Patent · US Expired

Capped shallow trench isolation and method of formation

US6146970A · kind A · utility

162Cited by

26References

31Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Motorola, Inc. · US

Inventors

Keith E. Witek · Austin, US
Mike Chen · Pflugerville, US
Stephen S. Poon · San Jose, US

Key dates

Filing date	May 26, 1998
Grant date	Nov 14, 2000
Priority date	—
Expiry date	May 26, 2018

Classification

Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
CPC primaryH10B69/00
WIPO fieldSemiconductors
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for forming a capped shallow trench isolation (CaSTI) structure begin by etching a trench opening (210). The opening (210) is filled with an oxide or like trench fill material (216b) via a deposition and chemical mechanical polish (CMP) step. The plug (216b) is reactive ion etched (RIE) to recess a top of the plug (216b) into the trench opening (210) to form a recessed plug region (216c). A silicon nitride or oxynitride capping layer (218b) is then formed over the recessed plug region (216c) via another deposition and polishing step. The nitride cap layer (218b) protects the underlying region (216c) from erosion due to active area preparation, cleaning, and processing.

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