METHOD FOR SELECTIVELY FORMING SYMMETRICAL OR ASYMMETRICAL FEATURES USING A SYMMETRICAL PHOTOMASK DURING FABRICATION OF A SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS INCLUDING THE SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method used during semiconductor device feature fabrication, comprising:
- forming at least one material to be etched;
forming a plurality of first mask features at first locations and a plurality of second mask features over the material to be etched;
partially etching into the material to be etched with a first etch at second locations, and leaving the material to be etched unetched at the first locations;
removing the first mask features;
thenwith the second mask features exposed, etching the material to be etched with a second etch at both the first and second locations.
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Abstract
A method for patterning a material during fabrication of a semiconductor device provides for the selective formation of either asymmetrical features or symmetrical features using a symmetrical photomask, depending on which process flow is chosen. The resulting features which are fabricated use spacers formed around a patterned material. If one particular etch is used to remove a base material, symmetrical features result. If two particular etches are used to remove the base material, asymmetrical features remain.
10 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method used during semiconductor device feature fabrication, comprising:
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forming at least one material to be etched; forming a plurality of first mask features at first locations and a plurality of second mask features over the material to be etched; partially etching into the material to be etched with a first etch at second locations, and leaving the material to be etched unetched at the first locations; removing the first mask features;
thenwith the second mask features exposed, etching the material to be etched with a second etch at both the first and second locations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method used during fabrication of a semiconductor device, comprising:
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forming a plurality of mask features over a material to be etched, wherein the plurality of mask features have uniform dimensions and a regular pitch; forming a conformal spacer material over the material to be etched and on the plurality of mask features; etching the conformal spacer material to form a plurality of spacers, with paired spacers contacting at least a portion of each mask feature; with the plurality of mask features and the plurality of spacers exposed, partially etching the material to be etched to form a plurality of partially etched first openings therein; removing the plurality of mask features to form an opening between each of the paired spacers;
thenwith the plurality of spacers exposed, etching the material to be etched through the opening between each of the paired spacers to form second openings within the material to be etched and further etching the partially etched first openings to form completed first openings, wherein the second openings comprise a different cross sectional profile than the completed first openings. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A method used during fabrication of a semiconductor device, comprising:
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forming polysilicon over a semiconductor wafer substrate assembly comprising at least a portion of a semiconductor wafer; forming suicide on the polysilicon; forming oxide on the silicide; forming transparent carbon (TC) on the oxide; forming dielectric antireflective coating (DARC) on the TC; forming a plurality of first mask features at first locations and a plurality of second mask features over the DARC; with both the first and second mask features exposed, etching the DARC using an isotropic etch and stopping the etch when the TC is exposed; removing the first mask features;
thenwith the second mask features exposed, etching the TC at the first location and stopping on or in the oxide to form a first opening while etching the DARC, the TC, the oxide and the silicide at a second location and stopping on or in the polysilicon to form a second opening. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for forming asymmetrical semiconductor device features, comprising:
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forming a material to be etched; forming a patterned mask having a plurality of symmetrical features over the material to be etched; forming a spacer material over the plurality of symmetrical features; etching the spacer material to form a plurality of spacers, with two cross sectional spacers contacting at least a portion of the plurality of symmetrical features; with the spacers and the patterned mask exposed, etching the material to be etched at a plurality of first locations, while a plurality of second locations remain unetched; removing the patterned mask;
thenwith the spacers exposed, etching the material to be etched at the plurality of first locations and at the plurality of second locations to result in the material to be etched comprising first etched features at the first location having a first cross sectional profile and second etched features at the second location having a second cross section different from the first cross section. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A structure, comprising:
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a structure to be etched, comprising; a polysilicon material; a tungsten silicide material overlying the polysilicon material; a dielectric material overlying the tungsten silicide material; a transparent carbon (TC) material overlying the dielectric material; and an antireflective material overlying the TC material; and a plurality of paired cross sectional mask material spacers overlying the antireflective material. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification