Process for forming a semiconductor device with an antireflective layer
First Claim
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1. A process for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of:
- forming a first layer over a semiconductor substrate, wherein the first layer is conductive;
forming an antireflective layer over the first layer, wherein;
the antireflective layer includes a first location, a second location, and a third location lying between the first and second locations, wherein the third location has a higher absorption coefficient compared to each of the first and second locations;
the first location includes a first element and nitrogen;
the second location includes a second element and nitrogen;
the antireflective layer has a first nitrogen content at a first portion that includes the first location and a second nitrogen content at a second portion that includes the second location; and
the second nitrogen content is higher than the first nitrogen content;
patterning the first layer and the antireflective layer to form a first member including a remaining portion of the first layer, wherein the remaining portion of the first layer is at least part of a gate electrode, a contact structure, or an interconnect; and
forming a conductive member near the remaining portion of the first layer, wherein;
the conductive member abuts the antireflective layer; and
the conductive member is spaced apart from the remaining portion of the first layer.
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Abstract
Antireflective layers (54, 86, and 109) have been developed that have discrete portions (541, 542, 861, 862, 863, 1091, and 1092). The discrete portions (541, 542, 861, 862, 863, 1091, and 1092) allow the antireflective layers (54, 86, and 109) to be used in many instances where using a single layer of uniform composition would be difficult or impossible. Alternatively, a single antireflective layer with a continuously graded composition can be used.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A process for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of:
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forming a first layer over a semiconductor substrate, wherein the first layer is conductive; forming an antireflective layer over the first layer, wherein; the antireflective layer includes a first location, a second location, and a third location lying between the first and second locations, wherein the third location has a higher absorption coefficient compared to each of the first and second locations; the first location includes a first element and nitrogen; the second location includes a second element and nitrogen; the antireflective layer has a first nitrogen content at a first portion that includes the first location and a second nitrogen content at a second portion that includes the second location; and the second nitrogen content is higher than the first nitrogen content; patterning the first layer and the antireflective layer to form a first member including a remaining portion of the first layer, wherein the remaining portion of the first layer is at least part of a gate electrode, a contact structure, or an interconnect; and forming a conductive member near the remaining portion of the first layer, wherein; the conductive member abuts the antireflective layer; and the conductive member is spaced apart from the remaining portion of the first layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A process for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of:
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forming a first layer over a semiconductor substrate, wherein the first layer is conductive; forming an antireflective layer over the first layer, wherein; the antireflective layer includes a first location and a second location; the first location includes nitrogen and has a first parameter type with a first value; the second location includes nitrogen and has the first parameter type with a second value; the first parameter type is selected from a group consisting of refractive index and absorption coefficient; and the first value is greater than the second value; patterning the first layer and the antireflective layer to form a first member including a remaining portion of the first layer, wherein the remaining portion of the first layer is at least part of a gate electrode, a contact structure, or an interconnect; forming a second layer over and adjacent to the second location of the antireflective layer, wherein; the first layer has a third value of the first parameter type; the second layer has a fourth value of the first parameter type that is different from the third value; the first value is closer to the third value compared to the fourth value; and the second value is closer to the fourth value compared to the third value; and forming a conductive member near the remaining portion of the first layer, wherein; the conductive member abuts the antireflective layer; and the conductive member is spaced apart from the remaining portion of the first layer. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A process for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of:
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forming a metal-containing layer over a semiconductor substrate; and forming an antireflective layer over the metal-containing layer, wherein; the antireflective layer includes a first location and a second location; the first location includes a first element and nitrogen; the second location includes a second element and nitrogen; the first and second elements are selected from a group consisting of aluminum, molybdenum, tantalum, titanium, and tungsten; and the first and second locations have different compositions.
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30. A process for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of:
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forming a first layer over a semiconductor substrate, wherein the first layer has a first absorption coefficient and a first refractive index; forming an antireflective layer over the first layer, wherein; the antireflective layer includes a first location and a second location that overlies the first location; the first location has a second absorption coefficient and a second refractive index, wherein the second absorption coefficient is different from the first absorption coefficient, and the second refractive index is different from the first refractive index; and the second location has a third absorption coefficient and a third refractive index; and forming a second layer over the antireflective layer, wherein the second layer has a fourth absorption coefficient and a fourth refractive index, and wherein, the fourth absorption coefficient is different from the third absorption coefficient, and the fourth refractive index is different from the third refractive index, wherein the semiconductor device has a characteristic selected from a group consisting of; (a) the second refractive index is closer to the first refractive index compared to the fourth refractive index; and the third refractive index is closer to the fourth refractive index compared to the first refractive index; and (b) the second absorption coefficient is closer to the first absorption coefficient compared to the fourth absorption coefficient; and the third absorption coefficient is closer to the fourth absorption coefficient compared to the first absorption coefficient. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification