US6638441B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for pitch reduction
Assignee: Macronix International Co Ltd
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Filing: 2002-01-07
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Granted: 2003-10-28
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Expires: 2022-01-07
Abstract
Abstract A method for pitch reduction is disclosed. The method can form a pattern with a pitch ⅓ the original pitch formed by available photolithography technologies by only using one photo mask or one pattern transfer process, self-aligned etching back processes, and conventional deposition processes. By choosing appropriate layers to be deposited and etched, the pattern can be an etching mask or it can be a device structure itself.
Inventors
- 👤 Ching-Yu Chang
- 👤 Wei-Ming Chung
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 18:32
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P76/00; H10P76/40; H10P76/408; H10P76/4088; C; C23; C23F; C23F1/00; C23F1/02; H10P76/4085; H10P76/20; H10P76/204; H10P76/2041; H10P76/2043; H10P76/405; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/942; Y10S438/946; Y10S438/947; Y10S438/948; Y10S438/952
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
159 words
A method for pitch reduction, said method comprising: providing a substrate having a pattern of a photoresist layer thereon, wherein said pattern comprises a plurality of lines a; forming a first layer over said pattern and said substrate; etching back said first layer to expose said substrate; forming a second layer over said pattern, said first layer and said substrate; etching back said second layer to expose said pattern and said first layer; removing said pattern; forming a third layer over said first layer, said second layer and said substrate; etching back said third layer to expose said substrate; forming a fourth layer over said first layer, said second layer, said third layer and said substrate, wherein the material of said fourth layer is the same with the material of said first layer; etching back said fourth layer to expose said first layer, said second layer and said third layer; and removing said second layer and said third layer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
159 words
A method for pitch reduction, said method comprising: providing a substrate having a pattern of a photoresist layer thereon, wherein said pattern comprises a plurality of lines a; forming a first layer over said pattern and said substrate; etching back said first layer to expose said substrate; forming a second layer over said pattern, said first layer and said substrate; etching back said second layer to expose said pattern and said first layer; removing said pattern; forming a third layer over said first layer, said second layer and said substrate; etching back said third layer to expose said substrate; forming a fourth layer over said first layer, said second layer, said third layer and said substrate, wherein the material of said fourth layer is the same with the material of said first layer; etching back said fourth layer to expose said first layer, said second layer and said third layer; and removing said second layer and said third layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein said photoresist layer comprises a deep ultraviolet photoresist layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein said first layer and said fourth layer comprise a dielectric layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein second layer and said third layer comprise a non-photosensitive polymer layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the thicknesses of said first layer, said second layer, said third layer and said fourth layer are preferably about ⅓ the pitch of two adjacent said equidistance lines.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 3 , wherein said dielectric layer comprises an oxide layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 3 , wherein said dielectric layer comprises a silicon nitride layer.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
177 words
A method for pitch reduction, said method comprising: providing a substrate having a pattern of a dielectric layer thereon, wherein said pattern comprises a plurality of equidistance lines and the width of each said equidistance line equals to the pitch of two adjacent said equidistance lines; forming a first layer over said pattern and said substrate; etching back said first layer to expose said substrate; forming a second layer over said pattern, said first layer and said substrate; etching back said second layer to expose said pattern and said first layer; removing said pattern; forming a third layer over said first layer, said second layer and said substrate; etching back said third layer to expose said substrate; forming a fourth layer over said first layer, said second layer, said third layer and said substrate, wherein the material of said fourth layer is the same with the material of said first layer; etching back said fourth layer to expose said first layer, said second layer and said third layer; and removing said second layer and said third layer.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
177 words
A method for pitch reduction, said method comprising: providing a substrate having a pattern of a dielectric layer thereon, wherein said pattern comprises a plurality of equidistance lines and the width of each said equidistance line equals to the pitch of two adjacent said equidistance lines; forming a first layer over said pattern and said substrate; etching back said first layer to expose said substrate; forming a second layer over said pattern, said first layer and said substrate; etching back said second layer to expose said pattern and said first layer; removing said pattern; forming a third layer over said first layer, said second layer and said substrate; etching back said third layer to expose said substrate; forming a fourth layer over said first layer, said second layer, said third layer and said substrate, wherein the material of said fourth layer is the same with the material of said first layer; etching back said fourth layer to expose said first layer, said second layer and said third layer; and removing said second layer and said third layer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 8 , wherein said dielectric layer comprises an oxide layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 8 , wherein said dielectric layer comprises a silicon nitride layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 8 , wherein said first layer and said fourth layer comprise polysilicon layers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method according to claim 8 , wherein the thicknesses of said first layer, said second layer, said third layer and said fourth layer are preferably about ⅓ the pitch of two adjacent said equidistance lines.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
248 words
A method for pitch reduction, said method comprising: providing a substrate having a pattern of a layer thereon, wherein said pattern comprises a plurality of equidistance lines and the width of each said equidistance line equals to the pitch of two adjacent said equidistance lines; forming a first layer over said pattern and said substrate, wherein the thickness of said first layer is about ⅓ the pitch of two adjacent said equidistance lines; etching back said first layer to expose said substrate; forming a second layer over said pattern, said first layer and said substrate, wherein the thickness of said second layer is about ⅓ the pitch of two adjacent said equidistance lines; etching back said second layer to expose said pattern and said first layer; removing said pattern; forming a third layer over said first layer, said second layer and said substrate, wherein the thickness of said third layer is about ⅓ the pitch of two adjacent said equidistance lines; etching back said third layer to expose said substrate; forming a fourth layer over said first layer, said second layer, said third layer and said substrate, wherein the material of said fourth layer is the same with the material of said first layer and the thickness of said fourth layer is about ⅓ the pitch of two adjacent said equidistance lines; etching back said fourth layer to expose said first layer, said second layer and said third layer; and removing said second layer and said third layer.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
248 words
A method for pitch reduction, said method comprising: providing a substrate having a pattern of a layer thereon, wherein said pattern comprises a plurality of equidistance lines and the width of each said equidistance line equals to the pitch of two adjacent said equidistance lines; forming a first layer over said pattern and said substrate, wherein the thickness of said first layer is about ⅓ the pitch of two adjacent said equidistance lines; etching back said first layer to expose said substrate; forming a second layer over said pattern, said first layer and said substrate, wherein the thickness of said second layer is about ⅓ the pitch of two adjacent said equidistance lines; etching back said second layer to expose said pattern and said first layer; removing said pattern; forming a third layer over said first layer, said second layer and said substrate, wherein the thickness of said third layer is about ⅓ the pitch of two adjacent said equidistance lines; etching back said third layer to expose said substrate; forming a fourth layer over said first layer, said second layer, said third layer and said substrate, wherein the material of said fourth layer is the same with the material of said first layer and the thickness of said fourth layer is about ⅓ the pitch of two adjacent said equidistance lines; etching back said fourth layer to expose said first layer, said second layer and said third layer; and removing said second layer and said third layer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method according to claim 13 , wherein said layer is a photoresist layer, said first layer and said fourth layer are oxide layers, and said second layer and said third layer are non-photosensitive polymer layers.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method according to claim 13 , wherein said layer is a photoresist layer, said first layer and said fourth layer are silicon nitride layers, and said second layer and said third layer are non-photosensitive polymer layers.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method according to claim 13 , wherein said layer is an oxide layer, said first layer and said fourth layer are polysilicon layers, said second layer and said third layer are silicon nitride layers.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method according to claim 13 , wherein said layer is an oxide layer, said first layer and said fourth layer are polysilicon layers, said second layer is a silicon nitride layer, and said third layer is an oxide layers.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method according to claim 13 , wherein said layer is a silicon nitride layer, said first layer and said fourth layer are polysilicon layers, said second layer and said third layer are oxide layers.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method according to claim 13 , wherein said layer is a silicon nitride layer, said first layer and said fourth layer are polysilicon layers, said second layer is an oxide layer, and said third layer is a silicon nitride layer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 13 , wherein said first layer and said fourth layer are metal layers.
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