Method of manufacturing semiconductor integrated circuit device

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming a silicon-nitride-based film over a first main surface of a wafer;
• (b) forming a silicon-oxide-based film over the silicon-nitride-based film;
• (c) processing the silicon-oxide-based film by a lithography process to form a group of first linear films extending in a first direction and openings such that the silicon-nitride-based film remains under the group of first linear films and the openings;
• (d) after the step (c), forming a resist film over the first main surface, and exposing the resist film to light;
• (e) subjecting the resist film to a development process to form a group of second linear films extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
• (f) after the step (e), in a state in which the group of first linear films and the group of second linear films have been formed, performing an etching process to the first main surface to form, in a portion of the first main surface serving as a memory cell array, a plurality of STI unit trench regions each having a rectangular shape longer in the first direction than in the second direction and formed into a matrix arranged in the first direction and the second direction;
• (g) forming a STI buried insulating film over the first main surface so as to be buried in the STI unit trench regions;
• (h) subjecting the STI buried insulating film located outside the STI unit trench regions to a planarization process to form a group of STI regions arranged in a matrix;
• and
• (i) after the step (h), forming first and second word lines longitudinally traversing, at predetermined space intervals, each row of the group of STI regions arranged in the matrix by a lithography process,
• wherein alignment in an exposure step in the lithography process in the step (i) is performed using positions in the second direction of the group of STI regions arranged in the matrix as a reference.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device including memory cells, comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming a first film over a semiconductor substrate;
• (b) forming a second film over the silicon-nitride-based film;
• (c) patterning the first film by a lithography process to form a group of first patterns extending in a first direction and openings formed between the first patterns such that the second film remains under the group of first patterns and the openings;
• (d) after the step (c), forming a resist film over the semiconductor substrate, and exposing the resist film to light;
• (e) forming the resist film to a development process to form a group of second patterns extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
• (f) after the step (e), in a state in which the group of first patterns and the group of second patterns have been formed, performing an etching process to form, in a portion of the semiconductor substrate serving as a memory cell array, a plurality of STI unit trench regions each having a rectangular shape and formed into a matrix arranged in the first direction and the second direction;
• (g) burying an insulating film in the STI unit trench regions;
• (h) forming a group of STI regions arranged in a matrix by removing the insulating film located outside the STI unit trench regions;
• and
• (i) after the step (h), forming word lines extending in the first direction and longitudinally traversing each row of the group of STI regions by a lithography process,
• wherein alignment in an exposure step in the lithography process in the step (i) is performed using positions in the first direction of the group of STI regions as a reference.