substrate;
forming a mask layer over the substrate;
forming a mandrel pattern over the mask layer, wherein the mandrel pattern extends along a first direction;
forming a spacer pattern around the mandrel pattern;
removing the mandrel pattern to form an opening defined by the spacer pattern, wherein the spacer pattern has a closed contour; and
applying a directional etching operation along the first direction to etch two opposing sidewalls of the spacer pattern.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the opening is elongated during the applying of the directional etching operation.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the substrate includes an active region, a dielectric layer or a metal line.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the applying of the directional etching operation breaks the closed contour of the spacer pattern along the first direction into a pair of spacer features.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the pair of spacer features includes a flat inner sidewall and a curved outer sidewall connected to the inner sidewall via a boundary line.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the inner sidewall has a rectangular or trapezoid shape.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the outer sidewall is at least partially inclined.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the boundary line is slanted from a normal axis orthogonal to both the first direction and the second direction by an inclination angle between about −60 to about +60 degrees.

### Claim 17

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure, comprising:
providing a substrate;
forming at least one target pattern on the substrate, wherein the at least one target pattern extends along a first direction;
forming at least one sacrificial pattern adjacent to the at least one target pattern, wherein the at least one sacrificial pattern extends along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and
applying a directional etching operation along the first direction to trim two ends of the at least one target pattern.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the applying of the directional etching operation removes the at least one sacrificial pattern.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the two ends of the least one target pattern after being trimmed have a sharp corner or a round corner from a top-view perspective.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the least one target pattern includes at least one of a spacer pattern, a mask pattern and a fin pattern.