Patent · US Active

Dual etch method of defining active area in semiconductor device

US8048764B2 · kind B2 · utility

7Cited by
10References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 30, 2009
Grant dateNov 1, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 6, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/3081
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method of forming a hardmask for defining shallow trench isolation regions in a semiconductor substrate layer includes the steps of: depositing a hardmask layer over the semiconductor substrate layer; depositing and patterning a first photoresist layer over the hardmask layer; etching the hardmask layer after patterning the first photoresist layer to form an interim hardmask layer having at least one line feature; depositing and patterning a second photoresist layer over the interim hardmask layer; and forming a hardmask, the forming step including etching the interim hardmask layer after patterning the second photoresist layer to define a line end of the at least one line feature.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.