Method of manufacturing storage nodes of a semiconductor memory device using a two-step etching process

A semiconductor memory device comprising:

• a substrate;
• a plurality of storage nodes formed on the substrate from a silicon oxide layer, said layer having been substantially removed by wet etching the silicon oxide layer to a predetermined depth of the storage nodes and dry etching the remaining portion of the silicon oxide layer to expose the storage nodes.

A semiconductor memory device comprising:

• a plurality of storage node contact plugs formed by sequentially depositing an etch stopping layer and a mold oxide layer on an interlevel insulating layer;
• at least one storage node region formed by sequentially etching the mold oxide layer and the etch stopping layer, depositing a conductive layer on the storage node region and the mold oxide layer, and depositing a buffer oxide layer on the conductive layer;
• a plurality of storage nodes formed by etching the buffer oxide layer and the conductive layer by separating nodes of the conductive layer, wet etching the buffer oxide layer and the mold oxide layer to a predetermined depth of the storage nodes, and removing the remaining portions of the buffer oxide layer and the mold oxide layer by dry etching to expose the storage nodes.