Patent ID: 9735052
Date: 2017-08-15
CPC Classifications: H01L

Claim:
1. A method comprising: forming a dielectric layer over a substrate; forming an etch-stop-layer (ESL) over the dielectric layer; forming a first patterned hard mask (HM) defining a first trench over the ESL; forming a second trench extending through the ESL and the dielectric layer, wherein the second trench is adjacent the first trench; filling in the first trench and the second trench with a first material layer; extending the first trench through the ESL and the dielectric layer while the first material layer is filled in the second trench to form an extended first trench; forming a first metal line within the extended first trench; forming a capping layer over the first metal line; and removing a portion of the first metal line to form a first cut by using the ESL and the first material layer as an etch mask.