Patent ID: 6251783
Filing Date: 2001-06-26
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
A method of manufacturing shallow trench isolation structures, comprising:providing a substrate having a plurality of active regions thereon, wherein the size of these active regions varies so that some active regions occupy a larger area while some other active regions occupy a smaller area, yet both small and large active regions are separated by shallow trenches;depositing insulating material over the substrate to form an insulation layer which has convex portions and recessed portions corresponding to the shallow trenches;forming a photoresist layer on the insulation layer;etching back the photoresist layer to protrude the convex portions of the insulation layer above an upper surface of the photoresist layer, thereby forming photoresist caps on the recessed portions of the insulation layer;removing a portion of the exposed insulation layer using the photoresist caps as masks so that a plurality of small bumps are formed above the remaining insulation layer;removing the photoresist caps; andperforming a chemical-mechanical polishing operation to remove a portion of the insulation layer until the substrate is exposed.