Abstract
The buildup of stress during oxidation of a trench isolation structure is analyzed using a finite element method. In this analysis, we considered stress-dependent oxidation model and the viscoelasticity of materials. The parameters that affect the buildup of stress in the structure are temperature and ambient gas during oxidation and the dimensions (width and depth) of the trench structure. Effective ways for reducing stress are discussed based on simulation results in order to improve product reliability.
