Semiconductor processing method of forming a buried contact

Abstract

A semiconductor processing method of forming a buried contact to a substrate region includes, a) providing a masking layer over a bulk semiconductor substrate; b) with the masking in place, exposing the substrate to oxidation conditions effective to grow field oxide regions in unmasked areas of the substrate and define active area substrate regions in masked areas; c) after forming the field oxide regions, patterning the masking layer within at least one of the active area regions to form a buried contact mask on the substrate within the at least one active area; d) with the buried contact mask in place, providing a dielectric layer within the at least one active area over unmasked substrate area; e) after providing the dielectric layer, removing the patterned buried contact mask from the substrate and effectively leaving buried contact area therebeneath exposed; f) providing a layer of electrically conductive material over field oxide and exposed buried contact area; and g) patterning the conductive material layer into a conductive line which overlies both field oxide and the buried contact area.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.