Semiconductor device structured to prevent oxide damage during HDP CVD

摘要

A semiconductor device includes a patterned conductive layer on which an initial dielectric film is deposited by a non-etching deposition process. A second dielectric film is then deposited on the initial dielectric film by high-density plasma chemical vapor deposition (HDP CVD). The HDP CVD process etches the second dielectric film as it is being deposited, thereby smoothing the surface of the second dielectric film. The initial dielectric film insulates the patterned conductive layer from the plasma used in the HDP CVD process, so that plasma charge is not conducted to underlying oxide films, such as gate oxide films, and does not cause oxide damage.