Patent ID: 8574819

Claim:
A method comprising: forming a hard mask layer over an etch target layer that extends across a first region and a second region; forming a sacrificial layer pattern over the hard mask layer of the first region; removing the sacrificial layer pattern after forming a spacer pattern on side walls thereof; forming preliminary hard mask patterns in the first and second regions by using the spacer pattern as an etch barrier and etching the hard mask layer of the first region, wherein left and right sides of each of the preliminary hard mask patterns are symmetric to each other; removing the spacer pattern; forming a cut mask pattern over the preliminary hard mask patterns of the first and second regions, wherein the cut mask pattern exposes portions of the preliminary hard mask patterns in the first and second regions, respectively, for subsequent etching; forming final hard mask patterns in the first and second regions simultaneously by using the cut mask pattern as an etch barrier and etching the preliminary hard mask patterns of the first and second regions; removing the cut mask pattern; and forming patterns in the first and second regions, respectively, by using the final hard mask patterns of the first and second regions as an etch barrier and etching the etch target layer.