Subtractive plug and tab patterning with photobuckets for back end of line (beol) spacer-based interconnects

A method of forming interconnects for a semiconductor structure, comprising:

• forming a metal layer having a first thickness on a substrate;
• forming a blanket hardmask layer over the metal layer;
• forming a patterned hardmask layer over the blanket hardmask layer, wherein the patterned hardmask layer comprises two or more hardmask materials, each of which is etch selective with respect to each of the other hardmask materials comprising the patterned hardmask layer;
• partially exposing a first portion of the metal layer by removing a portion of a first hardmask material from the patterned hardmask layer, wherein the first hardmask material is one of the two or more hardmask materials that comprise the patterned hardmask layer, and a first portion of the blanket hardmask layer;
• partially removing a portion of the exposed first portion of the metal layer to reduce the exposed first portion of the metal layer to a second thickness greater than zero but less than the first thickness;
• partially exposing a second portion of the metal layer by removing a portion of a second hardmask material from the patterned hardmask layer, wherein the second hardmask material is different from the first hardmask material and is another of the two or more hardmask materials that comprise the patterned hardmask layer, and a second portion of the blanket hardmask layer that is different from the first portion of the blanket hardmask layer;
• entirely removing the exposed second portion of the metal layer to form an opening;
• and
• wherein the metal layer of the first thickness comprises a metal line and the metal layer of the second thickness comprises a conductive via.