A method for reducing wiggling in a line includes forming a silicon patterning layer over a substrate and depositing a mask layer over the silicon patterning layer. The mask layer is patterned to form one or more openings therein. The mask layer is thinned and the one or more openings are widened, to provide a smaller height-to-width ratio. The pattern of the mask layer is then used to pattern the silicon patterning layer. The silicon patterning layer is used, in turn, to pattern a target layer where a metal line will be formed.

A method of processing a power semiconductor device includes: providing a semiconductor body with a drift region of a first conductivity type; forming a plurality of trenches extending into the semiconductor body along a vertical direction and arranged adjacent to each other along a first lateral direction; providing a mask arrangement at the semiconductor body, the mask arrangement having a lateral structure according to which some of the trenches are exposed and at least one of the trenches is covered by the mask arrangement along the first lateral direction; forming, below bottoms of the exposed trenches, a plurality of doping regions of a second conductivity type complementary to the first conductivity type; removing the mask arrangement; and extending the plurality of doping regions in parallel to the first lateral direction such that the plurality of doping regions overlap and form a barrier region of the second conductivity type adjacent to the bottoms of the exposed trenches.

Vacuum-integrated photoresist-less methods and apparatuses for forming metal hardmasks can provide sub-30 nm patterning resolution. A metal-containing (e.g., metal salt or organometallic compound) film that is sensitive to a patterning agent is deposited on a semiconductor substrate. The metal-containing film is then patterned directly (i.e., without the use of a photoresist) by exposure to the patterning agent in a vacuum ambient to form the metal mask. For example, the metal-containing film is photosensitive and the patterning is conducted using sub-30 nm wavelength optical lithography, such as EUV lithography.

A method for forming conductive lines comprises forming a hardmask on an insulator layer, a planarizing layer on the hardmask, and a hardmask on the planarizing layer, removing exposed portions of a layer of sacrificial mandrel material to form first and second sacrificial mandrels on the hardmask, and depositing a layer of spacer material in the gap, and over exposed portions of the first and second sacrificial mandrels and the hardmask. Portions of the layer of spacer material are removed to expose the first and second sacrificial mandrels. A filler material is deposited between the first and second sacrificial mandrels. A portion of the filler material is removed to expose the first and second sacrificial mandrels. Portions of the layer of spacer material are removed to expose portions of the hardmask. A trench is formed in the insulator layer, and the trench is filled with a conductive material.

A method embodiment for patterning a semiconductor device includes patterning a dummy layer over a hard mask to form one or more dummy lines. A sidewall aligned spacer is conformably formed over the one or more dummy lines and the hard mask. A first reverse material layer is formed over the sidewall aligned spacer. A first photoresist is formed and patterned over the first reverse material layer. The first reverse material layer using the first photoresist as a mask, wherein the sidewall aligned spacer is not etched. The one or more dummy lines are removed, and the hard mask is patterned using the sidewall aligned spacer and the first reverse material layer as a mask. A material used for forming the sidewall aligned spacer has a higher selectivity than a material used for forming the first reverse material layer.

A method of forming conductive lines in a circuit is disclosed. The method includes arranging a plurality of signal traces in a first set of signal traces and a second set of signal traces, fabricating, using a first mask, a first conductive line for a first signal trace of the first set of signal traces and fabricating, using a second mask, a second conductive line for a second signal trace of the second set of signal traces. Each signal trace of the first set of signal traces has a first width. Each signal trace of the second set of signal traces has a second width different from the first width. The arranging is based on at least a length of a signal trace of the plurality of signal traces.

A method that provides patterning of an underlying layer to form a first set of trenches and a second set of trenches in the underlying layer is based on a combination of two litho-etch (LE) patterning processes supplemented with a spacer-assisted (SA) technique. The method uses a layer stack comprising three memorization layers: an upper memorization layer allowing first memorizing upper trenches, and then one or more upper blocks; an intermediate memorization layer allowing first memorizing intermediate trenches and one or more first intermediate blocks, and then second intermediate blocks and intermediate lines; and a lower memorization layer allowing first memorizing first lower trenches and one or more first lower blocks, and then second lower trenches and one or more second lower blocks.

Semiconductor devices are provided. The semiconductor devices may include a first wire pattern extending in a first direction on a substrate and a second wire pattern on the first wire pattern. The second wire pattern may be spaced apart from the first wire pattern and extends in the first direction. The semiconductor devices may also include a first gate structure at least partially surrounding the first wire pattern and the second wire pattern, a second gate structure spaced apart from the first gate structure in the first direction, a first source/drain region between the first gate structure and the second gate structure, a first spacer between a bottom surface of the first source/drain region and the substrate, a first source/drain contact on the first source/drain region, and a second spacer between the first source/drain contact and the first gate structure.

A method of forming a mask layout includes forming a layout of a first mask including a lower wiring structure pattern and a dummy lower wiring structure pattern. A layout of a second mask overlapping the first mask and including an upper wiring structure pattern and a dummy upper wiring structure pattern is formed. A layout of a third mask including a first via structure pattern and a first dummy via structure pattern is formed. A layout of a fourth mask including a second via structure pattern and a second dummy via structure pattern is formed. The second via structure pattern may commonly overlap the lower wiring structure pattern and the upper wiring structure pattern, and the second dummy via structure pattern may commonly overlap the dummy lower wiring structure pattern and the dummy upper wiring structure pattern. The fourth mask may overlap the third mask.

Devices and methods of fabricating integrated circuit devices with reduced cell height are provided. One method includes, for instance: obtaining an intermediate semiconductor device having a substrate including a logic area and an SRAM area, a fin material layer, and a hardmask layer; depositing a mandrel over the logic area; depositing a sacrificial spacer layer; etching the sacrificial spacer layer to define a sacrificial set of vertical spacers; etching the hardmask layer; leaving a set of vertical hardmask spacers; depositing a first spacer layer; etching the first spacer layer to define a first set of vertical spacers over the logic area; depositing an SOH layer; etching an opening in the SOH layer over the SRAM area; depositing a second spacer layer; and etching the second spacer layer to define a second set of spacers over the SRAM area.