METHOD FOR DEFINING AN ISOLATION REGION(S) OF A SEMICONDUCTOR STRUCTURE

摘要

Methods for defining an isolation region of a semiconductor structure are provided. The method includes, for instance: providing a semiconductor structure with a recess therein; disposing an insulator layer conformally within the recess in the semiconductor structure to partially fill the recess; modifying at least one material property of the insulator layer to obtain a densified insulator layer within the recess, where the modifying reduces a thickness of the densified insulator layer compared to that of the insulator layer; and depositing at least one additional insulator layer within the recess over the densified insulator layer, where the densified insulator layer within the recess defines, at least in part, an isolation region of the semiconductor structure.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
providing a semiconductor structure with a recess therein; disposing an insulator layer conformally within the recess in the semiconductor structure to partially fill the recess; forming at least one species of gas clusters by condensation of individual gas atoms or gas molecules during an expansion of high pressure gas into a vacuum; modifying at least one material property of the insulator layer by bombarding the insulator layer with the at least one species of gas clusters to obtain a densified insulator layer within the recess, wherein bombarding the insulating layer includes controlling the gas clusters to provide localized high-energy impacts within an upper surface of the insulating layer which produce high annealing process temperatures that are no greater than 1200 degrees centigrade on a pico-second time scale to reduces a thickness of the densified insulator layer compared to that of the insulator layer by at least 10 percent; and depositing at least one additional insulator layer within the recess over the densified insulator layer, wherein the densified insulator layer within the recess defines, at least in part, an isolation region of the semiconductor structure.