Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company, ltd. (20240178002). METHOD OF FABRICATING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE WITH REDUCED TRENCH DISTORTIONS simplified abstract

METHOD OF FABRICATING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE WITH REDUCED TRENCH DISTORTIONS

Organization Name

taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company, ltd.

Inventor(s)

Yung-Sung Yen of New Taipei City (TW)

Chung-Ju Lee of Hsinchu City (TW)

Chun-Kuang Chen of Hsinchu County (TW)

Chia-Tien Wu of Taichung City (TW)

Ta-Ching Yu of Hsinchu County (TW)

Kuei-Shun Chen of Hsinchu City (TW)

Ru-Gun Liu of Hsinchu County (TW)

Shau-Lin Shue of Hsinchu (TW)

Tsai-Sheng Gau of HsinChu City (TW)

Yung-Hsu Wu of Taipei City (TW)

METHOD OF FABRICATING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE WITH REDUCED TRENCH DISTORTIONS - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 20240178002 titled 'METHOD OF FABRICATING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE WITH REDUCED TRENCH DISTORTIONS

Simplified Explanation

The method described in the abstract involves a process of forming trenches in a material layer using hard masks and spacers to guide the etching process. This allows for precise patterning of the material layer.

• Formation of material layer over substrate
• Formation of first hard mask layer over material layer
• Formation of first trench in first hard mask layer
• Formation of first spacers along sidewalls of first trench
• Formation of second trench parallel to first trench using first spacers
• Etching of material layer through first and second trenches
• Removal of first hard mask layer and first spacers
• Formation of second hard mask layer over material layer
• Formation of third trench in second hard mask layer
• Etching of material layer through third trench

Potential Applications

This technology can be applied in semiconductor manufacturing processes for creating intricate patterns on material layers.

Problems Solved

This technology solves the problem of accurately etching trenches in material layers without causing damage or imprecisions.

Benefits

The benefits of this technology include improved precision in patterning material layers, leading to higher quality semiconductor devices.

Potential Commercial Applications

One potential commercial application of this technology is in the production of advanced microchips and electronic devices.

Possible Prior Art

Prior art may include similar methods for patterning material layers in semiconductor manufacturing processes.

How does this method compare to traditional etching techniques in terms of efficiency and accuracy?

This article does not provide a direct comparison between this method and traditional etching techniques. Further research or experimentation may be needed to determine the advantages of this method over traditional techniques.

What are the limitations of using spacers to guide the etching process in creating trenches?

The article does not discuss any potential limitations or challenges that may arise when using spacers to guide the etching process. Additional studies or testing may be required to identify and address any limitations in this method.

Original Abstract Submitted

a method includes forming a material layer over a substrate, forming a first hard mask (hm) layer over the material layer, forming a first trench, along a first direction, in the first hm layer. the method also includes forming first spacers along sidewalls of the first trench, forming a second trench in the first hm layer parallel to the first trench, by using the first spacers to guard the first trench. the method also includes etching the material layer through the first trench and the second trench, removing the first hm layer and the first spacers, forming a second hm layer over the material layer, forming a third trench in the second hm layer. the third trench extends along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction and overlaps with the first trench. the method also includes etching the material layer through the third trench.