Back to results
US 8,791,024 B1Granted
Method to define multiple layer patterns using a single exposure
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsYen-Cheng Lu, Chih-Tsung Shih, Shinn-Sheng Yu, Jeng-Horng Chen, Anthony Yen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure provides a method that includes forming a first photoresist layer on a substrate; forming a second photoresist layer over the first photoresist layer; and performing a lithography exposure process to the first photoresist layer and the second photoresist layer, thereby forming a first latent feature in the first photoresist layer and a second latent feature in the second photoresist layer.
Claims27
A method, comprising:
- forming a first photoresist layer a substrate;
- forming a second photoresist layer over the first photoresist layer;
- and
- performing a lithography exposure process to the first photoresist layer and the second photoresist layer, thereby forming a first latent feature in the first photoresist layer and a second latent feature in the second photoresist layer,
- wherein the second latent feature is overlapped with the first latent feature in a top view toward the substrate.
2 more elements
A method, comprising:
- forming a first photoresist layer over a substrate;
- forming a second photoresist layer over the first photoresist layer;
- and
- performing a lithography exposure process to the first photoresist layer and the second photoresist layer, thereby forming a first latent feature in the first photoresist layer and a second latent feature in the second photoresist layer, wherein
- the first photoresist layer has a first exposure threshold;
- and
- the second photoresist layer has a second exposure threshold different than the first exposure threshold.
4 more elements
A method, comprising:
- forming a first photoresist layer over a substrate;
- forming a second photoresist layer over the first photoresist layer;
- and
- performing a lithography exposure process to the first photoresist layer and the second photoresist layer, thereby forming a first latent feature in the first photoresist layer and a second latent feature in the second photoresist layer,
- wherein the first photoresist layer is dissoluble in a first developer and is indissoluble in a second developer;
- and
- the second photoresist layer is dissoluble in the second developer and is indissoluble in the first developer.
4 more elements
A method, comprising:
- forming a dielectric material layer over a substrate;
- forming a first photoresist layer over the dielectric material layer;
- forming an intermediate material layer over the first photoresist layer;
- forming a second photoresist layer over the intermediate material layer;
- performing a lithography exposure process to the first photoresist layer and the second photoresist layer using a photomask, thereby simultaneously forming a first latent feature in the first photoresist layer and a second latent feature in the second photoresist layer;
- developing the second photoresist layer to form a first main feature from the second latent feature;
- developing the first photoresist layer to form a second main feature from the first latent feature;
- and
- transferring the first and second main features to the dielectric material layer by at least one etch process, wherein
- the dielectric material layer includes a first interlayer dielectric (ILD) material layer and a second ILD material layer over the first ILD material layer;
- and
- the transferring the first and second main features includes transferring the second main feature in the first photoresist layer to the first ILD material layer and transferring the first main feature in the second photoresist layer to the second ILD material layer.
9 more elements
A method, comprising:
- forming a first photoresist layer over a substrate;
- forming a second photoresist layer over the first photoresist layer;
- and
- performing a lithography exposure process to the first photoresist layer and the second photoresist layer using a photomask with a pattern having a first main feature and a second main feature contacting each other, thereby forming a first latent feature in the first photoresist layer and a second latent feature in the second photoresist layer.
1 more element
A method, comprising:
- forming a first photoresist layer over a substrate;
- forming a second photoresist layer over the first photoresist layer, wherein the first and second photoresist layers have a same type of sensitivity;
- and
- performing a lithography exposure process to the first photoresist layer and the second photoresist layer, thereby forming a first latent feature in the first photoresist layer and a second latent feature in the second photoresist layer.
1 more element
A method, comprising:
- forming first and second photoresist layers over a substrate;
- performing a lithography exposure process to the first photoresist layer and the second photoresist layer, thereby forming a first latent feature in the first photoresist layer and a second latent feature in the second photoresist layer,
- wherein the first photoresist layer is dissoluble in a first developer, and the second photoresist layer is not dissoluble in the first developer, and
- wherein the second photoresist layer is dissoluble in a second developer.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.