Patent · US Expired

Shallow trench isolation structure and method of forming the same

US5960297A · kind A · utility

155Cited by
15References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 2, 1997
Grant dateSep 28, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 2, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/76224
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An isolation structure is provided by a method which includes forming a pad oxide layer on a semiconductor substrate and then forming a pad nitride layer on the pad oxide layer. An opening is then formed which extends through the pad nitride layer, the pad oxide layer, and into the semiconductor substrate. The pad nitride layer is then isotropically etched, thereby pulling-back the pad nitride layer from the portion of the opening extending through the pad oxide layer. An insulating layer is formed to fill in the opening including the portion of the opening formed by the pulling-back of the pad nitride layer. The deposited insulating layer is then planarized using the pulled-back nitride layer as a stopper layer. The pulled-back pad nitride layer and the pad oxide layer are then removed.

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