US 11,894,238 B2
Method of fabricating semiconductor device with reduced trench distortions
Yung-Sung Yen, New Taipei (TW); Chung-Ju Lee, Hsinchu (TW); Chun-Kuang Chen, Hsinchu County (TW); Chia-Tien Wu, Taichung (TW); Ta-Ching Yu, Hsinchu County (TW); Kuei-Shun Chen, Hsinchu (TW); Ru-Gun Liu, Hsinchu County (TW); Shau-Lin Shue, Hsinchu (TW); Tsai-Sheng Gau, HsinChu (TW); and Yung-Hsu Wu, Taipei (TW)
Assigned to TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Hsin-Chu (TW)
Filed on Jul. 11, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/861,586.
Application 16/229,339 is a division of application No. 15/237,898, filed on Aug. 16, 2016, granted, now 10,163,654, issued on Dec. 25, 2018.
Application 17/861,586 is a continuation of application No. 17/080,248, filed on Oct. 26, 2020, granted, now 11,387,113.
Application 17/080,248 is a continuation of application No. 16/229,339, filed on Dec. 21, 2018, granted, now 10,818,509, issued on Oct. 27, 2020.
Application 15/237,898 is a continuation of application No. 14/657,763, filed on Mar. 13, 2015, granted, now 9,418,868, issued on Aug. 16, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2022/0344170 A1, Oct. 27, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H01L 21/311 (2006.01); H01L 21/033 (2006.01); H01L 21/3213 (2006.01); H01L 21/768 (2006.01); H01L 21/8234 (2006.01); H01L 21/8238 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/31144 (2013.01) [H01L 21/0337 (2013.01); H01L 21/32139 (2013.01); H01L 21/76816 (2013.01); H01L 21/0332 (2013.01); H01L 21/0338 (2013.01); H01L 21/823481 (2013.01); H01L 21/823878 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
forming a first material layer over a substrate;
forming a second material layer over the first material layer;
forming a first trench in the second material layer, wherein the first trench extends along a first direction;
forming a first spacer layer in the first trench;
after forming the first spacer layer in the trench, forming a second trench in the second material layer;
removing a first portion of the first material layer to extend the first trench into the first material layer and removing a second portion of the first material layer to extend the second trench into the first material layer thereby forming a patterned first material layer;
forming a third material layer over the patterned first material layer;
forming a third trench extending through the third material layer to thereby form a patterned third material layer, wherein the third trench extends along a second direction that is different than the first direction, wherein the third trench overlaps the extended first trench; and
removing a third portion of the patterned first material layer through the third trench.