US Patent 7678704 Method of making a contact in a semiconductor device

To form a semiconductor device, an insulating layer is formed over a conductive region and a pattern transfer layer is formed over the insulating layer. The pattern transfer layer is patterned in the reverse tone of a layout of recesses to be formed in the insulating layer such that the pattern transfer layer remains over regions where the recesses are to be formed. A mask material is formed over the insulating layer and is aligned with the pattern transfer layer. Remaining portions of the pattern transfer layer are removed and recesses are etched in the insulating layer using the mask material as a mask.