Abstract
A method is disclosed for forming right-angle contact/via holes for semiconductor devices. A device is provided on a substrate and covered with a first dielectric layer. A second dielectric layer having an etch rate different from that of the first layer is provided over the first layer. A first photoresist pattern is provided over the second layer to define an X or Y dimension of the contact/via hole. A second photoresist pattern is provided over the second layer to define an opposite dimension of the contact/via hole. First and second pattern dimensions are measured prior to etching to ensure appropriate dimensioning of the etched cavity. A second dry etch is then performed to form the contact/via hole. If the photoresist pattern is not within a desired tolerance, the etching process may be adjusted to ensure the cavity will have the desired dimensions.