Patent ID: 7094686

Claim:
A method of creating closely spaced contact holes, comprising the steps of: (1) providing a substrate, said substrate having been provided with a first layer of material for creation of a pattern of contact holes; (2) exposing the surface of said first layer of material with a first mask, said first mask comprising a first and a second pattern of contact holes; (3) creating openings in said first layer of material in accordance with said first and second pattern of contact holes; (4) forming an insulation layer over the first layer of material, wherein (i) a difference in polarity is used to form the protection of the first layer; (ii) a water solution which includes a water soluble resin, a thermal acid generator and a cross-linker is coated over the first layer of material; (iii) a thermal process is applied, wherein the water soluble resin undergoes a cross-linking reaction under catalysis by acid to form the insulation layer, followed by; (iv) a water-rinse step to remove unreacted components; (5) depositing a second layer of material over the surface of said protected first layer of material, including said openings created in said first layer of material in accordance with said first and second pattern of holes; (6) exposing the surface of said second layer of material with a mask selected from the group consisting of: (i) a second mask comprising a third pattern of holes, said third pattern of holes being aligned with said second pattern of holes, said third pattern of holes being a transparent pattern of holes with a surrounding opaque background surface; (ii) a third mask comprising a third pattern of holes, said third pattern of holes being aligned with said second pattern of holes, said third pattern of holes being an opaque pattern of holes with a surrounding transparent background surface; (iii) a fourth mask comprising a fourth pattern of holes, said fourth pattern of holes being aligned with said first pattern of holes, said fourth pattern of holes being a transparent pattern of holes with a surrounding opaque background surface; (iv) a fifth mask comprising a fourth pattern of holes, said fourth pattern of holes being aligned with said first pattern of holes, said fourth pattern of holes being an opaque pattern of holes with a surrounding transparent background surface; and (7) creating openings in said second layer of material in accordance with said third or fourth pattern of holes, holes of said third or fourth pattern of holes having a diameter being larger than a diameter of holes of said first and second pattern of holes by a measurable amount.