Motorola Corporation

George R Meyer

Janos Farkas

Sanjit K Das

Narrow and wide, planar field isolation region (,) is formed by forming trenches (,) within a substrate (,). For wide, planar field isolation regions (,), the trenches (,) define at least one mesa (,) within the field isolation region (,). The trenches (,) are filled with a material (,) that is polished or etched to form the planar field isolation region (,) where the wide, planar field isolation regions (,) include the mesa(s) (,). Etching can be used or by polishing with minimal, if any, dishing occurs because the widths of the trenches (,) are kept relatively narrow (usually no more than five microns wide). Mesas (,) within a wide, planar field isolation region (,) can form linguistic characters to better identify the part number or mask set of the device. The planar field isolation region (,) can be formed near LOCOS-type field isolation regions when required for certain types of input protection circuits or high potential components.

Semiconductor device having field isolation

Narrow and wide, planar field isolation region (72, 74, 152, 172, 182) is formed by forming trenches (52, 54) within a substrate (10). For wide, planar field isolation regions (72, 152, 172, 182), the trenches (52) define at least one mesa (76, 150, 170, 180) within the field isolation region (72, 152, 172, 182). The trenches (52, 54) are filled with a material (62) that is polished or etched to form the planar field isolation region (72, 74, 152, 172, 182) where the wide, planar field isolation regions (72, 152, 172, 182) include the mesa(s) (76, 150, 170, 180). Etching can be used or by polishing with minimal, if any, dishing occurs because the widths of the trenches (52, 54) are kept relatively narrow (usually no more than five microns wide). Mesas (180) within a wide, planar field isolation region (182) can form linguistic characters to better identify the part number or mask set of the device. The planar field isolation region (72, 74, 152, 172, 182) can be formed near LOCOS-type field isolation regions when required for certain types of input protection circuits or high potential components.

Semiconductor device having field isolation with a mesa or mesas

Physical properties of alumina particles in a chemical-mechanical polishing slurry delivery loop (28) are measured using a titration technique (44). Examples of the physical properties include crystallographic phase, surface charge, and surface charge density. The physical properties are correlated to a polishing rate (46). Specification limits are generated using the correlated data (482 and 486). The specification limits are used to determine if no adjustments are required to the polishing parameters (484), if adjustments are required to polishing parameters (488) or if the slurry requires replacement (489). This process can be automated and integrated into a conventional chemical-mechanical polishing processing system (20).

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Austin, TX, United States of America

George R Meyer