Simplified Example of a

LOCOS Fabrication Process

Prof. A. Mason
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Michigan State University

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 1

Illustration
 LOCOS Defined
• LOCOS = LOCal Oxidation of Silicon
• Defines a set of fabrication technologies where
– the wafer is masked to cover all active regions
– thick field oxide (FOX) is grown in all non-active regions
• Used for electrical isolation of CMOS devices

• Relatively simple to understand so often used to

introduce/describe CMOS fabrication flows

• Not commonly used in modern fabrication

– other techniques, such as Shallow Trench Isolation (STI) are
currently more common than LOCOS

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 2

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 1
Form N-Well regions NWELL mask
• Grow oxide
• Deposit photoresist

oxide photoresist

p-type substrate

Cross section view

NWELL mask

Layout view

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 3

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 1
Form N-Well regions NWELL mask
• Grow oxide
• Deposit photoresist
• Pattern photoresist photoresist
oxide
– NWELL Mask
– expose only n-well p-type substrate
areas
Cross section view

NWELL mask

Layout view

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 4

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 1
Form N-Well regions
• Grow oxide
• Deposit photoresist
• Pattern photoresist
oxide
– NWELL Mask
– expose only n-well p-type substrate
areas
• Etch oxide Cross section view
• Remove photresist

Layout view

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 5

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 1
Form N-Well regions
• Grow oxide
• Deposit photoresist
• Pattern photoresist n-well
– NWELL Mask
– expose only n-well p-type substrate
areas
• Etch oxide Cross section view
• Remove photoresist
• Diffuse n-type
dopants through oxide
mask layer

Layout view

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 6

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 2
Form Active Regions ACTIVE mask
• Deposit SiN over wafer
• Deposit photoresist
over SiN layer n-well
SiN photoresist

p-type substrate

ACTIVE mask

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 7

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 2
Form Active Regions ACTIVE mask
• Deposit SiN over wafer
• Deposit photoresist
over SiN layer n-well
SiN photoresist
• Pattern photoresist
– *ACTIVE MASK p-type substrate

ACTIVE mask

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 8

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 2
Form Active Regions
• Deposit SiN over wafer
• Deposit photoresist
over SiN layer n-well
SiN photoresist
• Pattern photoresist
– *ACTIVE MASK p-type substrate
• Etch SiN in exposed
areas
– leaves SiN mask
which blocks oxide
growth

ACTIVE mask

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 9

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 2
Form Active Regions
• Deposit SiN over wafer
• Deposit photoresist
over SiN layer n-well
• Pattern photoresist FOX
– *ACTIVE MASK p-type substrate
• Etch SiN in exposed
areas
– leaves SiN mask
which blocks oxide
growth
• Remove photoresist
• Grow Field Oxide
(FOX) ACTIVE mask
– thermal oxidation

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 10

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 2
Form Active Regions
• Deposit SiN over wafer
• Deposit photoresist
over SiN layer n-well
• Pattern photoresist FOX
– *ACTIVE MASK p-type substrate
• Etch SiN in exposed
areas
– leaves SiN mask
which blocks oxide
growth
• Remove photoresist
• Grow Field Oxide
(FOX) ACTIVE mask
– thermal oxidation
• Remove SiN

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 11

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 3
Form Gate (Poly layer)
• Grow thin Gate Oxide
– over entire wafer
– negligible effect on
FOX regions gate oxide

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 12

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 3
Form Gate (Poly layer) POLY mask

• Grow thin Gate Oxide

– over entire wafer
– negligible effect on polysilicon
FOX regions gate oxide

• Deposit Polysilicon
• Deposit Photoresist

POLY mask

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 13

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 3
Form Gate (Poly layer) POLY mask

• Grow thin Gate Oxide

– over entire wafer
– negligible effect on
FOX regions gate oxide

• Deposit Polysilicon
• Deposit Photoresist
• Pattern Photoresist
– *POLY MASK
• Etch Poly in exposed
areas
• Etch/remove Oxide
– gate protected by
poly
POLY mask

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 14

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 3
Form Gate (Poly layer)
• Grow thin Gate Oxide
– over entire wafer
– negligible effect on
FOX regions gate oxide

• Deposit Polysilicon
• Deposit Photoresist
• Pattern Photoresist
– *POLY MASK
• Etch Poly in exposed
areas
• Etch/remove Oxide
– gate protected by
poly

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 15

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 4
Form pmos S/D PSELECT mask

• Cover with photoresist

PSELECT mask

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 16

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 4
Form pmos S/D PSELECT mask

• Cover with photoresist

• Pattern photoresist
– *PSELECT MASK

POLY mask

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 17

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 4
Form pmos S/D
• Cover with photoresist
• Pattern photoresist
– *PSELECT MASK
• Implant p-type dopants
p+ dopant p+ dopant
• Remove photoresist

POLY mask

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 18

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 5
Form nmos S/D NSELECT mask

• Cover with photoresist

p+ p+ p+
n

POLY mask

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 19

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 5
Form nmos S/D NSELECT mask

• Cover with photoresist

• Pattern photoresist p+ p+ p+
– *NSELECT MASK
n

POLY mask

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 20

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 5
Form nmos S/D
• Cover with photoresist
• Pattern photoresist n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+
– *NSELECT MASK
n
• Implant n-type dopants
n+ dopant n+ dopant
• Remove photoresist

POLY mask

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 21

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 6
CONTACT mask
Form Contacts
• Deposit oxide
• Deposit photoresist n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+
n

CONTACT mask

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 22

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 6
CONTACT mask
Form Contacts
• Deposit oxide
• Deposit photoresist n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+
• Pattern photoresist n
– *CONTACT Mask
– One mask for both
active and poly
contact shown

CONTACT mask

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 23

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 6
Form Contacts
• Deposit oxide
• Deposit photoresist n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+
• Pattern photoresist n
– *CONTACT Mask
– One mask for both
active and poly
contact shown
• Etch oxide

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 24

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 6
Form Contacts
• Deposit oxide
• Deposit photoresist n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+
• Pattern photoresist n
– *CONTACT Mask
– One mask for both
active and poly
contact shown
• Etch oxide
• Remove photoresist
• Deposit metal1
– immediately after
opening contacts so
no native oxide
grows in contacts
• Planerize
– make top level

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 25

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 7
METAL1 mask
Form Metal 1 Traces
• Deposit photoresist
n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+
n

METAL1 mask

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 26

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 7
METAL1 mask
Form Metal 1 Traces
• Deposit photoresist
• Pattern photoresist n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+
– *METAL1 Mask
n

METAL1 mask

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 27

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 7
Form Metal 1 Traces
• Deposit photoresist
• Pattern photoresist n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+
– *METAL1 Mask
n
• Etch metal

metal over poly outside of cross section

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 28

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 7
Form Metal 1 Traces
• Deposit photoresist
• Pattern photoresist n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+
– *METAL1 Mask
n
• Etch metal
• Remove photoresist

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 29

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 8
VIA mask
Form Vias to Metal1
• Deposit oxide
• Planerize oxide n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+
• Deposit photoresist n

VIA mask

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 30

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 8
VIA mask
Form Vias to Metal1
• Deposit oxide
• Planerize n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+
• Deposit photoresist n
• Pattern photoresist
– *VIA Mask

VIA mask

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 31

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 8
Form Vias to Metal1
• Deposit oxide
• Planerize n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+
• Deposit photoresist n
• Pattern photoresist
– *VIA Mask
• Etch oxide
• Remove photoresist

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 32

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 8
Form Vias to Metal1
• Deposit oxide
• Planerize n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+
• Deposit photoresist n
• Pattern photoresist
– *VIA Mask
• Etch oxide
• Remove photoresist
• Deposit Metal2

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 33

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 9
METAL2 mask
Form Metal2 Traces
• Deposit photoresist
n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+
n

METAL2 mask

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 34

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 9
METAL2 mask
Form Metal2 Traces
• Deposit photoresist
• Pattern photoresist n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+
– *METAL2 Mask
n

METAL2 mask

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 35

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 9
Form Metal2 Traces
• Deposit photoresist
• Pattern photoresist n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+
– *METAL2 Mask
n
• Etch metal

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 36

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 9
Form Metal2 Traces
• Deposit photoresist
• Pattern photoresist n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+
– *METAL2 Mask
n
• Etch metal
• Remove photoresist

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 37

Illustration
 LOCOS –step 10+
Form Additional Traces
• Deposit oxide
• Deposit photoresist n+ p+ p+ n+ n+ p+
• Pattern photoresist n
• Etch oxide
• Deposit metal p-type substrate
• Deposit photresist
• Pattern photoresist
• Etch metal
• Repeat for each
additional metal

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 38

Illustration
 Simplifications from complete process
• skipped several substrate doping steps
– channel implant to adjust threshold voltages
– surface implant to increase breakdown voltage
• no LDD, lightly-doped drain
• no deposition of contact interface materials
• metal patterning simplified
– more complex “lift-off” process often used
• no overglass (thick top dielectric) layer
• no bonding pad layer
• simplified use of dark/clear field masks and
positive/negative photoresist

LOCOS Fabrication Prof. A. Mason Page 39

Illustration