The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 05, 1998
Filed:
Jan. 21, 1997
Herbert Ho, Washingtonville, NY (US);
Erwin Hammerl, Stromville, NY (US);
David M Dobuzinsky, Hopewell Junction, NY (US);
Herbert Palm, Wappingers Falls, NY (US);
Stephen Fugardi, New Milford, CT (US);
Atul Ajmera, Wappinger, NY (US);
James F Moseman, Dover Plains, NY (US);
Samuel C Ramac, Wappingers Falls, NY (US);
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, Munich, DE;
Abstract
Silicon integrated circuits use a crystalline layer of silicon nitride (Si.sub.3 N.sub.4) in shallow trench isolation (STI) structures as an O.sub.2 -barrier film. The crystalline Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 lowers the density of electron traps as compared with as-deposited, amorphous Si.sub.3 N.sub.4. Further, a larger range of low-pressure chemical-vapor deposited (LPCVD) Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 films can be deposited, providing a larger processing window for thickness controllability. An LPCVD-Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 film is deposited at temperatures of 720.degree. C. to 780.degree. C. The deposited film is in an amorphous state. Subsequently, a high-temperatures rapid-thermal anneal in pure nitrogen or ammonia is conducted at 1050.degree. C. to 1100.degree. for 60 seconds.