US 6,656,817 B2 · Method of filling isolation trenches in a substrate

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method of filling isolation trenches in a substrate. The method includes anisotropically etching trenches in a surface of a substrate and partially filling the trenches with a deposited oxide. As a consequence of the deposition, the oxide accumulates in mounds on the surface between trenches. The trenches are then filled with a supporting material of a highly flowable material such as anti-reflective coating (ARC), low-K dielectric, or a spin-on-polymer, or alternatively, a supporting material of polysilicon. A flattening process is then applied to lower the mound topography. The supporting material is then removed and the filling of the trenches with oxide is then continued. When polysilicon is used as the supporting material, the mounds are removed by wet etching prior to removing the polysilicon.

Claims20

Dependent claims

Method of forming and filling isolation trenches in a substrate, comprising:

anisotropically etching trenches in a surface of a substrate;
partially filling said trenches with a deposited oxide, whereby said oxide accumulates in mounds on said surface between ones of said trenches;
filling said trenches with a supporting material;
polishing said substrate to flatten said mounds;
removing said supporting material;
and
continuing to fill said trenches with a deposited oxide.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

10/136,097Filed 30 Apr 2002

Published

US 2003/0203595 A130 Oct 2003

Granted

2 Dec 2003

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

H10W 10/014
Of isolation regions comprising dielectric materials: using trench refilling with dielectric materials, e.g. shallow trench isolations
H10W 10/0143
Using trench refilling with dielectric materials, e.g. shallow trench isolations: comprising concurrently refilling multiple trenches having…
H10W 10/041
Manufacture or treatment: of isolation regions comprising polycrystalline semiconductor materials
H10W 10/17
Isolation regions comprising dielectric materials: formed using trench refilling with dielectric materials, e.g. shallow trench isolations

Method of filling isolation trenches in a substrate

Life of this patent

Method of filling isolation trenches in a substrate

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20