Macronix International Co., Ltd.

Shih-Liang Chou

Wen-Cheng Lien

Tsung-De Lin

Hung-Yu Chiu

U-Way Tseng

Fu-Hsiang Hsu

Kou-Yow Tseng

Tian-Jue Hong

Shin-Yi Chou

Hsiao-Kang Wang

Y Y Chang

L H Lee

A rapid thermal annealing ('RTA') process providing for an RTA equipment is disclosed. The RTA equipment has a pyrometer providing for measuring an operation parameter, e.g., a temperature of the RTA process. The RTA process comprises steps of proceeding a first RTA step to a wafer in the RTA equipment, then comparing a measured value of the operation parameter with a reference range of value of the operation parameter, thereafter proceeding a second RTA step to the wafer in the RTA equipment when the measured value of the operation parameter is in between the reference range of value of the operation parameter. When the measured value of the operation parameter is out of the reference range of value of the operation parameter, the RTA equipment is turned off, and the wafer is unloaded from the RTA equipment and loaded into another RTA equipment to complete the RTA process.

Rapid thermal annealing process

A method of forming an intermetal dielectric (IMD) layer. At least one metal wire is formed on a substrate. A filling oxide layer is formed on the substrate and the metal wire. The surface of the filling oxide layer is smoothed. A first silicon-rich oxide layer is formed on the filling oxide layer, where the refractive index (RI) of the first silicon-rich oxide layer is 1.6&#x2dc;1.64. A second silicon-rich oxide layer is formed on the first silicon-rich oxide layer, where the refractive index of the second silicon-rich oxide layer is 1.49&#x2dc;1.55. According to the present method, the diffusion of mobile hydrogen ions is blocked by manufacture with dual silicon-rich oxide layers.

Method of forming an intermetal dielectric layer

A method of fabricating a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure. A substrate is provided and then a pad oxide layer, a mask layer and a first trench are sequentially formed on the substrate. An insulation layer is formed inside the first trench and over the substrate. The insulation layer has a second trench in a location above the first trench. Thereafter, a conformal cap layer is formed over the insulation layer. The cap layer has a third trench in a location above the second trench. A reverse mask is formed over the cap layer covering the third trench. The cap layer and the insulation layer outside the reverse mask are removed to expose the upper surface of the mask layer. The reverse mask is removed and then the residual insulation layer outside the remaining cap layer and the trench are moved to expose the upper surface of the mask layer. Finally, the mask layer and the pad oxide layer are removed.

Method of fabricating shallow trench isolation structure

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Hsinchu, Taiwan

Shih-Liang Chou