Abstract: General purpose methods for the fabrication of integrated circuits from flexible membranes formed of very thin low stress dielectric materials, such as silicon dioxide or silicon nitride, and semiconductor layers. Semiconductor devices are formed in a semiconductor layer of the membrane. The semiconductor membrane layer is initially formed from a substrate of standard thickness, and all but a thin surface layer of the substrate is then etched or polished away. In another version, the flexible membrane is used as a support and electrical interconnect for conventional die bonded thereto. Multiple die can be connected to the membrane, which is then packaged as a multi-chip module. Other applications are based on membrane processing for bipolar and MOSFET transistor fabrication, low impedance conductor interconnecting fabrication, flat panel displays, maskless (direct write) lithography, and 3D IC fabrication.

Abstract: A convex polycrystalline silicon film is formed on a handle wafer. A semiconductor layer is formed on the polycrystalline silicon film. The semiconductor is thinner on its areas in which the convex polycrystalline silicon film is formed and is thicker on its areas in which the convex polycrystalline silicon film is not formed. An opening is formed in each of those areas of an insulating film which are located under respective thick-film semiconductor areas of the semiconductor layer. The polycrystalline silicon film is formed in the openings to connect electrically the thick-film semiconductor areas and the handle wafer together.

Abstract: Dual gate dielectric constructions and methods therefor are disclosed for different regions on an integrated circuit. In the illustrated embodiment, gate dielectrics in memory array regions of the chip are formed of silicon oxide, while the gate dielectric in the peripheral region comprises a harder material, specifically silicon nitride, and has a lesser overall equivalent oxide thickness. The illustrated peripheral gate dielectric has an oxide-nitride-oxide construction. The disclosed process includes forming silicon nitride over the entire chip followed by selectively etching off the silicon nitride from the memory array region, without requiring a separate mask as compared to conventional processes. After the selective etch, oxide is grown over the entire chip, growing differentially thicker in the memory array region.

Abstract: An N− type epitaxial layer is formed on a P− type silicon substrate. Trenches are created so as to penetrate N− type epitaxial layer and so as to reach to a predetermined depth of P− type silicon substrate. Thermal oxide films are formed on the sidewalls of trenches. Buried polysilicon films are formed so as to fill in trenches. Thermal oxide films are formed having an approximately constant film thickness ranging from the bottoms to the edges of the openings of trenches so as not to give stress to N− type epitaxial layers. Thereby, a semiconductor device wherein a leak current is prevented can be gained.

Abstract: An electronic device supported on a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device includes a diffusion area in the substrate and a polysilicon layer extending over the substrate and contacting the diffusion area. The electronic device further includes a conductive contact covering and contacting both the polysilicon layer and the diffusion area. Therefore, the semiconductor device disclosed in this invention includes poly-to-diffusion connection for a semiconductor device that has a diffusion are and a polysilicon area. The semiconductor device further includes a contact that covers both the diffusion area and the polysilicon area with a contact filling material forming the connection between these two areas.

Abstract: According to a semiconductor device of the present invention, a field oxide film is formed so as to cover the main surface of an SOI layer and to reach the main surface of a buried oxide film. As a result, a pMOS active region of the SOI and an nMOS active region of the SOI can be electrically isolated completely. Therefore, latchup can be prevented completely. As a result, it is possible to provide a semiconductor device using an SOI substrate which can implement high integration by eliminating reduction of the breakdown voltage between source and drain, which was a problem of a conventional SOI field effect transistor, as well as by efficiently disposing a body contact region, which hampers high integration, and a method of manufacturing the same.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided, which includes a pair of differential transistors that convert a voltage difference between a first input terminal and a second input terminal into a drain current difference between a first transistor and a second transistor and in which a voltage range of the first input terminal or the second input terminal is wide. A SOI structure MOSFET is used as each of the pair of differential transistors. The MOSFET includes a general MOSFET structure including a source region, a drain region, a well region between both the regions, a gate oxide film on an upper surface of the well region, and a gate electrode on the gate oxide film, and further includes a first conductivity type substrate region under the source region, the drain region and the well region through a buried oxide film.

Abstract: When an element isolation film is formed by the LOCOS technique, as an underlying buffer layer of an oxidation resisting film, a pad oxidation film and pad poly-Si film are used. When an element is formed, they are used as a gate oxide film and a part of a gate electrode to relax a level difference between the gate electrode and the wiring on the element isolation film. A first poly-Si film (pad poly-Si film) is etched to leave its certain thickness to relax the level difference more greatly. In such a process, in manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit using the LOCOS technique, the number of manufacturing steps can be reduced and the level difference between the gate electrode on the gate insulating film and the wiring on the element isolation film can be relaxed.

Abstract: A method for forming shallow trench isolation (STI) features to reduce or avoid divot formation at STI trench corners including providing a shallow trench isolation (STI) feature included in a semiconductor process surface the STI feature including an anisotropically etched trench formed into a semiconductor substrate extending through a thickness including a thermally grown silicon dioxide layer overlying the semiconductor substrate and a metal nitride hardmask layer overlying the thermally grown silicon dioxide layer said anisotropically etched trench being back filled with a silicon dioxide filling material; removing excess silicon dioxide filling material overlying the hardmask layer according to a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process; removing the hard mask layer according to a wet chemical etching process; and, re-growing the thermally grown silicon dioxide layer including re-oxidizing to at least an originally formed thermally grown silicon dioxide layer thickness.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having grooves uniformly filled with semiconductor fillers is provided. Both ends of each of narrow active grooves are connected to an inner circumferential groove surrounding the active grooves. The growth speed of semiconductor fillers on both ends of the active grooves becomes equal to that at their central portions. As a result, a semiconductor device having the active grooves filled with the semiconductor fillers at a uniform height is obtained.

Abstract: The invention relates to a semiconductor memory (1) having a plurality of memory-cell arrays (2), a plurality of sense-amplifier areas (3) and a plurality of driver areas (4) on a semiconductor substrate (7) of a first conductivity type, each of the multiple sense-amplifier areas (3) and multiple driver areas (4) containing at least one first well (9) of the first conductivity type and/or at least one second well (10) of a second conductivity type, and each first well (9) of the driver areas (4) being isolated from the semiconductor substrate (7) by a buried horizontal layer (8) of the second conductivity type.

Abstract: A method and structure for forming a modified field oxide region having increased field oxide threshold voltages (Vth) and/or reduced leakage currents between adjacent device areas is achieved. The method involves forming a field oxide using the conventional local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) using a patterned silicon nitride layer as a barrier to oxidation. After forming the LOCOS field oxide by thermal oxidation and removing the silicon nitride, a conformal insulating layer composed of silicon oxide is deposited and anisotropically etched back to form sidewall insulating portions over the bird's beak on the edge of the LOCOS field oxide, thereby forming a new modified field oxide. P-channel implants are formed in the device areas. Then a second implant is used to implant through the modified field oxide to provide channel-stop regions with modified profiles that increase the field oxide Vth and/or reduce leakage current between device areas.

Abstract: A method of forming isolation structures in semiconductor substrates comprising exposing a region of the semiconductor simultaneously to a transforming agent and to a viscosity reducing agent so that the transforming agent transforms a portion of the substrate into an isolation structure and the viscosity reducing agent reduces the viscosity of the isolation structure during formation. In one embodiment, a silicon substrate is exposed to oxygen in the presence of fluorine so that a silicon oxide isolation region is formed. The fluorine reduces the viscosity of the silicon oxide isolation region during formation which results in less lateral, bird's beak encroachment under adjacent masking stacks and also results in lower internal stress in the isolation region during formation. The lower internal stress and the lessened lateral encroachment result in thicker and improved isolation regions.

Abstract: A high resistance n-type base layer is formed on a silicon substrate with an insulating layer made of a silicon oxide film therebetween. In the high resistance n-type base layer a p-ch MOS transistor is formed. The p-ch MOS transistor is electrically isolated from another element by trench isolation formed of a trench. A p+ source layer in the p-ch MOS transistor surrounds a periphery of a p+ drain layer and has, for example, an elliptical planar configuration. A semiconductor device thus formed has a high drive capacity and is suitable to high integration.

Abstract: In a semiconductor substrate, semiconductor regions belonging to the IGBT are formed in an IGBT region and semiconductor regions belonging to the diode are formed in a diode region. The IGBT and the diode are connected in anti-parallel to each other. A trench in which an insulator is buried is formed between the IGBT region and the diode region. The insulator restricts the reverse recovery current which flows from the diode region into the IGBT region. Thus, semiconductor regions of an IGBT and a diode connected in anti-parallel with each other are fabricated in a single semiconductor substrate and the chip size is reduced.

Abstract: A structure of an electrostatic discharge protection circuit, using a deep trench structure to replace the guard ring at a periphery of the electrostatic discharge protection circuit. Consequently, the device area is smaller compared to the device with the guard ring. Moreover, the device area is further reduced because the distance between the transistors of the electrostatic discharge protection circuit is shortened. At the same time, the functions of latch-up immunity and substrate noise immunity are more effective.

Abstract: Component having a blocking pn junction having an edge termination structure which is formed by a further, more weakly doped region (5) and a trench (8) formed therein, said trench being filled with a dielectric. The dielectric material in the trench (8) diverts the equipotential areas from the horizontal in a very confined space in the vertical direction, with the result that the electric field can emerge from the component within a small region of the chip surface.

Abstract: A power semiconductor device and a method of forming the same is provided. The method begins by providing a substrate of a first conductivity type and then forming a voltage sustaining region on the substrate. The voltage sustaining region is formed by depositing an epitaxial layer of a first conductivity type on the substrate and forming at least one trench in the epitaxial layer. A barrier material is deposited along the walls of the trench. A dopant of a second conductivity type is implanted through the barrier material into a portion of the epitaxial layer adjacent to and beneath the bottom of the trench. The dopant is diffused to form a first doped layer in the epitaxial layer and the barrier material is removed from at least the bottom of the trench. The trench is etched through the first doped layer and a filler material is deposited in the trench to substantially fill the trench, thus completing the voltage sustaining region.

Abstract: An method and apparatus for high voltage control of isolation region transistors (320) in an integrated circuit. Isolation region transistors (320) are formed between active devices by selective implantation of channel stop implants (140). Isolation region transistors (320) are those areas with a conductor (130) over an isolation region (120) with no channel stop implant (140). This provides an isolation region transistor (320) with a lower threshold voltage than the areas with channel stop implant (140). The voltage threshold of the isolation region transistors 320 are adjustable to a range of voltages by varying the length of channel stop implant (140). The apparatus may be fabricated using conventional fabrication processes.

Abstract: An object is to provide a semiconductor device which is free from such voltage oscillation as may cause malfunction of peripheral equipment. In a semiconductor device having a pin structure, the impurity concentration gradient in an n+ layer (103) serving as a buffer layer is set equal to or less than 2×1018cm−4. Then, when a reverse bias voltage is applied and a depletion layer reaches the n+ layer (103), the expansion of the depletion layer is prevented from rapidly stopping and the voltage oscillation can be suppressed.

Abstract: A method of forming isolation structures in semiconductor substrates comprising exposing a region of the semiconductor simultaneously to a transforming agent and to a viscosity reducing agent so that the transforming agent transforms a portion of the substrate into an isolation structure and the viscosity reducing agent reduces the viscosity of the isolation structure during formation. In one embodiment, a silicon substrate is exposed to oxygen in the presence of fluorine so that a silicon oxide isolation region is formed. The fluorine reduces the viscosity of the silicon oxide isolation region during formation which results in less lateral, bird's beak encroachment under adjacent masking stacks and also results in lower internal stress in the isolation region during formation. The lower internal stress and the lessened lateral encroachment result in thicker and improved isolation regions.

Abstract: A protection structure against electrostatic discharges for a semiconductor electronic devicethat is integrated inside a well is disclosed, wherein the well is formed on a SOI substrateand isolated dielectrically by a buried oxide layer and an isolation structure, which isolation structure includes in turn at least a dielectric trench filled with a filler material. Advantageously, the protection structure is formed at the isolation structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor device forms a protective diode with a high breakdown voltage at a power terminal of a power IC. An N-type well is formed in a P-type semiconductor substrate, the well electrically connected to a power supply terminal. An N-type channel stopper region is formed in the well. A P-type substrate pickup region is formed outside the well. The distance between the substrate pickup region and the channel stopper region is adjusted such that the breakdown voltage of the parasitic diode is not lower than the rated voltage and not higher than the breakdown voltage of the high voltage PMOSFET fabricated in the well. The protective diode absorbs electrostatic breakdown and electrical noises without an additional circuit protection device or manufacturing process.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates that by modifying the masking layer normally utilized for complimentary type tub development to provide one or more additional openings arranged in close proximity to the drain area of a selected power device of the non-complimentary type, that the dopant profile may be modified to provide a greater voltage breakdown exclusively for that selected power device without affecting similar type logic circuit non-complimentary devices as found within the same integrated circuit chip. Furthermore, this is accomplished without the need for providing an additional mask or additional process steps to supplement and thereby disturb a given predefined process set for the fabrication of semiconductor devices.

Abstract: A semiconductor device (20) includes an isolated p-well (22) formed in a substrate (21) by a buried n-well (25) and an n-well ring (24). The n-well ring (24) extends from a surface of the semiconductor device (20) to the buried n-well (25). The isolated p-well (22) includes a plurality of n-well plugs (27) extending from the surface of the semiconductor device (20) into the isolated p-well (22) and contacting the buried n-well (25). The plurality of n-well plugs (27) reduces an n-well resistance to provide better noise isolation for high frequency signals.

Abstract: An integrated circuit is described having a substrate, a power transistor in a first region of the substrate, and a plurality of barrier regions of the substrate around the first region. Each barrier region includes a barrier transistor and at least one substrate connection connecting the barrier transistor to at least one floating region of the substrate adjacent the barrier region. During operation of the integrated circuit, the floating regions and the barrier transistors operate to inhibit operation of parasitic devices associated with the power transistor.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and substrate assembly structures for mechanical and chemical-mechanical planarizing processes used in the manufacturing microelectronic-device substrate assemblies. One aspect of the invention is directed toward a method for planarizing a microelectronic-device substrate assembly by removing material from a surface of the substrate assembly, detecting a first change in drag force between the substrate assembly and a polishing pad indicating that the substrate surface is planar, and identifying a second change in drag force between the substrate assembly and the polishing pad indicating that the planar substrate surface is at the endpoint elevation. After the second change in drag force is identified, the planarization process is stopped.

Abstract: When an element isolation film is formed by the LOCOS technique, as an underlying buffer layer of an oxidation resisting film, a pad oxidation film and pad poly-Si film are used. When an element is formed, they are used as a gate oxide film and a part of a gate electrode to relax a level difference between the gate electrode and the wiring on the element isolation film. A first poly-Si film (pad poly-Si film) is etched to leave its certain thickness to relax the level difference more greatly. In such a process, in manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit using the LOCOS technique, the number of manufacturing steps can be reduced and the level difference between the gate electrode on the gate insulating film and the wiring on the element isolation film can be relaxed.

Abstract: The specification describes techniques for isolating noisy subcircuits in integrated analog/digital devices. Isolation is obtained using a modification of triple well isolation wherein the deep isolation implant is restricted to the digital circuits only to prevent noise from the digital circuits from propagating to the analog sections through the buried implant. Resistor sections are also separated from the buried isolation implant.

Abstract: In a combined isolation oxide film (BT1), a part closer to a gate electrode (GT13) reaches a buried oxide film (2) through an SOI layer (3) while a part closer to another gate electrode (GT12) has a sectional shape provided with a well region on its lower portion. The shape of an edge portion of the combined isolation oxide film (BT1) is in the form of a bird's beak in a LOCOS isolation oxide film. Consequently, the thicknesses of portions defining edge portions of the gate oxide films (GO12, GO13) are locally increased. Thus provided are a semiconductor device including a MOS transistor having a gate oxide film prevented from dielectric breakdown without increasing its thickness and a method of manufacturing the same.

Abstract: When an element isolation film is formed by the LOCOS technique, as an underlying buffer layer of an oxidation resisting film, a pad oxidation film and pad poly-Si film are used. When an element is formed, they are used as a gate oxide film and a part of a gate electrode to relax a level difference between the gate electrode and the wiring on the element isolation film. A first poly-Si film (pad poly-Si film) is etched to leave its certain thickness to relax the level difference more greatly. In such a process, in manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit using the LOCOS technique, the number of manufacturing steps can be reduced and the level difference between the gate electrode on the gate insulating film and the wiring on the element isolation film can be relaxed.

Abstract: A field MOS transistor having a high withstand voltage is disclosed. An island region of an epitaxial layer is surrounded by a heavily-doped isolation layer and a lightly-doped isolation layer formed thereon. A channel region is formed in the island region so as to assume the same doping level as that of the lightly-doped isolation layer. A region is formed below the island region so as to assume the same doping level as that of the heavily-doped isolation layer, thus supplying a back gate voltage to the transistor. The channel formation region is formed simultaneously with formation of the lightly-doped isolation layer, and the region below the island region is formed simultaneously with the heavily-doped isolation layer. As a result, manufacturing processes can be simplified.

Abstract: A compensation component includes a drift path formed of p-conducting and n-conducting layers which are led around or along a trench. A process for producing the compensation component is also provided.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises:a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of active regions for forming semiconductor elements, the active regions being formed on the semiconductor substrate; a device isolation region for separating the plural active regions from each other, the device isolation region including a trench region filled with an insulating film and a pseudo active region formed adjacent to the trench region; a wiring layer formed above the semiconductor substrate; and a pseudo conductive film formed on the device isolation region, wherein, if the pseudo conductive film is partially or entirely located under the wiring layer, the pseudo conductive film is formed only on the trench region.

Abstract: A method of forming isolation structures in semiconductor substrates comprising exposing a region of the semiconductor simultaneously to a transforming agent and to a viscosity reducing agent so that the transforming agent transforms a portion of the substrate into an isolation structure and the viscosity reducing agent reduces the viscosity of the isolation structure during formation. In one embodiment, a silicon substrate is exposed to oxygen in the presence of fluorine so that a silicon oxide isolation region is formed. The fluorine reduces the viscosity of the silicon oxide isolation region during formation which results in less lateral, bird's beak encroachment under adjacent masking stacks and also results in lower internal stress in the isolation region during formation. The lower internal stress and the lessened lateral encroachment result in thicker and improved isolation regions.

Abstract: In a MOS semiconductor device including a normal MOS transistor and an output MOS transistor for an input/output buffer, the normal MOS transistor is formed in a normal well. In an output MOS transistor, the channel region of the second MOS transistor and an element isolation region are formed in the region of a higher impurity concentration. On the other hand, the source and drain regions are formed in a lower impurity concentration region. Thereby, the source/drain capacitance of the output MOS transistor may be reduced, and the input/output capacitance of the semiconductor device may be reduced.

Abstract: A silicon chip built-in inductor structure. The structure at least includes a substrate, a plurality of active devices on the substrate, a dielectric layer with a planarized upper surface and an inductor device. The substrate can be divided into an active device region and a region containing grid-like field oxide devices. The grid-like field oxide region has a plurality of field oxide layers, a plurality of first-type-ion-doped regions underneath the field oxide layers and a plurality of second-type-ion-doped region in the substrate between the various field oxide layers. A plurality of junction regions are formed between the first-type-ion-doped regions and the second-type-ion-doped regions. The junction regions impede the flow of an eddy current along a prescribed direction. A dielectric layer is formed over the substrate covering the active devices and the field oxide devices. The inductor device is formed on the dielectric layer above the field oxide devices.

Abstract: A semiconductor device capable of suppressing increase in the junction leakage current and preventing deterioration in the electric characteristics even when the device is miniaturized, and a method of manufacturing thereof are attained. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, an isolation insulator, a gate electrode, a coating film, an interlayer insulation film, and a sidewall coating film. The semiconductor substrate has a main surface. The isolation insulator is formed at the main surface of the semiconductor substrate and isolates a conductive region. The gate electrode is formed in the conductive region. The coating film is formed on the isolation insulator, and it has a sidewall and a film thickness of at most that of the gate electrode. The interlayer insulation film is formed on the coating film. The sidewall coating film is formed on the sidewall of the coating film, and it includes a material having an etching rate different from that of the interlayer insulation film.

Abstract: The top surface of a P-type semiconductor substrate is partitioned into an active region to be formed with an element and an isolation region surrounding the active region. The isolation region is composed of trench portions and dummy semiconductor portions. An interlayer insulating film is deposited on the substrate, followed by a wire formed thereon. In each of the semiconductor portions, an impurity diffusion layer is formed simultaneously with the implantation of ions into the element so that a PN junction is formed between the impurity diffusion layer and the silicon substrate. A capacitance component of the wiring-to-substrate capacitance in the region containing the semiconductor portions is obtained by adding in series the capacitance in the impurity diffusion layer to the capacitance in the interlayer insulating film, which is smaller than the capacitance only in the interlayer insulating film.

Abstract: A first well of the same conductivity type as that of a semiconductor substrate and a second well of a conductivity type opposite to that of the semiconductor substrate, are formed in the semiconductor substrate. The second well isolates the semiconductor substrate and the first well from each other. Phosphorus ions for forming the bottom of the second well are implanted into the semiconductor substrate more deeply than boron ions for forming the first well. The depths to which these ions are implanted can be varied by acceleration energy of the ions. If the ions are so implanted, the total sum of impurities constituting the second well can be decreased within the surface area of the first well.

Abstract: A process for forming an integrated circuit calls for the provision of at least one matrix of non-volatile memory cells including an intermediate dielectric multilayer comprising a lower silicon oxide layer, an intermediate silicon nitride layer and an upper silicon oxide layer. The process calls for the simultaneous provision in zones peripheral to the memory cells of at least one first and one second transistor type each having a gate dielectric of a first and a second thickness respectively. After formation of the floating gate of the cells with a gate oxide layer and a polycrystalline silicon layer and the formation of the lower silicon oxide layer and of the intermediate silicon nitride layer, the process in accordance with the present invention includes removal of said layers from the zones peripheral to the matrix, and formation of a first silicon oxide layer over the substrate in the areas of both types of transistor.

Abstract: A metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) device includes a silicon substrate, source and drain regions having a predetermined junction depth (dj) relative to the surface of the silicon substrate, and a gate region having a contoured channel region formed by a locally-oxidized silicon (LOCOS) structure grown to a predetermined thickness. The contoured channel region has a substantially flat surface, extending into the silicon substrate by a predetermined depth (dc), and contoured edges. The depth (dc) of the substantially flat surface of the contoured channel region is greater than or equal to the depth of the junction depth (dj) of the source and drain regions, such that the contoured channel region is lower than or equal to the source and drain regions relative to the surface of the silicon substrate. The lower depth of the contoured channel region relative to the source and drain regions decouples shallow junction requirements from the channel length scaling.

Abstract: A compensation component includes a drift path formed of p-conducting and n-conducting layers which are led around or along a trench. A process for producing the compensation component is also provided.

Abstract: A circuit isolation technique that uses implanted ions in embedded portions of a wafer substrate to lower the resistance of the substrate under circuits formed on the wafer or portions of circuits formed on the wafer to prevent the flow of injected currents across the substrate. The embedded ions provide low resistance regions that allow injected currents from a circuit to flow directly to a ground potential in the same circuit rather than flowing across the substrate to other circuits. High energy implantation processes on the order of 1 MeV to 3 MeVs can be used to implant the ions in embedded regions. Multiple energy levels can be used to provide thick embedded layers either prior to or after application of an epitaxial layer. Various masking materials can be used to mask the isolation regions during the implantation process, including hard masking materials such as silicon dioxide or silicon nitride, poly-silicon or an amorphous silicon layer, and a photoresist layer.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes junction insulation on a substrate of semiconductor material. The integrated circuit comprises active regions of a first type of conductivity, and insulation regions which separate the junction-forming active regions from one another and from the substrate. The integrated circuit also includes electrical contacts for reverse-biasing the junctions. In order to obtain highly efficient insulation, at least one of the active regions is separated from the active regions adjacent to it and from the substrate by insulation regions which form an inner insulation shell, including regions of a second conductivity type. These regions contain the active region. An outer insulation shell includes regions of the first conductivity type which contain the inner insulation shell.

Abstract: Narrow and wide, planar field isolation region (72, 74, 152, 172, 182) is formed by forming trenches (52, 54) within a substrate (10). For wide, planar field isolation regions (72, 152, 172, 182), the trenches (52) define at least one mesa (76, 150, 170, 180) within the field isolation region (72, 152, 172, 182). The trenches (52, 54) are filled with a material (62) that is polished or etched to form the planar field isolation region (72, 74, 152, 172, 182) where the wide, planar field isolation regions (72, 152, 172, 182) include the mesa(s) (76, 150, 170, 180). Etching can be used or by polishing with minimal, if any, dishing occurs because the widths of the trenches (52, 54) are kept relatively narrow (usually no more than five microns wide). Mesas (180) within a wide, planar field isolation region (182) can form linguistic characters to better identify the part number or mask set of the device.

Abstract: A first concave portion for the element isolation, a second concave portion for an aligning mark, and a third concave portion for an anti-fuse portion are formed simultaneously within a silicon substrate. After a silicon oxide film is formed on the entire surface, the silicon oxide film positioned within the second and third concave portions is removed. Then, a gate insulating film is formed on the entire surface, followed by forming a polysilicon film on the gate insulating film. Further, these polysilicon film and gate insulating film are selectively removed to form a gate electrode above an element region, an aligning mark portion in the second concave portion, and a gate electrode for an anti-fuse portion on the bottom surface of the third concave portion.

Abstract: A new method is provided for creating a LOCOS region in the surface of a semiconductor substrate. A layer of silicon-oxynitride-oxide (SXO) is deposited in a controlled manner over the surface of the substrate by controlling, during the process of deposition, the nitride and oxygen concentration of the layer of SXO as a function of the thickness of the deposited SXO. The silicon nitride is deposited over the layer of SXO. The two layers of SXO and silicon nitride are patterned and etched to define the active region, the field oxide is grown in the exposed regions of the silicon substrate. The created LOCOS region has a sharply reduced bird's beak profile while providing a good stress buffer for the overlying layer of silicon nitride.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fabrication process for fabricating an integrated circuit substrate structure having LOCOS isolation areas formed such that oxidation encroachment at an active surface region patterned on the substrate is less than 0.1 &mgr;m. The fabrication process includes various process steps for forming a 0.75 &mgr;m. to 1.0 &mgr;m layer of silicon dioxide (SiO2) over thin layers of silicon dioxide (0.01 &mgr;m. to 0.05 &mgr;m) and silicon nitride (0.05 &mgr;m. to 0.10 &mgr;m) over a surface region of the substrate to form a protective stack/passivation layers over a surface region of the silicon substrate. The protected substrate surface region is useable for fabricating a microelectronic circuit device, such as a MOS transistor, or a flash memory device. Adjacent the protective stack, a silicon nitride spacer region is formed to effectively widen the protected substrate surface region.

Abstract: A semiconductor photomask set for producing wafer alignment accuracy in a semiconductor fabrication process. The photomask set produces an alignment mark that is accurate for subsequent fabrication after undergoing a dual field oxide (FOX) fabrication process. Prior arts methods have traditionally covered the alignment marks with layers of oxide material.