Methods and apparatus for etching photo-resist material through multiple exposures of the photo-resist material

摘要

A method including: forming a dielectric layer over a substrate of a microelectronic device; forming a photoresist layer over the dielectric layer; performing a first exposure of the photoresist layer to permit portions of the dielectric layer to be removed at a first plurality of locations; subsequent to performing the first exposure, performing a second exposure of the photoresist layer to permit portions of the dielectric layer to be removed at a second plurality of locations different from the first plurality of locations; removing the portions of the dielectric layer at each of i) the first plurality of locations and ii) the second plurality of locations; and etching the dielectric layer at each of i) the first plurality of locations and ii) the second plurality of locations to respectively form a contact hole at each of the i) the first plurality of locations and ii) the second plurality of locations.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
forming a photoresist material over a dielectric layer; exposing a first pattern of the photoresist material to a first energy, wherein the first energy is less than a threshold energy; exposing a second pattern of the photoresist material to a second energy, wherein the second energy is less than the threshold energy, wherein the first energy combined with the second energy have a total energy equal to or greater than the threshold energy, and wherein the second pattern overlaps the first pattern at a plurality of locations; and developing the photoresist material, wherein while developing the photoresist material, the photoresist material at the plurality of locations is removed based on (i) the plurality of locations having been exposed to both the first energy and the second energy and (ii) the first energy combined with the second energy having a total energy equal to or greater than the threshold energy.