Patent ID: 7906271

Claim:
A method for forming an integrated circuit device including a multi-pattern process for patterning a device, comprising: forming a hardmask or device layer on a substrate; forming a first photoresist layer over the hardmask or device layer; imaging a pattern of a first photomask onto the first photoresist layer to pattern the first photoresist layer with a first pattern having longitudinal edges that correspond to longitudinal edges of features in an area of a drawn integrated circuit pattern and substantially all of which are oriented in a first direction; transferring the first pattern from the first photoresist layer to the hardmask or device layer using a first etch; forming a second photoresist layer over the hardmask or device layer; imaging a pattern of a second photomask onto the second photoresist layer to pattern the second photoresist layer with a second pattern having longitudinal edges that correspond to longitudinal edges of features in the area of the drawn integrated circuit pattern and substantially all of which are oriented in a second direction transverse to the first direction; and transferring the second pattern from the second photoresist layer to the hardmask or device layer using a second etch.