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US 12,745,614 B2Granted
Protection of STI features
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsYun Chen Teng, Sen-Hong Syue, Chi On Chui
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Abstract
Semiconductor devices and methods for forming semiconductor devices are provided. A method includes forming a shallow trench isolation (STI) feature; forming a mask layer over the STI feature; depositing sacrificial material over the mask layer; and etching the sacrificial material to form sacrificial structures over the mask layer, wherein the mask layer prevents etching of the STI feature while etching the sacrificial material.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- forming a shallow trench isolation (STI) feature;
- forming a mask layer over the STI feature;
- depositing a sacrificial material over the mask layer;
- and
- etching the sacrificial material to form sacrificial structures over the mask layer, wherein the mask layer prevents etching of the STI feature while etching the sacrificial material.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- etching a semiconductor material to form a cavity between adjacent active regions;
- depositing isolation material in the cavity to form a shallow trench isolation (STI) feature;
- forming a mask layer over the STI feature and over the adjacent active regions;
- removing the mask layer from over the adjacent active regions;
- depositing a sacrificial gate material over the mask layer over the STI feature and over the adjacent active regions;
- and
- etching the sacrificial gate material to form sacrificial gates over the mask layer over the STI feature and over the adjacent active regions, wherein the mask layer prevents etching of the STI feature while etching the sacrificial gate material.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- forming a shallow trench isolation (STI) feature between adjacent active semiconductor regions, the STI feature having an uppermost surface;
- performing a nitridation process directly on the uppermost surface of the STI feature to convert a surface portion of the STI feature into a nitridated layer, wherein the nitridated layer is formed from material of the STI feature;
- depositing a sacrificial gate material over the nitridated layer and over the adjacent active semiconductor regions;
- and
- etching the sacrificial gate material to form sacrificial gates, wherein the nitridated layer protects the STI feature from etching during etching of the sacrificial gate material.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.