# US 2014/0154887 A1 · Semiconductor device processing tools and methods for patterning substrates > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0154887 A1 - Document ID: US20140154887A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/093,503 - Filed: 2013-12-01 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-03 - Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc. - Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc. - Inventors: Mayur Trivedi; Sushil Padiyar; Lakshmanan Karuppiah; Randhir Thakur - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140154887A1 ## CPC - H10P 50/696: {Process specially adapted to improve the resolution of the mask} - 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 72/0461: {characterised by the presence of two or more transfer chambers} - H10P 72/0468: {comprising a chamber adapted to a particular process} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract In some embodiments, an electronic device processing system is provided that includes a processing tool having a first subsystem configured to carry out a first subset of processes on a substrate having pattern features, the first subsystem including a first conformal deposition chamber and a first etch chamber. The processing tool includes a second subsystem coupled to the first subsystem and configured to carry out a second subset of processes on the substrate, the second subsystem including a second conformal deposition chamber and a second etch chamber. The processing tool is configured to employ the first and second subsystems to perform pitch division on the substrate within the processing tool so as to form a reduced-pitch pattern on the substrate. Numerous other embodiments are provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic device processing system, comprising: a processing tool including: a first subsystem configured to carry out a first subset of processes on a substrate having pattern features, the first subsystem including: a first conformal deposition chamber; and a first etch chamber; and a second subsystem coupled to the first subsystem and configured to carry out a second subset of processes on the substrate, the second subsystem including: a second conformal deposition chamber; and a second etch chamber; wherein the processing tool is configured to employ the first and second subsystems to perform pitch division on the substrate within the processing tool so as to form a reduced-pitch pattern on the substrate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein: the first conformal deposition chamber comprises a first atomic layer deposition (ALD) chamber configured to deposit a first conformal layer on the substrate; and the second conformal deposition chamber comprises a second ALD chamber configured to deposit a second conformal layer on the substrate, the second conformal layer having a different etch rate than the first conformal layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2 wherein: the first ALD chamber is configured to deposit a layer of conformal silicon dioxide on the substrate; and the second ALD chamber is configured to deposit a layer of conformal silicon nitride on the substrate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the first subsystem includes a plurality of etch chambers and the second subsystem includes a plurality of etch chambers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the processing tool comprises at least seven etch chambers and two ALD chambers. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5 wherein the ALD chambers comprise batch ALD chambers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the processing tool is configured to: receive a substrate having photoresist features formed on the substrate; deposit a first conformal layer over the photoresist features; remove first conformal layer material from horizontal surfaces of the substrate to expose the photoresist features; remove the photoresist features to form pillars of first conformal layer material; deposit a second conformal layer over the pillars of first conformal layer material; remove second conformal layer material from horizontal surfaces of the substrate to expose the pillars of first conformal layer material; and remove the pillars of first conformal layer material to form pillars of second conformal layer material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7 wherein the processing tool is configured to etch the substrate using the pillars of second conformal layer material as an etch mask. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7 wherein the processing tool is configured to etch a hard mask layer on the substrate using the pillars of second conformal layer material as an etch mask. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7 wherein the first conformal layer comprises silicon dioxide and the second conformal layer comprises silicon nitride. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the processing tool is configured to: receive a substrate having photoresist features formed on the substrate; deposit a first conformal layer over the photoresist features; remove first conformal layer material from horizontal surfaces of the substrate to expose the photoresist features; remove the photoresist features to form pillars of first conformal layer material; etch a first hard mask layer on the substrate using the pillars of first conformal layer material as an etch mask to form pillars of first hard mask layer material; deposit a second conformal layer over the pillars of first hardmask layer material; remove second conformal layer material from horizontal surfaces of the substrate to expose the pillars of first hardmask layer material; and remove the pillars of first hardmask layer material to form pillars of second conformal layer material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11 wherein the processing tool is configured to etch the substrate using the pillars of second conformal layer material as an etch mask. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11 wherein the processing tool is configured to etch a second hard mask layer on the substrate using the pillars of second conformal layer material as an etch mask. ### Claim 14 A method of producing a reduced-pitch pattern on a substrate comprising: providing a processing tool including: a first subsystem configured to carry out a first subset of processes on a substrate having pattern features, the first subsystem including: a first conformal deposition chamber; and a first etch chamber; and a second subsystem coupled to the first subsystem and configured to carry out a second subset of processes on the substrate, the second subsystem including: a second conformal deposition chamber; and a second etch chamber; and receiving a substrate having photoresist features formed on the substrate; depositing a first conformal layer over the photoresist features within the processing tool; removing first conformal layer material from horizontal surfaces of the substrate to expose the photoresist features within the processing tool; removing the photoresist features to form pillars of first conformal layer material within the processing tool; depositing a second conformal layer over the pillars of first conformal layer material within the processing tool; removing second conformal layer material from horizontal surfaces of the substrate to expose the pillars of first conformal layer material within the processing tool; and removing the pillars of first conformal layer material to form pillars of second conformal layer material within the processing tool. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein: the first conformal deposition chamber comprises a first atomic layer deposition (ALD) chamber configured to deposit a first conformal layer on the substrate; and the second conformal deposition chamber comprises a second ALD chamber configured to deposit a second conformal layer on the substrate, the second conformal layer having a different etch rate than the first conformal layer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising employing the processing tool to etch the substrate using the pillars of second conformal layer material as an etch mask. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising employing the processing tool to etch a hard mask layer on the substrate using the pillars of second conformal layer material as an etch mask. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein the first conformal layer comprises silicon dioxide and the second conformal layer comprises silicon nitride. ### Claim 19 A method of producing a reduced-pitch pattern on a substrate comprising: providing a processing tool including: a first subsystem configured to carry out a first subset of processes on a substrate having pattern features, the first subsystem including: a first conformal deposition chamber; and a first etch chamber; and a second subsystem coupled to the first subsystem and configured to carry out a second subset of processes on the substrate, the second subsystem including: a second conformal deposition chamber; and a second etch chamber; and receiving a substrate having photoresist features formed on the substrate; depositing a first conformal layer over the photoresist features within the processing tool; removing first conformal layer material from horizontal surfaces of the substrate to expose the photoresist features within the processing tool; removing the photoresist features to form pillars of first conformal layer material within the processing tool; etching a first hard mask layer on the substrate using the pillars of first conformal layer material as an etch mask to form pillars of first hard mask layer material within the processing tool; depositing a second conformal layer over the pillars of first hardmask layer material within the processing tool; removing second conformal layer material from horizontal surfaces of the substrate to expose the pillars of first hardmask layer material within the processing tool; and removing the pillars of first hardmask layer material to form pillars of second conformal layer material within the processing tool. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 further comprising employing the processing tool to etch the substrate using the pillars of second conformal layer material as an etch mask. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 further comprising employing the processing tool to etch a second hard mask layer on the substrate using the pillars of second conformal layer material as an etch mask.