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US 6,555,476 B1Granted
Silicon carbide as a stop layer in chemical mechanical polishing for isolation dielectric
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsLeif C. Olsen, Leland S. Swanson, Henry L. Edwards
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Silicon carbide is used for a hardmask for the isolation dielectric etch and also serves as an etch stop for chemical-mechanical polishing. Alternatively, silicon carbonitride or silicon carboxide can be used.
Claims8
A method of fabrication for an integrated circuit, comprising:
- (a) growing a silicon dioxide layer on a silicon body;
- (b) forming a silicon carbide layer over said silicon dioxide layer;
- (c) forming trenches in said silicon body including removing portions of said silicon carbide layer plus said silicon dioxide layer overlying locations of said trenches;
- (d) depositing dielectric on said silicon carbide layer and in said trenches;
- (e) chemical mechanical polishing said dielectric with polish stopping in said silicon carbide layer;
- and
- (f) removing said silicon carbide layer remaining.
4 more elements
A method of fabrication for an integrated circuit, comprising:
- (a) forming a silicon carbide layer over a silicon body;
- (b) forming trenches in said silicon body including removing portions of said silicon carbide layer overlying locations of said trenches;
- (c) depositing dielectric on said silicon carbide and in said trenches;
- (d) chemical mechanical polishing said dielectric with polish stopping in said silicon carbide layer;
- and
- (e) removing said silicon carbide layer remaining;
- (f) wherein said forming a silicon carbide layer of step (a) includes depositing at a temperature which yields a polishing rate of said dielectric at least 43 times the polishing rate of said silicon carbide.
4 more elements
A method of fabrication for an integrated circuit, comprising:
- (a) forming a SiwCxXz layer over a silicon body, wherein X is taken from the group consisting of N, O, and mixtures thereof;
- (b) forming trenches in said silicon body including removing portions of said SiwCxXz layer overlying locations of said trenches;
- (c) depositing dielectric on said SiwCxXz layer and in said trenches;
- (d) chemical mechanical polishing said dielectric with polish stopping in said SiwCxXz layer;
- and
- (e) removing said SiwCyXz layer remaining.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.