Intel Corporation

Brandon Jay Holybee

Florian Gstrein

Eungnak Han

Gurpreet Singh

Xuanxuan Chen

Charles Henry Wallace

Manish Chandhok

Richard E Schenker

Paul Anton Nyhus

Nafees Kabir

Tayseer Mahdi

Nityan Labros Nair

Robert L Bristol

James M Blackwell

Marie Krysak

David N Shykind

Lauren Doyle

Emily Walker

Thomas Christopher Hoff

Gauri Nabar

Described herein are IC devices include tight-pitched patterned metal layers, such as metal gratings, and processes for forming such patterned metal layers. The processes include subtractive metal patterning, where portions of a metal layer are etched and replaced with an insulator to form the metal grating. Masks for etching portions of the metal layer are generated using directed self-assembly (DSA). In some examples, multiple etching steps are performed, e.g., to generate metal lines at a first pitch, and to add additional lines at half of the first pitch. In some examples, additive metal patterning is performed in addition to subtractive metal patterning.

Directed self-assembly enabled subtractive metal patterning

Described herein are IC devices include patterned conductive layers, such as metal gratings and gate layers, and patterned layers formed over the patterned conductive layers using a directed self-assembly (DSA)-enabled process with DSA assisting features. A patterned conductive layer may have non-uniform features, such as large regions of insulator within a metal grating, or varying gate lengths across a gate layer. The DSA assisting features enable the formation of patterned layers, e.g., layers with different hard mask materials replicating the structure of the conductive layer below, even over non-uniform features.

Directed self-assembly enabled patterning over metal layers using assisting features

Disclosed herein are structures and techniques utilizing directed self-assembly for microelectronic device fabrication. For example, a microelectronic structure may include a patterned region including a first conductive line and a second conductive line, wherein the second conductive line is adjacent to the first conductive line; and an unordered region having an unordered lamellar pattern, wherein the unordered region is coplanar with the patterned region.

Directed self-assembly structures and techniques

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Portland, OR, United States of America

Brandon Jay Holybee