18151412. METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SEMICONDUCTOR STRUCTURE simplified abstract (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.)

METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SEMICONDUCTOR STRUCTURE

Organization Name

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Inventor(s)

Chen-Cheng Chou of Tainan County (TW)

Shiu-Ko Jangjian of Tainan City (TW)

Cheng-Ta Wu of Chiayi County (TW)

METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SEMICONDUCTOR STRUCTURE - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18151412 titled 'METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SEMICONDUCTOR STRUCTURE

Simplified Explanation

The patent application describes a method for forming isolation structures between semiconductor fins on a substrate. The method involves several steps, including etching the substrate, performing an annealing process, selectively forming a liner on the semiconductor fins, filling the trench with a dielectric material, and etching back the liner and dielectric material.

• The method involves forming patterned masks on a semiconductor substrate.
• The substrate is then etched using the patterned masks as an etch mask, resulting in the formation of semiconductor fins with a trench between them.
• An annealing process is performed using a hydrogen-containing gas to smooth the surfaces of the semiconductor fins.
• After the annealing process, a first liner is selectively formed on the smoothed surfaces of the semiconductor fins, while leaving the surfaces of the patterned masks exposed.
• The trench is then filled with a dielectric material.
• Finally, the first liner and the dielectric material are etched back to form an isolation structure between the semiconductor fins.

Potential Applications

This technology can be applied in various semiconductor manufacturing processes, particularly in the fabrication of advanced integrated circuits and microprocessors.

Problems Solved

The method addresses the challenge of forming isolation structures between semiconductor fins, which is crucial for preventing electrical interference and improving the performance of semiconductor devices.

Benefits

• The method allows for the precise formation of isolation structures between semiconductor fins, ensuring proper electrical isolation and improved device performance.
• The annealing process helps to smooth the surfaces of the semiconductor fins, reducing defects and enhancing the overall quality of the semiconductor structure.
• The selective formation of the first liner on the semiconductor fins and the subsequent etching back process enable the precise control of the isolation structure dimensions and the overall device design.

Original Abstract Submitted

A method includes forming patterned masks over a semiconductor substrate; etching the semiconductor substrate using the patterned masks as an etch mask to form semiconductor fins with a trench between the semiconductor fins; performing an annealing process using a hydrogen containing gas to smooth surfaces of the semiconductor fins; after performing the annealing process, selectively forming a first liner on the smoothed surfaces of the semiconductor fins, while leaving surfaces of the patterned masks exposed by the first liner; filling the trench with a dielectric material; and etching back the first liner and the dielectric material to form an isolation structure between the semiconductor fins.