Cut first self-aligned litho-etch patterning

1. A method of performing a self-aligned litho-etch (SALE) process, comprising:

forming a first cut layer over a hard mask comprising a first layer and an underlying second layer disposed over a substrate;

forming a first plurality of openings within the first layer that expose the second layer at a first plurality of positions, wherein two or more of the first plurality of openings are separated by the first cut layer;

selectively forming a spacer material onto sidewalls of the first plurality of openings within the first layer;

forming a second plurality of openings within the first layer, which are separated by a second cut layer comprising the spacer material, to expose the second layer at a second plurality of positions; and

etching the second layer according to the first layer and the spacer material.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein second cut layer continuously extends between two sidewalls of the first layer.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the two or more of the first plurality of openings are formed after the first cut layer is formed over the hard mask.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first cut layer comprises titanium nitride or titanium oxide.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming a first pattern transfer layer over the first cut layer;

lithographically patterning a first photoresist layer overlying the first pattern transfer layer; and

etching the hard mask according to the first photoresist layer and the first cut layer to form the first plurality of openings.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

removing the first photoresist layer, the first pattern transfer layer, and the first cut layer after etching the hard mask according to the first photoresist layer and the first cut layer.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

forming a second pattern transfer layer over the spacer material;

lithographically patterning a second photoresist layer overlying the second pattern transfer layer; and

etching the hard mask according to the second photoresist layer and the spacer material comprising the second cut layer to form the second plurality of openings.

8. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein etching the second layer according to the first layer and the spacer material results in a first end-to-end space between a first set of openings in the second layer that is equal to a width of the first cut layer added to twice a width of the spacer material; and

wherein etching the second layer according to the first layer and the spacer material results in a second end-to-end space between a second set of openings in the second layer that is equal to twice the width of the spacer material.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein a ratio of the first end-to-end space to the second end-to-end space is approximately equal to 2.5:1.

10. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the two or more of the first plurality of openings are separated along a first direction; and

wherein the first plurality of openings are separated from the second plurality of openings in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction.

11. A method of performing a self-aligned litho-etch (SALE) process, comprising:

forming a cut layer over a hard mask comprising a first layer and an underlying second layer disposed over a substrate;

forming a cut opening within the first layer;

forming a first plurality of openings within the first layer that are separated by the cut layer;

forming a second plurality of openings within the first layer that are connected by the cut opening;

selectively forming a spacer material onto sidewalls of the first layer; and

etching the second layer according to the first layer and the spacer material.

12. The method of claim 11 ,

wherein the first plurality of openings are separated by the cut layer along a first direction; and

wherein the second plurality of openings are connected by the cut opening along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction.

13. The method of claim 11 ,

wherein etching the second layer according to the first layer and the spacer material results in a first end-to-end space between a first set of openings in the second layer that is equal to a width of the cut layer added to twice a width of the spacer material; and

wherein etching the second layer according to the first layer and the spacer material results in a second end-to-end space between a second set of openings in the second layer that is equal to twice the width of the spacer material.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the spacer material continuously extends between sidewalls of the cut opening.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

etching the substrate according to the second layer to form a plurality of substrate openings within the substrate.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the substrate comprises a dielectric layer and the plurality of substrate openings comprise trenches for a metal interconnect layer.

17. A method of semiconductor processing, comprising:

forming a masking structure having a plurality of openings over a second masking layer;

patterning the second masking layer according to the masking structure to form a first plurality of openings within the second masking layer and a second plurality of openings within the second masking layer;

wherein one or more of the first plurality of openings are separated from one or more of the second plurality of openings in a first direction by a side-to-side space;

wherein the first plurality of openings are arranged in the first direction along a first pitch and have one or more openings separated in a second direction by a first end-to-end space, and the second plurality of openings are arranged in the first direction between adjacent ones of the first plurality of openings and have one or more openings separated in the second direction by a second end-to-end space; and

wherein a ratio of the first end-to-end space to the second end-to-end space is approximately equal to 2.5:1.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first plurality of openings comprise a first opening arranged between adjacent ones of the second plurality of openings in the first direction.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein forming the masking structure, comprises:

forming a cut layer over a first masking layer arranged on the second masking layer;

forming a cut opening within the first masking layer;

forming a first plurality of openings within the first masking layer that are separated by the cut layer;

forming a second plurality of openings within the first masking layer that are connected by the cut opening; and

selectively forming a spacer material onto sidewalls of the first masking layer.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the spacer material continuously extends between sidewalls of the cut opening.