Non-lithographic line pattern formation

摘要

A metal layer is deposited over an underlying material layer. The metal layer includes an elemental metal that can be converted into a dielectric metal-containing compound by plasma oxidation and/or nitridation. A hard mask portion is formed over the metal layer. Plasma oxidation or nitridation is performed to convert physically exposed surfaces of the metal layer into the dielectric metal-containing compound. The sequence of a surface pull back of the hard mask portion, trench etching, another surface pull back, and conversion of top surfaces into the dielectric metal-containing compound are repeated to form a line pattern having a spacing that is not limited by lithographic minimum dimensions.

主权项

1. A patterned structure comprising a patterned layer located on an underlying material layer, said patterned layer comprising:
a first stack comprising a first metal portion and a first dielectric metal-containing compound portion contacting a top surface of said first metal portion; a second stack comprising a second metal portion and a second dielectric metal-containing compound portion overlying at least a peripheral portion of said second metal portion, wherein outer sidewalk of said second stack are laterally spaced from inner sidewalk of said first stack by a same distance throughout an entire periphery of said second stack; and a trench located within said patterned layer, wherein said outer sidewalls of said second stack and said inner sidewalls of said first stack are sidewalls of said trench, and wherein said outer sidewalls of said second stack consists of sidewalls of said second dielectric metal-containing compound portion.