摘要:
A lithographic process for fabricating sub-micron features is provided. A silicon containing ultra-thin photoresist is formed on an underlayer surface to be etched. The ultra-thin photoresist layer is patterned with short wavelength radiation to define a pattern. The ultra-thin photoresist is oxidized so as to convert the silicon therein to silicon dioxide. The oxidized ultra-thin photoresist layer is used as a hard mask during an etch step to transfer the pattern to the underlayer. The etch step includes an etch chemistry that is highly selective to the underlayer over the oxidized ultra-thin photoresist layer.
摘要:
A method of forming a via structure is provided. In the method, a dielectric layer is formed on an anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer covering a first metal layer; and a nitride layer is formed on the dielectric layer. An ultra-thin photoresist layer is formed on the nitride layer, and the ultra-thin photoresist layer is patterned with short wavelength radiation to define a pattern for a via. The patterned ultra-thin photoresist layer is used as a mask during a first etch step to transfer the via pattern to the nitride layer. The first etch step includes an etch chemistry that is selective to the nitride layer over the ultra-thin photoresist layer and the dielectric layer. The nitride layer is employed as a hard mask during a second etch step to form a contact hole corresponding to the via pattern by etching portions of the dielectric layer.
摘要:
An insulated trench isolation structure with large and small trenches of differing widths is formed in a semiconductor substrate using a simplified reverse source/drain planarization mask. Embodiments include forming trenches and refilling them with an insulating material which also covers a main surface of the substrate, polishing to remove an upper portion of the insulating material and to planarize the insulating material above the small trenches, furnace annealing to densify and strengthen the remaining insulating material, masking the insulating material above the large trenches, isotropically etching the insulating material, and polishing to planarize the insulating material. Since the insulating material is partially planarized and strengthened prior to etching, etching can be carried out after the formation of a relatively simple planarization mask over only the large trenches, and not the small trenches. Because the features of the planarization mask are relatively few and have a relatively large geometry, the present invention avoids the need to create and implement a critical mask, enabling production costs to be reduced and manufacturing throughput to be increased.
摘要:
An insulated trench isolation structure is formed in a semiconductor substrate omitting a barrier nitride polish stop layer while avoiding substrate damage, thereby simplifying trench formation and improving planarity. After trench fill, polishing is conducted to effect substantial planarization without exposing the substrate surface, thereby avoiding substrate damage. Etching is then conducted to expose the substrate surface. The omission of the barrier nitride polish stop avoids generation of a topographical step at the substrate/trench fill interface, thereby enhancing the accuracy of subsequent photolithographic techniques in forming features with minimal dimensions.
摘要:
The present invention discloses a system and method for designing grating structures for use in situ scatterometry during the photolithography process to detect a photoresist defect (e.g., photoresist erosion, pattern collapse or pattern bending). In one embodiment, a grating structure may be designed with a pitch or critical dimensional smaller than the one used for the semiconductor device. The pitch and the critical dimension of the grating structure may be varied. In another embodiment, the present invention provides for a feedback mechanism between the in situ scatterometry process and the photolithography process to provide an early warning of the existence of a photoresist defect. If a defect is detected on the wafer, the wafer may be sent to be re-worked or re-patterned, thereby avoiding scrapping the entire wafer.
摘要:
A bottom anti-reflective coating comprising an organic polymer layer having substantially no nitrogen and a low compressive stress in relation to a polysilicon layer is employed as the lower layer of a bi-layer antireflective coating/hardmask structure to reduce deformation of a pattern to be formed in a patternable layer. The organic polymer layer is substantially transparent to visible radiation, enabling better detection of alignment marks during a semiconductor device fabrication process and improving overlay accuracy. The organic polymer layer provides excellent step coverage and may be advantageously used in the fabrication of structures such as FinFETs.
摘要:
An exemplary embodiment relates to a phase shifting mask including a glass substrate layer and an amorphous carbon absorber layer located above the glass substrate layer. The amorphous carbon absorber layer includes apertures through which light passes unaltered to the glass substrate layer.
摘要:
The present invention provides a method to fabricate an organic memory device, wherein the fabrication method includes forming a lower electrode, depositing a passive material over the surface of the lower electrode, applying an organic semiconductor material over the passive material, and operatively coupling the an upper electrode to the lower electrode through the organic semiconductor material and the passive material. Patterning of the organic semiconductor material is achieved by depositing a silicon-based resist over the organic semiconductor, irradiating portions of the silicon-based resist and patterning the silicon-based resist to remove the irradiated portions of the silicon-based resist. Thereafter, the exposed organic semiconductor can be patterned, and the non-irradiated silicon-based resist can be stripped to expose the organic semiconductor material that can be employed as a memory cell for single and multi-cell memory devices. A partitioning component can be integrated with the memory device to facilitate stacking memory devices and programming, reading, writing and erasing memory elements.
摘要:
Disclosed are methods for processing a low k material involving providing a low k material layer comprising one or more low k polymer materials and one or more high modulus fillers on a semiconductor substrate, and chemical mechanical polishing the low k material layer so as to remove a portion of the low k material layer from the semiconductor substrate without substantially damaging unremoved portions of the low k material layer. In this connection, low k material layers for a semiconductor structure containing one or more low k polymer materials and one or more high modulus fillers are disclosed, as well as methods of making the low k material layers.
摘要:
An exemplary method of fabricating an integrated circuit can include depositing a reflective metal material layer over a layer of polysilicon, depositing an anti-reflective coating over the reflective metal material layer, trim etching the anti-reflective coating to form a pattern, etching the reflective metal material layer according to the pattern, and removing portions of the polysilicon layer using the pattern formed from the removed portions of anti-reflective coating.