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:
Jul. 03, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 17, 1998
Jing-Horng Gau, Nan-Tou Hsien, TW;
Hsiu-Wen Huang, Kaoshiung, TW;
United Microelectronics Corp., Hsinchu, TW;
Abstract
A semiconductor fabrication method is provided for the fabrication of an isolation structure including a shallow-trench isolation (STI) structure in an integrated circuit. This method is characterized by the increase in the thickness of the adhesive layer over that of the prior art and also in the use of thermal oxidation process to form the STI structure. The thick adhesive layer can thus resist the stress from thermal expansion of the various component layers in the integrated circuit during heat treatment. Moreover, the resulting STI structure is not formed with recessed edge portions since the hydrofluoric (HF) etchant acts on the silicon dioxide plug in the STI structure with substantially the same etching rate as on the adhesive layer. Moreover, this method includes no chemical-mechanical polish (CMP) process, so the problem of scratches on the surface of the silicon dioxide plug as seen in the case of the prior art is avoided.