Patent ID: 9059254
Filing Date: 2015-06-16
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: first etching a substrate according to a first mask, wherein said first mask comprises a first mask layer comprising first mask openings that correspond to line trenches and a second mask layer comprising second mask openings that correspond to at least one via opening, wherein a shared opening region is present between said first mask openings and said second mask openings, and said shared opening region exposes a sliver portion of said substrate, wherein the first etching forms a first etch feature to a first depth, wherein the first etch feature comprises said at least one via opening and the first etching forms a sliver opening in the substrate that corresponds to said shared opening region; filling said sliver opening with a fill material; forming a second mask by removing a portion of the first mask; second etching said substrate exposed by said second mask, wherein the second etching is selective to the fill material, the second etching extends the first etch feature to a second depth that is greater than the first depth, and the second etch forms a second etch feature comprising said line trenches; and filling the first etch feature and the second etch feature with a conductive metal, wherein filling said first etch feature and said second etch feature with said conductive metal forms lines and at least one via in said substrate.