# US 2014/0154886 A1 · Methods of Processing Semiconductor Substrates In Forming Scribe Line Alignment Marks

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- Number: US 2014/0154886 A1
- Document ID: US20140154886A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/171,848
- Filed: 2014-02-04
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2009-11-19
- Assignees: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Applicants: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: William R. Brown; David Kewley; Adam Olson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140154886A1

## CPC

- H10P 50/691: {for Group IV materials or Group III-V materials}
- G03F 9/708: {Mark formation}
- G03F 9/7084: {Position of mark on substrate, i.e. position in (x, y, z) of mark, e.g. buried or resist covered mark, mark on rearside, at the substrate edge, in the circuit area, latent image mark, marks in plural levels}
- H10P 50/695: {characterised by the process involved to create the mask, e.g. lift-off masks or sidewalls or to modify the mask}
- H10P 76/4085: {characterised by the processes involved to create the masks}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G)

## Abstract

A method of processing a semiconductor substrate in forming scribe line alignment marks includes forming pitch multiplied non-circuitry features within scribe line area of a semiconductor substrate. Individual of the features, in cross-section, have a maximum width which is less than a minimum photolithographic feature dimension used in lithographically patterning the substrate. Photoresist is deposited over the features. Such is patterned to form photoresist blocks that are individually received between a respective pair of the features in the cross-section. Individual of the features of the respective pairs have a laterally innermost sidewall in the cross-section. Individual of the photoresist blocks have an opposing pair of first pattern edges in the cross-section that are spaced laterally inward of the laterally innermost sidewalls of the respective pair of the features. Individual of the photoresist blocks have an opposing pair of second pattern edges in the cross-section that self-align laterally outward of the first pattern edges to the laterally innermost sidewalls of the features during the patterning.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-13. (canceled)

### Claim 14

A method of processing a semiconductor substrate in forming scribe line alignment marks, comprising:
forming non-circuitry features within scribe line area of a semiconductor substrate, individual of the features in cross-section comprising a photoresist block having a laterally outermost sidewall, individual of the features comprising a spacer received laterally over each of the laterally outermost sidewalls in the cross-section, individual of the spacers having a maximum width which is less than a minimum photolithographic feature dimension used in lithographically patterning the substrate;
using the photoresist blocks and the spacers of the features as an etch mask while etching into substrate material received between the features; and
after the etching, removing remaining of the photoresist blocks and the spacers from the scribe line area.

### Claim 15

A method of processing a semiconductor substrate in forming scribe line alignment marks, comprising:
forming non-circuitry first features within scribe line area of a semiconductor substrate, the first features in cross-section comprising first photoresist blocks respectively having opposing laterally outermost sidewalls and a spacer received against each laterally outermost sidewall of the first photoresist blocks;
removing the first photoresist blocks from the substrate;
after removing the first photoresist blocks, depositing a second photoresist over the spacers; and
patterning the second photoresist to form non-circuitry second features within the scribe line area of the semiconductor substrate, the second features in the cross-section comprising second photoresist blocks having laterally outermost opposing sidewalls, respective ones of the spacers formerly received against one of the laterally outermost sidewalls of the first photoresist blocks being received against respective opposing laterally outermost sidewalls of the second photoresist blocks in the cross-section.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein individual of the spacers in the cross-section have a maximum width which is less than a minimum photolithographic feature dimension used in lithographically patterning the substrate.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 comprising after the patterning, using the second features as an etch mask while etching into exposed substrate material within the scribe line area which is received between the second features.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17 comprising removing remaining of the second features from the scribe line area after the etching.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein the second photoresist is of the same composition as the photoresist of the first photoresist blocks.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein the second photoresist and the photoresist of the first photoresist blocks are of different composition.

### Claim at position 9

21-29. (canceled)

### Claim 30 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 comprising:
depositing the second photoresist over die area of the semiconductor substrate; and
simultaneously patterning the second photoresist over the die area for formation of integrated circuit components while patterning the photoresist to form photoresist blocks in the scribe line area.

### Claim 31 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 comprising after the patterning, etching into exposed substrate material within the scribe line area.