Abstract: In an integrated circuit process for SOI including trench device isolation, the problem of voids in the trench fill is addressed by a triple fill process, in which a thermal oxide sidewall having recesses at the bottom corners is covered with a LPCVD deposition that fills in the recesses, followed by a void-free HDP deposition. Densification results in substantially the same etch rate for the three types of oxide.

Abstract: An oxynitride material is used to form shallow trench isolation regions in an integrated circuit structure. The oxynitride may be used for both the trench liner and trench fill material. The oxynitride liner is formed by nitriding an initially formed oxide trench liner. The oxynitride trench fill material is formed by directly depositing a high density plasma (HDP) oxide mixture of SiH4 and O2 and adding a controlled amount of NH3 to the plasma mixture. The resultant oxynitride structure is much more resistant to trench fill erosion by wet etch, for example, yet results in minimal stress to the surrounding silicon. To further reduce stress, the nitrogen concentration may be varied by varying the proportion of O2 to NH3 in the plasma mixture so that the nitrogen concentration is maximum at the top of the fill material.

Abstract: An oxynitride material is used to form shallow trench isolation regions in an integrated circuit structure. The oxynitride may be used for both the trench liner and trench fill material. The oxynitride liner is formed by nitriding an initially formed oxide trench liner. The oxynitride trench fill material is formed by directly depositing a high density plasma (HDP) oxide mixture of SiH4 and O2 and adding a controlled amount of NH3 to the plasma mixture. The resultant oxynitride structure is much more resistant to trench fill erosion by wet etch, for example, yet results in minimal stress to the surrounding silicon. To further reduce stress, the nitrogen concentration may be varied by varying the proportion of O2 to NH3 in the plasma mixture so that the nitrogen concentration is maximum at the top of the fill material.

Abstract: An oxynitride material is used to form shallow trench isolation regions in an integrated circuit structure. The oxynitride may be used for both the trench liner and trench fill material. The oxynitride liner is formed by nitriding an initially formed oxide trench liner. The oxynitride trench fill material is formed by directly depositing a high density plasma (HDP) oxide mixture of SiH4 and O2 and adding a controlled amount of NH3 to the plasma mixture. The resultant oxynitride structure is much more resistant to trench fill erosion by wet etch, for example, yet results in minimal stress to the surrounding silicon. To further reduce stress, the nitrogen concentration may be varied by varying the proportion of O2 to NH3 in the plasma mixture so that the nitrogen concentration is maximum at the top of the fill material.

Abstract: In an integrated circuit process for SOI including trench device isolation, the problem of voids in the trench fill is addressed by a triple fill process, in which a thermal oxide sidewall having recesses at the bottom corners is covered with a LPCVD deposition that fills in the recesses, followed by a void-free HDP deposition. Densification results in substantially the same etch rate for the three types of oxide.

Abstract: A method for forming an isolation trench in a silicon or silicon-on-insulator substrate is described in which a trench is formed in the semiconductor structure (containing a multiple layer structure of Si, SiO2, and SiN layers) and an undoped polysilicon layer is deposited on the bottom and sidewalls of the trench and on the surface of the region adjacent to the trench. A substantial portion of the trench is left unfilled by the undoped polysilicon layer deposited. The polysilicon layer is thermally oxidized to form a thermal oxide that fills the trench and thereby avoids forming a birds-beak formation of the thermal oxide above the sidewalls of the trench. The isolation structure may be planarized by either removing the polysilicon layer from the region adjacent to the trench before oxidation or later removing the oxide from the SiN layer and adjusting height of the oxide in the trench.

Abstract: An oxynitride material is used to form shallow trench isolation regions in an integrated circuit structure. The oxynitride may be used for both the trench liner and trench fill material. The oxynitride liner is formed by nitriding an initially formed oxide trench liner. The oxynitride trench fill material is formed by directly depositing a high density plasma (HDP) oxide mixture of SiH4 and O2 and adding a controlled amount of NH3 to the plasma mixture. The resultant oxynitride structure is much more resistant to trench fill erosion by wet etch, for example, yet results in minimal stress to the surrounding silicon. To further reduce stress, the nitrogen concentration may be varied by varying the proportion of O2 to NH3 in the plasma mixture so that the nitrogen concentration is maximum at the top of the fill material.

Abstract: An oxynitride material is used to form shallow trench isolation regions in an integrated circuit structure. The oxynitride may be used for both the trench liner and trench fill material. The oxynitride liner is formed by nitriding an initially formed oxide trench liner. The oxynitride trench fill material is formed by directly depositing a high density plasma (HDP) oxide mixture of SiH4 and O2 and adding a controlled amount of NH3 to the plasma mixture. The resultant oxynitride structure is much more resistant to trench fill erosion by wet etch, for example, yet results in minimal stress to the surrounding silicon. To further reduce stress, the nitrogen concentration may be varied by varying the proportion of O2 to NH3 in the plasma mixture so that the nitrogen concentration is maximum at the top of the fill material.

Abstract: An oxynitride material is used to form shallow trench isolation regions in an integrated circuit structure. The oxynitride may be used for both the trench liner and trench fill material. The oxynitride liner is formed by nitriding an initially formed oxide trench liner. The oxynitride trench fill material is formed by directly depositing a high density plasma (HDP) oxide mixture of SiH4 and O2 and adding a controlled amount of NH3 to the plasma mixture. The resultant oxynitride structure is much more resistant to trench fill erosion by wet etch, for example, yet results in minimal stress to the surrounding silicon. To further reduce stress, the nitrogen concentration may be varied by varying the proportion of O2 to NH3 in the plasma mixture so that the nitrogen concentration is maximum at the top of the fill material.

Abstract: A method for forming an isolation trench in a silicon or silicon-on-insulator substrate is described in which a trench is formed in the semiconductor structure (containing a multiple layer structure of Si, SiO2, and SiN layers) and an undoped polysilicon layer is deposited on the bottom and sidewalls of the trench and on the surface of the region adjacent to the trench. A substantial portion of the trench is left unfilled by the undoped polysilicon layer deposited. The polysilicon layer is thermally oxidized to form a thermal oxide that fills the trench and thereby avoids forming a birds-beak formation of the thermal oxide above the sidewalls of the trench. The isolation structure may be planarized by either removing the polysilicon layer from the region adjacent to the trench before oxidation or later removing the oxide from the SiN layer and adjusting height of the oxide in the trench.

Abstract: Fabrication methods for forming a network of walls concurrently with the formation of studs for interconnecting plural device layers of a large scale integrated circuit device permits aggressive reduction of the average dielectric constant of air dielectric structures. Wall sections may be positioned to laterally support high aspect ratio connecting studs with a network of open or closed polygons. Wall patterns may also be open from layer to layer to allow formation of large scale air dielectric structures over a plurality of layers in a single material removal step. A wide range of shear strengths and reductions of average dielectric constant can be achieved even within a single device layer of a large scale integrated circuit and exploited to meet circuit design and device fabrication process requirements.

Abstract: Fabrication methods for forming a network of walls concurrently with the formation of studs for interconnecting plural device layers of a large scale integrated circuit device permits aggressive reduction of the average dielectric constant of air dielectric structures. Wall sections may be positioned to laterally support high aspect ratio connecting studs with a network of open or closed polygons. Wall patterns may also be open from layer to layer to allow formation of large scale air dielectric structures over a plurality of layers in a single material removal step. A wide range of shear strengths and reductions of average dielectric constant can be achieved even within a single device layer of a large scale integrated circuit and exploited to meet circuit design and device fabrication process requirements.

Abstract: An SOI transistor has a self-aligned body contact formed through an extension to the gate, thereby forming the body contact with minimal increase in area and also avoiding the need to tie the source to the body, as in prior art schemes that passed the body contact through the source. The body contact aperture is formed by raising the source and drain to define an initial aperture, depositing a conformal layer that is etched to create aperture-defining sidewalls and etching the contact aperture using these sidewalls to define sidewall support members that support insulating sidewalls to isolate the collection electrode from both the gate and from the source and drain.

Abstract: A method and the resulting product for isolating lightly doped silicon islands from each other and from a common substrate. The substrate is covered with a first heavily doped epi layer. The first layer is covered with a lightly doped second epi layer. A pair of spaced deep trenches are provided which extend from the top surface of the second layer, through the first layer and into the substrate. The interior walls of the trenches are lined with oxide. A pair of heavily doped reach-through diffusions extending from said top surface to the first layer is oriented perpendicularly to the deep trenches and fully extends between the trenches. The heavily doped reach-through diffusions and the contiguous first layer are removed by a single anisotropic etching step to yield silicon islands isolated by air except where the islands contact the oxide-lined deep trenches. The air isolation preferably is partially replaced with other dielectric material.

Abstract: A wafer structure and a method of making the same, upon which semiconductor devices may be formed, comprises first and second wafers. The first wafer comprises a first substrate having a thin oxide layer formed on a bottom surface thereof, the first substrate having a characteristic thermal expansion coefficient. The second wafer comprises a second substrate having an insulation layer formed on a top surface thereof, the insulation layer having a characteristic thermal expansion coefficient substantially matched with the characteristic thermal expansion coefficient of the first substrate and further having a high thermal conductivity. The second wafer further comprises a thin oxide layer formed on a top surface of the insulation layer, wherein the first thin oxide layer of the first wafer is bonded to the second thin oxide layer of the second wafer.

Abstract: A heat dissipation apparatus for dissipation of thermal energy from an isolated active silicon region to an underlying supportive substrate is disclosed. Such an apparatus comprises a diamond filled trench having walls extending through the isolated active silicon region, an underlying insulative layer, and into the supportive substrate, whereby said diamond filled trench provides a high thermal conductive path from said active silicon region to said substrate.

Abstract: A method and the resulting product for isolating lightly doped silicon islands from each other and from a common substrate. The substrate is covered with a first heavily doped epi layer. The first layer is covered with a lightly doped second epi layer. A pair of spaced deep trenches are provided which extend from the top surface of the second layer, through the first layer and into the substrate. The interior walls of the trenches are lined with oxide. A pair of heavily doped reach-through diffusions extending from said top surface to the first layer is oriented perpendicularly to the deep trenches and fully extends between the trenches. The heavily doped reach-through diffusions and the contiguous first layer are removed by a single anisotropic etching step to yield silicon islands isolated by air except where the islands contact the oxide-lined deep trenches. The air isolation preferably is partially replaced with other dielectric material.

Abstract: A method comprising the steps of: providing a substrate including an insulator material having a generally planar surface; forming a plurality of mesas of a semiconductor material on the substrate surface, the plurality of mesas spaced by channels extending to the substrate surface, the plurality of mesas including device mesas and dummy mesas; forming a polish-stop structure of at least one selected material over the substrate surface in the channels; polishing the plurality of mesas and stopping on the polish-stop structure whereby the plurality of mesas have the same thickness as the polish-stop structure; and replacing the dummy mesas with an insulator material whereby to electrically isolate the device mesas.

Abstract: A method of forming a thin silicon SOI layer by wafer bonding, the thin silicon SOI layer being substantially free of defects upon which semiconductor structures can be subsequently formed, is disclosed.

Abstract: A method for isolating a film from a substrate 50 includes the steps of: providing an N+ layer 52 on the substrate 50; forming an insulation layer 54 onto the N+ doped layer 52; etching a pair of trenches 56, 58 through the insulation layer 52 to thereby form an isolation region 60 of insulation material; laterally etching a cavity 62 underneath the isolation region; and, forming a film 64 onto the isolation region.