International Business Machines Corporation

Mark Lagerquist

Steven M Shank

Jeffrey C Maling

Bruce Walter Porth

Dinh Dang

June Cline

Jessica A Trapasso

Lisa Y Ninomiya

A semiconductor structure. A hard mask layer is on a top substrate surface of a semiconductor substrate. The hard mask layer includes a hard mask layer opening through which a portion of the top substrate surface is exposed to a surrounding ambient. The hard mask layer includes a pad oxide layer on the top substrate surface, a nitride layer on the pad oxide layer, a BSG (borosilicate glass) layer on top of the nitride layer, and an ARC (anti-reflective coating) layer on top of the BSG layer. A BSG side wall surface of the BSG layer is exposed to the surrounding ambient through the hard mask layer opening.

Deep trench in a semiconductor structure

A semiconductor structure. The structure includes (a) a semiconductor substrate; (b) a hard mask layer on top of the semiconductor substrate; and (c) a hard mask layer opening in the hard mask layer. The semiconductor substrate is exposed to the atmosphere through the hard mask layer opening. The hard mask layer opening comprises a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein the bottom portion is disposed between the top portion and the semiconductor substrate. The bottom portion has a greater lateral width than the top portion.

Deep trench formation in semiconductor device fabrication

A method for etching a deep trench in a semiconductor substrate. The method comprises the steps of (a) forming a hard mask layer on top of the semiconductor substrate, (b) etching a hard mask opening in the hard mask layer so as to expose the semiconductor substrate to the atmosphere through the hard mask layer opening, wherein the step of etching the hard mask opening includes the step of etching a bottom portion of the hard mask opening such that a side wall of the bottom portion of the hard mask opening is substantially vertical, and (c) etching a deep trench in the substrate via the hard mask opening.

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Colchester, VT, United States of America

Mark Lagerquist