Memory arrays
The invention includes semiconductor constructions having trenched isolation regions. The trenches of the trenched isolation regions can include narrow bottom portions and upper wide portions over the bottom portions. Electrically insulative material can fill the upper wide portions while leaving voids within the narrow bottom portions. The trenched isolation regions can be incorporated into a memory array, and/or can be incorporated into an electronic system. The invention also includes methods of forming semiconductor constructions.
1. A memory array, comprising:
a semiconductor substrate;
a trench extending into the substrate and proximate a transistor, the trench comprising an upper portion over a lower portion;
a liner along an interior wall of the lower and upper portions of the trench, the liner comprising a transition configuration between the lower and upper portions of the trench, the transition configuration comprising a curved configuration and the liner comprising the only transition configuration for the lower and upper portions of the trench; and
an electrically insulative material in the lower and upper portions of the trench.
2. The memory array of claim 1 wherein the liner is the only liner in the trench.
3. The memory array of claim 1 wherein the curved configuration extends downward from the upper portion and inward from the interior wall.
4. The memory array of claim 1 wherein an entirety of the liner comprises a single layer of material.
5. The memory array of claim 1 wherein the liner in the upper portion is thinner than the liner in the lower portion.
6. The memory array of claim 1 wherein the electrically insulative material in the lower portion defines a void.
7. The memory array of claim 1 wherein the electrically insulative material in the lower portion defines a void, an entirety of the void below the transition configuration.
8. The memory array of claim 1 wherein the transition configuration is below an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate.
9. The memory array of claim 1 wherein the electrically insulative material in the lower portion of the trench comprises a different composition than the electrically insulative material in the upper portion.
10. A memory array, comprising:
a semiconductor substrate;
a trench extending into the substrate and proximate a transistor, the trench comprising an upper portion over a lower portion;
a liner along an interior wall of the lower and upper portions of the trench, the liner comprising a step at the transition between the lower portion and the upper portion, the liner being the only liner in the trench;
a first electrically insulative material in the lower portion of the trench, the first electrically insulative material comprising a first composition that includes a void proximate the step; and
a second electrically insulative material in the upper portion of the trench, the second electrically insulative material comprising a second composition different from the first composition of the first electrically insulative material.
11. The memory array of claim 10 wherein the lower portion of the trench comprises a lateral width dimension that is less than a lateral width dimension of the upper portion of the trench.
12. The memory array of claim 10 wherein the liner comprises an upper section over a lower section, the upper section of the liner comprises a lateral width dimension that is less than a lateral width dimension of the lower section of the liner.
13. The memory array of claim 10 wherein an entirety of the liner comprises a single layer of material.
14. The memory array of claim 10 wherein an entirety of the liner comprises a single layer of material, and wherein the liner comprises an upper section over a lower section, the upper section of the liner comprises a lateral width dimension that is less than a lateral width dimension of the lower section of the liner.
15. The memory array of claim 10 wherein the void is devoid of the first electrically insulative material.
16. The memory array of claim 10 wherein the void comprises material that is different from the first electrically insulative material, the difference being one or more of phase, density, and chemical composition.
17. The memory array of claim 10 wherein the void comprises an ambient present during the forming of the first electrically insulative material.
18. The memory array of claim 10 wherein the void comprises gases outgassed from the first electrically insulative material.
19. A memory array, comprising:
a semiconductor substrate;
a trench extending into the substrate and proximate a transistor, the trench comprising an upper portion over a lower portion;
a liner along an interior wall of the lower and upper portions of the trench, the liner comprising a step at the transition between the lower portion and the upper portion;
a first electrically insulative material in the lower portion of the trench, the first electrically insulative material comprising a first composition that includes a void;
a second electrically insulative material in the upper portion of the trench, the second electrically insulative material comprising a second composition different from the first composition of the first electrically insulative material; and
wherein the first electrical insulative material defines the void extending substantially an entire length of the lower portion of the trench.