Diffusion stop method for forming silicon oxide during the fabrication of IC devices

A method of filling a trench with silicon oxide, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a host support;
• (b) forming a trench in the host support, the trench having opposed side walls and a bottom wall;
• (c) forming silicon nitride means in the trench and on the host support;
• (d) forming silicon material on the silicon nitride;
• (e) oxidizing the silicon material to form silicon oxide and continuing the oxidation process until the oxide-silicon interface reaches the silicon nitride causing the silicon material to merge into the silicon oxide;
• (f) forming a layer of polycrystalline silicon over the silicon oxide;
• and
• (g) oxidizing the polycrystalline silicon to fill the isolation trench with silicon oxide.

A method of manufacturing a floating gate device, comprising the steps of:

• providing a host silicon;
• forming a first silicon nitride layer on the host silicon;
• forming first silicon material on the first silicon nitride layer;
• oxidizing the first silicon material to form a first silicon oxide dielectric, comprising the sub-steps of:
• continuing the oxidation process forming the first silicon oxide dielectric layer until the first oxide-silicon interface reaches the first silicon nitride layer causing the first silicon material to merge into the first silicon oxide dielectric , and
• saturating the oxidation reaction within the silicon oxide to perfect loose chemical bonds between the silicon material and oxygen;
• providing doped poly silicon gate material over the first silicon oxide dielectric;
• forming a second silicon nitride layer on the poly silicon gate material;
• forming second silicon material on the second silicon nitride layer;
• and
• oxidizing the second silicon material to form a second silicon oxide dielectric layer, comprising the sub-steps of:
• continuing the oxidation process forming the second silicon oxide dielectric layer until the second oxide-silicon interface reaches the second silicon nitride layer causing the second silicon material to merge into the second silicon oxide dielectric, and
• saturating the oxidation reaction within the silicon oxide to perfect loose chemical bonds between the silicon material and the oxygen.

A method of fabricating a floating gate device, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a substrate;
• (b) providing a first oxide layer on the substrate;
• (c) providing a gate material on the first oxide layer;
• (d) providing a silicon nitride layer on the gate material;
• (e) providing silicon material on the silicon nitride layer;
• and
• (f) oxidizing the silicon material and saturating the oxidation reaction within the oxidized silicon material to perfect substantially all loose chemical bonds between the silicon material and oxygen.

A method of filling a trench with silicon oxide, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a substrate;
• (b) providing a trench in the substrate;
• (c) providing a silicon nitride layer in the trench;
• (d) providing polycrystalline silicon on the silicon nitride layer;
• and
• (e) oxidizing the polycrystalline silicon to fill the trench with silicon oxide and continuing the oxidation process until substantially all of the silicon material is converted to silicon oxide.