Patent ID: 8536019

Claim:
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device on a semiconductor substrate comprising a semiconductor material, the method comprising: forming an isolation region in the semiconductor substrate, the isolation region being recessed relative to a first region of the semiconductor material adjacent to the isolation region, the isolation region comprising a first dielectric material; forming a first layer of a second dielectric material overlying the isolation region and the first region, the second dielectric material being more resistant to an etchant than the first dielectric material; removing the second dielectric material overlying the first region leaving portions of the second dielectric material overlying the isolation region intact; and forming a second layer of a third dielectric material overlying the isolation region and the first region prior to forming the first layer, the first layer overlying the second layer, and wherein removing the second dielectric material comprises planarizing the first layer to obtain a planar surface aligned with portions of the second layer overlying the first region laterally adjacent to the isolation region.