# US 9,040,433 B2 · Photo resist trimmed line end space

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- Number: US 9,040,433 B2
- Document ID: US9040433B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/479,404
- Filed: 2014-09-08
- Published: 2014-12-25
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-04
- Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
- Inventors: Chia-Ying Lee; Jyu-Horng Shieh; Ming-Feng Shieh; Shih-Ming Chang; Chih-Ming Lai; Ken-Hsien Hsieh; Ru-Gun Liu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9040433B2

## CPC

- H10P 76/4085: {characterised by the processes involved to create the masks}
- G03F 7/0035: {Multiple processes, e.g. applying a further resist layer on an already in a previously step, processed pattern or textured surface}
- H10P 14/6336: {in the presence of a plasma [PECVD]}
- H10P 50/73: {using masks for insulating materials}
- H10P 76/405: {characterised by their composition, e.g. multilayer masks}
- H10P 76/4083: {characterised by their behaviours during the lithography processes, e.g. soluble masks or redeposited masks}
- H10W 20/089: {using processes for implementing desired shapes or dispositions of the openings, e.g. double patterning}
- G03F 7/167: {from the gas phase, by plasma deposition (G03F7/2035 takes precedence)}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G)
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

One or more techniques or systems for forming a line end space structure are provided herein. In some embodiments, a first patterned second hard mask (HM) region is formed above a first HM region. Additionally, at least some of the first patterned second HM region is removed. In some embodiments, a first sacrificial HM region and a second sacrificial HM region are formed above at least one of the first patterned second HM region or the first HM region. Photo resist (PR) is patterned above the second sacrificial HM region, and a spacer region is deposited above the patterned PR and second sacrificial HM region. In some embodiments, at least some of at least one of the spacer region, the PR, or the respective sacrificial HMs is removed. In this way, a line end space structure associated with an end-to-end space is formed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for forming a line end space structure, comprising:
forming a hard mask (HM) region above a base region in which a metal line is formed;
forming a second HM region above the HM region;
patterning the second HM region to form a patterned second HM region, the patterned second HM region defining a line end space structure;
patterning the HM region using the patterned second HM region to form a patterned HM region; and
removing at least some of the base region not covered by the patterned HM region to form the line end space structure.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, the patterning the second HM region comprising:
forming a photo resist (PR) region above the second HM region;
patterning the PR region to form a patterned PR region, the patterned PR region defining the patterned second HM region; and
patterning the second HM region using the patterned PR region.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, the patterning the second HM region comprising:
patterning the second HM region to form a second patterned second HM region.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, comprising:
forming a trim photo resist (PR) region above the second patterned second HM region;
forming a window within the trim PR region to expose a portion of the second patterned second HM region; and
removing the portion of the second patterned second HM region to reduce a length of the second patterned second HM region.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, comprising:
removing the trim PR region to expose a second portion of the second patterned second HM region.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein:
the forming a trim PR region comprises forming the trim PR region above the patterned second HM region; and
the removing the trim PR region comprises removing the trim PR region to expose the patterned second HM region.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising:
forming a sacrificial HM region above the patterned second HM region and above the HM region.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, comprising:
forming a second sacrificial HM region above the sacrificial HM region.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, comprising:
forming a photo resist (PR) region above the second sacrificial HM region; and
patterning the PR region to form a patterned PR region.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, comprising:
forming a spacer region above the patterned PR region and above the second sacrificial HM region.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein:
the patterning the PR region exposes a portion of the second sacrificial HM region; and
the forming a spacer region comprises forming the spacer region above the portion of the second sacrificial HM region.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, the forming a spacer region comprising:
forming the spacer region conformally above the patterned PR region and the second sacrificial HM region.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, comprising:
forming a spacer region adjacent the patterned PR region.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, comprising:
forming a second spacer region adjacent the patterned PR region, the second spacer region diametrically opposite the spacer region relative to the patterned PR region; and
removing the patterned PR region between the spacer region and the second spacer region.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, comprising:
removing a portion of the second sacrificial HM region not covered by the spacer region; and
removing a portion of the sacrificial HM region not covered by the spacer region to expose a portion of the patterned second HM region.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, the patterning the HM region comprising:
patterning the HM region using the spacer region to remove at least some of the HM region not covered by the spacer region.

### Claim 17

A method for forming a line end space structure, comprising:
forming a hard mask (HM) region above a base region in which a metal line is formed;
forming a second HM region above the HM region;
patterning the second HM region to form a patterned second HM region, the patterned second HM region defining a line end space structure;
forming a spacer structure above the HM region;
removing at least some of the HM region not covered by the patterned second HM region and not covered by the spacer structure to form a patterned HM region; and
removing at least some of the base region not covered by the patterned HM region to form the line end space structure.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, the removing at least some of the base region comprising:
removing at least some of the base region not covered by the patterned HM region to form a metal line trench in which the metal line is formed.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, comprising:
forming a trim photo resist (PR) region above the patterned second HM region;
forming a window within the trim PR region to expose a portion of the patterned second HM region; and
removing the portion of the patterned second HM region to reduce a length of the patterned second HM region.

### Claim 20

A method for forming a line end space structure, comprising:
forming a hard mask (HM) region above a base region in which a metal line is formed;
forming a second HM region above the HM region;
patterning the second HM region to form a patterned second HM region;
forming a trim photo resist (PR) region above the patterned second HM region;
forming a window within the trim PR region to expose a portion of the patterned second HM region;
removing the portion of the patterned second HM region to form a second patterned second HM region, the second patterned second HM region having a length that is less than a length of the patterned second HM region;
patterning the HM region using the second patterned second HM region to form a patterned HM region; and
removing at least some of the base region not covered by the patterned HM region to form the line end space structure.