Semiconductor structures with shallow trench isolations
A method is disclosed that includes the operations outlined below. An insulating material is disposed within a plurality of trenches on a semiconductor substrate and over the semiconductor substrate. The first layer is formed over the insulating material. The first layer and the insulating material are removed.
1. A method comprising:
disposing an insulating material within a plurality of trenches on a semiconductor substrate and over the semiconductor substrate, wherein at least two trenches of the plurality of the trenches have different depths;
forming, in one operation, a first layer having a substantially flat surface, over the insulating material; and
removing the first layer and the insulating material;
wherein a portion of the first layer is etched, a remaining portion of the first layer and the insulating material are removed by a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process, and the portion of the first layer is thicker than a percentage of the remaining portion of the first layer.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first layer is formed by a spin-coating process.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the insulating material comprises oxide.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first layer comprises a layer of photoresist.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the first layer and the insulating material is performed by at least one of a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process, an etching process, a sputter process, a laser process and combinations thereof.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first layer and the insulating material have a similar etch rate.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first layer and the insulating material are removed by a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process in one operation.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first layer comprises a layer of spin-on glass (SOG).
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first layer is a single layer having a same type of material.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first layer is formed over the insulating material before disposing of another material on the insulating material.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first layer is formed over the insulating material without another material there between.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first layer is formed in contact with the insulating material over an entirety of the insulating material.
13. A method comprising:
coating, in one operation, an insulating layer with a first layer having a substantially flat surface by a spin-coating process; and
removing the first layer and the insulating layer;
wherein the insulating layer fills a plurality of trenches on a semiconductor substrate and covers the semiconductor substrate, and
at least two of the plurality of trenches have different depths;
wherein a portion of the first layer is etched, a remaining portion of the first layer and the insulating layer are removed by a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process, and the portion of the first layer is thicker than a percentage of the remaining portion of the first layer.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein a material of the insulating layer comprises oxide.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first layer comprises a layer of photoresist.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein removing the first layer and the insulating layer is performed by at least one of a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process, an etching process, a sputter process, a laser process and combinations thereof.
17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first layer and the insulating layer have a similar etch rate.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first layer and the insulating layer are removed by a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process in one operation.
19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first layer comprises a layer of spin-on glass (SOG).
20. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first layer is a single layer having a same type of material.
21. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first layer is formed over the insulating layer before disposing of another material on the insulating layer.
22. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first layer is formed over the insulating layer without another material there between.
23. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first layer is formed in contact with the insulating layer over an entirety of the insulating layer.