US5256591A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for forming isolation region in semiconductor device using trench
Assignee: SK Hynix Inc
•
Filing: 1992-06-12
•
Granted: 1993-10-26
•
Expires: 2012-06-12
Abstract
Abstract A method for forming an isolation region in a semiconductor device using a trench comprising the steps of forming a reaction restraining layer on a semiconductor substrate, removing a portion of the reaction restraining layer corresponding to a trench region for providing an isolation region, forming a reaction film on the entire exposed surface, heat treating the reaction film and the substrate, to form a reaction product film having a predetermined depth in a portion of the reaction film and a portion of the substrate corresponding to said trench region, etching and removing the reaction product film, to form a trench, forming an insulation film for the isolation region such that it fills sufficiently the trench, forming a surface smoothing insulation film on the insulation film for the isolation region, etching back both the insulation films such that their portions located above a predetermined height from the surface of the substrate are removed, and removing the remaining reaction restraining layer.
Inventors
- 👤 Young K. Jun
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 15:57
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P50/00; H10P50/69; H10P50/691; H10P50/693; H10P50/695; H10W; H10W10/00; H10W10/01; H10W10/011; H10W10/014; H10W10/0145; H10W10/10; H10W10/17
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
225 words
A method for forming an isolation region in a semiconductor device using a trench comprising the steps of: forming a reaction restraining layer on a semiconductor substrate; removing a portion of said reaction restraining layer in a trench region to form a trench mask window; forming a reaction film on the entire exposed surface; etching said reaction film to form side wall reaction films at opposite side walls of said trench mask window; heat treating said side wall reaction films and said substrate at a sufficient to form reaction product films at the side wall reaction films and portions of the substrate located beneath the side wall reaction films; removing said reaction product films and then etching a portion of the substrate located in said trench region, to form a trench halving a depth in the substrate less than a depth of the reaction product film into the substrate; forming an insulation film for an element isolating region on the entire exposed surface such that it fills the trench including a recess formed by the removal of the reaction product films; forming a surface smoothing insulation film on said insulation film for the element isolating region; etching back both the insulation films such that portions located above a set height from the surface of the substrate are removed; and removing the remaining reaction restraining layer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
225 words
A method for forming an isolation region in a semiconductor device using a trench comprising the steps of: forming a reaction restraining layer on a semiconductor substrate; removing a portion of said reaction restraining layer in a trench region to form a trench mask window; forming a reaction film on the entire exposed surface; etching said reaction film to form side wall reaction films at opposite side walls of said trench mask window; heat treating said side wall reaction films and said substrate at a sufficient to form reaction product films at the side wall reaction films and portions of the substrate located beneath the side wall reaction films; removing said reaction product films and then etching a portion of the substrate located in said trench region, to form a trench halving a depth in the substrate less than a depth of the reaction product film into the substrate; forming an insulation film for an element isolating region on the entire exposed surface such that it fills the trench including a recess formed by the removal of the reaction product films; forming a surface smoothing insulation film on said insulation film for the element isolating region; etching back both the insulation films such that portions located above a set height from the surface of the substrate are removed; and removing the remaining reaction restraining layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said reaction restraining layer comprises a pad insulation film formed on said semiconductor substrate, and a reaction restraining film formed on said pad insulation film.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
70 words
A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein a material of said reaction film is a first metal having a solubility sufficient to allow said first metal to penetrate into lattice portions of the substrate located beneath the side wall reaction films to a thickness and depth determined by the heat treatment temperature or a second metal reactable with a semiconductor material of said substrate to change into a compound.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein said first metal is selected from a group consisting of Al, Ba, Cr, Fe, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn and Ti.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
75 words
A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein said second metal is selected from a group consisting of Na, Mg, Ca, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Y, Ti, Sr, Zr, Hf, Th, U, Np, Pu, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Re, Fe, Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt, Be-Zr alloy, Cu-Mg alloy, Al-Na alloy, Al-Cr alloy, Al-Mn alloy, Al-Fe alloy, Al-Ni alloy, Al-Fe-Mg alloy, Al-Cu-Mg alloy, Pd-Al alloy, and Cu.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said step of etching said reaction film to form side wall reaction films comprises an anisotropic dry etch process.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method in accordance with claim 6, wherein said anisotropic dry etch process is a reactive ion etch process.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said surface smoothing insulation film and said insulation film for the isolation region have etch selectivities identical to each other and different from that of said reaction restraining layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a step of heat treating said substrate after the removal of said reaction product films and the formation
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said semiconductor material is made of silicon.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said etching for removing said reaction product films is a wet etching and said etching for forming said trench is a dry etching.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said step of forming said insulation film for the element isolating region comprises a deposition process using a sputtering method or a chemical vapor deposition method.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
176 words
A method for forming an isolation region in a semiconductor device using a trench comprising the steps of: forming a reaction restraining layer on a semiconductor substrate; removing a portion of said reaction restraining layer in a trench region to form a trench mask window; forming a reaction film on the entire exposed surface; heat treating said reaction film and said substrate at a temperature sufficient to form a reaction product film having a depth in a portion of the reaction film and a portion of the substrate corresponding to said trench region; removing said reaction product film and the reaction film remaining on the reaction restraining layer, to form a trench; forming an insulation film for an element isolating region on the entire exposed surface such that it fills the trench; forming a surface smoothing insulation film on said insulation film for the element isolating region; etching back both the insulation films such that portions located above a set height from the surface of the substrate are removed; and removing the remaining reaction restraining layer.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
176 words
A method for forming an isolation region in a semiconductor device using a trench comprising the steps of: forming a reaction restraining layer on a semiconductor substrate; removing a portion of said reaction restraining layer in a trench region to form a trench mask window; forming a reaction film on the entire exposed surface; heat treating said reaction film and said substrate at a temperature sufficient to form a reaction product film having a depth in a portion of the reaction film and a portion of the substrate corresponding to said trench region; removing said reaction product film and the reaction film remaining on the reaction restraining layer, to form a trench; forming an insulation film for an element isolating region on the entire exposed surface such that it fills the trench; forming a surface smoothing insulation film on said insulation film for the element isolating region; etching back both the insulation films such that portions located above a set height from the surface of the substrate are removed; and removing the remaining reaction restraining layer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein said reaction restraining layer comprises a pad insulation film formed on said semiconductor substrate, and a reaction restraining film formed on said pad insulation film.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
68 words
A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein a material of said reaction film is a first metal having a solubility sufficient to allow said first metal to penetrate into lattice portions of the substrate located beneath the reaction film to a thickness and depth determined by the heat treatment temperature or a second metal reactable with a semiconductor material of said substrate to change into a compound.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein said first metal is selected from a group consisting of Al, Ba, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn and Ti.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
75 words
A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein said second metal is selected from a group consisting of Na, Mg, Ca, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Y, Ti, Sr, Zr, Hf, Th, U, Np, Pu, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Re, Fe, Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt, Be-Zr alloy, Cu-Mg alloy, Al-Na alloy, Al-Cr alloy, Al-Mn alloy, Al-Fe alloy, Al-Ni alloy, Al-Fe-Mg alloy, Al-Cu-Mg alloy, Pd-Al alloy, and Cu.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein said surface smoothing insulation film and said insulation film for the isolation region have etch selectivities identical to each other and different from that of said reaction restraining layer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method in accordance with claim 13, further comprising a step of heat treating said substrate after the formation of said trench by the removal of said reaction product film, to compensate defects in the substrate.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein said semiconductor material is made of silicon.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein said step of removing said reaction product film to form said trench comprises a wet etching.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein said step of forming said insulation film for the element isolating region comprises a deposition process using a sputtering method or a chemical vapor deposition method.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
EP0316165A2
Cited
JPH01223727A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-10-25 | 1997-04-26 | 1997-10-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-10-25 | 2001-04-26 | 2001-10-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-10-25 | 2005-04-26 | 2005-10-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |