Semiconductor processing methods
First Claim
1. A semiconductor processing method, comprising:
- providing a semiconductor substrate comprising a memory array region and a peripheral region proximate the memory array region;
forming spaced nitride-containing masking structures over the substrate, some of the nitride-containing masking structures being first nitride-containing masking structures over the memory array region and others of the nitride-containing masking structures being second nitride-containing masking structures over the peripheral region;
forming trenches in the substrate between the spaced nitride-containing masking structures, some of the trenches being first trenches associated with the memory array region and others being second trenches associated with the peripheral region, the second trenches being formed to be substantially deeper than the first trenches;
after forming the first and second trenches, laterally recessing the second nitride-containing masking structures to a degree greater than any lateral recessing of the first nitride-containing masking structures; and
after the lateral recessing of the second nitride-containing masking structures, oxidizing the substrate within the first and second trenches, and then depositing insulative material within the first and second trenches.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention includes methods in which common processing steps are utilized during fabrication of components of a memory array region of a semiconductor substrate and components of a peripheral region proximate the memory array region, and yet the components of the peripheral region are built for different performance characteristics than the components of the memory array region. The methods can include laterally recessing nitride-containing masking structures associated with the peripheral region to a greater extent than nitride-containing masking structures associated with the memory array region, followed by thermal oxidation of the substrate to form dielectric material adjacent the masking structures.
16 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A semiconductor processing method, comprising:
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providing a semiconductor substrate comprising a memory array region and a peripheral region proximate the memory array region;
forming spaced nitride-containing masking structures over the substrate, some of the nitride-containing masking structures being first nitride-containing masking structures over the memory array region and others of the nitride-containing masking structures being second nitride-containing masking structures over the peripheral region;
forming trenches in the substrate between the spaced nitride-containing masking structures, some of the trenches being first trenches associated with the memory array region and others being second trenches associated with the peripheral region, the second trenches being formed to be substantially deeper than the first trenches;
after forming the first and second trenches, laterally recessing the second nitride-containing masking structures to a degree greater than any lateral recessing of the first nitride-containing masking structures; and
after the lateral recessing of the second nitride-containing masking structures, oxidizing the substrate within the first and second trenches, and then depositing insulative material within the first and second trenches. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A semiconductor processing method, comprising:
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providing a semiconductor substrate comprising a memory array region and a peripheral region proximate the memory array region;
forming spaced masking stacks over the memory array region and the peripheral region, the masking stacks comprising a nitride-containing layer and an oxide-containing layer over the nitride-containing layer;
forming trenches extending into the substrate between the spaced masking stacks, some of the trenches being first trenches associated with the memory array region and others being second trenches associated with the peripheral region;
extending the second trenches deeper into the substrate while protecting the first trenches with a protective material provided within the first trenches;
after extending the second trenches, laterally recessing the nitride-containing layer of the masking stacks over the peripheral region;
removing the protective material from within the first trenches; and
after laterally recessing the nitride-containing layer, oxidizing the substrate within the first and second trenches, and then filling the first and second trenches with insulative material. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A semiconductor processing method, comprising:
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providing a semiconductor substrate comprising a memory array region and a peripheral region proximate the memory array region;
forming a stack over the peripheral and memory array regions of the substrate;
the stack comprising, in ascending order, a nitride-containing layer, oxide-containing layer, carbon-containing layer, and anti-reflective coating;
forming a patterned photoresist mask over the stack;
transferring a pattern from the photoresist mask to the oxide-containing layer and the nitride-containing layer to form spaced masking stacks comprising the patterned nitride-containing layer and patterned oxide-containing layer;
removing the carbon-containing layer, anti-reflective coating and patterned photoresist mask;
forming trenches extending into the substrate between the spaced masking stacks, some of the trenches being first trenches associated with the memory array region and others being second trenches associated with the peripheral region;
forming a protective material over the memory array region;
while the protective material is over the memory array region, extending the second trenches deeper into the substrate;
removing the protective material;
after extending the second trenches, laterally recessing the nitride-containing layer of the masking stacks over the peripheral region; and
after laterally recessing the nitride-containing layer and removing the protective material, oxidizing the substrate within the first and second trenches, and then filling the first and second trenches with insulative material. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification