Patent ID: 9368672
Filing Date: 2016-06-14
CPC Classification: H01L

Claim Text:
1. An etching method comprising: providing a plurality of nanostructures extending away from a support; forming a flowable material layer between the nanostructures; forming a patterned mask over a first portion of the flowable material and the first portion of the plurality of nanostructures, such that a second portion of the flowable material and a second portion of the plurality of nanostructures are not located under the patterned mask; etching the second portion of the flowable material and the second portion of the plurality of nanostructures to remove the second portion of the flowable material and the second portion of the plurality of nanostructures to leave the first portion of the flowable material and the first portion of the plurality of nanostructures unetched; wherein: (i) the flowable material layer comprises a photoresist layer and forming the patterned mask comprises exposingonly an upper portion of the photoresist layer through a photolithography mask with radiation and removing parts of an upper portion of the photoresist overlying the second portion of the flowable material layer; or (ii) forming the patterned mask comprises patterning the flowable material layer and subsequently depositing a photoresist layer over the patterned flowable material layer; or (iii) the step of etching comprises etching the patterned mask, the second portion of the flowable material and the second portion of the plurality of nanostructures to remove at least a portion of the patterned mask, the second portion of the flowable material and the second portion of the plurality of nanostructures to leave the first portion of the flowable material and the first portion of the plurality of nanostructures unetched.