Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Chung-Li Huang

Yi-Hung Lin

Shyh-Shin Ferng

Chi-Che Tseng

Chen-Yuan Wang

Chungwei Wang

Wilson Hsieh

A method includes forming a test key. The formation of the test key includes forming a first plurality of semiconductor strips, and cutting the first plurality of semiconductor strips into an array of a second plurality semiconductor strips, with each row of the array being formed from one strip in the first plurality of semiconductor strips, forming isolation regions in recesses between the second plurality of semiconductor strips, and recessing the isolation regions. The top portions of the second plurality of semiconductor strips protrude higher than the isolation regions form semiconductor fins, which form a fin array. An X-ray beam is projected on the test key. A diffraction pattern is obtained from scattered X-ray beam scattered from the test key.

Test key design to enable X-ray scatterometry measurement

An IC manufacturing method includes forming first mandrels and second mandrels over a substrate; and forming first spacers on sidewalls of the first mandrels and second spacers on sidewalls of the second mandrels. Each of the first and second spacers has a loop structure with two curvy portions connected by two lines. The method further includes removing the first and second mandrels; and removing the curvy portions from each of the first spacers without removing the curvy portions from the second spacers. The second spacers are used for monitoring variations of the IC fabrication processes.

Method and structure for mandrel and spacer patterning

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Hsinchu, Taiwan

Chung-Li Huang