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:
Nov. 18, 2014
Filed:
Apr. 02, 2012
Theophilus Benson, Madison, WI (US);
Yaoping Ruan, Yorktown Heights, NY (US);
Sambit Sahu, Yorktown Heights, NY (US);
Anees A. Shaikh, Yorktown Heights, NY (US);
Theophilus Benson, Madison, WI (US);
Yaoping Ruan, Yorktown Heights, NY (US);
Sambit Sahu, Yorktown Heights, NY (US);
Anees A. Shaikh, Yorktown Heights, NY (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A semiconductor device includes a first layer, first and second active areas disposed on the first layer; a trench disposed between the first and second active areas, an insulating oxide that fills the trench to a level below a surface of the first and second active layers, and a nitride cap disposed on top of the insulating oxide so that the first and second active areas can be cleaned without damaging the insulating oxide. A top surface of the nitride cap in regions adjacent to the first and second active areas in aligned with a top surface of the first and second active areas, a top surface of the nitride cap in a center region of the nitride cap is stepped below the top surface of the adjacent regions, and a void is formed between the top surface regions adjacent to the first and second active areas.