摘要 |
Disclosed is an imaging method for patterning component shapes (e.g., fins, gate electrodes, etc.) into a substrate. By conducting a trim step prior to performing either an additive or subtractive sidewall image transfer process, the method avoids the formation of a loop pattern in a hard mask and, thus, avoids a post-SIT process trim step requiring alignment of a trim mask to sub-lithographic features to form a hard mask pattern with the discrete segments. In one embodiment a hard mask is trimmed prior to conducting an additive SIT process so that a loop pattern is not formed. In another embodiment an oxide layer and memory layer that are used to form a mandrel are trimmed prior to the conducting a subtractive SIT process. A mask is then used to protect portions of the mandrel during etch back of the oxide layer so that a loop pattern is not formed.
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