Patent · US Expired

Method of fabricating a trench isolation structure using a reverse mask

US6015755A · kind A · utility

10Cited by
1References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 29, 1998
Grant dateJan 18, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 29, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/76229
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for fabricating trench isolation structures using the reverse mask is described. The method of using a reverse mask to fabricate trench isolation structures includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a first trench and a second trench in the substrate. The first trench has a width smaller than a fixed value, while the second trench has a width larger than the fixed value, the fixed value being, for example, about 0.7 .mu.m. Thereafter, a conformal insulating layer is formed over the first trench and the second trench. Next, a reverse mask layer is formed over the conformal insulating layer, and then the reverse mask layer is patterned. The reverse mask layer is patterned selectively. For example, only the region directly above the second trench is covered by the reverse mask. The region directly above the first trench is exposed. Subsequently, using the patterned reverse mask layer as a mask, a portion of the conformal insulating layer is etched away forming a residual conformal insulating layer underneath the reverse mask layer. Thereafter, the reverse mask layer is removed exposing protruding insulating structures. Finally, the regions of the conformal insulatin…

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