Abstract: Methods of preparing improved semiconductor substrates having gate oxide layers formed thereon, and use of such substrates in fabricating improved semiconductor devices, are disclosed.

Abstract: A capacitor includes an upper electrode formed by physical vapor deposition and chemical vapor deposition. The upper electrode of the capacitor may include a first upper electrode formed by chemical vapor deposition and a second upper electrode formed by physical vapor deposition. Alternatively, the upper electrode may include a first upper electrode formed by physical vapor deposition and a second upper electrode formed by chemical vapor deposition. The upper electrode of the capacitor is formed through two steps using chemical vapor deposition and physical vapor deposition. Therefore, the upper electrode can be thick and rapidly formed, whereby electrical characteristics of the upper electrode are not deteriorated.

Abstract: Methods of forming trench isolation regions include the steps of forming a semiconductor substrate having a trench therein and a masking layer thereon extending adjacent the trench. The masking layer may comprise silicon nitride. A recess-inhibiting layer is then formed on a sidewall of the trench and on a sidewall of the masking layer. Next, a stress-relief layer is formed on the recess-inhibiting layer. This stress-relief layer extends opposite the sidewall of the trench and opposite the sidewall of the masking layer and may comprise silicon nitride. The trench is then filled with a trench isolation layer. A sequence of planarization or etch-back steps are then performed to remove the masking layer and also align an upper surface of the trench isolation layer with a surface of the substrate. At least a portion of the masking layer is removed using a first etchant (e.g.

Abstract: In a method of fabricating a non-volatile memory device with a silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) structure, a silicon nitride layer, which is a charge trapping layer, and a polysilicon layer, which is a control gate electrode, are electrically isolated from one another in the resulting structure. According to the method, a silicon oxide layer as a tunneling layer and a silicon nitride layer pattern as a charge trapping layer are formed on a semiconductor substrate; an oxidation process is performed to form a silicon nitride oxide layer, as a blocking layer, at top and sides of the silicon nitride layer pattern and to form a gate insulating layer at an exposed portion of the semiconductor substrate; and a control gate electrode is formed on the silicon nitride oxide layer and the gate insulating layer.

Abstract: A method for forming a trench type isolation film comprises filling a trench with a composite film, flattening the resultant, and annealing the flattened resultant before a gate oxide film is formed. The annealing diffuses out any contaminant existing in an area near and/or contacting the trench on a surface between a semiconductor substrate and a pad oxide film. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the portion of the gate oxide film which is near the trench from becoming thinner than other portions. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the characteristic of the gate oxide film from deteriorating. In particular, it is possible to prevent a break down voltage from being lowered.

Abstract: A method of forming a trench-type device isolation layer in which a trench is filled through two steps, wherein a polysilazane solution is coated on a semiconductor substrate, in which a trench for device isolation layer is formed, in a spin on glass (SOG) manner to form an SOG layer filling a predetermined portion of the trench. In order to maintain a conformal coating thickness without overfilling the trench, the polysilazane solution preferably has a solid-state perhydro polysilazane ([SiH2NH]n) of between about 5 to about 15 percent by weight. Following formation of the SOG layer, a subsequent annealing process is carried out. The SOG layer is etched to make a top surface of the remaining SOG layer recessed down to a degree of about 1000 Å from an inlet of the trench, and a remaining space of the trench is filled with an ozone TEOS USG layer or an HDP CVD layer.

Abstract: Trench isolation methods for integrated circuits may reduce irregularities in the formation of an isolation layer through use of a high selectivity chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) operation. In particular, a substrate surface is etched to form a trench. An insulation layer is then formed on the substrate surface and in the trench. The insulation layer is chemical-mechanical polished using a slurry that includes a CeO2 group abrasive to form an isolation layer in the trench. The CMP selectivity ratio of a slurry that includes a CeO2 group abrasive may be sufficient to allow the substrate surface to be used as a CMP stop. As a result, a more consistent level of polishing may be maintained over the substrate surface, which may result in a more uniform thickness in the isolation layer.

Abstract: Methods of forming trench isolation regions include the steps of forming a semiconductor substrate having a trench therein and a masking layer thereon extending adjacent the trench. The masking layer may comprise silicon nitride. A recess-inhibiting layer is then formed on a sidewall of the trench and on a sidewall of the masking layer. Next, a stress-relief layer is formed on the recess-inhibiting layer. This stress-relief layer extends opposite the sidewall of the trench and opposite the sidewall of the masking layer and may comprise silicon nitride. The trench is then filled with a trench isolation layer. A sequence of planarization or etch-back steps are then performed to remove the masking layer and also align an upper surface of the trench isolation layer with a surface of the substrate. At least a portion of the masking layer is removed using a first etchant (e.g.

Abstract: An isolation method for a semiconductor device where an insulating mask layer is formed on desired regions of a semiconductor substrate. A trench is formed to a desired depth in the semiconductor substrate using the insulating mask layer as a mask. An oxide layer is formed on the insulating mask layer and on the sidewall of the trench. A trench liner layer is formed on the oxide layer. An insulating filler layer is formed in the trench in the semiconductor substrate, on which the trench liner layer is formed, so as to fill the trench. The insulating mask layer is removed. According to the isolation method for a semiconductor device, it is possible to reduce dents from occurring along the edge of the trench, reduce a bird's beak type oxide layer from occurring at an interface between the insulating mask layers, decrease the leakage current, or improve the electrical characteristics, such as threshold voltage.

Abstract: A method of forming a shallow trench isolation layer in a semiconductor device is provided, wherein a first trench and a second trench are formed in an area selected from a semiconductor substrate and a sidewall oxide layer, an anti-oxidation liner, and a mask layer are formed on the semiconductor substrate including the inner surfaces of the first and second trenches, in the same order. Using photoresist lithography, the mask layer and the anti-oxidation layer are etched in the second trench. An isolation layer is formed in the first and second trenches by depositing and then chemically and mechanically polishing the dielectric material and the layers underneath until the semiconductor substrate surface is exposed. The first trench provides isolation between N-FETs, an N-FET and a P-FET, an N-FET and other circuit devices, a P-FET and other circuit devices, and other circuit devices and the second trench provides isolation between P-FETs.

Abstract: A trench isolation structure which prevents a hump phenomenon and an inverse narrow width effect of transistors by rounding the top edges of a trench and increasing the amount of oxidation at the top edges of a trench, a semiconductor device having the trench isolation structure, and a trench isolation method are provided. In this trench isolation method, a trench is formed in non-active regions of a semiconductor substrate. An inner wall oxide film having a thickness of 10 to 150 Å is formed on the inner wall of the trench. A liner is formed on the surface of the inner wall oxide film. The trench is filled with a dielectric film. Part of the liner is etched so that the top ends of the silicon nitride liner are recessed from the surface of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Methods of forming trench isolation regions include the steps of forming a semiconductor substrate having a trench therein and a masking layer thereon extending adjacent the trench. The masking layer may comprise silicon nitride. A recess-inhibiting layer is then formed on a sidewall of the trench and on a sidewall of the masking layer. Next, a stress-relief layer is formed on the recess-inhibiting layer. This stress-relief layer extends opposite the sidewall of the trench and opposite the sidewall of the masking layer and may comprise silicon nitride. The trench is then filled with a trench isolation layer. A sequence of planarization or etch-back steps are then performed to remove the masking layer and also align an upper surface of the trench isolation layer with a surface of the substrate. At least a portion of the masking layer is removed using a first etchant (e.g.

Abstract: A method of forming a trench-type device isolation layer in which a trench is filled through two steps, wherein a polysilazane solution is coated on a semiconductor substrate, in which a trench for device isolation layer is formed, in a spin on glass (SOG) manner to form an SOG layer filling a predetermined portion of the trench. In order to maintain a conformal coating thickness without overfilling the trench, the polysilazane solution preferably has a solid-state perhydro polysilazane ([SiH2NH]n) of between about 5 to about 15 percent by weight. Following formation of the SOG layer, a subsequent annealing process is carried out. The SOG layer is etched to make a top surface of the remaining SOG layer recessed down to a degree of about 1000 Å from an inlet of the trench, and a remaining space of the trench is filled with an ozone TEOS USG layer or an HDP CVD layer.

Abstract: A method for forming a trench type isolation film comprises filling a trench with a composite film, flattening the resultant, and annealing the flattened resultant before a gate oxide film is formed. The annealing diffuses out any contaminant existing in an area near and/or contacting the trench on a surface between a semiconductor substrate and a pad oxide film. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the portion of the gate oxide film which is near the trench from becoming thinner than other portions. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the characteristic of the gate oxide film from deteriorating. In particular, it is possible to prevent a break down voltage from being lowered.

Abstract: A method of forming a shallow trench isolation layer in a semiconductor device is provided, wherein a first trench and a second trench are formed in an area selected from a semiconductor substrate and a sidewall oxide layer, an anti-oxidation liner, and a mask layer are formed on the semiconductor substrate including the inner surfaces of the first and second trenches, in the same order. Using photoresist lithography, the mask layer and the anti-oxidation layer are etched in the second trench. An isolation layer is formed in the first and second trenches by depositing and then chemically and mechanically polishing the dielectric material and the layers underneath until the semiconductor substrate surface is exposed. The first trench provides isolation between N-FETs, an N-FET and a P-FET, an N-FET and other circuit devices, a P-FET and other circuit devices, and other circuit devices and the second trench provides isolation between P-FETs.

Abstract: In a trench isolation method, an etching mask pattern for forming a trench is formed on a semiconductor substrate. The substrate is etched to form a trench. An insulating layer is formed to fill the trench, and then a material layer is formed on the insulating layer. In this case, the material layer is made of material formed at a high temperature to density the insulating layer. The material layer and the insulating layer are planarly etched and the etching mask pattern is removed, so that a trench isolation layer is completed. Accordingly, although a densification process is avoided, it is possible to form a device isolation layer having a favorable surface profile.

Abstract: A trench isolation structure which prevents a hump phenomenon and an inverse narrow width effect of transistors by rounding the top edges of a trench and increasing the amount of oxidation at the top edges of a trench, a semiconductor device having the trench isolation structure, and a trench isolation method are provided. In this trench isolation method, a trench is formed in non-active regions of a semiconductor substrate. An inner wall oxide film having a thickness of 10 to 150 Å is formed on the inner wall of the trench. A liner is formed on the surface of the inner wall oxide film. The trench is filled with a dielectric film. Part of the liner is etched so that the top ends of the silicon nitride liner are recessed from the surface of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A trench isolation structure which prevents a hump phenomenon and an inverse narrow width effect of transistors by rounding the top edges of a trench and increasing the amount of oxidation at the top edges of a trench, a semiconductor device having the trench isolation structure, and a trench isolation method are provided. In this trench isolation method, a trench is formed in non-active regions of a semiconductor substrate. An inner wall oxide film having a thickness of 10 to 150Å is formed on the inner wall of the trench. A liner is formed on the surface of the inner wall oxide film. The trench is filled with a dielectric film. Part of the liner is etched so that the top ends of the silicon nitride liner are recessed from the surface of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A method for forming a trench isolation in a semiconductor device is provided in which a first heat treatment process is conducted on a thermal oxide layer previously formed in a trench at temperature range from about 1000.degree. C. to 1200.degree. C. for about 1 to 8 hours so as to remove defects in a semiconductor substrate and oxygen impurities within the semiconductor substrate resulting from a step of forming the trench in the semiconductor substrate. As a result, a subsequent second heat treatment process for densifying a trench filling material such as a CVD oxide layer can be performed at lower temperature of about 1000.degree. C. to 1050.degree. C., as compared with the temperature of the first annealing of the thermal oxide layer, thereby reducing distortions of the semiconductor substrate and reducing current leakages.

Abstract: A multilayer oxide film, including at least two oxide layers having differing stress characteristics, is used in a trench isolation method. Preferably, at least a first one of the oxide layers has tensile stress characteristics and at least a second one of the oxide layers has compressive stress characteristics. Thus, during densification, the overall stress can be reduced. The multilayer film is preferably formed by sequentially stacking first and second oxide films which have opposite stress characteristics. In one example, the first oxide film is a tetra-ethyl-orthosilicate (TEOS)-O.sub.3 based chemical vapor deposition (CVD) oxide film and the second oxide film is selected from the group consisting of TEOS-based plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD) oxide film, an SiH.sub.4 based PECVD oxide film and a high density plasma (HDP) oxide film. In another embodiment, the first oxide film is an HDP oxide film and the second film is a TEOS-O.sub.3 based CVD oxide film.