Method of manufacturing isolation trenches using silicon nitride liner
First Claim
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1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps in sequence of:
- (a) forming on a substrate an isolation trench for isolating a plurality of semiconductor circuit elements;
(b) forming a thermal oxide film on a sidewall of said isolation trench formed in said trench-forming step;
(c) forming a silicon oxide film over the substrate to fill said isolation trench by chemical vapor deposition (CVD);
(d) annealing the entire substrate at a temperature below 1200°
C., in an atmosphere devoid of water vapor, and at an elevated pressure sufficient to cause rearrangement of and densification of the silicon oxide film wherein said silicon oxide film is exposed when annealed; and
(e) leveling the silicon oxide film by chemical and mechanical polishing (CMP) in such a manner that the silicon oxide film remains only in the trench.
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Abstract
In fabrication of a semiconductor device, firstly an isolation trench is formed on a substrate to isolate a plurality of semiconductor elements, and then a thermal oxide film is formed on a sidewall of the trench, whereupon a silicon oxide film is formed on the substrate by chemical vapor deposition. Finally the entire substrate is annealed in a high-pressure ambient.
121 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps in sequence of:
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(a) forming on a substrate an isolation trench for isolating a plurality of semiconductor circuit elements;
(b) forming a thermal oxide film on a sidewall of said isolation trench formed in said trench-forming step;
(c) forming a silicon oxide film over the substrate to fill said isolation trench by chemical vapor deposition (CVD);
(d) annealing the entire substrate at a temperature below 1200°
C., in an atmosphere devoid of water vapor, and at an elevated pressure sufficient to cause rearrangement of and densification of the silicon oxide film wherein said silicon oxide film is exposed when annealed; and
(e) leveling the silicon oxide film by chemical and mechanical polishing (CMP) in such a manner that the silicon oxide film remains only in the trench. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps in sequence of:
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(a) forming on a substrate a pattern of isolation trenches for isolating a plurality of semiconductor circuit elements;
(b) forming a thermal oxide film on sidewalls of said isolation trenches;
(c) forming silicon nitride film on the substrate;
(d) forming a silicon oxide film over the substrate to fill trenches by chemical vapor deposition (CVD);
(e) annealing the entire substrate at a temperature below 1200°
C., in an atmosphere devoid of water vapor and oxygen, and at an elevated pressure sufficient to cause rearrangement of and densification of the silicon oxide film wherein said silicon oxide film is exposed when annealed; and
(f) leveling the silicon oxide film by chemical and mechanical polishing (CMP) in such a manner that the silicon oxide film remains only in the trenches. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps in sequence of:
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(a) forming on a substrate a pattern of isolation trenches for isolating a plurality of semiconductor circuit elements;
(b) forming a thermal oxide film on sidewalls of said isolation trenches;
(c) forming a silicon nitride film on said thermal oxide film formed on said sidewalls of said trenches;
(d) forming silicon oxide film over the substrate to fill said isolation trenches by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LP-CVD);
(e) annealing the entire substrate at a temperature below 1200°
C., in an atmosphere devoid of water vapor, and at an elevated pressure sufficient to cause rearrangement of the silicon oxide film and thereby densify the silicon oxide film; and
(f) leveling the silicon oxide film by chemical and mechanical polishing (CMP) in such a manner that the silicon oxide film remains only in the trenches. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification