Abstract: A patterning method is disclosed. A substrate having a hard mask layer and a first material layer formed thereon is provided. The first material layer is patterned into first array patterns and first peripheral patterns. The first array patterns are further transferred into first spacer patterns. Subsequently, a planarization layer and a second material layer are successively formed on the substrate. The second material layer is patterned into second array patterns and second peripheral patterns. The second array patterns are further transferred into second spacer patterns. The second spacer patterns partially overlap the first spacer patterns. The second peripheral patterns do not overlap the first peripheral pattern. The first spacer patterns not overlapped by the second spacer patterns are removed to obtain third array patterns. The hard mask layer is then etched using the third array patterns, the second peripheral patterns and the first peripheral patterns as an etching mask.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure is disclosed. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate having a scribe line region. A material layer is formed on the scribe line region and has a rectangular region defined therein. The rectangular region has a pair of first edges parallel with a widthwise direction of the scribe line region and a pair of second edges parallel with a lengthwise direction of the scribe line region. A pair of first alignment features is formed in the material layer along the first edges, and a pair of second alignment features is formed in the material layer along the second edges. The space between the pair of first alignment features is larger than a space between the pair of the second alignment features.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an STI trench includes providing a substrate. Later, a first mask is formed to cover the substrate. The first mask includes numerous sub-masks. A first trench is disposed between each sub-mask. Subsequently, a protective layer is formed to fill up the first trench. Then, a second mask is formed to cover the first mask. The second mask includes an opening. The sub-mask directly disposed under the opening is defined as a joint STI pattern. After that, the joint STI pattern is removed to transform the first mask into a third mask. Later, the second mask is removed followed by removing the protective layer. Finally, part of the substrate is removed by taking the third mask as a mask to form numerous STI trenches.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and method of forming the same, the semiconductor device includes bit lines, a transistor, a dielectric layer, plugs and a capping layer. The bit lines are disposed on a substrate within a cell region thereof, and the transistor is disposed on the substrate within a periphery region. The plugs are disposed in the dielectric layer, within the cell region and the periphery region respectively. The capping layer is disposed on the dielectric layer, and the capping layer disposed within the periphery region is between those plugs. That is, a portion of the dielectric layer is therefore between the capping layer and the transistor.

Abstract: A patterning method is disclosed. A hard mask layer, a lower pattern transfer layer, an upper pattern transfer layer are formed on a target layer. A first SARP process is performed to pattern the upper pattern transfer layer into an upper pattern mask. A second SARP process is performed to pattern the lower pattern transfer layer into a lower pattern mask. The upper pattern mask and the lower pattern mask define hole patterns. The hole patterns is filled with a dielectric layer. The dielectric layer and the upper pattern mask are etched back until the lower pattern mask is exposed. The lower pattern mask is removed, thereby forming island patterns. Using the island patterns as an etching hard mask, the hard mask layer is patterned into hard mask patterns. Using the hard mask patterns as an etching hard mask, the target layer is patterned into target patterns.

Abstract: A method of forming semiconductor memory device includes the following steps. Firstly, a substrate is provided and the substrate includes a cell region. Then, plural bit lines are disposed within the cell region along a first direction, with each of the bit line includes a tri-layered spacer structure disposed at two sides thereof. Next, plural of first plugs are formed within the cell region, with the first plugs being disposed at two sides of each bit lines. Furthermore, plural conductive patterns are formed in alignment with each first plugs. Following theses, a chemical reaction process is performed to modify the material of a middle layer of the tri-layered spacer structure, and a heat treatment process is performed then to remove the modified middle layer, thereto form an air gap layer within the tri-layered spacer structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate having a trench isolation region formed therein. A conductive gate electrode is buried in the trench isolation region. An air gap is disposed between the conductive gate electrode and the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A method of forming a patterned structure is provided in the present invention. A hard mask layer is formed on a material layer before a first etching process and a second etching process for forming a first opening and a second opening partially overlapping with each other in the hard mask layer. The hard mask layer having the first opening and the second opening is then used in a third etching process performed to the material layer. A fourth etching process is performed to the hard mask layer and a dielectric layer disposed under the material layer after the third etching process. The material of the hard mask layer is identical to the material of the dielectric layer, and the fourth etching process may be used to remove the hard mask layer and form a trench in the dielectric layer accordingly.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of forming a semiconductor device. First, providing a substrate, and an STI is forming in the substrate to define a plurality of active regions. Then a first etching process is performed to form a bit line contact opening, which is corresponding to one of the active regions. A second etching process is performed to remove a part of the active region and its adjacent STI so a top surface of active region is higher than a top surface of the STI. Next, a bit line contact is formed in the opening. The present invention further provides a semiconductor structure.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes the following steps. First of all, a material layer is formed on a substrate, and a sidewall image transferring process is performed to form plural first mask patterns on the material layer, with the first mask patterns parallel extended along a first direction. Next, a pattern splitting process is performed to remove a portion of the first mask patterns to form plural second openings, with the second openings parallel extended along a second direction, across the first mask patterns. Then, the material layer is patterned by using rest portions of the first mask patterns as a mask to form plural patterns arranged in an array.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a patterning method. By taking advantage of the etching loading effect due to different pattern densities in the memory cell region and the peripheral region, the first hard mask is not masked when anisotropically etching the first hard mask within the memory cell region.

Abstract: A method for fabricating semiconductor device includes the steps of: forming a first trench in a substrate; forming a first shallow trench isolation (STI) in the first trench; forming a first patterned mask on the substrate; and using the first patterned mask to remove part of the first STI for forming a second trench and remove part of the substrate for forming a third trench. Preferably, a bottom surface of the third trench is lower than a bottom surface of the second trench.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes the following steps. First, a contact structure is formed in the insulating layer. Preferably, the contact structure includes a bottom portion in part of the insulating layer and a top portion on part of the bottom portion and extending to cover part of the insulating layer. Next, a dielectric layer is formed on the bottom portion and the top portion, part of the dielectric layer is removed to form a first opening exposing part of the top portion and part of the bottom portion, and a capacitor is formed in the first opening and contacting the pad portion and the contact portion directly.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the same are provided. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate and at least a gate trench extending along a first direction formed in the substrate. A gate dielectric layer is formed conformally covering the gate trench. A gate metal is formed on the gate dielectric layer and filling the gate trench. A plurality of intervening structures are arranged along the first direction in a lower portion of the gate trench and disposed between the gate metal and the gate dielectric layer.

Abstract: A method of improving micro-loading effect when recess etching a tungsten layer. A substrate having trenches thereon is provided. A tungsten layer is deposited on the substrate and in the trenches. A planarization process is performed to form a planarization layer on the tungsten layer. A first etching process is performed to etch the planarization layer and the tungsten layer with an etch selectivity of planarization layer:tungsten layer=1:1 until the planarization layer is completely removed. A second etching process is performed to etch the remainder of the tungsten layer to recess the tungsten layer within the trenches.

Abstract: A method for fabricating semiconductor device includes the steps of: providing a substrate having a cell region and a peripheral region; forming a bit line structure on the cell region and a gate structure on the peripheral region; forming an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer around the bit line structure and the gate structure; forming a conductive layer on the bit line structure; performing a first photo-etching process to remove part of the conductive layer for forming storage contacts adjacent two sides of the bit line structure and contact plugs adjacent to two sides of the gate structure; forming a first cap layer on the cell region and the peripheral region to cover the bit line structure and the gate structure; and performing a second photo-etching process to remove part of the first cap layer on the cell region.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes the following steps. First, a contact structure is formed in the insulating layer. Preferably, the contact structure includes a bottom portion in part of the insulating layer and a top portion on part of the bottom portion and extending to cover part of the insulating layer. Next, a dielectric layer is formed on the bottom portion and the top portion, part of the dielectric layer is removed to form a first opening exposing part of the top portion and part of the bottom portion, and a capacitor is formed in the first opening and contacting the pad portion and the contact portion directly.

Abstract: A method for fabricating semiconductor device includes the steps of: providing a material layer having a contact pad therein; forming a dielectric layer on the material layer and the contact pad; forming a doped oxide layer on the dielectric layer; forming an oxide layer on the doped oxide layer; performing a first etching process to remove part of the oxide layer, part of the doped oxide layer, and part of the dielectric layer to form a first contact hole; performing a second etching process to remove part of the doped oxide layer to form a second contact hole; and forming a conductive layer in the second contact hole to form a contact plug.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of fabricating a semiconductor structure. Firstly, a substrate is provided, a dense region and an isolation region are defined, next, a first dielectric layer is formed on the dense region and the isolation region, and then a plurality of first recesses are formed in the first dielectric layer within the dense region, and a second recess is formed in the first dielectric layer within the isolation region, wherein the width of the second recess is greater than three times of the width of each first recess. Afterwards, a second dielectric layer is then filled in each first recess and the second recess, wherein a top surface of the second dielectric layer within the isolation region is higher than a top surface of the second dielectric layer within the dense region. Next, an etching back process is performed, to remove the second dielectric layer.

Abstract: A method of improving micro-loading effect when recess etching a tungsten layer. A substrate having trenches thereon is provided. A tungsten layer is deposited on the substrate and in the trenches. A planarization process is performed to form a planarization layer on the tungsten layer. A first etching process is performed to etch the planarization layer and the tungsten layer with an etch selectivity of planarization layer:tungsten layer=1:1 until the planarization layer is completely removed. A second etching process is performed to etch the remainder of the tungsten layer to recess the tungsten layer within the trenches.