Inventors:
Zhiqiang Wu - Plano TX
Li Li - Meridian ID
Thomas A. Figura - Nishiwaki, JP
Kunal R. Parekh - Boise ID
Pai-Hung Pan - Boise ID
Alan R. Reinberg - Westport CT
Kin F. Ma - Boise ID
Assignee:
Micron Technology, Inc. - Boise ID
International Classification:
H01L 2100
US Classification:
438705, 216 38, 216 87, 438692, 438753
Abstract:
Methods are disclosed for forming shaped structures from silicon and/or germanium containing material with a material removal process that is selective to low stress portions of the material. In general, the method initially provides a layer of the material on a semiconductor substrate. The material, which has uniform stress therein, is then masked, and the stress in a portion of the material is reduced, such as by implanting ions into an unmasked portion. The mask is removed, and the high stress masked portion of the material is selectively removed, preferably by an etching process. The low stress portion of the material remains and forms a shaped structure. One preferred selective etching process uses a basic etchant. The various methods are used to form raised shaped structures, shaped openings, polysilicon plugs, capacitor storage nodes, surround-gate transistors, free-standing walls, interconnect lines, trench capacitors, and trench isolation regions.