Patent · US Active

STI inner spacer to mitigate SDB loading

US10192746B1 · kind B1 · utility

4Cited by
1References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 31, 2017
Grant dateJan 29, 2019
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 31, 2037

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10D84/038
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A shallow trench isolation (STI) structure is formed from a conventional STI trench structure formed of first dielectric material extending into the substrate. The conventional STI structure undergoes further processing, including removing a first portion of the dielectric material and adjacent portions of the semiconductor substrate to create a first recess, and then removing another portion of the dielectric material to create a second recess in just the dielectric material. A nitride layer is formed above remaining dielectric material and on the sidewalls of the substrate. A second dielectric material is formed on the spacer layer and fills the remainder of first and second recesses. The nitride layer provides an “inner spacer” between the first insulating material and the second insulating material and also separates the substrate from the second insulating material. An isotropic Fin reveal process is performed and the STI structure assists in equalizing fin heights and increasing active S/D region area/volume.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.