Methods for formation of a layer stack during a back-end-of-line (BEOL) process flow and the layer stack formed therefrom are provided. In one or more embodiments, the method utilizes a two-dimensional (2D) self-aligned scheme with a subtractive metal etch. The method includes using a hard mask to form a via with a small width which is formed through or contacts each of a first metal layer and a second metal layer. The via is filled with a metal gapfill to connect the first metal layer and the second metal layer. Each of the first metal layer and the second metal layer are patterned to form a plurality of features.

A substrate treatment method for treating a substrate, includes: applying a coating solution containing an organometallic complex, a solvent, and an additive to the substrate to form a solution film of the coating solution; heating the substrate on which the solution film of the coating solution has been formed, to form an organic constituent-containing metal oxide film being a metal oxide film containing an organic constituent contained in the additive; performing dry etching using the organic constituent-containing metal oxide film as a mask; removing the organic constituent in the organic constituent-containing metal oxide film after the dry etching; and removing, by wet etching, a film obtained by removing the organic constituent from the organic constituent-containing metal oxide film.

A patterning process is performed on a semiconductor wafer coated with a bottom layer, a middle layer and a photoresist layer having a starting thickness. The patterning process includes: performing an exposure step including exposing the semiconductor wafer using a mask that includes a feature which produces an intermediate light exposure in a target area followed by processing that creates openings in the photoresist layer in accordance with the mask and thins the photoresist in the target area due to the intermediate light exposure in the target area leaving thinned photoresist in the target area; performing middle layer etching to form openings in the middle layer aligned with the openings in the photoresist layer, wherein the middle layer etching does not remove the middle layer in the target area due to protection provided by the thinned photoresist; and performing trim etching to trim the middle layer in the target area.

A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the semiconductor structure are provided. The method includes providing a to-be-etched layer; forming an initial mask layer over the to-be-etched layer; forming a patterned structure, on the initial mask layer and exposing a portion of the initial mask layer; forming a barrier layer on a sidewall surface of the patterned structure; using the patterned structure and the barrier layer as a mask, performing an ion doping process on the initial mask layer to form a doped region and an un-doped region between doped regions in the initial mask layer; removing the patterned structure and the barrier layer; and forming a mask layer on a top surface of the to-be-etched layer by removing the un-doped region. The mask layer includes a first opening exposing the top surface of the to-be-etched layer.

The present invention is a material for forming an organic film, the material containing (A) a compound for forming an organic film shown by the following general formula (1A), and (B) an organic solvent. This provides a material for forming an organic film which is not only capable of forming an organic film excellent in planarizing property and film formability even on a substrate to be processed having a portion that makes particularly planarization difficult, such as wide trench structure (wide trench), in a fine patterning process by a multilayer resist method in a semiconductor-device manufacturing process, and which is also capable of withstanding high-temperature heating in forming an inorganic hard mask middle layer film by a CVD method.

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In one embodiment, this hard mask for plasma etching is formed on a silicon-containing film. The hard mask is an amorphous film, and contains tungsten and silicon. The ratio of the concentration of tungsten and the concentration of silicon in the surface of the hard mask can be within the range between a ratio specifying that the concentration of tungsten is 35 at % and the concentration of silicon is 65 at % and a ratio specifying that the concentration of tungsten is 50 at % and the concentration of silicon is 50 at %.

Methods and techniques for deposition of amorphous carbon films on a substrate are provided. In one example, the method includes depositing an amorphous carbon film on an underlayer positioned on a susceptor in a first processing region. The method further includes implanting a dopant or the inert species into the amorphous carbon film in a second processing region. The implant species, energy, dose & temperature in some combination may be used to enhance the hardmask hardness. The method further includes patterning the doped amorphous carbon film. The method further includes etching the underlayer.

Methods of forming a semiconductor device may include: providing a substrate on which a layer is formed; forming a lower hard-mask layer, which includes silicon, on the layer; forming an upper hard-mask pattern, which includes oxide, on the lower hard-mask layer; forming a lower hard-mask pattern by etching the lower hard-mask layer using the upper hard-mask pattern as an etch mask and using an etching gas that includes a metal-chloride-based first gas and a nitride-based second gas; and forming a plurality of contact holes in the layer by etching the material layer using the lower hard-mask pattern as an etch mask.

Embodiments are described herein that apply capping layers to cores prior to spacer formation in self-aligned multiple patterning (SAMP) processes to achieve vertical spacer profiles. For one embodiment, a plasma process is used to deposit a capping layer on cores, and this capping layer causes resulting core profiles to have protective caps. These protective caps formed with the additional capping layer help to reduce or minimize material loss and corner loss of the core material during spacer deposition and spacer etch processes. This reduction in core material loss improves the resulting spacer profile so that a more vertical profile is achieved. For one embodiment, an angle of 80-90 degrees is achieved for vertical sidewalls of the spacers adjacent core sites with respect to the horizontal surface of the underlying layer, such as a hard mask layer formed on a substrate for a microelectronic workpiece.

The present disclosure provides a method of patterning a target material layer over a semiconductor substrate. The method includes steps of forming a spacer feature over the target material layer using a first sub-layout and performing a photolithographic patterning process using a second sub-layout to form a first feature. A portion of the first feature extends over the spacer feature. The method further includes steps of removing the portion of the first feature extending over the spacer feature and removing the spacer feature. Other methods and associated patterned semiconductor wafers are also provided herein.