Semiconductor wafer smoothing method

摘要

The method involves forming a pattern of grooves (10) and posts (14) on a semiconductor substrate (15). The grooves are filled with appropriate material (12), and the posts, possibly with caps (17), are covered. Then a photoresistant layer (19) is deposited over the filling material, is patterned, and removed from some regions over the posts. The exposed photoresist layer and the filling material are smoothed by simultaneous isotropic etching. Pref. the filling material is applied to all exposed horizontal surfaces with the same thickness, e.g. equal to the depth of the grooves.