Patent ID: 9646845
Date: 2017-05-09
CPC Classifications: G03F,H01L

Claim:
1. A method for forming a pattern on a substrate, the method comprising: forming mandrels comprising mandrel material on a target layer of a substrate, the mandrels defining spaces between adjacent mandrels; depositing a filler material into the defined spaces; forming sacrificial structures along an interface between the mandrels and the filler material; removing the sacrificial structures resulting in a first mask, the first mask including mask features comprising both the mandrel material and the filler material; treating the mask features with a flux of electrons by coupling negative polarity direct current power to a top electrode of a plasma processing system, wherein the top electrode comprises silicon, the flux of electrons being accelerated from the top electrode with sufficient energy to pass through a plasma and strike the mask features, wherein coupling negative polarity direct current power causes sputtering of silicon onto the first mask creating a conformal layer of silicon on the first mask; exposing the conformal layer of silicon to an oxygen-containing environment such that the conformal layer of silicon becomes silicon oxide; covering the first mask with a layer of radiation-sensitive material; and developing an exposure pattern in the layer of radiation-sensitive material, the exposure pattern having been created via photolithography, wherein developing the exposure pattern results in a second mask that uncovers portions of the first mask, the first mask and the second mask together defining a combined pattern.