Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having multilayer insulating films

Claim 1

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of: forming a stepped pattern on a semiconductor substrate; forming a first silicon oxide film on said semiconductor substrate so as to cover the surface of said stepped pattern; depositing a second silicon oxide film on said first silicon oxide film so as to fill in the recessed portions of said stepped pattern and to cover said stepped pattern and said first silicon oxide film; etching said second silicon oxide film to a film thickness while maintaining complete coverage of said stepped pattern and said first silicon oxide film; filling with a third silicon oxide film recessed portions existing on the surface of said etched second silicon oxide film; and forming a fourth silicon oxide film on said second silicon oxide film and said third silicon oxide film, wherein the first silicon oxide film has superior crack resistance as compared with the second silicon oxide film and the second and third silicon oxide films have superior recess filling capability as compared with the first silicon oxide film.

Claim 2

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of: forming a stepped pattern on a semiconductor substrate; forming a first silicon oxide film on said semiconductor substrate so as to cover the surface of said stepped pattern; depositing a second silicon oxide film on said first silicon oxide film so as to fill in the recessed portions of said stepped pattern and to cover said stepped pattern and said first silicon oxide film; etching said second silicon oxide film to a film thickness while maintaining complete coverage of said stepped pattern and said first silicon oxide film; filling with a third silicon oxide film recessed portions existing on the surface of said etched second silicon oxide film; and forming a fourth silicon oxide film on said second silicon oxide film and said third silicon oxide film, wherein the first silicon oxide film has superior crack resistance as compared with the second silicon oxide film and the second and third silicon oxide films have superior recess filling capability as compared with the first silicon oxide film.

Claim 10

A method of manufacturing a multiple layer interlayer insulating film comprising: (i) a first insulating film overlying a stepped pattern formed on an insulator, (ii) a second silicon oxide insulating film completely covering said first insulating film and filling recessed portions of said stepped pattern, wherein said first insulating film has a crack resistance characteristic superior to that of said second silicon oxide insulating film and said second silicon oxide insulating film has a recess-filling characteristic superior to that of said first insulating film, and (iii) a third silicon oxide insulating film filling in recesses in the upper surface of said second silicon oxide insulating film so that the second and third insulating films present a flat composite upper surface, wherein cracks have a tendency to form in said second and third silicon oxide insulating films as a result of a difference in shrinkage factors therebetween, said method comprising the steps of: providing a first insulating film overlying a stepped pattern formed on an insulator, initially forming said second silicon oxide insulating film to have a first thickness; uniformly etching said second silicon oxide insulating film to have a second thickness corresponding to a maximum magnitude of force to be imparted to said third silicon oxide insulating film as a result of said shrinkage factor difference, while maintaining complete coverage of said stepped pattern and said first insulating film; and filling in recesses in the upper surface of said second silicon oxide insulating film with said third silicon oxide insulating film so that the second and third silicon oxide insulating films present a flat composite upper surface, forming a fourth insulating film on said composite upper surface of said second and third silicon oxide insulating films, said method reducing the tendency of said second and third silicon oxide insulating films to form cracks.

Claim 11

A method of manufacturing a multiple layer interlayer insulating film comprising: (i) a first insulating film overlying a stepped pattern formed on an insulator, (ii) a second silicon oxide insulating film completely covering said first insulating film and filling recessed portions of said stepped pattern, wherein said first insulating film has a crack resistance characteristic superior to that of said second silicon oxide insulating film and said second silicon oxide insulating film has a recess-filling characteristic superior to that of said first insulating film, and (iii) a third silicon oxide insulating film filling in recesses in the upper surface of said second silicon oxide insulating film so that the second and third insulating films present a flat composite upper surface, wherein cracks have a tendency to form in said second and third silicon oxide insulating films as a result of a difference in shrinkage factors therebetween, said method comprising the steps of: providing a first insulating film overlying a stepped pattern formed on an insulator, initially forming said second silicon oxide insulating film to have a first thickness; uniformly etching said second silicon oxide insulating film to have a second thickness corresponding to a maximum magnitude of force to be imparted to said third silicon oxide insulating film as a result of said shrinkage factor difference, while maintaining complete coverage of said stepped pattern and said first insulating film; and filling in recesses in the upper surface of said second silicon oxide insulating film with said third silicon oxide insulating film so that the second and third silicon oxide insulating films present a flat composite upper surface, forming a fourth insulating film on said composite upper surface of said second and third silicon oxide insulating films, said method reducing the tendency of said second and third silicon oxide insulating films to form cracks.