Conformal spacer-defined line cut structures

A method of forming a metal cut in a metal line, the method comprising:

• conformally depositing, using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, a conformal layer on at least one sidewall of a cut window in a resist layer and through the cut window on a portion of a space separating lines of a line pattern formed in or on a substrate, the at least one sidewall spanning the space;
• etching the conformal layer from horizontal surfaces of the substrate leaving a cut sidewall spacer on the at least one sidewall;
• removing the resist layer to form a line cut structure from the cut sidewall spacer;
• etching a dielectric layer to transfer the line pattern and the line cut structure into the dielectric layer forming a dielectric line cut structure;
• and
• forming a metal layer comprising the metal line in the dielectric layer, the dielectric line cut structure forming the metal cut in the metal line.

An integrated circuit comprising:

• a substrate comprising a device layer;
• a metal layer formed over the device layer, the metal layer comprising a plurality of metal lines separated by dielectric material;
• and
• a dielectric line cut structure forming a metal cut dividing a metal line of the plurality of metal lines into a first metal segment having a first line thickness, and a second metal segment having a second line thickness that is less than the first line thickness.