Patent ID: 7223698

Claim:
A method of forming a semiconductor arrangement, comprising: forming a substrate with a top surface, active regions and field oxide regions, the field oxide regions having portions extending above the top surface and the active regions by a step height, the step of forming including: depositing a nitride layer on the substrate top surface, forming a trench through the nitride layer and into the substrate, filling the trench and covering the nitride layer with oxide, planarizing to remove oxide on the nitride layer, removing the nitride layer to form the field oxide regions that extend above the top surface, and subsequently forming active regions in the substrate; subsequently forming a planarizing dielectric layer on the field oxide regions after the active regions are formed in the substrate; and removing the portions of the field oxide regions that extend above the top surface and the active regions by removing the planarizing dielectric layer and the portions of the field oxide regions that extend above the top surface and the active regions.