Pattern forming method

A pattern-formation process, comprising:

• a step of providing a substrate material having on a major surface a difficult-to-access recess formed by the presence of a 1st mask,
• a step of using a physical evaporation method to deposit a 2nd mask-formation material, which is higher than said 1st mask in terms of etching resistance, all over an upper surface of said 1st mask and peripherally on a side of said difficult-to-access recess to form a 2nd mask comprising a series of films, and
• a step of etching said substrate material via said 1st mask and said 2nd mask, wherein:
• said 2nd mask-formation step comprises operation of flying said 2nd mask-formation material by the physical evaporation method vertically, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the major surface of said substrate material, the direction substantially perpendicular being within a range of ±10° perpendicular to the major surface, towards the major surface of said substrate material, and said 2nd mask-formation material tapering in thickness from the upper surface of said 1st mask to the major surface of said substrate material, and
• said difficult-to-access recess is sized such that when said 2nd mask-formation material is flown and deposited by the physical evaporation method vertically to the major surface of said substrate material, said 2nd mask-formation material cannot substantially reach down to a bottom of said difficult-to-access recess.