Patent · US Active

Methods of forming bulb-shaped trenches in silicon

US9117759B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
9References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 10, 2011
Grant dateAug 25, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 17, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L2924/0002
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method of creating a trench having a portion of a bulb-shaped cross-section in silicon is disclosed. The method comprises forming at least one trench in silicon and forming a liner in the at least one trench. The liner is removed from a bottom surface of the at least one trench to expose the underlying silicon. A portion of the underlying exposed silicon is removed to form a cavity in the silicon. At least one removal cycle is conducted to remove exposed silicon in the cavity to form a bulb-shaped cross-sectional profile, with each removal cycle comprising subjecting the silicon in the cavity to ozonated water to oxidize the silicon and subjecting the oxidized silicon to a hydrogen fluoride solution to remove the oxidized silicon. A semiconductor device structure comprising the at least one trench comprising a cavity with a bulb-shaped cross-sectional profile is also disclosed.

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