Patent ID: 7364975

Claim:
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device, the method comprising: providing a workpiece, the workpiece including a plurality of active area regions defined therein; forming at least one trench in the workpiece between at least two of the plurality of active area regions; depositing a first insulating material over the plurality of active area regions and the at least one trench of the workpiece, partially filling the at least one trench with the first insulating material and forming peaks of the first insulating material over the plurality of active area regions; forming a masking material over the first insulating material in the at least one trench, leaving the peaks of the first insulating material over the plurality of active area regions completely exposed; removing at least the peaks of the first insulating material from over the plurality of active area regions of the workpiece; and forming active areas in each of the plurality of active area regions, either before forming the at least one trench, or after depositing the second insulating material; or forming a first portion of active areas in each of the plurality of active area regions before forming the at least one trench, and forming a second portion of active areas in each of the plurality of active area regions after depositing the second insulating material.