Patent ID: 7309626

Claim:
A method of forming a semiconductor structure comprising: providing a structure including a plurality of patterned material stacks comprising a nitride layer on top of an oxide hardmask on a surface of semiconductor substrate and a plurality of patterned photomasks which cross over said plurality of patterned material stacks; performing a chemical oxide removal step that laterally etches at least exposes sidewalls of said oxide hardmask of each material stack not protected by one of said patterned photomasks; removing the plurality of patterned photomasks to expose patterned material stacks including a laterally etched oxide hardmask beneath said nitride layer; performing an anisotropic etching process selective to the laterally etched oxide hardmask to remove said nitride layer and at least an upper portion of any semiconducting material of said semiconductor substrate not protected by said laterally etched oxide hardmask thereby forming Fins; and forming a plurality of gate regions that cross over said Fins.