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. 17, 2001
Filed:
May. 08, 1998
Reza Arghavani, Aloha, OR (US);
Robert S. Chau, Beaverton, OR (US);
Simon Yang, Portland, OR (US);
John Graham, Fort Collins, CO (US);
Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A method of forming an isolation structure in a semiconductor substrate is described. A trench is first etched into a semiconductor substrate. A first oxide layer is then formed with the trench. The first oxide layer is subjected to a nitrogen-oxide gas ambient and is annealed to form an oxy-nitride surface on the first oxide layer and a silicon-oxynitride interface between the first oxide layer and the semiconductor substrate. A second oxide layer is then deposited over the oxy-nitride surface of the first oxide layer. The method and isolation structure of the present invention prevents dopant outdiffusion, reduces trench stresses, allows more uniform growth of thin gate oxides, and permits the use of thinner gate oxides.