Patent ID: 7271060

Claim:
A semiconductor processing method comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate comprising a memory array region and a peripheral region proximate the memory array region; forming spaced nitride-containing masking structures over the substrate, some of the nitride-containing masking structures being first nitride-containing masking structures over the memory array region and others of the nitride-containing masking structures being second nitride-containing masking structures over the peripheral region; forming trenches in the substrate between the spaced nitride-containing masking structures, some of the trenches being first trenches associated with the memory array region and others being second trenches associated with the peripheral region, the second trenches being formed to be substantially deeper than the first trenches; after forming the first and second trenches, laterally recessing the second nitride-containing masking structures to a degree greater than any lateral recessing of the first nitride-containing masking structures; and after the lateral recessing of the second nitride-containing masking structures, oxidizing the substrate within the first and second trenches, and then depositing insulative material within the first and second trenches; and wherein the lateral recessing of the second nitride-containing structures is a second lateral recessing; wherein the oxidizing of the substrate within the first and second trenches is a second oxidizing; and further comprising: initially forming the first and second trenches to be about the same depth as one another; after the initial formation of the first and second trenches, first laterally recessing the first and second nitride-containing masking structures; after the first lateral recessing of the first and second nitride-containing masking structures; first oxidizing the substrate to form a first oxide layer extending within the first and second trenches; forming protective material within the first trenches and over the first oxide layer within the first trenches; and while the protective material is within the first trenches, removing at least some of the first oxide layer from within the second trenches and then extending the second trenches to be substantially deeper than the first trenches.