US 11,749,529 B2
Self-aligned double patterning with spacer-merge region
Rasit Onur Topaloglu, Poughkeepsie, NY (US); Kafai Lai, Poughkeepsie, NY (US); Dongbing Shao, Briarcliff Manor, NY (US); and Zheng Xu, Wappingers Falls, NY (US)
Assigned to International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US)
Filed by International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US)
Filed on Feb. 22, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/677,469.
Application 17/677,469 is a division of application No. 16/806,261, filed on Mar. 2, 2020, granted, now 11,302,532.
Prior Publication US 2022/0181154 A1, Jun. 9, 2022
Int. Cl. H01L 21/033 (2006.01); H01L 23/528 (2006.01); H01L 21/768 (2006.01); H01L 21/311 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/0337 (2013.01) [H01L 21/0332 (2013.01); H01L 21/31144 (2013.01); H01L 21/76802 (2013.01); H01L 21/76877 (2013.01); H01L 23/528 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of forming a semiconductor structure, comprising:
forming a dielectric layer;
forming a plurality of mandrel lines over the dielectric layer;
forming a plurality of non-mandrel lines over the dielectric layer between adjacent ones of the plurality of mandrel lines utilizing self-aligned double patterning;
forming at least one spacer-merge region, the at least one spacer-merge region extending from a first portion of a first one of the plurality of mandrel lines to a second portion of a second one of the plurality of mandrel lines in a first direction and covering at least a portion of one or more of the plurality of non-mandrel lines between the first mandrel and the second mandrel in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; and
forming a plurality of trenches in the dielectric layer by transferring a pattern of (i) the plurality of mandrel lines and (ii) portions of the plurality of non-mandrel lines outside the at least one spacer-merge region.