Formation of a self-aligned integrated circuit structures using planarization to form a top surface

Claim 1

A method of forming a structure comprising: forming a raised structure on a substrate, said raised structure including a protective layer having a upper surface that extends to a lateral surface below the upper surface, the lateral surface projecting towards the substrate, said raised structure being adjacent to and overlaid by a removable layer; wherein said raised structure is formed by: forming an object on said substrate including a top layer of a protective material; forming a spacer of said protective material laterally enclosing said object, said spacer of said protective material having diagonal facets at top outward facing edges thereof; forming a first layer of a first material over and between said object enclosed by said spacer; planarizing said first layer of said first material down to the top surface of said object; removing said first layer of said first material at least down to the lowest extent of said facets; planarizing said object and said spacer down to the level of said first layer of said first material to remove said facets; and forming a second layer of said first material over said object enclosed by said spacer and said first layer of said first material: depositing a layer of photoresist over said removable layer; patterning said layer of photoresist; removing said removable layer adjacent to said raised structure without breaching said protective layer; and forming a fill layer over said substrate and said raised structure thereon.

Claim 2

A method of forming a structure comprising: forming a raised structure on a substrate, said raised structure including a protective layer having a upper surface that extends to a lateral surface below the upper surface, the lateral surface projecting towards the substrate, said raised structure being adjacent to and overlaid by a removable layer; wherein said raised structure is formed by: forming an object on said substrate including a top layer of a protective material; forming a spacer of said protective material laterally enclosing said object, said spacer of said protective material having diagonal facets at top outward facing edges thereof; forming a first layer of a first material over and between said object enclosed by said spacer; planarizing said first layer of said first material down to the top surface of said object; removing said first layer of said first material at least down to the lowest extent of said facets; planarizing said object and said spacer down to the level of said first layer of said first material to remove said facets; and forming a second layer of said first material over said object enclosed by said spacer and said first layer of said first material: depositing a layer of photoresist over said removable layer; patterning said layer of photoresist; removing said removable layer adjacent to said raised structure without breaching said protective layer; and forming a fill layer over said substrate and said raised structure thereon.

Claim 10

The method of forming self-aligned integrated circuit structures on a semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of raised structures on said semiconductor substrate, each raised structure including a protective layer having a upper surface that is horizontal within and extends to a lateral surface below and circumscribing the upper surface, the lateral surface projecting towards the semiconductor substrate, said plurality of raised structures being separated by and overlaid by an etchable layer, wherein said plurality of raised structures are formed by: forming objects on said substrate each including a top layer of a protective material; forming spacers of said protective material laterally enclosing said objects, said spacers of said protective material each having diagonal facets at top outward facing edges thereof; depositing a first layer of an etchable material over and between said objects enclosed by said spacers; chemical mechanical polishing said first layer of said etchable material down to the top surfaces of said objects; etching said first layer of said etchable material at least down to the lowest extent of said facets; chemical mechanical polishing said objects and said spacers down to the level of said first layer of said etchable material to remove said facets; and depositing a second layer of said etchable material over said objects enclosed by said spacers and said first layer of said etchable material, whereby said spacers of said protective material, together with said objects including said top layers of said protective material, together form said raised structures, and said spacers of said protective material, with associated of said top layers of said protective material, together form said protective layer, and said first layer of said etchable material, with said second layer of said etchable material, together form said etchable layer; depositing a layer of photoresist over said etchable layer; patterning said layer of photoresist; anisotropically etching said etchable layer selective to said protective layer to remove said etchable layer from between selected of said raised structures without breaching said protective layer; and depositing at least one fill layer over said substrate and all structures thereon to fill said spaces and form thereby self-aligned structures.

Claim 11

The method of forming self-aligned integrated circuit structures on a semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of raised structures on said semiconductor substrate, each raised structure including a protective layer having a upper surface that is horizontal within and extends to a lateral surface below and circumscribing the upper surface, the lateral surface projecting towards the semiconductor substrate, said plurality of raised structures being separated by and overlaid by an etchable layer, wherein said plurality of raised structures are formed by: forming objects on said substrate each including a top layer of a protective material; forming spacers of said protective material laterally enclosing said objects, said spacers of said protective material each having diagonal facets at top outward facing edges thereof; depositing a first layer of an etchable material over and between said objects enclosed by said spacers; chemical mechanical polishing said first layer of said etchable material down to the top surfaces of said objects; etching said first layer of said etchable material at least down to the lowest extent of said facets; chemical mechanical polishing said objects and said spacers down to the level of said first layer of said etchable material to remove said facets; and depositing a second layer of said etchable material over said objects enclosed by said spacers and said first layer of said etchable material, whereby said spacers of said protective material, together with said objects including said top layers of said protective material, together form said raised structures, and said spacers of said protective material, with associated of said top layers of said protective material, together form said protective layer, and said first layer of said etchable material, with said second layer of said etchable material, together form said etchable layer; depositing a layer of photoresist over said etchable layer; patterning said layer of photoresist; anisotropically etching said etchable layer selective to said protective layer to remove said etchable layer from between selected of said raised structures without breaching said protective layer; and depositing at least one fill layer over said substrate and all structures thereon to fill said spaces and form thereby self-aligned structures.

Claim 13

The method of claims 10 in which the step of etching said first layer of said etchable material at least down to the lowest extent of said facets comprises a hydrofluoric dip.

Claim 15

The method of forming self-aligned integrated circuit structures on a semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of raised structures on said semiconductor substrate, each raised structure including a protective layer having a upper surface that is horizontal within and extends to a lateral surface below and circumscribing the upper surface, the lateral surface projecting towards the semiconductor substrate, said plurality of raised structures being separated by and overlaid by an etchable layer, wherein said plurality of raised structures are formed by: forming on said substrate objects each including a top layer of a protective material with a cap thereon; forming spacers of said protective material laterally enclosing said objects, said spacers each having a diagonal facet at a top outward facing edge thereof, the lowest extent of said facet being no lower than the top of said top layer; depositing a first layer of an etchable material over and between said objects enclosed by said spacers; chemical mechanical polishing said first layer of said etchable material and all other material on said semiconductor substrate downward to the top surfaces of said top layers, removing thereby said caps and portions of said spacers including said facets; and depositing a second layer of said etchable material over said objects enclosed by said spacers and said first layer of said etchable material; whereby said spacers of said protective material, together with said objects including said top layers of said protective material, form said raised structures, and said spacers of said protective material, together with said top layers of said protective material, form said protective layer, and said first layer of said etchable material, together with said second layer of said etchable material, together form said etchable layer; depositing a layer of photoresist over said etchable layer: patterning said layer of photoresist: anisotropically etching said etchable layer selective to said protective layer to remove said etchable layer from between selected of said raised structures without breaching said protective layer: and depositing at least one fill layer over said substrate and all structures thereon to fill said spaces and form thereby self-aligned structures.

Claim 16

The method of forming self-aligned integrated circuit structures on a semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of raised structures on said semiconductor substrate, each raised structure including a protective layer having a upper surface that is horizontal within and extends to a lateral surface below and circumscribing the upper surface, the lateral surface projecting towards the semiconductor substrate, said plurality of raised structures being separated by and overlaid by an etchable layer, wherein said plurality of raised structures are formed by: forming on said substrate objects each including a top layer of a protective material with a cap thereon; forming spacers of said protective material laterally enclosing said objects, said spacers each having a diagonal facet at a top outward facing edge thereof, the lowest extent of said facet being no lower than the top of said top layer; depositing a first layer of an etchable material over and between said objects enclosed by said spacers; chemical mechanical polishing said first layer of said etchable material and all other material on said semiconductor substrate downward to the top surfaces of said top layers, removing thereby said caps and portions of said spacers including said facets; and depositing a second layer of said etchable material over said objects enclosed by said spacers and said first layer of said etchable material; whereby said spacers of said protective material, together with said objects including said top layers of said protective material, form said raised structures, and said spacers of said protective material, together with said top layers of said protective material, form said protective layer, and said first layer of said etchable material, together with said second layer of said etchable material, together form said etchable layer; depositing a layer of photoresist over said etchable layer: patterning said layer of photoresist: anisotropically etching said etchable layer selective to said protective layer to remove said etchable layer from between selected of said raised structures without breaching said protective layer: and depositing at least one fill layer over said substrate and all structures thereon to fill said spaces and form thereby self-aligned structures.

Claim 19

The method of forming self-aligned integrated circuit structures on a semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of raised structures on said semiconductor substrate, each raised structure including a protective layer having a upper surface that is horizontal within and extends to a lateral surface below and circumscribing the upper surface the lateral surface projecting towards the semiconductor substrate said plurality of raised structures being separated by and overlaid by an etchable layer, wherein said plurality of raised structures are formed by: forming objects on said substrate each including a top layer of a protective material; forming spacers of said protective material laterally enclosing said objects, said spacers each having a diagonal facet at a top outward facing edge thereof; depositing a first layer of an etchable material over and between said objects enclosed by said spacers; chemical mechanical polishing said first layer of said etchable material down to the top surfaces of said objects; etching simultaneously and at substantially the same rate said first layer of said etchable material, together with said top layers and said spacers of said protective material, downward to at least the lowest extent of said facets; and depositing a second layer of said etchable material over said objects enclosed by said spacers and said first layer of said etchable material; whereby said spacers of said protective material, together with said objects including said top layers of said protective material, form said raised structures, and said spacers of said protective material, together with said top layers of said protective material, form said protective layer, and said first layer of said etchable material, together with said second layer of said etchable material, form said etchable layer; depositing a layer of photoresist over said etchable layer, patterning said layer of photoresist: anisotropically etching said etchable layer selective to said protective layer to remove said etchable layer from between selected of said raised structures without breaching said protective layer: and depositing at least one fill layer over said substrate and all structures thereon to fill said spaces and form thereby self-aligned structures.

Claim 20

The method of forming self-aligned integrated circuit structures on a semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of raised structures on said semiconductor substrate, each raised structure including a protective layer having a upper surface that is horizontal within and extends to a lateral surface below and circumscribing the upper surface the lateral surface projecting towards the semiconductor substrate said plurality of raised structures being separated by and overlaid by an etchable layer, wherein said plurality of raised structures are formed by: forming objects on said substrate each including a top layer of a protective material; forming spacers of said protective material laterally enclosing said objects, said spacers each having a diagonal facet at a top outward facing edge thereof; depositing a first layer of an etchable material over and between said objects enclosed by said spacers; chemical mechanical polishing said first layer of said etchable material down to the top surfaces of said objects; etching simultaneously and at substantially the same rate said first layer of said etchable material, together with said top layers and said spacers of said protective material, downward to at least the lowest extent of said facets; and depositing a second layer of said etchable material over said objects enclosed by said spacers and said first layer of said etchable material; whereby said spacers of said protective material, together with said objects including said top layers of said protective material, form said raised structures, and said spacers of said protective material, together with said top layers of said protective material, form said protective layer, and said first layer of said etchable material, together with said second layer of said etchable material, form said etchable layer; depositing a layer of photoresist over said etchable layer, patterning said layer of photoresist: anisotropically etching said etchable layer selective to said protective layer to remove said etchable layer from between selected of said raised structures without breaching said protective layer: and depositing at least one fill layer over said substrate and all structures thereon to fill said spaces and form thereby self-aligned structures.

Claim 24

A method of forming self-aligned integrated circuit structures on a semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of raised structures on said semiconductor substrate, each raised structure including a protective layer having a upper surface that is horizontal within and extends to a lateral surface below and circumscribing the upper surface, the lateral surface projecting towards the semiconductor substrate, said plurality of raised structures being separated by and overlaid by an etchable layer; said plurality of raised structures on said semiconductor substrate being formed by steps comprising: forming objects on said substrate each including a top layer of a protective material; forming spacers of said protective material laterally enclosing said objects, said spacers of said protective material each having diagonal facets at top outward facing edges thereof; depositing a first layer of an etchable material over and between said objects enclosed by said spacers; chemical mechanical polishing said first layer of said etchable material down to the top surfaces of said objects; etching said first layer of said etchable material at least down to the lowest extent of said facets; chemical mechanical polishing said objects and said spacers down to the level of said first layer of said etchable material to remove said facets; and depositing a second layer of said etchable material over said objects enclosed by said spacers and said first layer of said etchable material; whereby said spacers of said protective material, together with said objects including said top layers of said protective material, together form said raised structures, and said spacers of said protective material, with associated of said top layers of said protective material, together form said protective layer, and said first layer of said etchable material, with said second layer of said etchable material, together form said layer of etchable material; depositing a layer of photoresist over said etchable layer; patterning said layer of photoresist; anisotropically etching said etchable layer selective to said protective layer to remove said etchable layer from between selected of said raised structures without breaching said protective layer; and depositing at least one fill layer over said substrate and all structures thereon to fill said spaces and form thereby self-aligned structures.

Claim 25

A method of forming self-aligned integrated circuit structures on a semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of raised structures on said semiconductor substrate, each raised structure including a protective layer having a upper surface that is horizontal within and extends to a lateral surface below and circumscribing the upper surface, the lateral surface projecting towards the semiconductor substrate, said plurality of raised structures being separated by and overlaid by an etchable layer; said plurality of raised structures on said semiconductor substrate being formed by steps comprising: forming objects on said substrate each including a top layer of a protective material; forming spacers of said protective material laterally enclosing said objects, said spacers of said protective material each having diagonal facets at top outward facing edges thereof; depositing a first layer of an etchable material over and between said objects enclosed by said spacers; chemical mechanical polishing said first layer of said etchable material down to the top surfaces of said objects; etching said first layer of said etchable material at least down to the lowest extent of said facets; chemical mechanical polishing said objects and said spacers down to the level of said first layer of said etchable material to remove said facets; and depositing a second layer of said etchable material over said objects enclosed by said spacers and said first layer of said etchable material; whereby said spacers of said protective material, together with said objects including said top layers of said protective material, together form said raised structures, and said spacers of said protective material, with associated of said top layers of said protective material, together form said protective layer, and said first layer of said etchable material, with said second layer of said etchable material, together form said layer of etchable material; depositing a layer of photoresist over said etchable layer; patterning said layer of photoresist; anisotropically etching said etchable layer selective to said protective layer to remove said etchable layer from between selected of said raised structures without breaching said protective layer; and depositing at least one fill layer over said substrate and all structures thereon to fill said spaces and form thereby self-aligned structures.

Claim 27

A method of forming self-aligned integrated circuit structures on a semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of raised structures on said semiconductor substrate, each raised structure including a protective layer having a upper surface that is horizontal within and extends to a lateral surface below and circumscribing the upper surface, the lateral surface projecting towards the semiconductor substrate, said plurality of raised structures being separated by and overlaid by an etchable layer; the plurality of raised structures being formed on said semiconductor substrate by steps comprising: forming on said substrate objects each including a top layer of a protective material with a cap thereon; forming spacers of said protective material laterally enclosing said objects, said spacers each having a diagonal facet at a top outward facing edge thereof, the lowest extent of said facet being no lower than the top of said top layer; depositing a first layer of an etchable material over and between said objects enclosed by said spacers; chemical mechanical polishing said first layer of said etchable material and all other material on said semiconductor substrate downward to the top surfaces of said top layers, removing thereby said caps and portions of said spacers including said facets; and depositing a second layer of said etchable material over said objects enclosed by said spacers and said first layer of said etchable material; whereby said spacers of said protective material, together with said objects including said top layers of said protective material, form said raised structures, and said spacers of said protective material, together with said top layers of said protective material, form said protective layer, and said first layer of said etchable material, together with said second layer of said etchable material, together form said etchable layer; depositing a layer of photoresist over said etchable layer; patterning said layer of photoresist; anisotropically etching said etchable layer selective to said protective layer to remove said etchable layer from between selected of said raised structures without breaching said protective layer; and depositing at least one fill layer over said substrate and all structures thereon to fill said spaces and form thereby self-aligned structures.

Claim 28

A method of forming self-aligned integrated circuit structures on a semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of raised structures on said semiconductor substrate, each raised structure including a protective layer having a upper surface that is horizontal within and extends to a lateral surface below and circumscribing the upper surface, the lateral surface projecting towards the semiconductor substrate, said plurality of raised structures being separated by and overlaid by an etchable layer; the plurality of raised structures being formed on said semiconductor substrate by steps comprising: forming on said substrate objects each including a top layer of a protective material with a cap thereon; forming spacers of said protective material laterally enclosing said objects, said spacers each having a diagonal facet at a top outward facing edge thereof, the lowest extent of said facet being no lower than the top of said top layer; depositing a first layer of an etchable material over and between said objects enclosed by said spacers; chemical mechanical polishing said first layer of said etchable material and all other material on said semiconductor substrate downward to the top surfaces of said top layers, removing thereby said caps and portions of said spacers including said facets; and depositing a second layer of said etchable material over said objects enclosed by said spacers and said first layer of said etchable material; whereby said spacers of said protective material, together with said objects including said top layers of said protective material, form said raised structures, and said spacers of said protective material, together with said top layers of said protective material, form said protective layer, and said first layer of said etchable material, together with said second layer of said etchable material, together form said etchable layer; depositing a layer of photoresist over said etchable layer; patterning said layer of photoresist; anisotropically etching said etchable layer selective to said protective layer to remove said etchable layer from between selected of said raised structures without breaching said protective layer; and depositing at least one fill layer over said substrate and all structures thereon to fill said spaces and form thereby self-aligned structures.

Claim 30

A method of forming self-aligned integrated circuit structures on a semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of raised structures on said semiconductor substrate, each raised structure including a protective layer having a upper surface that is horizontal within and extends to a lateral surface below and circumscribing the upper surface, the lateral surface projecting towards the semiconductor substrate, said plurality of raised structures being separated by and overlaid by an etchable layer; the plurality of said raising structures being formed by steps comprising: forming objects on said substrate each including a top layer of a protective material; forming spacers of said protective material laterally enclosing said objects, said spacers each having a diagonal facet at a top outward facing edge thereof; depositing a first layer of an etchable material over and between said objects enclosed by said spacers; chemical mechanical polishing said first layer of said etchable material down to the top surfaces of said objects; etching simultaneously and at substantially the same rate said first layer of said etchable material, together with said top layers and said spacers of said protective material, downward to at least the lowest extent of said facets; and depositing a second layer of said etchable material over said objects enclosed by said spacers and said first layer of said etchable material; whereby said spacers of said protective material, together with said objects including said top layers of said protective material, form said raised structures, and said spacers of said protective material, together with said top layers of said protective material, form said protective layer, and said first layer of said etchable material, together with said second layer of said etchable material, form said etchable layer; depositing a layer of photoresist over said etchable layer; patterning said layer of photoresist; anisotropically etching said etchable layer selective to said protective layer to remove said etchable layer from between selected of said raised structures without breaching said protective layer; and depositing at least one fill layer over said substrate and all structures thereon to fill said spaces and form thereby self-aligned structures.

Claim 31

A method of forming self-aligned integrated circuit structures on a semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of raised structures on said semiconductor substrate, each raised structure including a protective layer having a upper surface that is horizontal within and extends to a lateral surface below and circumscribing the upper surface, the lateral surface projecting towards the semiconductor substrate, said plurality of raised structures being separated by and overlaid by an etchable layer; the plurality of said raising structures being formed by steps comprising: forming objects on said substrate each including a top layer of a protective material; forming spacers of said protective material laterally enclosing said objects, said spacers each having a diagonal facet at a top outward facing edge thereof; depositing a first layer of an etchable material over and between said objects enclosed by said spacers; chemical mechanical polishing said first layer of said etchable material down to the top surfaces of said objects; etching simultaneously and at substantially the same rate said first layer of said etchable material, together with said top layers and said spacers of said protective material, downward to at least the lowest extent of said facets; and depositing a second layer of said etchable material over said objects enclosed by said spacers and said first layer of said etchable material; whereby said spacers of said protective material, together with said objects including said top layers of said protective material, form said raised structures, and said spacers of said protective material, together with said top layers of said protective material, form said protective layer, and said first layer of said etchable material, together with said second layer of said etchable material, form said etchable layer; depositing a layer of photoresist over said etchable layer; patterning said layer of photoresist; anisotropically etching said etchable layer selective to said protective layer to remove said etchable layer from between selected of said raised structures without breaching said protective layer; and depositing at least one fill layer over said substrate and all structures thereon to fill said spaces and form thereby self-aligned structures.

Claim 34

A method of forming a structure comprising: forming a raised structure on a substrate, said raised structure including a protective layer having a upper surface that extends to a lateral surface below the upper surface, the lateral surface projecting towards the substrate, said raised structure being adjacent to and overlaid by a removable layer; wherein said raised structure is formed by: forming on said substrate an object including a top layer of a protective material with a cap thereon; forming a spacer of said protective material laterally enclosing said object, said spacer having diagonal facets at top outward facing edges thereof, the lowest extent of said facet being no lower than the top of said top layer; forming a first layer of a first material over said object enclosed by said spacer; planarizing said first layer of said first material on said substrate downward to the top surfaces of said top layer, removing thereby said cap and portions of said spacer including said facets; and forming a second layer of said first material over said object enclosed by said spacer and said first layer of said first material; depositing a layer of photoresist over said removable layer; patterning said layer of photoresist; removing said removable layer adjacent to said raised structure without breaching said protective layer; and forming a fill layer over said substrate and said raised structure thereon.

Claim 35

A method of forming a structure comprising: forming a raised structure on a substrate, said raised structure including a protective layer having a upper surface that extends to a lateral surface below the upper surface, the lateral surface projecting towards the substrate, said raised structure being adjacent to and overlaid by a removable layer; wherein said raised structure is formed by: forming on said substrate an object including a top layer of a protective material with a cap thereon; forming a spacer of said protective material laterally enclosing said object, said spacer having diagonal facets at top outward facing edges thereof, the lowest extent of said facet being no lower than the top of said top layer; forming a first layer of a first material over said object enclosed by said spacer; planarizing said first layer of said first material on said substrate downward to the top surfaces of said top layer, removing thereby said cap and portions of said spacer including said facets; and forming a second layer of said first material over said object enclosed by said spacer and said first layer of said first material; depositing a layer of photoresist over said removable layer; patterning said layer of photoresist; removing said removable layer adjacent to said raised structure without breaching said protective layer; and forming a fill layer over said substrate and said raised structure thereon.

Claim 37

A method of forming a structure comprising: forming a raised structure on a substrate, said raised structure including a protective layer having a upper surface that extends to a lateral surface below the upper surface, the lateral surface projecting towards the substrate, said raised structure being adjacent to and overlaid by a removable layer; wherein said raised structure is formed by: forming an object on said substrate including a top layer of a protective material; forming a spacer of said protective material laterally enclosing said object, said spacer having diagonal facets at a top outward facing edge thereof; forming a first layer of a first material over said object enclosed by said spacer; planarizing said first layer of said first material down to the top surface of said object; removing simultaneously and at substantially the same rate said first layer of said first material together with said top layer and said spacer of said protective material downward to at least the lowest extent of said facets; and forming a second layer of said etchable material over said object enclosed by said spacer and said first layer of said first material; depositing a layer of photoresist over said removable layer; patterning said layer of photoresist; removing said removable layer adjacent to said raised structure without breaching said protective layer; and forming a fill layer over said substrate and said raised structure thereon.

Claim 38

A method of forming a structure comprising: forming a raised structure on a substrate, said raised structure including a protective layer having a upper surface that extends to a lateral surface below the upper surface, the lateral surface projecting towards the substrate, said raised structure being adjacent to and overlaid by a removable layer; wherein said raised structure is formed by: forming an object on said substrate including a top layer of a protective material; forming a spacer of said protective material laterally enclosing said object, said spacer having diagonal facets at a top outward facing edge thereof; forming a first layer of a first material over said object enclosed by said spacer; planarizing said first layer of said first material down to the top surface of said object; removing simultaneously and at substantially the same rate said first layer of said first material together with said top layer and said spacer of said protective material downward to at least the lowest extent of said facets; and forming a second layer of said etchable material over said object enclosed by said spacer and said first layer of said first material; depositing a layer of photoresist over said removable layer; patterning said layer of photoresist; removing said removable layer adjacent to said raised structure without breaching said protective layer; and forming a fill layer over said substrate and said raised structure thereon.