A dynamic one-transistor read/write memory cell employs a trench capacitor to increase the magnitude of the stored charge. The trench is etched into the silicon surface at a diffused N+ capacitor region similar in structure to the N+ bit line, then thick oxide is grown over the bit line and over the capacitor region, but not in the trench. The upper plate of the capacitor is a polysilicon layer extending into the trench and also forming field plate isolation over the face of the silicon bar. A refractory metal word line forms the gate of the access transistor at a hole in the polysilicon field plate.