← Back to Patent Explorer
US5612247A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method for fabricating isolation region for a semiconductor device

Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Ltd
•
Filing: 1995-07-18
•
Granted: 1997-03-18
•
Expires: 2015-07-18
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract The method for fabricating a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: forming a first oxide film 12 on a surface of a semiconductor substrate 10 and forming a first nitride film 14 on a surface of the first oxide film 12, the first nitride film 14 having a predetermined pattern; isotropically etching the first oxide film 12, with the first nitride film 14 as a mask, to partially expose the surface of the semiconductor substrate 10 and form a hollow 16 just under an end portion of the first nitride film 14; forming a second oxide film 18, thinner than the first oxide film 12, at least on the surface of the semiconductor substrate 10 exposed at the outside of the first nitride film 14 and on a inner surface of the hollow 16; depositing a second silicon nitride film 20 on at least the second oxide film 18, the second silicon nitride film 20 being more liable to oxidation than the first silicon nitride film 14; and oxidizing a region where the first silicon nitride film 14 is absent, with the first silicon nitride film 14 as a mask, to form a device isolation film 24. The second silicon nitride film 20 is formed of a silicon nitride film which is more liable to oxidation, so that when the device isolation film 24 is formed by oxidizing away the second silicon nitride film 20, thickness disuniformity can be decreased.

Inventors

  • 👤 Kazuo Itabashi

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 21:53
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/61; H10W; H10W10/00; H10W10/01; H10W10/011; H10W10/012; H10W10/0125; H10W10/0126; H10W10/10; H10W10/13

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim 175 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: forming a first oxide film on a surface of a semiconductor substrate and forming a first nitride film on a surface of the first oxide film, the first nitride film having a predetermined pattern; isotropically etching the first oxide film, with the first nitride film as a mask, to partially expose the surface of the semiconductor substrate and form a hollow just under an end portion of the first nitride film; forming a second oxide film, thinner than the first oxide film, at least on the surface of the semiconductor substrate exposed at the outside of the first nitride film and on a inner surface of the hollow; depositing a second silicon nitride film on at least the second oxide film, the second silicon nitride film being more liable to oxidation than the first silicon nitride film; and oxidizing a region where the first silicon nitride film is absent, with the first silicon nitride film as a mask, to form a device isolation film.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 175 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: forming a first oxide film on a surface of a semiconductor substrate and forming a first nitride film on a surface of the first oxide film, the first nitride film having a predetermined pattern; isotropically etching the first oxide film, with the first nitride film as a mask, to partially expose the surface of the semiconductor substrate and form a hollow just under an end portion of the first nitride film; forming a second oxide film, thinner than the first oxide film, at least on the surface of the semiconductor substrate exposed at the outside of the first nitride film and on a inner surface of the hollow; depositing a second silicon nitride film on at least the second oxide film, the second silicon nitride film being more liable to oxidation than the first silicon nitride film; and oxidizing a region where the first silicon nitride film is absent, with the first silicon nitride film as a mask, to form a device isolation film.
Claim 3
Independent Claim 183 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: forming a first oxide film on a surface of a semiconductor substrate and forming a first nitride film on a surface of the first oxide film, the first nitride film having a predetermined pattern; isotropically etching the first oxide film, with the first nitride film as a mask, to partially expose the surface of the semiconductor substrate and form a hollow just under an end portion of the first nitride film; forming a second oxide film, thinner than the first oxide film, at least on the surface of the semiconductor substrate exposed at the outside of the first nitride film and on a inner surface of the hollow; depositing a second silicon nitride film on at least the second oxide film; removing that portion of the second silicon nitride film that is deposited on a region for a device isolation film to be formed in; and oxidizing a region where the first silicon nitride film is absent, with the first silicon nitride film as a mask, to form the device isolation film.
Claim 4
Independent Claim 183 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: forming a first oxide film on a surface of a semiconductor substrate and forming a first nitride film on a surface of the first oxide film, the first nitride film having a predetermined pattern; isotropically etching the first oxide film, with the first nitride film as a mask, to partially expose the surface of the semiconductor substrate and form a hollow just under an end portion of the first nitride film; forming a second oxide film, thinner than the first oxide film, at least on the surface of the semiconductor substrate exposed at the outside of the first nitride film and on a inner surface of the hollow; depositing a second silicon nitride film on at least the second oxide film; removing that portion of the second silicon nitride film that is deposited on a region for a device isolation film to be formed in; and oxidizing a region where the first silicon nitride film is absent, with the first silicon nitride film as a mask, to form the device isolation film.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 40 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the first oxide film has a film thickness of below about 20 nm; and the first silicon nitride film has a film thickness of below about 130 nm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 40 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the first oxide film has a film thickness of below about 20 nm; and the first silicon nitride film has a film thickness of below about 130 nm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 53 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the first silicon nitride film is deposited by chemical vapor deposition using SiH 2 Cl 2 gas as a silicon source; and, the second silicon nitride film is deposited by chemical vapor deposition using SiHCl 3 gas as a silicon source.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 35 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the second silicon nitride film is deposited at a higher temperature than a temperature for the deposition of the first silicon nitride film.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 45 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein the first silicon nitride film is deposited at a film forming temperature lower than 750° C.; and the second silicon nitride film is deposited at a film forming temperature higher than 750° C.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 27 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the device isolation film is formed by thermal oxidation at a temperature above 950° C.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 27 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the device isolation film is formed by thermal oxidation at a temperature above 950° C.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 27 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein the device isolation film is formed by thermal oxidation at a temperature above 950° C.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 27 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein the device isolation film is formed by thermal oxidation at a temperature above 950° C.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 27 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein the device isolation film is formed by thermal oxidation at a temperature above 950° C.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 27 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein the device isolation film is formed by thermal oxidation at a temperature above 950° C.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 39 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the step of forming the device isolation film includes a rapid thermal oxidation which can occur at a high temperature and in a short period of time.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 39 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the step of forming the device isolation film includes a rapid thermal oxidation which can occur at a high temperature and in a short period of time.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 39 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein the step of forming the device isolation film includes a rapid thermal oxidation which can occur at a high temperature and in a short period of time.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 39 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein the step of forming the device isolation film includes a rapid thermal oxidation which can occur at a high temperature and in a short period of time.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 39 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein the step of forming the device isolation film includes a rapid thermal oxidation which can occur at a high temperature and in a short period of time.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 39 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein the step of forming the device isolation film includes a rapid thermal oxidation which can occur at a high temperature and in a short period of time.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4564394A Cited
US5118641A Cited
JPH04230034A Cited
US5254494A Cited
EP0589124A1 Cited
US5422300A Cited
US5358893A Cited
US5453397A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2000-03-17 2000-09-16 2001-03-18 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2004-03-17 2004-09-16 2005-03-18 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2008-03-17 2008-09-16 2009-03-18 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag