Method of pitch dimension shrinkage
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit, comprising the steps of:
- providing a patterned first material layer with features having top surfaces and sidewalls, the patterned first material layer being formed over a second material layer which is formed over a substrate;
in a conversion process, consuming first material at the feature sidewalls to form third material at the feature sidewalls, the width of third material at each of the sidewalls being greater than the width of first material consumed at the respective sidewall in the conversion process;
patterning the second material layer using the third material as mask;
forming a fourth material layer over the substrate;
exposing the top surfaces of the features in the first material layer through the fourth material layer;
removing the exposed first material layer to expose portions of the second material layer through the fourth material layer; and
further patterning the second material layer using the fourth material layer as a mask.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Roughly described, a patterned first layer is provided over a second layer which is formed over a substrate. In a conversion process, first layer material is consumed at feature sidewalls to form third layer material at the feature sidewalls. The width of third layer material at each of the sidewalls is greater than the width of first layer material consumed at the respective sidewall in the conversion process. The second layer is patterned using the third layer material as mask. A fourth layer of material is formed over the substrate, and planarized or otherwise partially removed so as to expose the top surfaces of the features in the first layer through the fourth layer. The exposed first layer material is removed to expose portions of the second layer through the fourth layer, and the second layer is further patterned using the fourth layer material as a mask.
190 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit, comprising the steps of:
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providing a patterned first material layer with features having top surfaces and sidewalls, the patterned first material layer being formed over a second material layer which is formed over a substrate;
in a conversion process, consuming first material at the feature sidewalls to form third material at the feature sidewalls, the width of third material at each of the sidewalls being greater than the width of first material consumed at the respective sidewall in the conversion process;
patterning the second material layer using the third material as mask;
forming a fourth material layer over the substrate;
exposing the top surfaces of the features in the first material layer through the fourth material layer;
removing the exposed first material layer to expose portions of the second material layer through the fourth material layer; and
further patterning the second material layer using the fourth material layer as a mask. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit, comprising the steps of:
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providing a first material layer patterned to include features having a first regular pattern of lines having a first pitch, the lines having top surfaces and sidewalls, the first material layer being formed over a second material layer which is formed over a substrate;
in a thermal conversion process, thermally consuming first material at the feature sidewalls to form third material at the feature sidewalls, the width of third material at each of the sidewalls being greater than the width of first material consumed at the respective sidewall in the conversion process;
etching the second material layer using the third material as mask;
forming a fourth material layer over the substrate;
exposing the top surfaces of the features in the first material layer through the fourth material layer;
removing the exposed first material layer to expose portions of the second material layer through the fourth material layer; and
further patterning the second material layer using the fourth material layer as a mask, wherein the second material layer, after the step of further patterning the second material layer, has features including a second regular pattern of lines having a second pitch that is substantially one-half the first pitch. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification