Spacer assisted pitch division lithography
US8860184B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 29, 2011 |
| Grant date | Oct 14, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 29, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S438/942
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Spacer-based pitch division lithography techniques are disclosed that realize pitches with both variable line widths and variable space widths, using a single spacer deposition. The resulting feature pitches can be at or below the resolution limit of the exposure system being used, but they need not be, and may be further reduced (e.g., halved) as many times as desired with subsequent spacer formation and pattern transfer processes as described herein. Such spacer-based pitch division techniques can be used, for instance, to define narrow conductive runs, metal gates and other such small features at a pitch smaller than the original backbone pattern.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.