Dielectric Isolation Formed By Grooving And Refilling With Dielectrical Material Patents (Class 438/359)
  • Patent number: 6861311
    Abstract: In one aspect, the invention provides a method of forming an electrical connection in an integrated circuitry device. According to one preferred implementation, a diffusion region is formed in semiconductive material. A conductive line is formed which is laterally spaced from the diffusion region. The conductive line is preferably formed relative to and within isolation oxide which separates substrate active areas. The conductive line is subsequently interconnected with the diffusion region. According to another preferred implementation, an oxide isolation grid is formed within semiconductive material. Conductive material is formed within the oxide isolation grid to form a conductive grid therein. Selected portions of the conductive grid are then removed to define interconnect lines within the oxide isolation grid. According to another preferred implementation, a plurality of oxide isolation regions are formed over a semiconductive substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Wendell P. Noble
  • Patent number: 6825086
    Abstract: A strained-silicon (Si) channel CMOS device shallow trench isolation (STI) oxide region, and method for forming same have been provided. The method comprises: forming a Si substrate; forming a relaxed-SiGe layer overlying the Si substrate, or a SiGe on insulator (SGOI) substrate with a buried oxide (BOX) layer; forming a strained-Si layer overlying the relaxed-SiGe layer; forming a silicon oxide layer overlying the strained-Si layer; forming a silicon nitride layer overlying the silicon oxide layer; etching the silicon nitride layer, the silicon oxide layer, the strained-Si layer, and the relaxed-SiGe layer, forming a STI trench with trench corners and a trench surface; forming a sacrificial oxide liner on the STI trench surface; in response to forming the sacrificial oxide liner, rounding and reducing stress at the STI trench corners; removing the sacrificial oxide liner; and, filling the STI trench with silicon oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jong-Jan Lee, Sheng Teng Hsu
  • Publication number: 20040235257
    Abstract: A method in the fabrication of an integrated bipolar circuit for forming a p/n-junction varactor is disclosed. The method featuring the steps of providing a p-doped substrate (10; 10, 41); forming a buried n+-doped region (31) in the substrate; forming in the substrate an n-doped region (41) above the buried n+-doped region (31); forming field isolation (81) around the n-doped region (41); multiple ion implanting the n-doped region (41); forming a p+-doped region (151) on the n-doped region (41); forming an n+-doped contact region to the buried n+-doped region (31), the contact region being separated from the n-doped region (41); and heat treating the hereby obtained structure to set the doping profiles of the doped regions. The multiple ion implantation of the n-doped region (41); the formation of the p+-doped region (151); and the heat treatment are performed to obtain a hyper-abrupt p+/n-junction within the n-doped region (41).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventors: Ted Johansson, Hans Norstrom, Stefan Sahl
  • Publication number: 20040209433
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a buried layer of a semiconductor substrate. An active region is formed adjacent at least a portion of the buried layer. At least part of the active region is removed to form a shallow trench opening. A dielectric layer is formed proximate the active region at least partially within the shallow trench opening. At least part of the dielectric layer is removed to form a collector contact region. A collector contact may be formed at the collector contact region. The collector contact may be operable to electrically contact the buried layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Babcock, Christoph Dirnecker, Angelo Pinto, Scott G. Balster, Michael Schober, Alfred Haeusler
  • Patent number: 6803259
    Abstract: A silicon controlled rectifier for SiGe process. The silicon controlled rectifier comprises a substrate, a buried layer of a first conductivity type in the substrate, a well of the first conductivity type in the substrate and above the buried layer, a doped region of a second conductivity type in the well, a first conducting layer of the second conductivity type on the substrate, and a second conducting layer of the first conductivity type on the first conducting layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jian-Hsing Lee
  • Patent number: 6794251
    Abstract: A method is provided for forming a power semiconductor device. The method begins by providing a substrate of a first or second 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 first layer of polysilicon having a second dopant of the second conductivity type is deposited in the trench. The second dopant is diffused to form a doped epitaxial region adjacent to the trench and in the epitaxial layer. A second layer of polysilicon having a first dopant of the first conductivity type is subsequently deposited in the trench. The first and second dopants respectively located in the second and first layers of polysilicon are interdiffused to achieve electrical compensation in the first and second layers of polysilicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: General Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Blanchard
  • Publication number: 20040157399
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a process for producing a SiGe layer in a bipolar device having a reduced amount of gaps or discontinuities on a shallow trench isolation (STI) region use for a base electrode connection. The process is used for forming an SiGe layer for use in a semiconductor device. The process includes doping a single crystal substrate with a first dopant type, baking the doped single crystal substrate at a temperature less than 900° C., and at a pressure less than 100 torr; and depositing the SiGe layer on the baked single crystal substrate (epi SiGe) to serve as the base electrode and on the STI region (poly SiGe) to serve as a connection for the base electrode. The semiconductor device is thereby created from the combination of the doped single crystal substrate and the deposited SiGe layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2003
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., LTD
    Inventors: Kuen-Chyr Lee, Liang-Gi Yao, Fu Chin Yang, Shih-Chang Chen, Mong-Song Liang
  • Patent number: 6770523
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit is provided having a semiconductor wafer. A chemical-mechanical polishing stop layer is deposited on the semiconductor wafer and a first photoresist layer is processed over the chemical-mechanical polishing stop layer. The chemical-mechanical polishing stop layer and the semiconductor wafer are patterned to form a shallow trench and a shallow trench isolation material is deposited on the chemical-mechanical polishing stop layer and in the shallow trench. A second photoresist layer is processed over the shallow trench isolation material leaving the shallow trench uncovered. The uncovered shallow trench is then treated to become a chemical-mechanical polishing stop area. The shallow trench isolation material is then chemical-mechanical polished to be co-planar with the chemical-mechanical stop layer and the chemical-mechanical polishing stop treated area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Kashmir S. Sahota, Jeffrey P. Erhardt, Arvind Halliyal, Minh Van Ngo, Krishnashree Achuthan
  • Patent number: 6764922
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Klaus D. Beyer, Fen F. Jamin, Patrick R. Varekamp
  • Patent number: 6753234
    Abstract: The intrinsic base region of a bipolar transistor is formed to avoid a chemical interaction between the chemicals used in a chemical mechanical polishing step and the materials used to form the base region. The method includes the step of forming a trench in a layer of epitaxial material. After this, a base material that includes silicon and germanium is blanket deposited, followed by the blanket deposition of a layer of protective material. The layer of protective material protects the base material from the chemical mechanical polishing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Abdalla Aly Naem
  • Patent number: 6746936
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for forming an isolation film for semiconductor devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Joon Hyeon Lee
  • Patent number: 6709950
    Abstract: An isolation which is higher in a stepwise manner than an active area of a silicon substrate is formed. On the active area, an FET including a gate oxide film, a gate electrode, a gate protection film, sidewalls and the like is formed. An insulating film is deposited on the entire top surface of the substrate, and a resist film for exposing an area stretching over the active area, a part of the isolation and the gate protection film is formed on the insulating film. There is no need to provide an alignment margin for avoiding interference with the isolation and the like to a region where a connection hole is formed. Since the isolation is higher in a stepwise manner than the active area, the isolation is prevented from being removed by over-etch in the formation of a connection hole to come in contact with a portion where an impurity concentration is low in the active area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mizuki Segawa, Isao Miyanaga, Toshiki Yabu, Takashi Nakabayashi, Takashi Uehara, Kyoji Yamashita, Takaaki Ukeda, Masatoshi Arai, Takayuki Yamada, Michikazu Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 6686244
    Abstract: A method is provided for forming a power semiconductor device. The method begins by providing a substrate of a first conductivity type and forming a voltage sustaining region on the substrate. The voltage sustaining region is formed in the following manner. First, an epitaxial layer is deposited on the substrate. The epitaxial layer has a first or a second conductivity type. Next, at least one terraced trench is formed in the epitaxial layer. The terraced trench has a trench bottom and a plurality of portions that differ in width to define at least one annular ledge therebetween. A barrier material is deposited along the walls and bottom of the trench. A dopant of a conductivity type opposite to the conductivity type of the epitaxial layer is implanted through the barrier material lining the annular ledge and at the trench bottom and into adjacent portions of the epitaxial layer to respectively form at least one annular doped region and another doped region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: General Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Blanchard
  • Patent number: 6653203
    Abstract: A multi-step HDP deposition and sputtering process for void-free filling of high aspect ratio trenches and for trenches having stepped cross-sectional profiles. The method is particularly applicable to filling trenches formed in triply layered substrates comprising a silicon layer, an oxide layer and a nitride layer, wherein the nitride layer has been pulled back from the edge of the trench opening and forms a step. The method allows the void-free filling of such a trench without damaging the nitride layer in the process. Briefly, the essence of the method is the formation of deposited layers on the sidewalls of the trench wherein the first layer is deposited with a high deposition to sputtering ratio (D/S>10) and low bias power to form a thin layer, with no overhang, that is capable of protecting the nitride layer during subsequent deposition and sputtering steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Tsung-Hsun Huang, Yeur-Luen Tu, Chung Yi Yu
  • Patent number: 6627515
    Abstract: A method of forming a buried silicon oxide region in a semiconductor substrate with portions of the buried silicon oxide region formed underlying portions of a strained silicon shape, and where the strained silicon shape is used to accommodate a semiconductor device, has been developed. A first embodiment of this invention features a buried oxide region formed in a silicon alloy layer, via thermal oxidation procedures. A first portion of the strained silicon layer, protected during the thermal oxidation procedure, overlays the silicon alloy layer while a second portion of the strained silicon layer overlays the buried oxide region. A second embodiment of this invention features an isotropic dry etch procedure used to form an isotropic opening in the silicon alloy layer, with the opening laterally extending under a portion of the strained silicon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Horng-Huei Tseng, Jyh-Chyurn Guo, Chenming Hu, Da-Chi Lin
  • Patent number: 6627506
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of forming an isolation trench that comprises forming a recess in a substrate and forming a film upon the sidewall under conditions that cause the film to have a tensile load. The method includes filling the recess with a material that imparts a compressive load upon the film under conditions that oppose the tensile load. The present invention is particularly well suited for shallow isolation trench filling in the 0.13 micron geometry range, and smaller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Kelin J. Kuhn, Ian R. Post
  • Patent number: 6607960
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a bipolar transistor in a P-type substrate, including the steps of forming in the substrate a first N-type area; forming by epitaxy a first silicon layer; forming in this first layer, and substantially above the first area a second heavily-doped P-type area separate from the second area; forming at the periphery of this second area a third N-type area; forming by epitaxy a second silicon layer; forming a deep trench crossing the first and second silicon layers, penetrating into the substrate and laterally separating the second area from the third area; and performing an anneal such that the dopant of the third area is in continuity with that of the first area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.
    Inventors: Yvon Gris, Thierry Schwartzmann
  • Patent number: 6599811
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device having an isolation trench for separation of element regions includes the steps of forming a pad oxide film and a silicon nitride film on a silicon substrate, forming an isolation trench by using the silicon nitride film as a mask, forming consecutively a thermal oxide film, CVD oxide film and a bias oxide film in the isolation trench, removing the films above a specified level of the silicon substrate to leave the isolation trench filled with oxide films. The bias oxide film is formed by a high-density plasma CVD technique. The silicon surface is protected by the CVD oxide film against the plasma damage during the high-density CVD step, thereby obtaining excellent characteristics of transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Kenya Kazama, Osamu Sugawara
  • Patent number: 6596607
    Abstract: A method of forming a trench type isolation layer is provide, wherein the method comprises: forming a trench by etching after forming a trench etching pattern on a substrate; forming a silicon nitride liner on an inner wall of the trench; filling the trench with a first buried oxide layer; exposing an upper part of the liner of the trench by recessing the first buried oxide layer using a wet process; removing the upper part of the silicon nitride liner using isotropic etching; and filling the recessed space of the trench with a second buried oxide layer. The method may further comprise: forming the trench etching pattern by depositing and patterning a silicon nitride layer, and forming a thermal oxide layer, preferably through annealing, for healing etching defects on an inner wall of the trench, between forming the trench and forming the liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong-Ho Ahn
  • Patent number: 6596608
    Abstract: To provide a method for producing a non-volatile semiconductor memory device that can form trenches having different depths in a reduced number of processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Saito
  • Patent number: 6579768
    Abstract: An Insulated Gate Field Effect Transistor (IGFET), fabricated using Shallow Trench Isolation (STI), has an edge of a channel region of the IGFET which has a curved shape with a controlled radius of curvature so as to reduce the electric field at the edge of the channel region. A method of controlling the shape of the edge of the channel region is to limit the supply of oxygen to the region at the edge of the channel region during the oxidation process when the side walls of the silicon island, in which the transistor will be formed, are initially covered with a layer of silicon oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies North America Corp.
    Inventors: Peter Thwaite, Jochen Beintner
  • Patent number: 6579777
    Abstract: A method of forming a localized oxidation having reduced bird's beak encroachment in a semiconductor device by providing an opening in the silicon substrate that has sloped sidewalls with a taper between about 10° and about 75° as measured from the vertical axis of the recess opening and then growing field oxide within the tapered recess opening for forming the localized oxidation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignees: Cypress Semiconductor Corp., LSI Logic Corporation
    Inventors: Ting P. Yen, Pamela S. Trammel, Philippe Schoenborn, Alexander H. Owens
  • Patent number: 6576522
    Abstract: A method for deuterium sintering to improve the hot carrier aging of an integrated circuit includes (a) providing a partially fabricated integrated circuit structure comprising a semiconductor substrate and a dielectric layer formed on at least a portion of the substrate, the dielectric layer having at least one conductive material via plug formed therein and (b) sintering the structure in the presence of a gas comprising deuterium-containing components at high temperatures prior to a metallization layer being deposited on the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Agere Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Sundar Srinivasan Chetlur, Pradip Kumar Roy, Minesh Amrat Patel, Sidhartha Sen, Vivek Saxena
  • Patent number: 6562694
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including semiconductor elements having semiconductor zones (17, 18, 24, 44, 45) formed in a top layer (4) of a silicon wafer (1) situated on a buried insulating layer (2). In this method, a first series of process steps are carried out, commonly referred to as front-end processing, wherein, inter alia, the silicon wafer is heated to temperatures above 700° C. Subsequently, trenches (25) are formed in the top layer, which extend as far as the buried insulating layer and do not intersect pn-junctions. After said trenches have been filled with insulating material (26, 29), the semiconductor device is completed in a second series of process steps, commonly referred to as back-end processing, wherein the temperature of the wafer does not exceed 400° C. The trenches are filled in a deposition process wherein the wafer is heated to a temperature which does not exceed 500° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Ronald Dekker, Henricus Godefridus Rafael Maas, Cornelis Eustatius Timmering, Pascal Henri Leon Bancken
  • Patent number: 6518114
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of forming an insulating zone (14) around an active zone (12) in a semiconductor substrate, which method includes the following steps: forming a groove around an active zone (12) in the substrate; and filling the groove with a first material so as to form around the active zone an insulating zone (14) which projects from the surface of the substrate and forms a vertical protrusion at its periphery; and blunting the angle of the protrusion of the insulating zone at the periphery at the active zone. The invention further relates to a semiconductor device formed using said method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Alain Inard, Dominique Cecile Zulian, Didier Levy, Meindert Martin Lunenborg, Walter Jan August De Coster, Jean Claude Oberlin
  • Patent number: 6511890
    Abstract: The present invention related to a method of fabricating a semiconductor device which prevents short channel hump due to the moisture in an insulating interlayer. The present invention includes the steps of forming a trench typed field oxide layer defining an active area in a field area of a semiconductor substrate of a first conductive type, forming a gate to the direction of device width wherein a gate oxide layer is inserted between the gate and semiconductor substrate, forming impurity regions in the semiconductor substrate at both sides of the gate by ion implantation with impurities of a second conductive type, forming an insulating interlayer covering the gate on the semiconductor substrate, and removing moisture contained in the insulating interlayer by thermal treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: Hyundai MicroElectronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-Kye Park, Young-Chul Lee
  • Patent number: 6506658
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer that includes a monocrystalline silicon substrate with a doped region buried therein is provided. The method includes forming a plurality of trench-like openings extending from a surface of the substrate to the doped buried region, and selectively etching through the plurality of trench-like openings to change the doped buried region into a porous silicon region. The porous silicon region is oxidized to obtain an insulating region for the SOI wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Giuseppe D'Arrigo, Corrado Spinella, Salvatore Coffa, Giuseppe Arena, Marco Camalleri
  • Patent number: 6503813
    Abstract: A method and structure for forming a trench in a semiconductor substrate that includes a semiconductor material such as silicon. The method and structure may be used to form a deep trench or a shallow trench, without having a pad oxide in contact with the semiconductor substrate. The method for forming the deep trench forms a nitride layer on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the selectively etchable layer (e.g., a nitride layer) is selectively etchable with respect to the semiconductor substrate, and wherein there is no pad oxide between the selectively etchable layer and the semiconductor substrate. An erosion resistant layer (e.g., a hard mask oxide layer) is formed on the selectively etchable layer, wherein the erosion resistant layer is resistant to being etched by a reactive ion etch (RIE) process that etches the semiconductor substrate. Then the deep trench is formed by RIE through the erosion resistant layer, through the selectively etchable layer, and into the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Charles W. Koburger, III
  • Patent number: 6479405
    Abstract: A method of forming a silicon oxide layer of a semiconductor device comprising coating a spin-on glass (SOG) composition including perhydropolysilazane having a compound of the formula (SiH2NH2)n where n represents a positive integer on a semiconductor substrate having a surface discontinuity, to form a planar SOG layer; and forming a silicon oxide layer with a planar surface by implementing a first heat treatment to convert an SOG solution into oxide and a second heat treatment to densify thus obtained oxide. The silicon oxide layer of the present invention can bury a gap between gaps of VLSI having a high aspect ratio and gives the same characteristics as a CVD oxide layer. Further, the oxidation of silicon in the active region is restrained in the present invention to secure dimension stability. Also disclosed is a semiconductor device made by the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-Ho Lee, Dong-Jun Lee, Dae-Won Kang, Sung-Taek Moon, Gi-Hag Lee, Jung-Sik Choi
  • Patent number: 6461926
    Abstract: A memory cell is provided. The memory cell includes a field-effect transistor having a source region, a drain region and a gate coupled to a wordline. The memory cell also includes a vertical bipolar junction transistor that is biased for use of the reverse base current effect to store data. The bipolar junction transistor has an emitter region formed within a source/drain region of the field-effect transistor. The emitter region is self-aligned with a minimum dimension isolation region adjacent to the memory cell and is coupled to a ground line. A portion of the source/drain region acts as the base of the bipolar junction transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Wendell P. Noble
  • Patent number: 6455381
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor devices includes the formation of a pad insulating film, a polysilicon film and a silicon nitride film on a semiconductor substrate. A trench portion is formed in the substrate after etching, and silicon oxide is embedded in the trench portion. The silicon nitride film, polysilicon film, and pad insulating film are then removed to expose a surface of the semiconductor substrate. The removal of the polysilicon film is by isotropic wet etching. A circuit element is formed on the exposed surfaces of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Shimizu, Yoshitaka Fujiishi
  • Publication number: 20020093031
    Abstract: A heterojunction bipolar transistor includes an emitter or collector region of doped silicon, a base region including silicon-germanium, and a spacer. The emitter or collector region form a heterojunction with the base region. The spacer is positioned to electrically insulate the emitter or collector region from an external region. The spacer includes a silicon dioxide layer physically interposed between the emitter or collector region and the remainder of the spacer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2001
    Publication date: July 18, 2002
    Inventors: Michel Ranjit Frei, Clifford Alan King, Yi Ma, Marco Mastrapasqua, Kwok K Ng
  • Patent number: 6420771
    Abstract: A bipolar transistor is vertically isolated from underlying silicon by an isolation layer of conductivity type opposite that of the collector. This isolation layer lies beneath the heavily doped buried layer portion of the collector, and is formed either by ion implantation prior to epitaxial growth of well regions, or by high energy ion implantation into the substrate prior to formation of the well and the heavily doped buried collector layer. Utilization of trench lateral isolation extending into the semiconductor material beyond the isolation layer permits blanket implant of the isolation layer, obviating the need for an additional masking step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Haydn James Gregory
  • Patent number: 6417059
    Abstract: A process for forming a silicon-germanium base of a heterojunction bipolar transistor. First, a silicon substrate having a mesa surrounded by a trench is formed. Next, a silicon-germanium layer is deposited on the substrate and the portion of the silicon-germanium layer adjacent the mesa is removed to form the silicon-germanium base. In a second embodiment, the process comprises the steps of forming a silicon substrate having a mesa surrounded by a trench, forming a dielectric layer in the trench adjacent the mesa, and growing a silicon-germanium layer on the mesa top surface using selective epitaxial growth to form the silicon-germanium base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Feng-Yi Huang
  • Publication number: 20020084506
    Abstract: The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a buried layer that improves the latch up immunity of digital devices while providing isolation structures that provide noise isolation for both the digital and analog devices. The buried layer of the preferred embodiment is formed to reside within or below the subcollector region in the transistor. Additionally, in the preferred embodiment the subcollector is isolated from buried layer outside the transistor region by deep isolation trenches formed at the edges of the subcollector. Additionally, an array of deep isolation trenches provides increased isolation between devices where needed. Thus, the preferred embodiment of the present invention provides an integrated circuit structure and method that provides improved latchup immunity while also providing improved noise tolerance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Publication date: July 4, 2002
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven H. Voldman, Robb A. Johnson, Louis D. Lanzerotti, Stephen A. St. Onge
  • Publication number: 20020072187
    Abstract: A method for deuterium sintering to improve the hot carrier aging of an integrated circuit includes (a) providing a partially fabricated integrated circuit structure comprising a semiconductor substrate and a dielectric layer formed on at least a portion of the substrate, the dielectric layer having at least one conductive material via plug formed therein and (b) sintering the structure in the presence of a gas comprising deuterium-containing components at high temperatures prior to a metallization layer being deposited on the structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2000
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Inventors: Sundar Srinivasan Chetlur, Pradip Kumar Roy, Minesh Amrat Patel, Sidhartha Sen, Vivek Saxena
  • Patent number: 6368931
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of forming an isolation trench that comprises forming a recess in a substrate and forming a film upon the sidewall under conditions that cause the film to have a tensile load. The method includes filling the recess with a material that imparts a compressive load upon the film under conditions that oppose the tensile load. The present invention is particularly well suited for shallow isolation trench filling in the 0.13 micron geometry range, and smaller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Kelin J. Kuhn, Ian R. Post
  • Patent number: 6365477
    Abstract: A method for producing a heterobipolar transistor, arranged on a substrate of semiconductor material on which is grown a semiconductor sequence for a collector, a base and an emitter, which method includes: etching the layer sequence to form a transistor with a mesa structure, carrying out a first planarizing step to the upper limit of the base during which the surface of the base is protected by a protecting portion of the emitter layer adjacent to the base; removing this protective layer; depositing a metal contact layer for the base; carrying out a second planarizing step for the base emitter mesa; and finally depositing a connecting metallization layer for the collector, base and emitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Christoph Gässler, Helmut Leier, Hyunchol Shin
  • Publication number: 20020037616
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device capable of sufficiently rounding an opening upper end of an element isolation trench is obtained. This method of fabricating a semiconductor device comprises steps of forming an element isolation trench on a semiconductor substrate, performing thermal oxidation on at least an opening upper end of the element isolation trench while increasing the atmosphere temperature of the semiconductor substrate beyond a prescribed temperature thereby forming a first oxide film and suppressing formation of the first oxide film on the opening upper end before the atmosphere temperature is increased beyond the prescribed temperature. Thus, the semiconductor substrate is prevented from oxidation under a low temperature, whereby oxidation is more thickly performed by thermal oxidation in a high-temperature region while relaxing stress applied to the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2001
    Publication date: March 28, 2002
    Applicant: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazunori Fujita
  • Patent number: 6337252
    Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device which can use commonly a part of a step of forming a PAP transistor with a step of forming an NON transistor. In an area separated by a side separation region (5) of PNP formed by doping N-type impurities simultaneously with the formation of the collector region (4) of NPN, an N-type bottom separation region (8) of PNP, a collector region (9) and a base region (10) are formed by using the same mask. Trenches (18, 17) extending to the collector regions (9, 4) are formed by an over-etching treatment carried out when the emitter electrodes (16, 15) of PNP and NPN are subjected to a patterning treatment, and N-type impurities are doped through the trench (17) simultaneously with the formation of an external base region (20) of PNP, thereby forming a collector drawing region (21) of NPN.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2002
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6333235
    Abstract: A method for fabricating bipolar transistor frequently used in high frequency circuit is disclosed herein. The foregoing method includes the following steps. First, a first oxide layer is formed on a p-type substrate, followed by developing a first photoresist pattern on the first oxide layer. A first, doped region is formed in the exposed substrate by a first implanting step. The first doped region comprises a n+ buried layer. Stripping of the first photoresist pattern, and annealing of the n+ buried layer follow. Removal of the first oxide layer to expose the n+ buried layer and a portion of the p-type substrate follows thereafter. These steps are followed by growing a first epitaxial layer on the n+ buried layer and a portion of the substrate, then a second epitaxial layer is formed on the first epitaxial layer. The first epitaxial layer is made of epitaxial n-type silicon, and the second epitaxial layer is made of in situ epitaxial p-type SiGe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Industrial TechnologyResearch Institute
    Inventors: Chwan-Ying Lee, Tzuen-Hsi Huang
  • Patent number: 6329261
    Abstract: A STI process for a semiconductor device includes the steps of depositing a SiOxCy film where x<2 in a trench by using a biased high-density-plasma-enhanced CVD system, and heat treating the SiOxCy film in an oxidizing ambient to remove carbon and voids therein to form a stoichiometric SiO2 film without causing volume expansion. The depositing step uses a higher ratio of deposited film/sputter-etched film for avoiding plasma damages to the silicon substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Kishimoto
  • Patent number: 6326292
    Abstract: A semiconductor includes a buried conducting layer, such as a buried collector, comprises a trench, the walls of which are covered with a layer of a material in which dopant ions diffuse faster than in monocrystalline silicon. A contact area is doped in close proximity to the trench wall. The dopants will diffuse through the layer and form a low resistance connection to the buried layer. The layer may comprise polysilicon or porous silicon, or a silicide. If the material used in the layer is not in itself conducting, the size of the component may be significantly reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Anders Söderbärg, Håkan Sjödin
  • Patent number: 6313000
    Abstract: A vertically-isolated bipolar transistor occupying reduced surface area is fabricated by circumscribing an expected active device region within a first narrow trench. The first trench is filled with sacrificial material impermeable to diffusion of conductivity-altering dopant, and then isolation dopant of a conductivity type opposite to that of the substrate is introduced into the trench-circumscribed silicon region. The introduced isolation dopant is then thermally driven into the substrate, with lateral diffusion of isolation dopant physically constrained by the existing first narrow trench. Epitaxial silicon is then formed over the substrate, with polysilicon formed in regions overlying the filled narrow trench. A second, wider trench encompassing the first trench is etched to consume epitaxial silicon, polysilicon, and the sacrificial material. The second trench is then filled with dielectric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Vassili Kitch
  • Patent number: 6303487
    Abstract: In a method for forming an air gap in an insulating film between adjacent interconnection conductors in a semiconductor device, a substrate having a first insulator film and a plurality of lower level interconnection conductors formed separately from each other on the first insulator film is set in a chemical vapor process machine. A second insulator film is deposited to completely cover the plurality of lower level interconnection conductors and the first insulator film in a chemical vapor process under the condition that a growth speed in a vertical direction perpendicular to a principal surface of the substrate is lower than a growth speed in a horizontal direction in parallel to the principal surface of the substrate, until the second insulator film has such a thickness that an air gap is formed within the second insulator film between the adjacent interconnection conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Masaki Kagamihara
  • Publication number: 20010026986
    Abstract: A process for forming a silicon-germanium base of a heterojunction bipolar transistor. First, a silicon substrate having a mesa surrounded by a trench is formed. Next, a silicon-germanium layer is deposited on the substrate and the portion of the silicon-germanium layer adjacent the mesa is removed to form the silicon-germanium base. In a second embodiment, the process comprises the steps of forming a silicon substrate having a mesa surrounded by a trench, forming a dielectric layer in the trench adjacent the mesa, and growing a silicon-germanium layer on the mesa top surface using selective epitaxial growth to form the silicon-germanium base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2001
    Publication date: October 4, 2001
    Inventor: Feng-Yi Huang
  • Publication number: 20010019872
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device and the device. The device is fabricated by providing a substrate having a region thereover of electrically conductive material, and a dielectric first sidewall spacer on the region of electrically conductive material. A second sidewall spacer is formed over the first sidewall spacer extending to the substrate from a material which is selectively removal relative to the first sidewall spacer. An electrically conductive region is formed contacting the second sidewall spacer and spaced from the substrate. The second sidewall spacer is selectively removable to form an opening between the substrate and the electrically conductive region. The opening is filled with electrically conductive material to electrically couple the electrically conductive material to the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2001
    Publication date: September 6, 2001
    Inventor: Robert H. Havemann
  • Patent number: 6281562
    Abstract: An isolation which is higher in a stepwise manner than an active area of a silicon substrate is formed. On the active area, an FET including a gate oxide film, a gate electrode, a gate protection film, sidewalls and the like is formed. An insulating film is deposited on the entire top surface of the substrate, and a resist film for exposing an area stretching over the active area, a part of the isolation and the gate protection film is formed on the insulating film. There is no need to provide an alignment margin for avoiding interference with the isolation and the like to a region where a connection hole is formed. Since the isolation is higher in a stepwise manner than the active area, the isolation is prevented from being removed by over-etch in the formation of a connection hole to come in contact with a portion where an impurity concentration is low in the active area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mizuki Segawa, Isao Miyanaga, Toshiki Yabu, Takashi Nakabayashi, Takashi Uehara, Kyoji Yamashita, Takaaki Ukeda, Masatoshi Arai, Takayuki Yamada, Michikazu Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 6277701
    Abstract: A memory cell is provided. The memory cell includes a field-effect transistor having a source region, a drain region and a gate coupled to a wordline. The memory cell also includes a vertical bipolar junction transistor that is biased for use of the reverse base current effect to store data. The bipolar junction transistor has an emitter region formed within a source/drain region of the field-effect transistor. The emitter region is self-aligned with a minimum dimension isolation region adjacent to the memory cell and is coupled to a ground line. A portion of the source/drain region acts as the base of the bipolar junction transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Wendell P. Noble
  • Patent number: 6274420
    Abstract: STI (Shallow Trench Isolation) structures are fabricated such that leakage current is minimized through a field effect transistor fabricated between the STI structures. The shallow trench isolation structure include a pair of isolation trenches, with each isolation trench being etched through a semiconductor substrate. A first dielectric material fills the pair of isolation trenches and extends from the isolation trenches such that sidewalls of the first dielectric material filling the isolation trenches are exposed beyond the top of the semiconductor substrate. A second dielectric material is deposited on the sidewalls of the first dielectric material exposed beyond the top of the semiconductor substrate. The second dielectric material has a different etch rate in an acidic solution from the first dielectric material filling the isolation trenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Qi Xiang, Wei Long, Ming-Ren Lin