Abstract:
A method of providing shallow trench (143) isolation for a semiconductor wafer (100). Trenches (113) are formed within a first semiconductor material (112) and a pad nitride (114), leaving a portion of first semiconductor material (112) and pad nitride (114) in a region between the trenches (113). A second semiconductor material (116) is deposited over the trenches (113) to fill the trenches (113) to a height below the first semiconductor material (112) top surface. A first insulator (130) is selectively formed over the second semiconductor material (116). The pad nitride (114) and a portion of the first semiconductor material (112) between the trenches (113) are removed to isolate element regions of the wafer (100) and form straps (142) having a low resistance.
Abstract:
Disclosed is an optical lithographic mask having one or more dummy patterns, each said dummy pattern having a masked area of said optical lithographic mask seperated from one or more feature masked areas on said optical lithographic mask by an unmasked region of width d, wherein said width d is selected to substantially minimize an average deviation between the dimensions of said feature masked areas and corresponding features etched out upon a semiconductor surface utilizing said optical lithographic mask.
Abstract:
A plate 50 for projection lithography comprising a first opaque region 54 located at the center of the plate 50 and a second opaque region 56 formed at the outer edge 52 of the plate. The first and second opaque regions define a light transmissive annular region 58. The annular region 58 comprises a first light transmissive area 60, 62 that imparts a first phase shift to light passing therethrough and a second light transmissive area 64, 66, which imparts a second phase shift to light passing therethrough.
Abstract:
The production of a trench (26) in a layer or layer stack (102-104) on a semiconductor wafer comprises preparing a semiconductor wafer with a mask layer (12) and a photo-sensitive resist (16), exposing the resist and developing to form a resist web, implanting a first part of the mask layer with doping particles, removing the web, dissolving the second non-implanted part of the mask layer to form an opening in the mask layer, and anisotropically etching the layer or layer stack selectively to the mask layer to transfer the opening into the layer or layer stack to form the trench.