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:
Sep. 12, 2006
Filed:
Jul. 14, 2004
Henry Chung, Taipei, TW;
Ming-chung Liang, Hsinchu, TW;
An-chi Wei, Hsinchu, TW;
Shin-yi Tsai, Kaohsiung, TW;
Kuo-liang Wei, Hsinchu, TW;
Henry Chung, Taipei, TW;
Ming-Chung Liang, Hsinchu, TW;
An-Chi Wei, Hsinchu, TW;
Shin-Yi Tsai, Kaohsiung, TW;
Kuo-Liang Wei, Hsinchu, TW;
MACRONIX International Co., Ltd., Hsinchu, TW;
Abstract
A method of reducing pattern pitch is provided. A material layer, a hard mask layer and a patterned photoresist layer are sequentially formed over a substrate. Using the patterned photoresist layer as etching mask, the hard mask layer is etched. Due to the trenching effect, a residual hard mask layer remains in an exposed region exposed by the photoresist layer and micro-trenches are formed at the edges of the residual hard mask layer. Thereafter, using the residual hard mask layer as etching mask to pattern the material layer. Finally, the patterned photoresist layer and the hard mask layer are removed. In the invention, the trenching effect is utilized when etching the hard mask layer. A portion of the hard mask layer remains, and the micro-trenches are formed in the hard mask layer. After the micro-trenches are transferred to the material layer, the pattern pitch can be reduced.