Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device including a multi-layer dielectric structure and a method of fabricating the semiconductor device. According to one example embodiment, the semiconductor device includes a capacitor comprising: first and second electrodes facing each other; at least one first dielectric layer that is disposed between the first and second electrodes, the at least one first dielectric layer comprising a first high-k dielectric layer doped with silicon; and at least one second dielectric layer that is disposed between the at least one first dielectric layer and any of the first and second electrodes, the at least one second dielectric layer having a higher crystallization temperature than that of the first dielectric layer.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing a semiconductor device include forming an absorption layer on a surface of a substrate by exposing the surface of the substrate to a first reaction gas at a first temperature. A metal oxide layer is then formed on the surface of the substrate by exposing the absorption layer to a second reaction gas at a second temperature. The first reaction gas may include a precursor containing zirconium (e.g., tetrakis(ethylmethylamino)zirconium) and the second reaction gas may include an oxidizing agent.

Abstract: Methods of forming a zirconium hafnium oxide thin layer on a semiconductor substrate by supplying tetrakis(ethylmethylamino)zirconium ([Zr{N(C2H5)(CH3)}4], TEMAZ) and tetrakis(ethylmethylamino)hafnium ([Hf{N(C2H5)(CH3)}4], TEMAH) to a substrate are provided. The TEMAZ and the TEMAH may be reacted with an oxidizing agent. The thin layer including zirconium hafnium oxide may be used for a gate insulation layer in a gate structure, a dielectric layer in a capacitor, or a dielectric layer in a flash memory device.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a semiconductor layer including source and drain regions and a channel region between the source and drain regions; a tunneling insulating layer on the channel region of the semiconductor layer; a charge storage layer on the tunneling insulating layer; a blocking insulating layer on the charge storage layer and including a first oxide layer with a first thickness, a high-k dielectric layer, and a second oxide layer with a second thickness different from the first thickness that are stacked sequentially on the charge storage layer; and a control gate on the blocking insulating layer.

Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method includes: forming a charge storage layer on a substrate on which a gate insulating layer is formed; forming a first metal oxide layer on the charge storage layer using a first reaction source including a metal oxide layer precursor and a first oxidizing agent and changing the first metal oxide layer to a second metal oxide layer using a second reaction source including a second oxidizing agent having larger oxidizing power than the first oxidizing agent and repeating the forming of the first metal oxide layer and the changing of the first metal oxide layer to the second metal oxide layer several times to form a blocking insulating layer; and forming an electrode layer on the blocking insulating layer.

Abstract: Integrated circuit devices, for example, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices, are provided including an integrated circuit substrate having a cell array region and a peripheral circuit region. A buried contact plug is provided on the integrated circuit substrate in the cell array region and a resistor is provided on the integrated circuit substrate in the peripheral circuit region. A first pad contact plug is provided on the buried contact plug in the cell array region and a second pad contact plug is provided on the resistor in the peripheral circuit region. An ohmic layer is provided between the first pad contact plug and the buried contact plug and between the second pad contact plug and the resistor. Related methods of fabricating integrated circuit devices are also provided.

Abstract: In a method of forming a thin film and methods of manufacturing a gate structure and a capacitor, a hafnium precursor including one alkoxy group and three amino groups, and an oxidizing agent are provided on a substrate. The hafnium precursor is reacted with the oxidizing agent to form the thin film including hafnium oxide on the substrate. The hafnium precursor may be employed for forming a gate insulation layer of a transistor or a dielectric layer of a capacitor.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a dielectric structure, after a tunnel oxide layer pattern is formed on a substrate, a floating gate is formed on the tunnel oxide layer. After a first dielectric layer pattern including a metal silicon oxide and a second dielectric layer pattern including a metal silicon oxynitride are formed, a control gate is formed on the dielectric structure. Since the dielectric structure includes at least one metal silicon oxide layer and at least one metal silicon oxynitride layer, the dielectric structure may have a high dielectric constant and a good thermal resistance. A non-volatile semiconductor memory device including the dielectric structure may have good electrical characteristics such as a large capacitance and a low leakage current.

Abstract: Provided is a capacitor of a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same. In one embodiment, the capacitor includes a lower electrode formed on a semiconductor substrate; a dielectric layer formed on the lower electrode; and an upper electrode that is formed on the dielectric layer. The upper electrode includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and a third conductive layer stacked sequentially. The first conductive layer comprises a metal layer, a conductive metal oxide layer, a conductive metal nitride layer, or a conductive metal oxynitride layer. The second conductive layer comprises a doped polysilicon germanium layer. The third conductive layer comprises a material having a lower resistance than that of the second conductive layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a thin ruthenium-containing layer includes performing a CVD process using butyl ruthenoscene as a ruthenium source material. The thin ruthenium-containing layer may be formed by a one-step or two-step CVD process. The one-step CVD process is performed under a constant oxygen flow rate and a constant deposition pressure. The two-step CVD process includes forming a seed layer and forming a main layer, each of which is performed under a different process condition of a deposition temperature, an oxygen flow rate, and a deposition pressure.

Abstract: A fabrication method for forming a semiconductor device having a capacitor is provided. A capacitor dielectric layer is formed by depositing a first layer and a second layer. The second layer is a major portion of the capacitor dielectric layer. The first layer acts as a seed layer, while the second layer is expitaxially grown. The material of the second layer as deposited is partially crystal. Nuclear generation and crystal growth occur separately so that the crystalline characteristic of the capacitor dielectric layer and the capacitance characteristic of the capacitor are enhanced. Moreover, the capacitor dielectric layer is crystallized at a relatively low temperature or for a relatively short time, thereby reducing leakage current as well as reducing deformation in the lower electrode. Optionally, The material of the second layer as deposited is not partially crystal but amorphous.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device can include forming a tunnel oxide layer on a substrate, forming a floating gate on the tunnel oxide layer and forming a dielectric layer pattern on the floating gate using an ALD process. The dielectric layer pattern can include a metal precursor that includes zirconium and an oxidant. A control gate can be formed on the dielectric layer pattern. The semiconductor device can include the dielectric layer pattern provided herein.

Abstract: Methods for fabricating semiconductor memory devices may include forming a first conductive layer for a first electrode on a semiconductor substrate, forming a dielectric layer on the first conductive layer, and forming a second conductive layer for a second electrode on the dielectric layer. Portions of the second conductive layer and the dielectric layer can be removed, and a thermal process can be performed on the second conductive layer and the dielectric layer. The thermal process can reduce interface stress between the second conductive layer and the dielectric layer and/or cure the dielectric layer. In addition, the dielectric layer may be maintained in an amorphous state during and after the thermal process.

Abstract: A ruthenium (Ru) film is formed on a substrate as part of a two-stage methodology. During the first stage, the Ru film is formed on the substrate in a manner in which the Ru nucleation rate is greater than the Ru growth rate. During the second stage, the Ru film is formed on the substrate in a manner in which the Ru growth rate is greater than the Ru nucleation rate.

Abstract: A metal-oxy-nitride seed dielectric layer can be formed on a metal-nitride lower electrode of a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) type capacitor. The metal-oxy-nitride seed dielectric layer can act as a barrier layer to reduce a reaction with the metal-nitride lower electrode during, for example, backend processing used to form upper levels of metallization/structures in an integrated circuit including the MIM type capacitor. Nitrogen included in the metal-oxy-nitride seed dielectric layer can reduce the type of reaction, which may occur in conventional type MIM capacitors. A metal-oxide main dielectric layer can be formed on the metal-oxy-nitride seed dielectric layer and can remain separate from the metal-oxy-nitride seed dielectric layer in the MIM type capacitor. The metal-oxide main dielectric layer can be stabilized (using, for example, a thermal or plasma treatment) to remove defects (such as carbon) therefrom and to adjust the stoichiometry of the metal-oxide main dielectric layer.

Abstract: A MIM capacitor can include a doped polysilicon contact plug in an interlayer insulating film. A lower electrode of the MIM capacitor includes a transition metal nitride film is on the doped polysilicon contact plug. A transition metal silicide film is between the doped polysilicon contact plug and the transition metal nitride film.

Abstract: A thin film structure and a capacitor using the film structure and methods for forming the same. The thin film structure may include a first film formed on a substrate using a first reactant and an oxidant for oxidizing the first reactant. A second film may be formed on the first film to suppress crystallization of the first film. A capacitor may include a dielectric layer, which may further include the first thin film and the second thin film.

Abstract: A ruthenium (Ru) film is formed on a substrate as part of a two-stage methodology. During the first stage, the Ru film is formed on the substrate in a manner in which the Ru nucleation rate is greater than the Ru growth rate. During the second stage, the Ru film is formed on the substrate in a manner in which the Ru growth rate is greater than the Ru nucleation rate.

Abstract: Methods of forming a capacitor of an integrated circuit device include forming a lower electrode of the capacitor on an integrated circuit substrate without exposing a contact plug to be coupled to the lower electrode. A supporting conductor is formed coupling the lower electrode to the contact plug after forming the lower electrode. A capacitor dielectric layer is formed on the lower electrode and an upper electrode of the capacitor is formed on the capacitor dielectric layer.

Abstract: When a metal layer formed by reaction of a metal source and an oxygen (O2) source is deposited, oxidization of a conductive layer disposed under or on the metal layer can be reduced and/or prevented by a method of forming the metal layer and a method of fabricating a capacitor using the same. Between forming the conductive layer and the metal layer, and between forming the metal layer and the conductive layer, a cycle of supplying a metal source, purging, supplying an oxygen source, purging, plasma processing of reduction gas and purging is repeated at least once. In this case, the metal layer is formed by repeating a cycle of supplying a metal source, purging, supplying an oxygen source and purging.