1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
forming, in a first direction, trenches in isolation regions of a semiconductor substrate;
forming an SOG layer over the semiconductor substrate to fill the trenches;
performing a heat treatment process to cure a top portion of the SOG layer to form a cured portion of the SOG layer;
curing only the top portion of the SOG layer, at a temperature ranging from room temperature to 600\xb0 C., to form the cured portion of the SOG layer;
performing, at a temperature ranging between 100\xb0 C. and 1100\xb0 C., furnace annealing or rapid thermal annealing on the SOG layer using a wet atmosphere, a N2 atmosphere, an O2 atmosphere, a NO atmosphere, or an N2O;
etching the SOG layer so that a top surface of the cured portion of the SOG layer is at substantially a middle height of each of the gate lines;
forming gate lines, in a second direction crossing the first direction, over the isolation layers and over active regions defined between the isolation layers;
forming first air gaps, extending in the first direction, by performing an etching process to remove at least a portion of each of the isolation layers; and
forming an insulating layer between the gate lines so that an air gap is formed in the insulating layer,
wherein the air gap extends in the first direction in the trenches and extends in the second direction between the gate lines.
2. The method of claim 1, where the SOG layer is formed at a temperature ranging from room temperature to 100\xb0 C.
3. The method of claim 1, where etching the SOG layer further comprises: etching the SOG layer so that the cured portion of the SOG layer is in proximity to a bottom portion of each of the gate lines.
4. The method of claim 1, where each of the isolation layers comprises one or more of a nitride layer, an undoped polysilicon layer, a doped polysilicon layer, a tungsten layer, or a titanium nitride (TiN) layer.
5. The method of claim 1, where forming the isolation layers further comprises: forming a lower insulating layer in a lower portion of each of the isolation layers.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: forming a capping insulating layer on a top portion of each of the isolation layers.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising: removing, via an etching process, a portion of the capping insulating layer exposed between the gate lines, so that a portion of the capping insulating layer remains at a bottom portion of each of the gate lines.
8. The method of claim 1, where the etching process may be performed by dry cleaning, wet cleaning, or plasma etching.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
forming a tunnel insulating layer and a silicon layer over the active regions of the semiconductor substrate; and
forming a dielectric layer and a control gate over the isolation layers; and where forming the gate lines further comprises:
patterning the control gate, the dielectric layer and the silicon layer.
10. The method of claim 1, where each of the insulating layers comprises a PE-USG layer.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
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21. An assembly for connecting two adjacent liquid collection basins,
the assembly comprising
a first liquid collection basin having a front wall with an opening,
a second collection basin having a front wall with an opening,
a first support frame having an inner edge, the first support frame affixed to the first liquid collection basin front wall around the opening,
a second support frame having an inner edge affixed to the second liquid collection basin front wall around the opening, the second support frame also having an outer edge spaced from the inner edge,
a flume for connecting the first liquid collection basin to the second liquid collection basin,
the flume comprising a generally rectangular structure having a top section, a bottom section and two side sections, an inward flange along one side of the flume and an outward flange along an opposite side of the flume,
an extension from the inward flange of the flume,
a plurality of first connection devices securing the front wall of the first collection basin to the inward flange of the flume,
and a plurality of second connections devices securing the outward flange of the flume to the outer edge of the second support frame.
22. The assembly of claim 21 further comprising a sealant between the front wall of the first collection basin and the inward flange of the flume.
23. The assembly of the claim 21 further comprising
a sealant between the outward flange of the flume and the outer edge of the second support frame.
24. The assembly of claim 21 wherein the first support frame includes an outer edge extending perpendicular to the inner edge.
25. The assembly of claim 21
wherein the second support frame includes a top section extending perpendicular to the outer edge of the second support frame
and the outward flange of the flume includes a top section extending perpendicular to the outward flange of the flume.
26. The assembly of claim 21
wherein the first support frame is welded to the first liquid collection basin front wall.
27. The assembly of claim 21
wherein the second support frame is welded to the front wall of the second liquid collection basin.