DMOS process module applicable to an E.sup.2 CMOS core process

A method of fabricating a DMOS transistor structure, the DMOS transistor structure including an active semiconductor substrate region having a tub of N-type conductivity formed therein, the N-type tub being formed over an N.sup.+ buried region, the N-type tub having an N.sup.+ sinker region formed therein at an edge of the N-type tub, the N.sup.+ sinker region extending from a surface of the N-type tub to the N.sup.+ buried region, the method comprising:

• forming a pad oxide layer on the N-tub and on the N.sup.+ sinker region;
• forming a composite mask on the silicon nitride layer, the composite mask including etched openings such that the surface of the periphery of the N-type tub is exposed and the interface between the N-type tub and the N.sup.+ sinker region is exposed;
• utilizing the composite mask to form field oxide isolation regions in the semiconductor substrate region at the periphery of the N-type tub and at the interface between the N-type tub and the N.sup.+ sinker region;
• removing the composite mask;
• forming a P-body mask on the nitride layer, the P-body mask including an etched opening formed therein to expose a surface area of the nitride layer overlying the N-type tub;
• etching the nitride layer to remove nitride underlying the exposed nitride surface area to expose underlying pad oxide;
• implanting dopant of P-type conductivity into the N-type tub in the area beneath the exposed portion of the pad oxide to form a P-body region in the N-type tub;
• removing the P-body mask;
• forming a deep P.sup.+ mask over the active semiconductor substrate region, the deep P.sup.+ mask having an opening formed therein over a central portion of the P-body region;
• implanting dopant of P-type conductivity into the P-body region to form a deep P.sup.+ region within the P-body region;
• removing the deep P.sup.+ mask;
• performing a P-body thermal drive-in step that results in the growth of oxide over the P-body region such that the P-body region is not reached during a subsequent composite nitride strip step;
• utilizing the composite nitride to perform a self-aligned ion implant of dopant of N-type conductivity to form an N-source region in the P-body region, the composite nitride layer being thick enough to block the N-source implant at the periphery of the P-body region;
• stripping the composite nitride and pad oxide;
• forming a layer of gate oxide over the N-type tub, including over the P-body region and the N-source region;
• forming a layer of polysilicon over the gate oxide layer, etching the polysilicon layer to define polysilicon gate regions on the gate oxide layer, the polysilicon gate regions overlapping the interface between the N-source region and the P-body region and also overlapping the interface between the P-body region and the N-type tub;
• forming oxide sidewall spacers on the sidewalls of the polysilicon gate regions;
• utilizing the oxide spacers to perform a self-aligned implant of N-type dopant into the N-source region;
• forming a P.sup.+ mask over the structure resulting from the above-defined steps, the P.sup.+ mask including an opening formed over the N.sup.+ implant region in the N-source region;
• performing an implant of P-type dopant in a central portion of the N.sup.+ region to thereby create a region of P-type conductivity at a surface of the P-body region, thereby defining first and second spaced-apart N-type source/drain regions of the DMOS transistor structure;
• forming a layer of dielectric material over the structure resulting from the above-defined steps;
• forming contact openings in the dielectric layer to expose the P-body region and the N.sup.+ sinker region;
• and
• forming a metal layer over the structure resulting from the above-defined steps to form metal contacts to the P-body region and the N.sup.+ sinker region.