Isolation trench in semiconductor substrate with nitrogen-containing barrier region, and process for forming same
US6156620A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 22, 1998 |
| Grant date | Dec 5, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 22, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/76232
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An isolation trench in a silicon semiconductor substrate is provided with a barrier region containing nitrogen atoms formed in the trench, contiguous with the silicon semiconductor substrate surfaces of the trench. The novel isolation trench structure of the invention is formed by forming an isolation trench in a silicon semiconductor substrate; forming in the isolation trench a barrier region by treating the trench structure with nitrogen atoms from a nitrogen plasma; and then forming a silicon oxide layer over the barrier region in the trench to confine the nitrogen atoms in the barrier region. In a preferred embodiment, a silicon oxide liner is first formed over the silicon semiconductor substrate surfaces of the trench, and then the trench structure is treated with nitrogen atoms from a nitrogen plasma to form, on the silicon semiconductor substrate surfaces of the trench, a barrier layer which contains silicon atoms, oxygen atoms, and nitrogen atoms.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.