Multi-layer photo etching mask including organic and inorganic materials
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsChung-Ting Ko, Tai-Chun Huang, Chi On Chui
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Abstract
A method includes forming an etching mask, which includes forming a bottom anti-reflective coating over a target layer, forming an inorganic middle layer over the bottom anti-reflective coating, and forming a patterned photo resist over the inorganic middle layer. The patterns of the patterned photo resist are transferred into the inorganic middle layer and the bottom anti-reflective coating to form a patterned inorganic middle layer and a patterned bottom anti-reflective coating, respectively. The patterned inorganic middle layer is then removed. The target layer is etched using the patterned bottom anti-reflective coating to define a pattern in the target layer.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- forming an oxide layer over a semiconductor region;
- depositing a high-k dielectric layer over the oxide layer;
- depositing first work-function layer over the high-k dielectric layer;
- forming a tetra-layer etching mask comprising four layers, wherein the tetra-layer comprises:
- a first layer, a second layer over the first layer, a third layer over the second layer, and a fourth layer over the third layer;
- forming a patterned photoresist over the tetra-layer etching mask;
- transferring patterns of the patterned photoresist into the tetra-layer etching mask;
- and
- etching a portion of the first work-function layer using a remaining portion of the tetra-layer etching mask to define a pattern in the first work-function layer, wherein the remaining portion of the tetra-layer etching mask comprises the first layer and the second layer, and wherein at a first time the etching the portion of the first work-function layer is started, a top surface of the second layer is exposed, wherein the etching is performed using the high-k dielectric layer as an etch stop layer.
A method comprising:
- forming an etching mask comprising a first portion and a second portion in a first region and a second region, respectively, wherein the forming the etching mask comprises:
- depositing a first metal oxide layer;
- forming a bottom layer over the first metal oxide layer;
- depositing a middle layer over the bottom layer, wherein the middle layer comprises a second metal oxide;
- and
- forming an upper layer over the middle layer;
- forming a patterned photoresist over the upper layer;
- etching the etching mask using the patterned photoresist to define patterns;
- removing the patterned photoresist;
- removing the upper layer and the middle layer;
- and
- etching a target layer underlying the first metal oxide layer, wherein the bottom layer defines patterns of the target layer, wherein the target layer comprises a first work-function layer, and wherein the etching stops on a top surface of a high-k dielectric layer underlying the target layer.
A method comprising:
- forming a high-k dielectric layer over a semiconductor fin;
- depositing a first work-function layer over the high-k dielectric layer;
- forming an etching mask comprising:
- depositing a first inorganic mask layer;
- depositing a first organic mask layer over the first inorganic mask layer;
- depositing a second inorganic mask layer over the first organic mask layer;
- and
- depositing a second organic mask layer over the second inorganic mask layer;
- patterning the etching mask;
- etching the first work-function layer to reveal the high-k dielectric layer, with a part of the patterned etching mask remaining;
- and
- depositing a second work-function layer over the high-k dielectric layer and a remaining portion of the first work-function layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.