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In-Line Monitoring of Shallow Trench Isolation Etch Depth
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From Veeco Instruments
This application note highlights the issues with Shallow Trench Isolation (STI) etch metrology, current metrology techniques and the benefits of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) for characterization and in-line monitoring of STI etch depth. Shallow Trench isolation is an isolation technique implemented on sub-0.18-micron technologies as an alternative to LOCOS. Since STI electrically isolates active device regions, it eliminates problems traditionally associated with LOCOS, while enabling an active area with higher density. Additionally, the flatness of the resulting wafer enables more precise pattern definition for subsequent layers. Depth uniformity CD and the sidewall profile characteristics of the silicon trench are some of the most critical parameters that need to be optimized for STI plasma etch. As feature sizes decrease, precise control of these parameters become even more critical. Products & Services
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Topics of Interest
The shallow trench isolation (STI) process is a key step in the production of leading-edge integrated circuit devices. In this process, silicon dioxide-filled trenches serve to electrically isolate...
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In the manufacture of an integrated circuit it is critical to effectively isolate the active areas that form the transistor gates at the device level. The Shallow Trench Isolation (STI) process was...
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Dual-damascene methodology has dramatically reduced complexity and shortened real process times over traditional metal etch and fill methods. However, the improved technique introduces new issues in...
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Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is a well-established metrology technique used in semiconductor at 65nm nodes and below. Measurement precision, and accuracy are foundational to the AFM including the...
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New slurry formulations are described for both Shallow Trench Isolation (STI) and Inner Layer Dielectric (ILD) CMP applications. These formulations use cerium oxide as the abrasive, since the industry...
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