Semiconductor device and method

1. A method of forming a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

forming a mask layer over a substrate;

forming an opening in the mask layer;

non-conformally depositing a first film material in the opening;

forming a second film material over the first film material, the second film material having a high etch selectivity with the first film material;

removing at least a portion of the second film material, a portion of the first film material over the mask layer, and the mask layer; and

patterning the substrate using the remaining portion of the first film material as a mask.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of non-conformally depositing a first film material includes performing a plasma treatment on the first film material.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of removing at least a portion of the second film material includes removing all of the second film material.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate includes a hard mask layer overlying a plurality of dielectric layers.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of forming an opening in the mask layer includes extending the opening into the hard mask layer.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of non-conformally depositing a first film material in the opening, results in an indent in a topmost surface of the first film material, and further wherein the step of forming a second film material over the first film material fills the indent.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein after the step of removing at least a portion of the second film material, a portion of the first film material over the mask layer, and the mask layer, remaining second film material is constrained to within the indent.

8. A method of forming a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

depositing a top mask layer on a hard mask, the hard mask overlying a patterned layer, the patterned layer having formed therein a trench, the trench extending along a first longitudinal axis when viewed from a top-down perspective;

forming an opening in the top mask layer, the opening, when viewed from a top-down perspective, extending along a second longitudinal axis perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis;

forming a first film material over the top mask layer, the first film material filling the opening;

removing a portion of the first film material over the top mask layer, and the top mask layer; and

patterning the hard mask using the remaining portion of the first film material as a mask.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the patterned layer overlies a to-be-patterned layer, and further comprising patterning the to-be-patterned layer using the remaining portion of the first film material as a mask.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein after the step of removing a portion of the first film material, the remaining portion of the first film material lines a sidewall of the trench.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of forming a first film material over the top mask layer, comprises non-conformally depositing the first film material in the opening.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of forming a first film material over the top mask layer includes performing a plasma treatment on the first film material.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of forming the first film material over the top mask layer forms a first indentation in the first film material centered over the opening.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising forming a second film material over the first film material, the second film material having a high etch selectivity with the first film material.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second film material is deposited conformally over the first film material.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising removing at least a portion of the second film material.

17. A method of forming a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

forming a first layer over a substrate;

depositing a hard mask over the first layer;

forming a photomask layer over the hard mask;

patterning a plurality of openings in the photomask layer;

depositing a first film material over the photomask layer, the first film material filling the plurality of openings;

performing a plasma treatment on the first film material;

removing the photomask layer and a portion of the first film material (over the photomask layer;

patterning the hard mask using the remaining portion of the first film material as a mask; and

patterning the first layer using the patterned hard mask as a mask.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

depositing a second film material over the first film material, the second film material having a high etch selectivity with the first film material; and

removing at least a portion of the second film material.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the second film material overfills a seam in the first film material when deposited, and the remaining portion of the second film material remains only in the seam after the step of removing at least a portion of the second film material.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein:

the respective openings each has a longitudinal axis extending in a first direction; and

at least one layer between the first layer and the hard mask has a plurality of trenches therein, the respective trenches each has a longitudinal axis extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.