Manufacturing techniques for workpieces with varying topographies

A method for processing a semiconductor workpiece, wherein the workpiece includes a first region with relatively tall or relatively-high aspect ratio features and a second region with relatively short or relatively-low aspect ratio features, the method comprising:

• providing an anti-reflective coating layer over the semiconductor workpiece;
• providing a first photoresist layer over the anti-reflective coating layer, wherein the first photoresist layer has a first photoresist tone;
• patterning the first photoresist layer to cover a relatively tall or relatively-high aspect ratio feature while concurrently exposing a relatively short or relatively-low aspect ratio feature;
• providing a second photoresist layer over the patterned first photoresist layer, wherein the second photoresist layer has a second photoresist tone opposite the first photoresist tone;
• patterning the second photoresist layer to cover the relatively tall or relatively-high aspect ratio feature while concurrently exposing the relatively short or relatively-low aspect ratio feature previously exposed through the first photoresist layer;
• and
• while the patterned first and second photoresist layers are in place, performing a treatment on the exposed relatively short or relatively-low aspect ratio feature.