Deposition of an oxide layer to facilitate photoresist rework on polygate layer

A method of reworking a patterned photoresist layer used in the formation of a semiconductor structure sequentially comprising the steps of:

• forming an oxide layer over an anti-reflective layer;
• forming and patterning a first photoresist layer over the oxide layer to yield a desired photoresist pattern;
• removing the patterned first photoresist layer and a portion of the underlying oxide layer;
• and
• forming and patterning a second photoresist layer over the remaining portion of the oxide layer.

A method of reworking a photoresist used to pattern a semiconductor structure comprising the steps of:

• forming a dielectric layer over an anti-reflective coating, the anti-reflective coating covering a first underlayer, the first underlayer covering a second underlayer;
• forming and patterning a first photoresist layer over the dielectric layer to yield a desired photoresist pattern;
• identifying an undesired feature in the patterned first photoresist layer;
• removing the patterned first photoresist layer;
• forming and patterning a second photoresist layer over the dielectric layer;
• etching exposed portions of the dielectric layer, the anti-reflective coating and the first underlayer;
• forming a thin photoresist layer over exposed portions of the second underlayer;
• performing a CMP process to remove the dielectric layer;
• and
• stripping the thin photoresist layer.