Patent ID: 7033907

Claim:
A method for forming an isolation layer of a semiconductor device, the method comprising the steps of: etching a silicon substrate having a cell region and a peripheral circuit region, forming a first trench having a first size in the cell region, and forming a second trench having a second size, which is larger than the first size of the first trench, in the peripheral circuit region; forming a sidewall oxide layer on surfaces of the first trench and the second trench; sequentially depositing a liner nitride layer and a liner oxide layer on a resultant substrate inclusive of the sidewall oxide layer; performing a plasma pre-heating process using O 2 +He with respect to the resultant substrate in an HDP CVD process chamber and selectively oxidizing a portion of the liner nitride layer remaining on a bottom of the second trench in the peripheral circuit region; continuously depositing an HDP oxide layer on the resultant substrate having been subjected to the plasma pre-heating process, thereby filling the trenches; and performing a chemical mechanical polishing process with respect to the HDP oxide layer.