The Mechanism of an Etching-Back to Reduce the Density of Cone Defect in STI During the Manufacturing

The formation of cone defects is a side effect of the shallow trench isolation (STI) etching process, caused by the redeposition of residue from silicon nitride, silicon dioxide, or byproducts from the etching process. This study aims to explain the mechanism responsible for these defects during STI etching. The utilization of this model can enhance the design for manufacturability by streamlining the manufacturing process, reducing susceptibility to defects and process variations, and ultimately improving the reliability and manufacturability of production.