The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 26, 2025
Filed:
Feb. 20, 2020
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Daniel James Dechene, Watervliet, NY (US);
Somnath Ghosh, Clifton Park, NY (US);
Hsueh-Chung Chen, Cohoes, NY (US);
Carl Radens, LaGrangeville, NY (US);
Lawrence A. Clevenger, Saratoga Springs, NY (US);
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A method is presented for employing double-patterning to reduce via-to-via spacing. The method includes forming a mandrel layer over a substrate, forming sacrificial hardmask layers over the mandrel layer defining a litho stack, creating a pattern in the litho stack, the pattern having a narrow section connecting two wider sections to define a substantially hour-glass shape, depositing a spacer assuming a shape of the pattern, and etching the litho stack to expose the mandrel layer and metal lines, wherein the metals lines define sharp distal ends reducing a distance between the metal lines.