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:
Jan. 29, 2002
Filed:
Oct. 04, 1999
Applicant:
Inventors:
Tammy Zheng, Fremont, CA (US);
Calvin Todd Gabriel, Cupertino, CA (US);
Edward K. Yeh, San Jose, CA (US);
Assignee:
Philips Electronics North America Corp., New York, NY (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 2/176 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 2/176 ;
Abstract
For use with a sub-micron semiconductor process, a trench isolation process improves the etch profile of trenches among dense and isolated lines. In an example embodiment, a process forms a dielectric stack of silicon dioxide, silicon nitride and silicon oxynitride on a silicon substrate. Photolithography and etch define trench regions in the silicon substrate through the dielectric stack. Silicon oxynitride acts as a hard mask reducing differences in the sidewall slope among dense areas of the semiconductor device and the sparse areas of the semiconductor device.