Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
154 words
A method of forming an opening in a first film, wherein said opening has first and second opening portions and said first film is an insulating film, the method comprising the steps of: forming said first opening portion in said first film; forming a second film on an upper surface of said first film and to fill in said first opening portion; forming a masking film on said second film; etching by a first etching process said first film and said second film using said masking film as a mask to form said second opening portion, wherein said first film and said second film are etched at substantially the same rate by the first etching process; and etching by a second etching process the remaining portion of said second film in said first opening portion, wherein said second film is etched at a higher rate than said first film by the second etching process.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
154 words
A method of forming an opening in a first film, wherein said opening has first and second opening portions and said first film is an insulating film, the method comprising the steps of: forming said first opening portion in said first film; forming a second film on an upper surface of said first film and to fill in said first opening portion; forming a masking film on said second film; etching by a first etching process said first film and said second film using said masking film as a mask to form said second opening portion, wherein said first film and said second film are etched at substantially the same rate by the first etching process; and etching by a second etching process the remaining portion of said second film in said first opening portion, wherein said second film is etched at a higher rate than said first film by the second etching process.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said first film is a TEOS film.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said second film is a (HSi(OH) x O 3-x/2 ) n film where n is an integer greater than about 8, x is a number between 0 and 2.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 1, comprising the further step of: forming an antireflective coating film on said second film prior to forming said masking film.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said masking film comprises a patterned resist film.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the remaining portion of said first film is removed using an alkali.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the remaining portion of said second film is removed using a weak acid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the first etching process is a reactive ion etching (RIE) process.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said first opening portion is a contact hole and said second opening portion is a trench which is wider than said contact hole.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said first opening portion is a trench and said second opening portion is a contact hole which is narrower than said trench.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
153 words
A method of forming an interconnection, the method comprising the steps of: forming a first opening portion in a first film, wherein said first film is an insulating film; forming a second film on an upper surface of said first film and to fill in said first opening portion; forming a masking film on said second film; etching by a first etching process said first film and said second film using said masking film as a mask to form a second opening portion, wherein said first film and said second film are etched at substantially the same rate by the first etching process; etching by a second etching process the remaining portion of said second film in said first opening portion, wherein said second film is etched at a higher rate than said first film by the second etching process; and filling in said first and second opening portions with a conductive material.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
153 words
A method of forming an interconnection, the method comprising the steps of: forming a first opening portion in a first film, wherein said first film is an insulating film; forming a second film on an upper surface of said first film and to fill in said first opening portion; forming a masking film on said second film; etching by a first etching process said first film and said second film using said masking film as a mask to form a second opening portion, wherein said first film and said second film are etched at substantially the same rate by the first etching process; etching by a second etching process the remaining portion of said second film in said first opening portion, wherein said second film is etched at a higher rate than said first film by the second etching process; and filling in said first and second opening portions with a conductive material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method according to claim 11, wherein said first film is a TEOS film.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method according to claim 11, wherein said second film is a (HSi(OH) x O 3-x/2 ) n film, where n is an integer greater than about 8, x is a number between 0 and 2.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 11, comprising the further step of: forming an antireflective coating film on said second film prior to forming said masking film.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 11, wherein said masking film comprises a patterned resist film.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 11, wherein the first etching process is a reactive ion etching (RIE) process.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 11, wherein the remaining portion of said second film is removed using an alkali.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method according to claim 11, wherein said conductive material comprises tungsten.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method according to claim 18, wherein said conductive material further comprises titanium nitride.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 11, wherein said first opening portion is a contact hole and said second opening portion is a trench which is wider than said contact hole.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method according to claim 11, wherein said first opening portion is a trench and said second opening portion is a contact hole which is narrower than said trench.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
153 words
A method for forming a shallow trench isolation structure in a semiconductor substrate for isolating adjacent deep trench capacitors from each other, the method comprising the steps of: forming a flowable oxide film on a upper surface of at least one pad film and to fill in an opening formed in said at least one pad film which exposes at least portion of the upper surface of said deep trench capacitors; forming a patterned resist on said flowable oxide film; etching said flowable oxide film using said patterned resist as a mask; etching said at least one pad film, said semiconductor substrate, and said deep trench capacitor using said patterned resist as a mask to form a shallow trench, wherein the remaining portion of the etched flowable oxide film constitutes an etching mask if said patterned resist is etched away by the etching process; and filling said shallow trench with an insulating material.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
153 words
A method for forming a shallow trench isolation structure in a semiconductor substrate for isolating adjacent deep trench capacitors from each other, the method comprising the steps of: forming a flowable oxide film on a upper surface of at least one pad film and to fill in an opening formed in said at least one pad film which exposes at least portion of the upper surface of said deep trench capacitors; forming a patterned resist on said flowable oxide film; etching said flowable oxide film using said patterned resist as a mask; etching said at least one pad film, said semiconductor substrate, and said deep trench capacitor using said patterned resist as a mask to form a shallow trench, wherein the remaining portion of the etched flowable oxide film constitutes an etching mask if said patterned resist is etched away by the etching process; and filling said shallow trench with an insulating material.