Abstract: A method of patterning a feature in a substrate to reduce edge roughness comprises forming a resist layer overlying a substrate, exposing the resist layer to create an image of a feature, and developing the exposed resist layer to leave a portion of the resist layer that creates the image of the feature. The method then includes treating the exposed resist layer with a plasma to cure the portion of the resist layer creating the feature image. The plasma treatment has an ion bombardment level insufficient to substantially etch the underlying substrate. The method then includes etching the underlying substrate to create the feature.

Abstract: A method for forming a metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) includes patterning a fin area, a source region, and a drain region on a substrate, forming a fin in the fin area, and forming a mask in the fin area. The method further includes etching the mask to expose a channel area of the MOSFET, etching the fin to thin a width of the fin in the channel area, forming a gate over the fin, and forming contacts to the gate, the source region, and the drain region.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device may include forming a fin structure on an insulator and depositing a gate material over the fin structure. The method may also include depositing an organic anti-reflective coating on the gate material and forming a gate mask on the organic anti-reflective coating. The organic anti-reflective coating around the gate mask may be removed, and the gate material around the gate mask may be removed to define a gate.

Abstract: According to one exemplary embodiment, a method for reducing resist height erosion in a gate etch process comprises a step of forming a first resist mask on an anti-reflective coating layer situated over a substrate, where the first resist mask has a first width. The anti-reflective coating layer may be, for example, an organic material. The method further comprises a step of trimming the first resist mask to form a second resist mask, where the second resist mask has a second width, and where the second width is less than the first width. The step of trimming the first resist mask may further comprise, for example, etching the anti-reflective coating layer. According to this exemplary embodiment, the method further comprises a step of performing an HBr plasma treatment on the second resist mask, wherein the HBr plasma treatment causes a vertical etch rate of the second resist mask to decrease.

Abstract: A double-semiconductor device includes a substrate, an insulating layer, a fin and a gate. The insulating layer is formed on the substrate and the fin is formed on the insulating layer. The fin has a number of side surfaces, a top surface and a bottom surface. The gate is formed on the insulating layer and surrounds the top surface, bottom surface and the side surfaces of the fin in the channel region of the semiconductor device. Surrounding the fin with gate material results in an increased total channel width and more flexible device adjustment margins.

Abstract: In the formation of a semiconductor device, one or more hardmasks are formed during a process for patterning a device feature. One or more of the hardmasks is subjected to an isotropic etch to trim the hardmask prior to patterning an underlying layer. The trimmed hardmask layer is preferably an amorphous carbon layer.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a method for pre-treating and etching a dielectric layer in a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: (A) pre-treating one or more exposed portions of a dielectric layer with a plasma in a plasma etching tool to increase removal rate of the one or more exposed portions upon etching; and (B) removing the one or more exposed portions of the dielectric layer in the same plasma etching tool of step (A) via plasma etching.

Abstract: A method for forming a metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) includes patterning a fin area, a source region, and a drain region on a substrate, forming a fin in the fin area, and forming a mask in the fin area. The method further includes etching the mask to expose a channel area of the MOSFET, etching the fin to thin a width of the fin in the channel area, forming a gate over the fin, and forming contacts to the gate, the source region, and the drain region.

Abstract: A bottom anti-reflective coating comprising an organic polymer layer having substantially no nitrogen and a low compressive stress in relation to a polysilicon layer is employed as the lower layer of a bi-layer antireflective coating/hardmask structure to reduce deformation of a pattern to be formed in a patternable layer. The organic polymer layer is substantially transparent to visible radiation, enabling better detection of alignment marks during a semiconductor device fabrication process and improving overlay accuracy. The organic polymer layer provides excellent step coverage and may be advantageously used in the fabrication of structures such as FinFETs.

Abstract: To reduce the width of a MOSFET gate, the gate is formed with a hardmask formed thereupon. An isotropic etch is then performed to trim the gate in order to reduce the width of the gate. The resulting gate may be formed with a width that is narrower than a minimum width achievable solely through conventional projection lithography techniques.

Abstract: A method of forming a fin for a fin field effect transistor (FinFET) includes defining a trench in a layer of first material, where a width of an opening of the trench is substantially smaller than a thickness of the layer. The method further includes growing a second material in the trench to form the fin and removing the layer of first material.

Abstract: A process for forming a transistor having a gate width of less than 70 nm is disclosed herein. The process includes E-beam irradiation a gate patterned on a photoresist layer, trimming the gate patterned on the photoresist layer, and etching the gate patterned on the photoresist layer to a polysilicon layer disposed below the photoresist layer.

Abstract: A process for forming a transistor having a gate width of less than 70 nm is disclosed herein. The process includes E-beam irradiation a gate patterned on a photoresist layer, trimming the gate patterned on the photoresist layer, and etching the gate patterned on the photoresist layer to a polysilicon layer disposed below the photoresist layer.

Abstract: A layer of material is patterned anisotropically using a bi-layer hardmask structure. Residual photoresist from a photoresist mask used to pattern an upper layer of the bi-layer hardmask is removed prior to patterning of the polysilicon layer. Passivation agents are later introduced from an external source during patterning of the layer of material. This provides a substantially uniform supply of passivation agents to all parts of the layer of material as it is being etched, rather than relying on the generation of passivation agents from consumption of photoresist during etching, which can produce local non-uniformities of passivation agent availability owing to differences in photoresist thickness remaining on different sized features.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of small geometry gate formation on the surface of a high-K gate dielectric. The method provides for processing steps that include gate pattern trimming, gate stack etch, and removal of exposed regions of the high-K dielectric to be performed efficiently in a single etch chamber. As such, process complexity and processing costs are reduced while throughput and overall process efficiency is improved. The method includes fabricating a high-K gate dielectric etch stop dielectric layer on the surface of a silicon substrate to protect the silicon substrate from erosion during an etch step and to prove a gate dielectric. A polysilicon layer is fabricated above the high-K dielectric layer. An anti-reflective coating layer above the polysilicon layer, and a mask is fabricated above the anti-reflective coating layer to define a gate region and an erosion region.

Abstract: A method of forming a gate for a Fin Field Effect Transistor (FinFET) is provided. The method includes forming a first layer of material over a fin and forming a second layer over the first layer. The second layer includes either Ti or TiN. The method further includes forming a third layer over the second layer. The third layer includes an anti-reflective coating. The method also includes etching the first, second and third layers to form the gate for the FinFET.

Abstract: A method for forming a fin structure on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer that includes a silicon layer on an insulating layer that is formed over a semiconductor substrate includes etching the silicon layer using a first etch procedure, etching, following the first etch procedure, the silicon layer using a second etch procedure, and etching, following the second etch procedure, the silicon layer using a third etch procedure to form a T-shaped fin structure.

Abstract: A method for an integrated circuit includes the use of an amorphous carbon ARC mask. A layer of amorphous carbon material is deposited above a layer of conductive material, and a layer of anti-reflective coating (ARC) material is deposited over the layer of amorphous carbon material. The layer of amorphous carbon material and the layer of ARC material are etched to form a mask comprising an ARC material portion and an amorphous carbon portion. A feature may then be formed in the layer of conductive material by etching the layer of conductive material in accordance with the mask.

Abstract: A silicon oxide stress relief portion is provided between an amorphous carbon hardmask and a polysilicon layer to be etched to form a gate line. The stress relief portion relieves stress between the hardmask and the polysilicon, thereby reducing the risk of delamination of the hardmask prior to patterning of the polysilicon. The stress relief portion may be trimmed prior to patterning and used as an etch mask for patterning the polysilicon. The amorphous carbon hardmasked may be trimmed prior to patterning the stress relief portion to achieve a further reduction in gate line width.

Abstract: A hardmask stack is comprised of alternating layers of doped amorphous carbon and undoped amorphous carbon. The undoped amorphous carbon layers serve as buffer layers that constrain the effects of compressive stress within the doped amorphous carbon layers to prevent delamination. The stack is provided with a top capping layer. The layer beneath the capping layer is preferably undoped amorphous carbon to reduce photoresist poisoning. An alternative hardmask stack is comprised of alternating layers of capping material and amorphous carbon. The amorphous carbon layers may be doped or undoped. The capping material layers serve as buffer layers that constrain the effects of compressive stress within the amorphous carbon layers to prevent delamination. The top layer of the stack is formed of a capping material. The layer beneath the top layer is preferably undoped amorphous carbon to reduce photoresist poisoning.