METHOD OF FORMING NARROW FINS IN FINFET DEVICES WITH REDUCED SPACING THEREBETWEEN
First Claim
1. A method of forming narrow fins in a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:
- forming a sacrificial mandrel layer over the semiconductor substrate;
using a photolithographic process to pattern the sacrificial mandrel layer so as to perform a plurality of mandrel features having an initial width greater than or equal to F and spacing therebetween of greater than or equal to F, wherein F corresponds to a minimum feature size associated with the photolithographic process used;
performing a thermal oxidation of sidewall surfaces of the mandrel features so as to form a plurality of oxide pillars, wherein the thermal oxidation consumes a portion of the sacrificial mandrel material, and wherein the plurality of oxide pillars have both a width and a spacing therebetween that are less than F;
removing remaining portions of the sacrificial material; and
transferring a pattern defined by the oxide pillars into the semiconductor substrate so as to form a plurality of semiconductor fins having both a width and a spacing therebetween that is less than F.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of forming narrow fins in a substrate includes forming a sacrificial mandrel layer over the substrate; using a photolithographic process to pattern the mandrel layer so as to perform a plurality of mandrel features having an initial width greater than or equal to F and spacing therebetween of greater than or equal to F, wherein F corresponds to a minimum feature size associated with the photolithographic process; performing a thermal oxidation of sidewall surfaces of the mandrel features so as to form a plurality of oxide pillars, wherein the thermal oxidation consumes a portion of the mandrel material, and wherein the plurality of oxide pillars have both a width and a spacing therebetween that is less than F; removing remaining portions of the material; and transferring a pattern defined by the oxide pillars into the semiconductor substrate so as to form a plurality of fins having both a width and a spacing therebetween that is less than F.
165 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method of forming narrow fins in a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:
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forming a sacrificial mandrel layer over the semiconductor substrate; using a photolithographic process to pattern the sacrificial mandrel layer so as to perform a plurality of mandrel features having an initial width greater than or equal to F and spacing therebetween of greater than or equal to F, wherein F corresponds to a minimum feature size associated with the photolithographic process used; performing a thermal oxidation of sidewall surfaces of the mandrel features so as to form a plurality of oxide pillars, wherein the thermal oxidation consumes a portion of the sacrificial mandrel material, and wherein the plurality of oxide pillars have both a width and a spacing therebetween that are less than F; removing remaining portions of the sacrificial material; and transferring a pattern defined by the oxide pillars into the semiconductor substrate so as to form a plurality of semiconductor fins having both a width and a spacing therebetween that is less than F. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of forming narrow fins in a finFET device, the method comprising:
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forming a pad layer on a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate; forming a sacrificial mandrel layer on the semiconductor substrate; forming a cap layer on the sacrificial mandrel layer; using a photolithographic process to pattern the cap layer and sacrificial mandrel layer so as to perform a plurality of mandrel features having an initial width greater than or equal to F and spacing therebetween of greater than or equal to F, wherein F corresponds to a minimum feature size associated with the photolithographic process used; performing a thermal oxidation of exposed sidewall surfaces of the mandrel features so as to form a plurality of oxide pillars, wherein the thermal oxidation consumes a portion of the sacrificial mandrel material, and wherein the plurality of oxide pillars have both a width and a spacing therebetween that is less than F; removing remaining portions of the sacrificial material and cap layer; and transferring a pattern defined by the oxide pillars into the SOI substrate so as to form a plurality of finFET fins having both a width and a spacing therebetween that is less than F. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification