Patent ID: 9437447
Filing Date: 2016-09-06
CPC Classification: H01L

Claim Text:
1. A method of patterning a substrate for planarization, the method comprising: providing a substrate having a relief pattern of structures located on a target layer, structures in the relief pattern of structures comprising at least two layers of material including an upper material layer positioned on a planarization stop material layer, the upper material layer differing from the planarization stop material layer; depositing a conformal film on exposed surfaces of the target layer and on exposed surfaces of the structures such that sidewall depositions result on vertical surfaces of both the upper material layer and the planarization stop material layer of the structures; etching the conformal film such that the conformal film is at least removed from portions of target layer surfaces at locations between sidewall depositions of the conformal film; depositing a fill material that at least partially fills spaces defined between the sidewall depositions of the conformal film; and planarizing the substrate by removing conformal film material, upper material layer, and fill material above a top surface of the planarization stop material layer such that a planar surface is formed at the top surface of the planarization stop material layer.