Patent ID: 6309926
Filing Date: 2001-10-30
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
A method of forming a gate, comprising:forming a nitride layer on a gate material layer, the nitride layer having a thickness within a range of 50 .ANG.-1000 .ANG.;forming an ultra-thin photoresist layer on the nitride layer;patterning the ultra-thin photoresist layer with short wavelength radiation to define a pattern for the gate, the short wavelength radiation being less than about 160 nm;using the ultra-thin photoresist layer as a mask during a first etch step to transfer the gate pattern to the nitride layer, the first etch step including an etch chemistry that is selective to the nitride layer over the ultra-thin photoresist layer; andusing the nitride layer as a hard mask during a second etch step to form the gate by transferring the gate pattern to the gate material via the second etch step.