Single fin cut employing angled processing methods

US8906807B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• Marc A. Bergendahl · Troy, US
• David V. Horak · South Burlington, US
• Charles W. Koburger, III · Delmar, US
• Shom Ponoth · Irvine, US
• Chih-Chao Yang · Glenmont, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 10, 2012
• Grant date: Dec 9, 2014
• Expiry date: Jun 6, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10D86/215
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Fin-defining spacers are formed on an array of mandrel structure. Mask material portions can be directionally deposited on fin-defining spacers located on one side of each mandrel structure, while not deposited on the other side. A photoresist layer is subsequently applied and patterned to form an opening, of which the overlay tolerance increases by a pitch of fin-defining spacers due to the mask material portions. Alternately, a conformal silicon oxide layer can be deposited on fin-defining spacers and structure-damaging ion implantation is performed only on fin-defining spacers located on one side of each mandrel structure. A photoresist layer is subsequently applied and patterned to form an opening, from which a damaged silicon oxide portion and an underlying fin-defining spacer are removed, while undamaged silicon oxide portions are not removed. An array of semiconductor fins including a vacancy can be formed by transferring the pattern into a semiconductor layer.