Patent ID: 7915138

Claim:
A method of forming a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of: forming a gate insulation pattern and a first conductive pattern on a semiconductor substrate; forming a trench in a portion of the semiconductor substrate extending adjacent the first conductive pattern; forming a first electrically insulating layer on a sidewall of the trench; filling the trench with a preliminary first device isolation layer that extends on the first electrically insulating layer; partially removing the preliminary first device isolation layer and the first electrically insulating layer for a sufficient duration, to expose a portion of the sidewall of the trench and to form a first device isolation pattern at a lower portion of the trench; forming a second electrically insulating layer on the exposed portion of the sidewall of the trench; curing the second electrically insulating layer for a sufficient duration to increase a degree of impermeability of hydrogen atoms therein; refilling the trench with a second device isolation layer; and wherein refilling the trench is followed by etching back the second device isolation layer and the cured second electrically insulating layer to expose a sidewall of the first conductive pattern.