Improving alignment target contrast in a lithographic double patterning process

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device lithographically, the comprising:

• coating a substrate with a first radiation sensitive-layer;
• exposing and developing the first radiation-sensitive layer to form a first lithography pattern;
• coating the first lithography pattern with a second radiation-sensitive layer;
• adding a dye compound below, together with, on, or any combination thereof, the second radiation-sensitive layer;
• detecting the location of the first lithography pattern based on the dye compound;
• aligning the substrate with the detected location of the first lithography pattern;
• and
• exposing and developing the second radiation-sensitive layer to form a second lithography pattern;
• wherein the second lithography pattern is aligned with the first lithography pattern.

A system for manufacturing a semiconductor device lithographically, the system comprising:

• an illumination source to provide an alignment beam at a specified wavelength for reading an alignment mark in a double patterning process;
• and
• an alignment system configured to detect a dye compound in one of a first radiation sensitive layer coated on a substrate or in a second radiation-sensitive layer coated on a first lithography pattern in the double patterning process;
• wherein the dye compound provides a desired contrast between the first lithography pattern and the second radiation-sensitive layer when aligning two patterning steps of the double patterning process to each other based on the alignment mark formed in the first lithography pattern.