Macronix International Co., Ltd.

Lee-Jen Chen

Chin-Hsiang Lin

Yung-Tai Hung

A shallow trench isolation (STI) process is described. A patterned mask layer is formed on a substrate, and then a trench is formed in the substrate with the mask layer as a mask. A portion of the mask layer around the trench is removed, and a portion of the substrate around the top portion of the trench is removed with the remaining mask layer as a mask. A liner layer is formed in the trench. The liner layer on the top portion of the trench is then removed with a pre-deposition process of an HDP-CVD process. Thereafter, an insulating material is filled into the trench, and the mask layer is removed with an etchant. In STI process, the liner layer comprises a material that can also be etched by the etchant.

Shallow trench isolation process

A method of forming an isolation trench for an integrated circuit on a semiconductor substrate includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a-pad oxide layer, a nitride layer, and a patterned photoresist layer, and removing portions of the nitride layer, pad oxide layer, and semiconductor substrate to form a trench. After the trench is formed, the patterned photoresist is removed and a first fill layer is formed inside of the trench. The first fill layer is then etched back using a wet spin etch, and a second fill layer is subsequently formed over the first fill layer.

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Taipei, Taiwan

Lee-Jen Chen