Semiconductor device and method

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising:

• depositing a first dielectric layer over a first hard mask layer;
• forming a patterned layer over the first dielectric layer;
• forming spacers along sidewalls of the patterned layer, a first trench being between sidewalls of adjacent ones of the spacers;
• creating an extended first trench by extending the first trench through the first dielectric layer;
• depositing a mask layer in the extended first trench, and over the spacers and the patterned layer;
• forming an opening in the mask layer, the opening passing through the extended first trench;
• filling the extended first trench with a first gap-filling material;
• and
• patterning the first hard mask layer using the spacers, the patterned layer and the first gap-filling material as a mask.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising:

• forming a first hard mask layer over a target layer;
• forming a first dielectric layer and a patterned layer successively over the first hard mask layer;
• forming a first portion of a hard mask on sidewalls of the patterned layer;
• patterning the first dielectric layer and forming a trench that extends through the patterned layer and the first dielectric layer;
• depositing a first gap-filling material in the trench to form a second portion of the hard mask;
• patterning the first hard mask layer using the first portion of the hard mask and the second portion of the hard mask as parts of an etching mask;
• and
• transferring the pattern of the first hard mask layer to the target layer.