Abstract: The present invention provides a technique for reducing influences of the bias magnetic field developed by yokes used for concentrating the magnetic field on magnetoresistance elements, on MRAM operations. An MRAM according to the present invention is composed of a plurality of magnetoresistance elements having magnetic anisotropy in a first direction; a wiring extended in a second direction different from the first direction, through which a write current is flown for writing data into the magnetoresistance elements; and a yoke layer formed of ferromagnetic material, extended along the second direction, and covering at least a portion of a surface of the wiring. The plurality of magnetoresistance elements include a first magnetoresistance element, and a second magnetoresistance element of which the distance from an end of the yoke layer is further than that of the first magnetoresistance element.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has a semiconductor substrate, a multi-layered wiring construction formed over the semiconductor device, and a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor arrangement established in the multi-layered wiring construction. The MIM capacitor arrangement includes first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth electrode structures, which are arranged in order in parallel with each other at regular intervals. The first, second, fifth and sixth electrode structures are electrically connected to each other so as to define a first capacitor, and the third and fourth electrode structures are electrically connected to each other so as to define a second capacitor.

Abstract: A lower interconnection is provided on a semiconductor substrate. A MIM capacitive element is provided on a first interlayer insulation film in which the lower interconnection is buried, and includes a lower electrode, an upper electrode, and a dielectric film sandwiched therebetween. An upper interconnection is provided on a second interlayer insulation film in which the MIM capacitive element is buried. A contact electrically connects the lower electrode and the upper interconnection. The lower electrode is mainly formed of Al, so that they are lower in electrical resistance than barrier metal, and also low in stress value. Therefore, it becomes possible to widen the area of the lower electrode for electrically connecting the contact while restraining their influences on charge accumulation and close contact between the lower electrode and the insulation film. In addition, since the electrical resistance is lowered, the thickness of the lower electrode can be increased.

Abstract: In a temperature sensor section of a semiconductor integrated circuit device, wires of the topmost wiring layer of a multi-layer wiring structure are formed. A sheet-like temperature monitor element of vanadium oxide is provided between two of the wires in such a way as to cover the two wires. Accordingly, the temperature monitor element is connected between the two wires of an underlying wiring layer of the multi-layer wiring structure through two vias and the two wires of the topmost wiring layer.

Abstract: In a temperature sensor section of a semiconductor integrated circuit device, first vias of tungsten are formed at the topmost layer of a multi-layer wiring layer and pads of titanium are provided on regions of the multi-layer wiring layer which covers the vias. An insulating layer is provided in such a way as to cover the multi-layer wiring layer and the pads, second vias are so formed as to reach the pads. Vanadium oxide is buried in the second vias by reactive sputtering, and a temperature monitor part of vanadium oxide is provided in such a way as to connect the second vias each other. Accordingly, the temperature monitor part is connected between the two wires.

Abstract: On a silicon substrate, a first insulation layer, a lower conductive layer, a capacitor-insulator layer, and an upper conductive layer are formed in that order. Then, a first resist pattern is formed, the upper conductive layer is etched to form an upper electrode, and the capacitor-insulator layer is successively etched partway under the same etching condition as that of the upper conductive layer. Next, second resist pattern is formed, the remaining part of the capacitor-insulator layer is etched to form a second insulation layer, and the lower conductive layer is successively etched under the same etching condition as that of the capacitor-insulator layer so as to form a lower electrode and a lower wiring. In this manner, an MiM capacitor element constituted by the upper electrode, a part of the second insulation layer, and the lower electrode can be fabricated.

Abstract: As for the resistor on the semiconductor substrate, it is required to achieve obtaining a metal resistor, which can be formed in the latter half of a preliminary process for manufacturing a semiconductor, in addition to forming a polysilicon resistor, which is formed in the first half of the preliminary process. A capacitor having MIM structure includes a lower electrode, a capacitive insulating film and an upper electrode, all of which are sequentially formed in this sequence. A resistor structure having MIM structure also includes a lower electrode, a capacitive insulating film and a resistor, all of which are sequentially formed in this sequence. In this case, the biasing conditions thereof should be selected so that the resistor structure lower electrode of the MIM structure resistor is not coupled to any electric potential, and is in a floating condition.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrically conductive layer comprising a copper alloy which includes at least one of Ag, As, Bi, P, Sb, Si, and Ti in the range of not less than 0.1 percent by weight to not more than a maximum solubility limit to copper, so that the copper alloy is in a solid solution and/or which includes at least one of Mo, Ta and W in a range of not less than 0.1 percent by weight to not more than 1 percent by weight.

Abstract: A magnetic memory of a present invention is formed as below. The magnetic memory has a TMR film formed on a first conductive film, and a second conductive film with a flat top surface, having the same plane shape as that of the TMR film, formed on the TMR laminated film. A first insulating film having a flat top surface and the same height as the surface of the second conductive film is formed so as to surround the TMR film and the second conductive film. A third conductive film connected electrically to the second conductive film is formed on the first insulating film.

Abstract: In a non-volatile semiconductor memory having a peripheral circuit zone and a memory zone including plural memory cells each having a floating gate and a control gate, an interlayer insulator is formed over the control gate of the memory cells and a gate electrode in the peripheral circuit zone. A groove is formed in the interlayer insulator film to longitudinally extend along a word line which constitutes the control gate for a plurality of memory cells arranged in one line. This groove penetrates through the interlayer insulator film to reach the word line over the whole length of the word line. A conducting material is deposited on the interlayer insulator film to fill up the groove so that a plate-shaped contact is formed in the groove. The conducting material is patterned to form an overlying interconnection extending on the interlayer insulator film along the word line.

Abstract: To provide a non-volatile semiconductor memory device in which the word line resistance can be decreased in resistance without being accompanied by increase in chip area, and a manufacturing method for the non-volatile semiconductor memory device. In a non-volatile semiconductor memory device having a floating gate (203 of FIG. 2) and a control gate (205 of FIG. 2), a contact groove (407 of FIG. 4a) extending in the direction of a word line (102 of FIG. 1) is provided on an interlayer insulating film (404 of FIG. 4a) formed as an upper layer of the control gate, and an electrically conductive member of, for example, tungsten, is embedded in the contact groove to establish electrical connection between the wiring metal (409 of FIG. 4d) formed as an upper layer of the interlayer insulating film and the control gate with a large contact area.

Abstract: A magnetic memory of a present invention is formed as below. The magnetic memory has a TMR film formed on a first conductive film, and a second conductive film with a flat top surface, having the same plane shape as that of the TMR film, formed on the TMR laminated film. A first insulating film having a flat top surface and the same height as the surface of the second conductive film is formed so as to surround the TMR film and the second conductive film. A third conductive film connected electrically to the second conductive film is formed on the first insulating film.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device comprising first and second layer wirings formed with a space left therebetween and a capacitor formed in the space and electrically connected to the first and the second layer wirings, the capacitor comprises a via electrically connected to one of the first and the second layer wirings, an electrode made of a conductive material and electrically connected to the one of the first and the second layer wirings through the via, and a dielectric film formed between the electrode and the other of the first and the second layer wirings.

Abstract: To provide a non-volatile semiconductor memory device in which the word line resistance can be decreased in resistance without being accompanied by increase in chip area, and a manufacturing method for the non-volatile semiconductor memory device. In a non-volatile semiconductor memory device having a floating gate (203 of FIG. 2) and a control gate (205 of FIG. 2), a contact groove (407 of FIG. 4a) extending in the direction of a word line (102 of FIG. 1) is provided on an interlayer insulating film (404 of FIG. 4a) formed as an upper layer of the control gate, and an electrically conductive member of, for example, tungsten, is embedded in the contact groove to establish electrical connection between the wiring metal (409 of FIG. 4d) formed as an upper layer of the interlayer insulating film and the control gate with a large contact area.

Abstract: To provide a non-volatile semiconductor memory device in which the word line resistance can be decreased in resistance without being accompanied by increase in chip area, and a manufacturing method for the non-volatile semi conductor memory device. In a non-volatile semiconductor memory device having a floating gate (203 of FIG. 2) and a control gate (205 of FIG. 2), a contact groove (407 of FIG. 4a) extending in the direction of a word line (102 of FIG. 1) is provided on an interlayer insulating film (404 of FIG. 4a) formed as an upper layer of the control gate, and an electrically conductive member of, for example, tungsten, is embedded in the contact groove to establish electrical connection between the wiring metal (409 of FIG. 4d) formed as an upper layer of the interlayer insulating film and the control gate with a large contact area.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device comprising first and second layer wirings formed with a space left therebetween and a capacitor formed in the space and electrically connected to the first and the second layer wirings, the capacitor comprises a via electrically connected to one of the first and the second layer wirings, an electrode made of a conductive material and electrically connected to the one of the first and the second layer wirings through the via, and a dielectric film formed between the electrode and the other of the first and the second layer wirings.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an embedded wiring structure comprising: a first interlayer dielectric film, an etch-stop layer and a second interlayer dielectric film sequentially formed on a first wiring layer in which a second wiring layer is formed in contact with a wide wall of a via plug. Since, in this structure, the second wiring layer and the via plug are in contact with each other with a relatively large surface area, deficiencies in electrical connection are hardly generated.

Abstract: A method for lapping a material to be lapped is provided, in which the material contacts with a surface of a rotating lapping cloth. A lapping agent containing lapping particles is employed. The lapping particles have a hardness identical or equivalent to that of the material. The hardness is adjusted by controlling a concentration of the lapping particles. A method for manufacturing the lapping particles for use in the lapping method is also provided, in which a silane and an oxygen are injected in a gaseous phase to generate porous silica particles having a desired concentration.

Abstract: The present invention provides a base layer structure formed in a hole having an upper portion which has a larger diameter than other portions thereof. The hole is formed in an insulation layer in a semiconductor device. The base layer structure comprises a base layer which extends on at least a part of the upper portion of the hole and over at least a part of the insulation layer in the vicinity of a top of the hole, wherein the base layer extending on the upper portion has an effective thickness in an elevational direction, which is thicker than a thickness of the base layer over the insulation film and also thicker than a critical thickness which allows that at least a part of the base layer on the upper portion of the hole remains after an anisotropic etching process, whilst the base layer having extended over the insulation layer is etched by the anisotropic etching process.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device comprising first and second layer wirings formed with a space left therebetween and a capacitor formed in the space and electrically connected to the first and the second layer wirings, the capacitor comprises a via electrically connected to one of the first and the second layer wirings, an electrode made of a conductive material and electrically connected to the one of the first and the second layer wirings through the via, and a dielectric film formed between the electrode and the other of the first and the second layer wirings.