Image transfer process employing a hard mask layer

Abstract

At least one mask layer formed over a substrate includes at least one of a dielectric material and a metallic material. By forming a first pattern in one of the at least one mask layer, a patterned mask layer including said first pattern is formed. An overlying structure including a second pattern that includes at least one blocking area is formed over said patterned mask layer. Portions of said patterned mask layer that do not underlie said blocking area are removed. The remaining portions of the patterned mask layer include a composite pattern that is an intersection of the first pattern and the second pattern. The patterned mask layer includes a dielectric material or a metallic material, and thus, enables high fidelity pattern transfer into an underlying material layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lithographic structure comprising:
 an underlying material layer located on a substrate;   at least one mask layer comprising at least one of a dielectric material and a metallic material and located over said underlying material layer;   an organic planarizing layer (OPL) located over said at least one mask layer;   an antireflective coating (ARC) layer located on said OPL; and   a patterned structure located over said ARC layer.   
     
     
         2 . The lithographic structure of  claim 1 , wherein said patterned structure has a pattern of a plurality of parallel lines. 
     
     
         3 . The lithographic structure of  claim 1 , wherein said patterned structure comprises a set of photoresist material portions having a lithographic minimum pitch. 
     
     
         4 . The lithographic structure of  claim 1 , wherein said patterned structure comprises spacer structures having a sublithographic pitch. 
     
     
         5 . The lithographic structure of  claim 4 , wherein each of said spacer structures has a same lateral width. 
     
     
         6 . The lithographic structure of  claim 4 , further comprising mandrel structures, wherein each of said spacer structures laterally contacts and laterally surrounds one of said mandrel structures. 
     
     
         7 . The lithographic structure of  claim 6 , said mandrel structures comprises a photoresist material. 
     
     
         8 . The lithographic structure of  claim 6 , said mandrel structures comprises amorphous carbon. 
     
     
         9 . The lithographic structure of  claim 1 , wherein said patterned structure comprises a set of first photoresist material portions comprising a first photoresist material and a set of second photoresist material portions comprising a second photoresist material that is different from said first photoresist material. 
     
     
         10 . The lithographic structure of  claim 1 , wherein said at lest one mask layer comprises a stack, from bottom to top, of a dielectric mask layer and a metallic mask layer. 
     
     
         11 . The lithographic structure of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one mask layer comprises a stack, from bottom to top, of a metallic mask layer and a dielectric material layer. 
     
     
         12 . The lithographic structure of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one mask layer consists of a dielectric mask layer. 
     
     
         13 . The lithographic structure of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one mask layer consists of a metallic mask layer. 
     
     
         14 . The lithographic structure of  claim 1 , wherein each of said at least one mask layer is a blanket layer having a same thickness throughout. 
     
     
         15 . A lithographic structure comprising:
 an underlying material layer located on a substrate;   a patterned mask layer comprising at least one of a dielectric material and a metallic material and located over said underlying material layer;   an organic planarizing layer (OPL) located over said patterned mask layer;   an antireflective coating (ARC) layer located on said OPL; and   a photoresist layer located over said ARC layer and including at least one opening therein.   
     
     
         16 . The lithographic structure of  claim 15 , wherein said patterned mask layer includes a periodic pattern of a plurality of parallel line structures that are laterally spaced from one another. 
     
     
         17 . The lithographic structure of  claim 16 , wherein said periodic pattern has a lithographic minimum pitch. 
     
     
         18 . The lithographic structure of  claim 16 , wherein said periodic pattern has a sublithographic pitch. 
     
     
         19 . The lithographic structure of  claim 16 , further comprising a dielectric mask layer located over said underlying material layer, wherein said patterned mask layer comprises a metallic material and is located on a top surface of said dielectric mask layer. 
     
     
         20 . The lithographic structure of  claim 16 , further comprising a metallic mask layer located over said underlying material layer, wherein said patterned mask layer comprises a dielectric material and is located on a top surface of said metallic mask layer. 
     
     
         21 . The lithographic structure of  claim 16 , wherein said underlying material layer is a conductive material layer, and said lithographic structure further comprises a dielectric material layer having a different composition than said patterned mask layer and located on a top surface of said underlying material layer and contacting a bottom surface of said patterned mask layer. 
     
     
         22 . The lithographic structure of  claim 21 , wherein said conductive material layer comprises at least one of a doped polycrystalline semiconductor material and a metal layer, and said dielectric material layer comprises silicon nitride. 
     
     
         23 . The lithographic structure of  claim 16 , wherein said patterned mask layer comprises a plurality of patterned mask portions that is present over a first region of said underlying material layer, and said patterned mask layer is not present over a second region of said underlying material layer. 
     
     
         24 . The lithographic structure of  claim 23 , wherein said plurality of patterned mask portions is a periodic array of parallel line structures having a pitch that is not greater than a minimum lithographic pitch. 
     
     
         25 . The lithographic structure of  claim 24 , wherein said second region has a width that is greater than twice said pitch.