in fig1 c a top down electron micrograph image 1006 illustrates pattern distortions i e ler and lwr for patterning a substrate having an aspect ratio of approximately 4 6 a pronounced wiggling distortion is observed for a substrate having an aspect ratio of approximately 6 1 as shown in fig1 d in top down electron micrograph image 1008 the results of fig1 a 10d are graphically depicted in fig1 e where normalized cd is shown as a function of aspect ratio according to an embodiment keeping the aspect ratio of the soft mask under 4 5 allows good pattern transfer to the hard mask to be achieved even at a small pitch size as shown in fig1 a 10b and 10e at an aspect ratio above 6 0 the soft mask is no longer able to maintain the pattern and wiggling is induced as shown in image 1008 in fig1 d and in fig1 e between the aspect ratios 4 5 and 6 0 a small amount of pattern distortion is observed as shown in fig1 c and 10e the aspect ratio of the soft mask is dictated by the pitch dimension required by integration and the planarizer material performance a thinner planarizing layer reduces the aspect ratio but the process of producing such a layer reliably can be challenging and constrains the design of the stack in addition there is consequently a thinner soft mask during the ensuing steps requiring additional high selectivity processes the onset of pattern distortion may also depend on the etch chemistry used to etch the planarizing layer the utilization of new.