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. 08, 2001
Filed:
Jan. 11, 1999
Shawn T. Walsh, Richardson, TX (US);
John E. Campbell, Plano, TX (US);
James B. Friedmann, Dallas, TX (US);
Thomas M. Parrill, North Andover, MA (US);
Der'E Jan, Plano, TX (US);
Joshua J. Robbins, Dallas, TX (US);
Byron T. Ahlburn, Plano, TX (US);
Sue Ellen Crank, Coppell, TX (US);
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
A method is given for removing excess oxide from active areas after shallow trench isolation, without the use of chemical-mechanical polishing. A nitride mask protects active areas during the etch of isolation trenches. The trenches are filled with oxide, using high density plasma deposition, which simultaneously etches, providing a sloping contour around the isolation trenches. A further layer of nitride is used to provide a cap over the trench which seals to the underlying layer of nitride. The cap layer of nitride receives a patterned etch to remove the cap only over the active areas. This allows a selective etch to remove the excess oxide, which can be followed by a selective etch to remove the nitride layers.