Importance

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Abstract

With the present invention, a filled isolation trench is fabricated as part of an integrated circuit on a semiconductor wafer using nitrogen implantation into at least one side wall of the isolation trench. An isolation trench is etched within a layer of semiconductor material. The isolation trench has at least one side wall comprised of the semiconductor material, and the isolation trench has a bottom wall. Nitrogen ions are implanted into the at least one side wall of the isolation trench. A layer of an insulator material is thermally grown from the at least one side wall and the bottom wall of the isolation trench. The isolation trench is then filled with the insulator material using a deposition process to form the filled isolation trench. With the present invention, the nitrogen ions implanted into the at least one side wall of the isolation trench reduce a radius of a bird's beak formed on the at least one side wall of the isolation trench. In addition, the nitrogen ions implanted into the at least one side wall of the isolation trench reduce mechanical stress on the at least one side wall of the isolation trench from the insulator material filling the isolation trench.

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First Claim