Patent ID: 7811747

Claim:
A method of patterning a thin film on a substrate, comprising: preparing a film stack on said substrate, said film stack comprising said thin film formed on said substrate, a developable anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer formed on said thin film, and a layer of photo-resist formed on said developable ARC layer; imaging said layer of photo-resist with a pattern using a photo-lithography system; partially imaging said developable ARC layer with said pattern such that said imaging is to a depth less than the thickness of said ARC layer using said photo-lithography system; developing said layer of photo-resist to form said pattern in said layer of photo-resist; developing said developable ARC layer to partially form said pattern extending to said depth wherein a remaining thickness of said developable ARC remains non-developed; removing said layer of photo-resist following said developing of said layer of photo-resist and said developing of said developable ARC layer; transferring said pattern in said developable ARC layer substantially through said remaining thickness of said developable ARC layer by etching said developable ARC layer; and transferring said pattern to said thin film while substantially consuming said developable ARC layer.