Trench insulation structures and methods
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsJohn Smythe, William Budge
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of depositing dielectric material into sub-micron spaces and resultant structures is provided. After a trench is etched in the surface of a wafer, a liner layer preferably is deposited into the trench. An anisotropic plasma process is then performed on the trench. A silicon layer may be deposited on the base of the trench during the plasma process, or the plasma can treat the liner layer. The trench is then filled with a spin-on precursor. A densification or reaction process is then applied to convert the spin-on material into an insulator, and oxidizing the silicon rich layer on the base of the trench. The resulting trench has a consistent etch rate from top to bottom of the trench.
Claims42
A method of forming an isolation structure comprising:
- forming a recess within a substrate;
- depositing an insulating liner within the recess;
- exposing the recess to a plasma process after depositing the insulating liner to form a silicon rich layer at a base of the recess;
- depositing a spin-on deposition (SOD) precursor after exposing the recess to the plasma process;
- and
- converting the SOD precursor to an insulating layer, wherein converting the SOD precursor includes expanding the silicon rich layer.
An electrical isolation structure comprising:
- a trench formed in a substrate, wherein the trench has walls and a base;
- a thermal oxide lining the trench, wherein the thermal oxide is substantially thinner along the walls than along the base;
- and
- a spin-on dielectric over the thermal oxide.
A method of forming a computer memory device comprising:
- forming a trench in a substrate;
- anisotropically depositing a silicon-based layer along a base of the trench;
- depositing an insulator material into the trench after depositing the silicon-based layer;
- and
- converting the silicon-based layer at least partially into silicon oxide during or after depositing the insulator material.
A method of improving density of a spin-on dielectric comprising:
- providing a liner within a recess in a substrate;
- depositing silicon on at least part of the liner using a primarily anisotropic plasma deposition process;
- and
- depositing a spin-on deposition (SOD) dielectric precursor within the liner.
An integrated circuit having an electrical isolation structure comprising:
- a trench formed in a recess;
- an insulating liner over a floor and sidewalls of the trench;
- a thermal oxide layer preferentially formed on the floor of the trench;
- and
- a spin-on deposition dielectric over the thermal oxide layer within the trench.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.