# US 2014/0193980 A1 · Patterned line end space

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- Number: US 2014/0193980 A1
- Document ID: US20140193980A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/734,190
- Filed: 2013-01-04
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-04
- Assignees: Taiwan Semicondutor Manufacturing Compnay Limited
- Applicants: Taiwan Semicondutor Manufacturing Compnay Limited
- Inventors: Chia-Ying Lee; Jyu-Horng Shieh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140193980A1

## CPC

- H10P 14/6336: {in the presence of a plasma [PECVD]}
- H10P 50/73: {using masks for insulating materials}
- H10P 76/4085: {characterised by the processes involved to create the masks}
- H10W 20/089: {using processes for implementing desired shapes or dispositions of the openings, e.g. double patterning}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

One or more techniques or systems for forming a line end space structure are provided herein. In some embodiments, a first patterned second hard mask (HM) region is formed above a first HM region. In some embodiments, a first sacrificial HM region and a second sacrificial HM region are formed above at least one of the first patterned second HM region or the first HM region. Photo resist (PR) is patterned above the second sacrificial HM region, and a spacer region is deposited above the PR and second sacrificial HM region. In some embodiments, at least some of at least one of the spacer region, the PR, or the respective sacrificial HMs is removed. Accordingly, first patterned second hard mask (HM) region is patterned, thus forming the line end space structure associated with an end-to-end space.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for forming a line end space structure, comprising:
forming a first patterned second hard mask (HM) region associated with a first pattern location based on a first patterned first photo resist (PR) region;
forming a first sacrificial HM region above at least some of the first patterned second HM region;
forming a second sacrificial HM region above at least some of the first sacrificial HM region;
forming at least one of a first patterned second PR region or a second patterned second PR region above at least some of the second sacrificial HM region, the first patterned second PR region associated with a first line location, the second patterned second PR region associated with a second line location;
forming a spacer region above at least some of at least one of the first patterned second PR region, the second patterned second PR region, or the second sacrificial HM region; and
removing at least some of the first patterned second HM region after the forming a spacer region.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising:
forming a first PR region above at least some of a second HM region; and
patterning the first PR region to form the first patterned first PR region.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, the forming a first PR region comprising forming the first PR region based on spin coating.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, the forming a first sacrificial HM region comprising forming the first sacrificial HM region to surround at least some of the first patterned second HM region.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, the forming at least one of a first patterned second PR region or a second patterned second PR region comprising:
forming a second PR region above at least some of the second sacrificial HM region; and
patterning the second PR region to form at least one of the first patterned second PR region or the second patterned second PR region.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, the forming a second PR region comprising forming the second PR region based on spin coating.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, the forming a spacer region comprising forming the spacer region based on deposition.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising removing at least some of the spacer region associated with a third line location, the third line location between the first patterned second PR region and the second patterned second PR region.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, the removing comprising removing at least some of the first patterned second HM region based on an anisotropic etch.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising removing at least some of a base region.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising forming the first patterned first PR region to comprise a width associated with a distance greater than a width of a metal line and a length associated with an end-to-end (EE) space for a line end space structure.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, at least one of:
the forming a first sacrificial HM region comprising forming the first sacrificial HM region based on at least one of spin coating, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), or atomic layer deposition (ALD); or
the forming a second sacrificial HM region comprising forming the second sacrificial HM region based on at least one of spin coating, CVD, PECVD, or ALD.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, the forming a first patterned second HM region comprising forming the first patterned second HM region based on at least one of chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), or atomic layer deposition (ALD).

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, the forming a spacer region comprising forming the spacer region based on at least one of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or atomic layer deposition (ALD).

### Claim 15

A method for forming a line end space structure, comprising:
patterning a first photo resist (PR) region to form a first patterned first PR region associated with a first pattern location;
forming a first patterned second hard mask (HM) region associated with the first pattern location based on the first patterned first PR region;
forming a first sacrificial HM region above at least some the first patterned second HM region;
forming a second sacrificial HM region above at least some of the first sacrificial HM region;
forming a second PR region above at least some of the second sacrificial HM region;
patterning the second PR region to form a patterned second PR region;
forming a spacer region above at least some of at least one of the patterned second PR region or the second sacrificial HM region; and
removing at least some of the first patterned second HM region after the forming a spacer region.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, comprising forming one or more metal lines within one or more portions of a base region below the first patterned second HM region.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, comprising:
forming a first metal line on a first side of a first line end space; and
forming a second metal line on a second side of the first line end space.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, comprising forming the first PR region based on spin coating.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, the forming a spacer region comprising forming the spacer region based on deposition.

### Claim 20

A method for forming a line end space structure, comprising:
patterning a first photo resist (PR) region to form a patterned first PR region, the patterned first PR region associated with a pattern location;
forming a patterned second hard mask (HM) region associated with the pattern location based on the patterned first PR region;
forming a first sacrificial HM region above at least some of the patterned second HM region;
forming a second sacrificial HM region above at least some of the first sacrificial HM region;
forming and patterning a second PR region above at least some of the second sacrificial HM region to form a patterned second PR region;
forming a spacer region above at least some of at least one of the second sacrificial HM region or the patterned second PR region; and
removing at least some of the patterned second HM region after the forming a spacer region.