Oxidation Of Deposited Material Patents (Class 438/431)
  • Patent number: 7851383
    Abstract: Method and system for forming gate structure with controllable oxide. The method includes a step for providing a semiconductor substrate and defining a source region and a drain region within the semiconductor substrate. Furthermore, the method includes a step for defining a gate region positioned between the source region and the drain region. Moreover, the method provides a step for forming a first layer overlaying the gate region. The first layer includes silicon nitride and/or silicon oxynitride material. Also, the method includes a step for forming a second layer by subjecting the semiconductor substrate to at least oxygen at a predetermined temperature range for a period of time. The second layer has a thickness less than 20 Angstroms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation
    Inventors: Xiaopeng Yu, Sean F. Zhang
  • Patent number: 7795159
    Abstract: Provided are a charge trap semiconductor memory device including a charge trap layer on a semiconductor substrate, and a method of manufacturing the charge trap semiconductor memory device. The method includes: (a) coating a first precursor material on a surface of a semiconductor substrate to be deposited and oxidizing the first precursor material to form a first layer formed of an insulating material; (b) coating a second precursor material formed of metallicity on the first layer; (c) supplying the first precursor material on the surface coated with the second precursor material to substitute the second precursor material with the first precursor material; and (d) oxidizing the first and second precursor materials obtained in (c) to form a second layer formed of an insulating material and a metal impurity, and (a) through (d) are performed at least one time to form a charge trap layer having a structure in which the metal impurity is isolated in the insulating material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kwang-soo Seol, Yo-sep Min, Sang-min Shin
  • Patent number: 7736963
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of forming a gate structure for a semiconductor device includes forming a preliminary gate structure on a semiconductor substrate. The preliminary gate structure includes a gate oxide pattern and a conductive pattern sequentially stacked on the substrate. Then, a re-oxidation process is performed to the substrate having the preliminary gate structure using an oxygen radical including at least one oxygen atom, so that an oxide layer is formed on a surface of the substrate and sidewalls of the preliminary gate structure to form the gate structure for a semiconductor device. The thickness of the gate oxide pattern is prevented from increasing, and the quality of the oxide layer is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Woong Lee, Young-Sub You, Hun-Hyeoung Leam, Yong-Woo Hyung, Jai-Dong Lee, Ki-Su Na, Jung-Hwan Kim
  • Patent number: 7723205
    Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device, in which characteristics of the semiconductor device are improved by thinning a gate insulating film and a leak current can be reduced, and a manufacturing method thereof. An aluminum film which is a metal film is formed over a polycrystalline semiconductor film, and plasma oxidizing treatment is performed to the aluminum film, whereby an aluminum oxide film is formed by oxidizing the aluminum film, and a silicon oxide film is formed between the polycrystalline semiconductor film and the aluminum oxide film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Tetsuya Kakehata
  • Publication number: 20100059852
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method begins by providing a substrate having a layer of semiconductor material, a pad oxide layer overlying the layer of semiconductor material, and a pad nitride layer overlying the pad oxide layer. The method proceeds by selectively removing a portion of the pad nitride layer, a portion of the pad oxide layer, and a portion of the layer of semiconductor material to form an isolation trench. Then, the isolation trench is filled with a lower layer of isolation material, a layer of etch stop material, and an upper layer of isolation material, such that the layer of etch stop material is located between the lower layer of isolation material and the upper layer of isolation material. The layer of etch stop material protects the underlying isolation material during subsequent fabrication steps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Rohit PAL, David BROWN, Scott LUNING
  • Publication number: 20100044802
    Abstract: Provided are a semiconductor device making it possible to form an element region having a dimension close to a designed dimension, restrain a phenomenon similar to gate-induced drain leakage, and further restrain compressive stress to be applied to the element region by oxidation of a conductive film; and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device. Trenches are made in a main surface of a semiconductor substrate. By oxidizing the wall surface of each of the trenches, a first oxide film is formed on the wall surface. An embedded conductive film is formed to be embedded into the trench. The embedded conductive film is oxidized in an atmosphere containing an active oxidizing species, thereby forming a second oxide film. A third oxide film is formed on the second oxide film by CVD or coating method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventors: Masato Ishibashi, Katsuyuki Horita, Tomohiro Yamashita, Takaaki Tsunomura, Takashi Kuroi
  • Patent number: 7659181
    Abstract: A method of depositing dielectric material into sub-micron spaces and resultant structures is provided. After a trench is etched in the surface of a wafer, an oxygen barrier is deposited into the trench. An expandable, oxidizable liner, preferably amorphous silicon, is then deposited. The trench is then filled with a spin-on dielectric (SOD) material. A densification process is then applied, whereby the SOD material contracts and the oxidizable liner expands. Preferably, the temperature is ramped up while oxidizing during at least part of the densification process. The resulting trench has a negligible vertical wet etch rate gradient and a negligible recess at the top of the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Smythe, III, Jigish D. Trivedi
  • Patent number: 7648886
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit (IC) utilizes a shallow trench isolation (STI) technique. The shallow trench isolation technique is used in strained silicon (SMOS) process. The liner for the trench is formed to in a low temperature process which reduces germanium outgassing. The low temperature process can be a UVO, ALD, CVD, PECVD, or HDP process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Globalfoundries Inc.
    Inventors: Minh-Van Ngo, Qi Xiang, Paul R. Besser, Eric N. Paton, Ming-Ren Lin
  • Patent number: 7648878
    Abstract: A pad oxide layer is formed on a substrate. A pad nitride layer is formed on the pad oxide layer. The pad nitride layer and the pad oxide layer are patterned. Predetermined portions of the substrate are etched using the pad nitride layer as an etch barrier to thereby form trenches used as device isolation regions. The trenches are filled with an insulation layer to thereby form device isolation regions. The pad nitride layer is removed. Recesses are formed by etching predetermined portions of the pad oxide layer and the substrate. The pad oxide layer is removed. A gate oxide layer is formed on the recesses and on the substrate. Gate structures of which bottom portions are buried in the recesses on the gate oxide layer are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Tae-Woo Jung
  • Publication number: 20090294840
    Abstract: Methods of isolating gates in a semiconductor structure. In one embodiment, isolation is achieved using a spacer material in combination with fins having substantially vertical sidewalls. In another embodiment, etch characteristics of various materials utilized in fabrication of the semiconductor structure are used to increase the effective gate length (“Leffective”) and the field gate oxide. In yet another embodiment, a V-shaped trench is formed in the semiconductor structure to increase the Leffective and the field gate oxide. Semiconductor structures formed by these methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Brent D. Gilgen, Paul Grisham, Werner Juengling, Richard H. Lane
  • Publication number: 20090291543
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a field plate in a trench of a power transistor in a substrate of a first conductivity type is disclosed. The trench is formed in a first main surface of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Inventor: Martin Poelzl
  • Patent number: 7622769
    Abstract: A method of depositing dielectric material into sub-micron spaces and resultant structures is provided. After a trench is etched in the surface of a wafer, an oxygen barrier is deposited into the trench. An expandable, oxidizable liner, preferably amorphous silicon, is then deposited. The trench is then filled with a spin-on dielectric (SOD) material. A densification process is then applied, whereby the SOD material contracts and the oxidizable liner expands. Preferably, the temperature is ramped up while oxidizing during at least part of the densification process. The resulting trench has a negligible vertical wet etch rate gradient and a negligible recess at the top of the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Micron Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Smythe, III, Jigish D. Trivedi
  • Patent number: 7566612
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a capacitor in a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes steps of depositing a metal layer for forming a lower electrode on a semiconductor substrate; forming, using an oxidation rate differential, an uneven structure in correspondence with a grain boundary of the metal layer; forming a dielectric layer on the lower electrode having the uneven structure; and forming an upper electrode on the dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jea Hee Kim
  • Patent number: 7541259
    Abstract: The semiconductor device includes a lower device isolation structure formed in a semiconductor substrate to define an active region. The lower device isolation structure has a first compressive stress. An upper device isolation structure is disposed over the lower device isolation structure. The upper device isolation structure has a second compressive stress greater than the first compressive stress. A gate structure is disposed over the active region between the neighboring upper device isolation structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Jae Yun Yi
  • Publication number: 20090121278
    Abstract: A method for forming a flash memory cell and the structure thereof is disclosed. The flash memory cell includes a substrate, a first raised source/drain region and a second raised source/drain region separated by a trench in-between, a first charge-trapping spacer and a second charge-trapping spacer respectively on the sidewall of the first and second raised source/drain region, a gate structure covering the first and second spacers, the trench and the first and second raised source/drain regions and a gate oxide layer located between the gate structure and the first and second raised source/drain regions and the substrate. By forming the charge-trapping spacers with less e-distribution, the flash memory affords better erasure efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventor: Sung-Bin Lin
  • Publication number: 20090072305
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to the present invention includes: a semiconductor layer made of silicon; a trench formed by digging in from a top surface of the semiconductor layer; a gate insulating film formed on an inner wall surface of the trench and made of silicon oxide; a gate electrode embedded in the trench via the gate insulating film and made of a polysilicon doped with an impurity; and an oxidation-resistant metal film disposed on a top surface of the gate electrode and covering the top surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuichi Nakao
  • Publication number: 20090047770
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit (IC) utilizes a shallow trench isolation (STI) technique. The shallow trench isolation technique is used in strained silicon (SMOS) process. The liner for the trench is formed from a semiconductor or metal layer which is deposited in a low temperature process which reduces germanium outgassing. The low temperature process can be a ALD process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Inventors: Haihong Wang, Minh-Van Ngo, Qi Xiang, Paul R. Besser, Eric N. Paton, Ming-Ren Lin
  • Patent number: 7479440
    Abstract: A method of depositing dielectric material into sub-micron spaces and resultant structures is provided. After a trench is etched in the surface of a wafer, a liner layer preferably is deposited into the trench. An anisotropic plasma process is then performed on the trench. A silicon layer may be deposited on the base of the trench during the plasma process, or the plasma can treat the liner layer. The trench is then filled with a spin-on precursor. A densification or reaction process is then applied to convert the spin-on material into an insulator, and oxidizing the silicon rich layer on the base of the trench. The resulting trench has a consistent etch rate from top to bottom of the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Smythe, III, William Budge
  • Publication number: 20090017596
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods of forming isolation regions in which spin-on material (for example, polysilazane) is converted to a silicon dioxide-containing composition. The conversion may utilize one or more oxygen-containing species (such as ozone) and a temperature of less than or equal to 300° C. In some embodiments, the spin-on material is formed within an opening in a semiconductor material to form a trenched isolation region. Other dielectric materials may be formed within the opening in addition to the silicon dioxide-containing composition formed from the spin-on material. Such other dielectric materials may include silicon dioxide formed by chemical vapor deposition and/or silicon dioxide formed by high-density plasma chemical vapor deposition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventors: Robert J. Hanson, Janos Fucsko
  • Patent number: 7470595
    Abstract: A tight contact layer is disposed on a semiconductor substrate, the tight contact layer being made of one material selected from the group consisting of refractory metal, alloy of refractory metal, nitride of refractory metal, and siliconized nitride of refractory metal. An oxide surface layer is disposed on the surface of the tight contact layer, the oxide surface layer being made of oxide of material constituting the tight contact layer. A first conductive layer is disposed on the surface of the oxide surface layer, the first conductive layer being made of a platinum group or alloy which contains a platinum group. When a conductive layer made of metal such as a platinum group is formed on a tight contact layer, coverage and morphology can be prevented from being degraded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Nishikawa, Hiroshi Minakata, Kouji Tsunoda, Eiji Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20080315346
    Abstract: Trenches are formed in an SOI wafer to isolate low-voltage and high-voltage elements in the wafer. The isolation trenches are formed with trench coverings that do not protrude above the trenches. Vertical in-trench and horizontal out-of-trench isolation layers are formed and the trenches are then filled to above the planar surface formed by the isolating layers. The filling is planarized and a portion of the filling located in the trench interior is removed. A portion of the isolation layers are then removed and a portion of the filling is removed so that the filler and the isolation layers in the trenches are at about the same level. A covering layer is then deposited. The covering layer extends above the surface of the wafer and into the trenches down to the filler and the isolation layers. The covering layer is additionally planarized to about the top of the trenches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2005
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventors: Ralf Lerner, Uwe Eckoldt
  • Publication number: 20080268611
    Abstract: Methods of forming an improved shallow trench isolation (STI) region are disclosed. Several exemplary techniques are proposed for treating STI sidewalls to improve the silicon (Si) surface at the atomic level. Each of the exemplary methods creates a smooth STI sidewall surface, prior to performing oxidation, by reconstructing silicon atoms at the surface. The suggested STI region can be used in imager pixel cells or memory device applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Jiutao Li, Ralph Kauffman, Richard A. Mauritzson
  • Publication number: 20080265302
    Abstract: A memory structure including a substrate, a first dielectric layer, a first conducting layer, a second conducting layer, a second dielectric layer, a spacer and a doped region is provided. The substrate has a trench wherein. The first dielectric layer is disposed on the interior surface of the trench. The first conducting layer is disposed on the first dielectric layer of the lower portion of the trench. The second conducting layer is disposed above the first conducting layer and filling the trench. The second dielectric layer is disposed between the first conducting layer and the second conducting layer. The spacer is disposed between the first dielectric layer and the second conducting layer. The doped region is disposed in the substrate of a side of the trench.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: NANYA TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ching-Nan Hsiao, Ying-Cheng Chuang, Chung-Lin Huang, Shih-Yang Chiu
  • Patent number: 7422961
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit (IC) utilizes a shallow trench isolation (STI) technique. The shallow trench isolation technique is used in strained silicon (SMOS) process. The liner for the trench is formed from a semiconductor or metal layer which is deposited in a low temperature process which reduces germanium outgassing. The low temperature process can be a CVD process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Haihong Wang, Minh-Van Ngo, Qi Xiang, Paul R. Besser, Eric N. Paton, Ming-Ren Lin
  • Patent number: 7402886
    Abstract: Self-aligned trench filling is used to isolate devices in high-density integrated circuits. A deep, narrow trench isolation region is formed in a substrate between devices. The trench region includes two trench portions. A first trench portion, located above a second trench portion, is filled with a deposited dielectric. The second trench portion is filled with a grown dielectric. Filling the lower trench portion by growing a dielectric material provides for an even distribution of dielectric material within the lower portion. Filling the upper trench portion by depositing a dielectric material provides for an even distribution of material in the upper portion while also protecting against encroachment of the dielectric into device channel regions, for example. Devices can be fabricated by etching the substrate to form the trench region after or as part of etching one or more layers formed above the substrate for the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: SanDisk Corporation
    Inventor: Jack H. Yuan
  • Patent number: 7371655
    Abstract: A low-power CMOS device can be fabricated by forming a shallow trench on a silicon substrate using a gate mask and negative photoresist. This enables an extremely low profile for a junction after completion of lightly doped drain and source/drain implantations. The method includes forming a shallow trench in a silicon substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Eun Jong Shin
  • Patent number: 7365362
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a semiconductor device fabrication method comprising: forming a gate insulating film on a semiconductor substrate; forming a film containing a predetermined semiconductor material and germanium on the gate insulating film; oxidizing the film to form a first film having a germanium concentration higher than that of the film and a film thickness smaller than that of the film on the gate insulating film, and form an oxide film on the first film; removing the oxide film; forming, on the first film, a second film containing the semiconductor material and having a germanium concentration lower than that of the first film; forming a gate electrode by etching the second and first films; and forming a source region and drain region by ion-implanting a predetermined impurity by using the gate electrode as a mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Kiyotaka Miyano
  • Patent number: 7361558
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an improved closed cell trench metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (TMOSFET). The closed cell TMOSFET comprises a drain, a body region disposed above the drain region, a gate region disposed in the body region, a gate insulator region, a plurality of source regions disposed at the surface of the body region proximate to the periphery of the gate insulator region. A first portion of the gate region and the gate oxide region are formed as parallel elongated structures. A second portion of the gate region and the oxide region are formed as normal-to-parallel elongated structures. A portion of the gate and drain overlap region are selectively blocked by the body region, resulting in lower overall gate to drain capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Vishay-Siliconix
    Inventors: Deva N. Pattanayak, Robert Xu
  • Patent number: 7361562
    Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device capable of forming a thin high-quality gate oxide layer by suppressing occurrence of recoiled oxygen due to ion implanting. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes steps of: removing an oxide layer from a semiconductor substrate; forming a well region in the substrate by performing a first ion implanting process; removing a native oxide layer from the substrate; adjusting a threshold voltage by performing a second ion implanting process on the substrate; and forming a gate oxide layer on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hak-Dong Kim
  • Publication number: 20080054409
    Abstract: A method of fabricating semiconductor device that includes at least one of: Forming a first oxide film on and/or over a semiconductor substrate to partially fill at least one trench formed in the semiconductor substrate. Removing a portion of the first oxide film that is over the semiconductor substrate (e.g. by a CMP process). Forming a second oxide film over the first oxide film in the at least one trench to substantially completely fill the at least one trench.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventor: Cheon-Man Shim
  • Publication number: 20080003739
    Abstract: A method for forming an isolation structure of a flash memory device includes providing a substrate structure where a tunnel insulating layer, a conductive layer, and a padding layer are formed, etching the padding layer, the conductive layer, the tunnel insulating layer and the substrate to form a trench, forming a first insulating layer over the substrate structure and filling in a portion of the trench, forming a second insulating layer over the substrate structure, forming a third insulating layer over the substrate structure to fill the trench, polishing the first, second and third insulating layers using the padding layer as a polish stop layer, removing the padding layer and simultaneously recessing the third insulating layer to protrude the first and second insulating layers, and etching the first and second insulating layers while recessing the third insulating layer to form a protective layer on sidewalls of the conductive layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Inventors: Seung-Cheol Lee, Gyu-An Jin
  • Patent number: 7303961
    Abstract: A method for producing a junction region (2, 5, 6, 7) between a trench (3) and a semiconductor zone (2) surrounding the trench (3) in a trench semiconductor device (1) has the following steps: application of an oxidation barrier layer (15) to an upper part (O) of the inner walls of the trench (3), and production of a first oxide layer (7) on a lower part (U) of the inner walls, said lower part not being covered by the oxidation barrier layer (15), by means of thermal oxidation of the uncovered (U) part of the inner walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Hans Weber, Gerhard Silvester Neugschwandtner, Martin Poelzl
  • Patent number: 7300855
    Abstract: In a method for the reversible oxidation protection of microcomponents, a substrate is provided, a silicon nitride layer is provided on the substrate in order to protect it against oxidation, an insulation layer is applied to the silicon nitride layer, and a reoxidation process is carried out. In the reoxidation process are generated oxygen radicals which are passed through the insulation layer to the silicon nitride layer in order to convert silicon nitride of the nitride layer into silicon dioxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Uwe Wellhausen
  • Patent number: 7300884
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a pattern forming method comprising forming an underlayer film on a film to be worked which has been formed on a semiconductor substrate, subjecting the underlayer film to an oxidizing treatment, forming an intermediate film which becomes a mask of the underlayer film, forming a resist film on the intermediate film, exposing the resist film to light to form a resist pattern, transferring the resist pattern onto the intermediate film to form an intermediate film pattern, and transferring the intermediate film pattern onto the underlayer film to form an underlayer film pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yuriko Seino, Yasuhiko Sato, Yasunobu Onishi
  • Patent number: 7288463
    Abstract: Conformal dielectric deposition processes supplemented with a deposited expansion material can fill high aspect ratio narrow width gaps with significantly reduced incidence of voids or weak spots. The technique can also be used generally to form composites, such as for the densification of any substrate having open spaces or gaps to be filled without the incidence of voids or seams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: George D. Papasouliotis
  • Patent number: 7279394
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for forming wall oxide films in flash memory devices and methods for forming isolation films. After trenches are formed in the substrate, an ISSG (In-Situ Steam Generation) oxidization process is performed to form wall oxide films on sidewalls of the trenches. This process prohibits formation of facets at the top and bottom edge portions of the trenches. Thus, the top edges of the trenches are rounded. Furthermore, the ISSG oxidization process is performed at a low temperature for a relatively short time. Therefore, thermal stress due to carrying out an oxidization process for a long time is reduced and a dislocation phenomenon is thus prevented from occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Seung Cheol Lee
  • Patent number: 7262110
    Abstract: In general, the present invention discloses at least one trench isolation region formed in a semiconductor substrate to electrically and/or optically isolate at least one active region from another active region. The at least one trench isolation region comprises a bottom portion and first and second trench sidewalls. At least one trench sidewall is adjacent a doped region. The at least one sidewall adjacent a doped region has a higher impurity dopant concentration than impurity doped regions surrounding the at least one trench isolation region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Joohyun Jin
  • Patent number: 7259074
    Abstract: The present invention provides a trench isolation method in a flash memory device, by which stability and reliability of the device are enhanced in a manner of forming a pad oxide layer thick in the vicinity of an edge of a trench isolation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Dongbu Hitek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung Mun Jung, Jum Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 7253065
    Abstract: A self-aligned carbon-nanotube field effect transistor semiconductor device comprises a carbon-nanotube deposited on a substrate, a source and a drain formed at a first end and a second end of the carbon-nanotube, respectively, and a gate formed substantially over a portion of the carbon-nanotube, separated from the carbon-nanotube by a dielectric film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Joerg Appenzeller, Phaedon Avouris, Kevin K. Chan, Philip G. Collins, Richard Martel, Hon-Sum Philip Wong
  • Patent number: 7238588
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit (IC) utilizes a shallow trench isolation (STI) technique. The shallow trench isolation technique is used in strained silicon (SMOS) process. The liner for the trench is formed from a semiconductor or metal layer which is formed in a selective epitaxial growth (SEG) process. The SEG process can be a CVD or MBE process. Capping layers can be used above the strained silicon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Qi Xiang
  • Patent number: 7214595
    Abstract: A method of producing semiconductor devices is provided, which makes it possible to bury a silicon oxide without shape deterioration in device isolation trenches. The method comprises the steps of: forming an etching resistive mask over a semiconductor substrate; etching the semiconductor substrate through an opening in the etching resistive mask to form a device isolation trench; forming a coat of a silazane perhydride polymer solution over the semiconductor substrate having the device isolation trench formed therein; vaporizing a solvent from the coat and then subjecting the coat to chemical reaction to form a film of silicon oxide; removing said film of the silicon oxide leaving a residue inside said device isolation trench; and heating said silicon oxide left in said device isolation trench for densification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Atsuko Kawasaki, Satoshi Matsuda, Hisakazu Matsumori, Hidenori Shibata, Kumi Okuwada
  • Patent number: 7160782
    Abstract: The present invention provides a trench isolation structure, a method of manufacture therefor and a method for manufacturing an integrated circuit including the same. The trench isolation structure (130), in one embodiment, includes a trench located within a substrate (110), the trench having an implanted buffer layer (133) located in the sidewalls thereof. The trench isolation structure (130) further includes a barrier layer (135) located over the implanted buffer layer (133), and fill material (138) located over the barrier layer (135) and substantially filling the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Rick L. Wise, Mark S. Rodder
  • Patent number: 7148158
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor substrate, source/drain regions formed in the semiconductor substrate, a gate insulation film formed on the semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode formed on the gate insulation film between the source/drain regions, and a gate sidewall spacer formed on side surfaces of the gate electrode, wherein the gate sidewall spacer is composed of silicon oxide containing 0.1–30 atomic % of chlorine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshio Ozawa, Masayuki Tanaka, Kiyotaka Miyano, Shigehiko Saida
  • Patent number: 7132729
    Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor device formed with a diode array together with bipolar transistors, which is capable of preventing the occurrence of crystal defects developed in cross patterns in deep trench regions and improving device yields, and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device. A semiconductor device includes a LOCOS oxide film which isolates a plurality of diodes in an X direction, and deep trenches which isolate the plurality of diodes in a Y direction. The depth of each of the deep trenches is deeper than a high density layer embedded below a collector layer of each bipolar transistor. A shallow trench may be used as an alternative to the LOCOS oxide film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Fujimaki
  • Patent number: 7112513
    Abstract: A method of depositing dielectric material into sub-micron spaces and resultant structures is provided. After a trench is etched in the surface of a wafer, an oxygen barrier is deposited into the trench. An expandable, oxidizable liner, preferably amorphous silicon, is then deposited. The trench is then filled with a spin-on dielectric (SOD) material. A densification process is then applied, whereby the SOD material contracts and the oxidizable liner expands. Preferably, the temperature is ramped up while oxidizing during at least part of the densification process. The resulting trench has a negligible vertical wet etch rate gradient and a negligible recess at the top of the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Smythe, III, Jigish D. Trivedi
  • Patent number: 7071073
    Abstract: For manufacturing an SOI substrate, the following steps are carried out: providing a wafer of semiconductor material; forming, inside the wafer, a plurality of passages forming a labyrinthine cavity and laterally delimiting a plurality of pillars of semiconductor material; and oxidizing the pillars of semiconductor material to form a buried insulating layer. For forming the labyrinthine cavity, a trench is first formed in a substrate; an epitaxial layer is grown, which closes the trench at the top; the wafer is annealed so as to deform the pillars and cause them to assume a minimum-energy handlebar-like shape, and a peripheral portion of the wafer is removed to reach the labyrinthine cavity, and side inlet openings are formed in the labyrinthine cavity. Oxidation is performed by feeding an oxidizing fluid through the side inlet openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Flavio Villa, Gabriele Barlocchi, Pietro Corona
  • Patent number: 7067387
    Abstract: A method for fabricating dielectric isolated silicon islands or regions is described in this invention. A hard composite mask of pad oxide and silicon nitride is first patterned on a silicon substrate and trenches of required dimensions are etched into silicon. After forming an oxide liner on trench surfaces, boron ions are implanted in areas around the trenches such that heavily doped p+ regions are formed. The oxide liner is anisotropically etched with a reactive ion etching process such that only the silicon surface at trench bottom is exposed, leaving the oxide liner on trench walls. Epitaxial silicon is then deposited selectively on exposed single crystal silicon surface so as to fill the trenches. After removing the hard mask, trenches are masked with photo-resist pattern and the wafer is anodically etched in an aqueous bath of HF to form a buried porous silicon layer under and around the trenches. After removing the mask, the porous silicon is then oxidized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Shi-Chi Lin
  • Patent number: 7053007
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit device of the invention comprises feeding oxidation species containing a low concentration of water, which is generated from hydrogen and oxygen by the catalytic action, to the main surface of or in the vicinity of a semiconductor wafer, and forming a thin oxide film serving as a gate insulating film of an MOS transistor and having a thickness of 5 nm or below on the main surface of the semiconductor wafer at an oxide film-growing rate sufficient to ensure fidelity in formation of an oxide film and uniformity in thickness of the oxide film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Tanabe, Satoshi Sakai, Nobuyoshi Natsuaki
  • Patent number: 7041547
    Abstract: In one aspect, the invention encompasses a method of forming a polished material. A substrate is provided and an elevational step is provided relative to the substrate. The elevational step has an uppermost surface. A material is formed beside the elevational step. The material extends to above the elevational step uppermost surface and has lower and upper layers. The lower layer polishes at slower rate than the upper layer under common polishing conditions. The lower layer joins the upper layer at an interface. The material is polished down to about the elevational level of the elevational step uppermost surface utilizing the common polishing conditions. In another aspect, the invention encompasses a method of forming an isolation region. A substrate is provided. The substrate has an opening extending therein and a surface proximate the opening. A material is formed within the opening. The material extends to above the substrate surface, and comprises a lower layer and an upper layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shubneesh Batra, Gurtej S. Sandhu
  • Patent number: 7029988
    Abstract: A method and device are provided for shallow trench isolation for a silicon wafer containing silicon-germanium. In one example, the method comprises forming a trench region in a silicon-germanium layer of a semiconductor substrate containing a single crystal silicon-germanium layer on the surface; forming a first single crystal silicon layer in the trench region and an active region; oxidizing the first single crystal silicon layer; forming a first thermal oxide layer on the surface of the first single crystal silicon layer; forming a device isolation region; embedding an insulator in the trench region; and forming a device in an active region over the single crystal silicon-germanium layer separated by the device isolation region, wherein the step of forming the device in the active region further includes forming a doped region of a depth to reach within the single crystal silicon-germanium layer below the first single crystal silicon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Ohnishi, Nobuyuki Sugii, Takahiro Onai