A method for fabricating semiconductor devices which are protected from pattern contamination.

摘要

A method for preventing a contamination caused by residues of etched off patterns by photolithographic etching. A considerable part of small contamination spots on semiconductor chip is found to be caused by tiny residues of etched off patterns. These residues are found especially around the periphery of device area and mark patterns when their outside are etched off. The occurrence of such residues of etching is enhanced by anisotropic etching. These residues are dropped off by succeeding process of the pattern making, and disperse over the substrate causing a small contamination spots. To avoid the bad effects of the etching residues, the edges of the mark patterns and device areas are covered with an edge cover which is formed in a step following to the pattern etching process.