Method of forming shallow trench

• US 6,514,817 B1
• Filed: 04/05/2002
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ProMOS Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ProMOS Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Wang, Yung-Ching, Tsai, Nien-Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaudhuri, Olik
• Assistant Examiner(s): Blum, David S
• Application Number:
  US10/116,881
• Time in Patent Office: 305 Days
• Field of Search: 438/243, 438/248, 438/391, 438/737, 257/296, 257/301, 257/305
• US Class Current: 438/248
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76224 using trench refilling with dielectric materials trench filling with polycristalline silicon H01L21/763; together with vertical isolation, e.g. trench refilling in a SOI substrate H01L21/76264
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66181 Conductor-insulator-semiconductor capacitors, e.g. trench capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 12/0387 Making the trench
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 12/37 the capacitor being at least partially in a trench in the substrate

Abstract

A method of forming a shallow trench in a specific region located between two adjacent deep trench capacitor constructions on a semiconductor substrate, each the deep trench capacitor construction having a collar construction and a conductor construction is provided. The method of forming a shallow trench includes steps of (a) defining a mask by forming a mask layer on the semiconductor substrate which has the deep trench capacitor constructions, (b) performing a first etching process with respect to the regions, which is not covered by the mask, so as to form a first depth trench, in which the first etching process has a relatively high selectivity ratio of the conductor construction relative to the mask, and (c) performing a second etching process with respect to the first depth trench so as to form a second depth trench, in which the second etching process has a selectivity ratio of the conductor construction relative to the collar construction substantially close to 1.

Claims

1. A method of forming a shallow trench in a specific region located between two adjacent deep trench capacitor constructions on a semiconductor substrate, each said deep trench capacitor construction having a collar construction and a conductor construction, comprising steps of:

(a) defining a mask by forming a mask layer on said semiconductor substrate having said deep trench capacitor constructions;

(b) performing a first etching process with respect to said specific region uncovered by said mask so as to form a first depth trench, said first etching process having a relatively high selectivity ratio of said conductor construction relative to said mask; and

(c) performing a second etching process with respect to said first depth trench so as to form a second depth trench, said second etching process having a selectivity ratio of said conductor construction relative to said collar construction substantially close to 1.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said semiconductor substrate is a silicon substrate.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said collar construction is constructed by silicon oxide.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein said conductor construction is constructed by polycrystalline silicon.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein said mask layer comprises:

a silicon oxide layer formed on said semiconductor substrate;

a silicon nitride layer formed on said silicon oxide layer; and

a doped silicon oxide layer formed on said silicon nitride layer.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein said doped silicon oxide layer is a BSG (borosilicate glass) layer.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein said first etching process has a relatively high selectivity ratio of Silicon relative to silicon oxide.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein said second etching process has a selectivity ratio of said polycrystalline silicon relative to said silicon oxide substantially close to 1.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein said second etching process is a plasma etching process.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the reacting gas of said plasma etching process comprises trifluoromethane (CHF₃), tetrafluoromethane (CF₄), and chlorine (Cl₂).

11. The method according to claim 8 wherein the depth of the bottom of said first depth trench is the STI target depth and is less then that of the top of said collar construction.

12. The method according to claim 7 wherein the reacting gas of said first etching process comprises hydrogen bromide (HBr), chlorine (Cl₂), oxygen (O₂), and inert gas.