Patent ID: 6890833

Claim:
A method of forming a trench isolation structure in a substrate, said method comprising: forming at least one opening in a surface of said substrate; depositing a liner layer at least along a bottom and sidewalls of said opening; depositing a layer of doped oxide material at least in said opening; annealing said substrate to reflow said layer of doped oxide material within said opening; removing, from said layer of doped oxide material located in said opening in said surface of said substance, an about 500 to 1,000 Å thick portion near said surface of said substrate; depositing an about 500 to 1,000 Å cap layer at least atop a remaining portion of said layer of doped oxide material; and removing a portion of said cap layer that is atop said surface of said substrate such that said cap layer remains in said opening in said surface of said substrate.