Shallow trench isolation structure without corner exposure

Details Shallow trench isolation structure without corner exposure Shallow trench isolation structure without corner exposure

1997-01-27

2001-11-27

Fourson, George (Department: 2823)

Metal treatment

Barrier layer stock material, p-n type

With non-semiconductive coating thereon

C257S506000, C257S513000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06322634

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for forming a shallow trench isolation structure. More particularly, the present invention relates to forming the shallow trench isolation structure using a buffer film layer etched such that a capped trench structure is formed which isolates the shallow trench corners.
2. State of the Art
The semiconductor industry continually strives to increase semiconductor device performance and density by miniaturizing the individual semiconductor components and by miniaturizing the overall semiconductor device dimensions. For example, the semiconductor device density can be increased by more densely integrating the components on the semiconductor chip. However, increasing integration densities by placing the individual circuit elements in closer proximity increases the potential for interactions between the circuit elements. Therefore, it has become necessary to include isolation structures to prevent any significant interaction between circuit elements on the same chip.
Contemporary CMOS technologies generally employ field effect transistors that are adjacent or bounded by trenches. These trenches provide isolation (shallow trench isolation or “STI”) for the semiconductor devices. However, the close proximity of each semiconductor device to an edge or comer of the trench may create parasitic leakage paths. The parasitic leakage paths result from an enhancement of the gate electric field near the trench corners. This gate electric field is enhanced by the trench corner's small radius of curvature and the proximity of the gate conductor. As a result of the enhanced gate electric field, the trench corner has a lower threshold voltage (V
t
) than the planar portion of the device.
Presently known formation techniques for such trenches generally involve a wet etch, which can exacerbate the parasitic leakage problem by sharpening the trench corners and thinning the gate dielectric near the trench corner. Furthermore, present trench formation techniques generally expose the trench corners before gate electrode deposition. The exposure of trench corners will increase the sub-V
t
leakage and degrade gate oxide integrity. The aforementioned problems will be hereinafter referred to collectively as “corner effects.”
Corner effects can even dominate on-currents in applications such as DRAM chips that require narrow channel widths to achieve high density. This parallel current-carrying corner effect becomes the dominant MOSFET contributor to standby current in low standby power logic applications and to leakage in DRAM cells. Furthermore, there exists concern that the enhanced electric fields due to field crowding at the trench corner may impact dielectric integrity.
Numerous techniques have been proposed to overcome the above discussed corner effects. Commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,794 issued Jul. 18, 1995 to Fazan et al., hereby incorporated herein by reference, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,521,422 issued May 28, 1996 to Mandelman et al., each teach forming shallow trench isolation structures wherein insulating material spacers are formed abutting the trench corner and the isolating material filling and extending above the trench. When a wet pad oxide etch is performed, the isolating material combines with the spacers to form an isolation trench having a dome or cap-like covering the peripheral edges of the trench which substantially overcomes the corner effects and consequential leakage between active areas on the substrate. Although the techniques taught in these patents are effective in minimizing corner effects, the techniques require additional fabrication steps which increase the overall cost of the semiconductor component.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,436,488 issued Jul. 25, 1995 to Poon et al. teaches improving trench isolation by increasing the thickness of the gate dielectric overlying the trench corner between the substrate and gate electrode. However, the process taught in this patent also requires numerous additional fabrication steps and structures, which of course increase the overall cost of the semiconductor component.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to develop a shallow isolation trench and a technique for forming the trench which substantially eliminates the aforementioned corner effects, while using inexpensive, commercially-available, widely-practiced semiconductor device fabrication techniques and apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a shallow isolation trench structure which is formed using a buffer film layer. The buffer film layer is etched in such a manner that an isolation material within the shallow trench has a cap which covers the shallow trench corner to prevent corner effects.
The method of the present invention comprises providing a semiconductor substrate, preferably a silicon substrate, with a dielectric layer, preferably silicon dioxide, formed on at least one surface of the semiconductor substrate to a thickness of between 50 and 300 Å. The dielectric layer can be formed by any known technique, including thermally oxidizing the surface of the semiconductor substrate, chemical vapor deposition, sputtering, or the like. A buffer film layer, preferably silicon nitride, is then formed over the dielectric layer by any known deposition technique, preferably chemical vapor deposition. Although silicon nitride is preferred, the buffer layer may be any known material which is oxidation resistant and can be etched selectively to oxide films.
A photoresist mask is applied and patterned on the buffer film layer. The buffer film layer, the dielectric layer, and semiconductor substrate are then etched either simultaneously with a non-selective etch or in steps with selective etches to form a shallow trench with sidewalls and a bottom. The photoresist mask is then removed to form a trenched structure.
After stripping the photoresist and cleaning the trenched structure, a thin layer of oxide, between about 50 and 150 Åthick, is grown on the shallow trench sidewalls and bottom, preferably by thermal oxidization. The buffer film layer is then selectively etched horizontally and vertically to move the buffer film layer back from the shallow trench. The purpose for using a buffer film layer, which is oxidation resistant, as discussed above, is shown in FIG.
11
. If an oxidizable material is used as a buffer film layer
202
over a dielectric layer
204
and a substrate
206
, the formation of a thin oxide layer
208
in trench
210
would also cause the formation of an additional thin layer of oxide
212
to form on the buffer film layer
202
. Most oxidizable materials, such as silicon dioxide, used for forming the buffer film layer
202
have a greater affinity for growing oxides than the semiconductor substrate. As a results, the additional thin oxide layer
212
is relatively thicker than the thin oxide layer
208
, which results in a narrowing of the opening at the mouth of the trench
210
. This narrowing makes it difficult to fill the trench
210
with an isolation material
214
, and may even cause the formation of voids
216
in the isolation material
214
during the application of the isolation material
214
.
In the method of the present invention, after etching back the buffer film layer, the shallow trench is then filled with an isolation material. The resulting structure is preferably annealed to densify the deposited isolation material. Densification of the deposited isolation material is required to enhance the resistance of the isolation material to etching during subsequent processing. A portion of the isolation material over the buffer film layer is then removed to the level of the buffer film layer. The removal of isolation material is preferably achieved with a process such as chemical mechanical planarization which abrades away the isolation material down to the buffer film layer. The buffer film layer is then selectively etch away to form an isolation structure. When this isolation structure is etched during a

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