Abstract: In an inspection apparatus for inspecting an inspection target device formed on an inspection object, the inspection target device is a back-illuminated imaging device into which light is incident from a rear surface opposite to a side of a wiring layer. The inspection apparatus includes a stage having the inspection object placed such that the inspection object faces the rear surface. The stage includes a light transmitter made of a light-transmissive material. The inspection object is placed on the light transmitter below which a light illuminator is disposed. The light illuminator includes a flat light guide plate having a facing surface facing the inspection object. A light source is provided laterally outside the light guide plate configured to diffuse light emitted from the light source incident from a side end surface of the light guide plate, and to emit the light as planar light from the facing surface.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus according to the present invention includes: a detection unit that detects detection information that is information indicating an external state of the apparatus; a communication unit that receives reception information that is a determination result given by another apparatus; and a control unit that calculates a first determination result that is a result acquired by determining a state of a surrounding of the apparatus based on the detection information and the reception information, transmits the first determination result to the another apparatus via the communication unit, and activates a necessary function for the detection unit or the communication unit and stops an unnecessary function thereof.

Abstract: An MRAM according to the present invention is provided with a magnetic recording layer being a ferromagnetic layer and a pinned layer connected to the magnetic recording layer through a nonmagnetic layer. The magnetic recording layer includes a magnetization switching region, a first magnetization fixed region and a second magnetization fixed region. The magnetization switching region has reversible magnetization and overlaps with the pinned layer. The first magnetization fixed region and the second magnetization fixed region are both connected to the same one end of the magnetization switching region. Also, the first magnetization fixed region and the second magnetization fixed region respectively have first fixed magnetization and second fixed magnetization whose directions are fixed. One of the first fixed magnetization and the second fixed magnetization is fixed in a direction toward the above-mentioned one end, and the other is fixed in a direction away from the above-mentioned one end.

Abstract: An MRAM according to the present invention is provided with a magnetic recording layer being a ferromagnetic layer and a pinned layer connected to the magnetic recording layer through a nonmagnetic layer. The magnetic recording layer includes a magnetization switching region, a first magnetization fixed region and a second magnetization fixed region. The magnetization switching region has reversible magnetization and overlaps with the pinned layer. The first magnetization fixed region and the second magnetization fixed region are both connected to the same one end of the magnetization switching region. Also, the first magnetization fixed region and the second magnetization fixed region respectively have first fixed magnetization and second fixed magnetization whose directions are fixed. One of the first fixed magnetization and the second fixed magnetization is fixed in a direction toward the above-mentioned one end, and the other is fixed in a direction away from the above-mentioned one end.

Abstract: An objective of this invention is to improve an ON-state current of a field-effect transistor. For this purpose, on a single-crystal silicon substrate 101 having a {100} plane as a principal surface are formed a gate electrode 107 extending substantially in a <010> crystal axis direction of the single-crystal silicon or an axis direction equivalent to the <010> crystal axis direction, and in both sides of the gate electrode 107, source/drain regions 129 on the surface of the single-crystal silicon substrate 101. On the surface of the single-crystal silicon substrate 101 in a region directly below the gate electrode 107 are formed a principal surface and an inclined surface 133 oblique to the principal surface along the extension direction of the gate electrode 107.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor memory device, a lower electrode film is formed on a semiconductor substrate via an interlayer insulating film. A ferroelectric film is formed on the lower electrode layer while heating the lower electrode layer uniformly in the cell array region. An upper electrode film is formed on the ferroelectric film. Ferroelectric capacitors are formed in a memory cell array region. Each of the ferroelectric capacitors includes the lower electrode film, the ferroelectric film and the upper electrode film.

Abstract: It is a purpose of the invention to provide a semiconductor device comprising a high density integrated circuit having a large number of insulated gate field effect transistors having minute size and improved performance and uniformity. The source contact resistance is set in a value smaller than that of the drain contact resistance by making the diameter of a source contact of an insulated gate field effect transistor larger than that of the drain contact, so as to improve the current driving capability of the transistor and to reduce the variation in the capability.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor memory device, a lower electrode film is formed on a semiconductor substrate via an interlayer insulating film. A ferroelectric film is formed on the lower electrode layer while heating the lower electrode layer uniformly in the cell array region. An upper electrode film is formed on the ferroelectric film. Ferroelectric capacitors are formed in a memory cell array region. Each of the ferroelectric capacitors includes the lower electrode film, the ferroelectric film and the upper electrode film.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor memory device, a lower electrode film is formed on a semiconductor substrate via an interlayer insulating film. A ferroelectric film is formed on the lower electrode layer while heating the lower electrode layer uniformly in the cell array region. An upper electrode film is formed on the ferroelectric film. Ferroelectric capacitors are formed in a memory cell array region. Each of the ferroelectric capacitors includes the lower electrode film, the ferroelectric film and the upper electrode film.

Abstract: An embedded LSI includes a FeRAM macro block and an associated logic circuit section. A hydrogen barrier layer covers the FeRAM macro block as a whole and exposes the logic circuit section. The edge of the hydrogen barrier layer overlies the peripheral circuit of the FeRAM macro block and the boundary separating the FeRAM macro block from the logic circuit section. The ferroelectric capacitor is protected by the hydrogen barrier layer against hydrogen during a hydrogen-annealing process.

Abstract: A DRAM includes a MOSFET and a stacked capacitor in each memory cell. The stacked capacitor includes a bottom electrode substantially of a cylindrical shape, a top electrode received in the cylindrical-shape bottom electrode, and a capacitor dielectric film for insulation therebetween. The cylindrical shape of the bottom electrode allows a larger deviation for alignment between the capacitor and the capacitor contact.

Abstract: The present invention also provides a multilevel interconnection structure comprising: at least a set of a first lower level contact plug extending in a lower level inter-layer insulator structure and a first higher level contact plug extending in a higher level inter-layer insulator structure extending over the lower level inter-layer insulator structure, wherein a top of the first lower level contact plug is contact directly with a bottom of the first higher level contact plug without intervening any interconnection pad; a stopper insulating film extending between the lower level inter-layer insulator structure and the higher level inter-layer insulator structure; and at least a lower-level single conductive united structure which further comprises: a second lower level contact plug extending in the lower level inter-layer insulator structure; and a first lower level interconnection extending in a lower-level interconnection groove formed in an upper region of the lower level inter-layer insulator structure

Abstract: The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a first and second semiconductor element formation regions. The second gate electrode is of a second semiconductor element formation region while the first semiconductor element formation region is masked. The second source/drain region is a of the second semiconductor element and is formed in the second semiconductor element formation region while the first semiconductor element formation region is masked. The second sidewall insulating film are formed on side portions of the second gate electrode while the first semiconductor element formation regions is masked. The first gate electrode is of a first semiconductor element and is formed in the first semiconductor element formation region while the second semiconductor element formation region is masked. The first source/drain region is of the first semiconductor element and is formed in the first semiconductor element formation region while the second semiconductor element formation region is masked.

Abstract: The present invention also provides a multilevel interconnection structure comprising: at least a set of a first lower level contact plug extending in a lower level inter-layer insulator structure and a first higher level contact plug extending in a higher level inter-layer insulator structure extending over the lower level inter-layer insulator structure, wherein a top of the first lower level contact plug is contact directly with a bottom of the first higher level contact plug without intervening any interconnection pad; a stopper insulating film extending between the lower level inter-layer insulator structure and the higher level inter-layer insulator structure; and at least a lower-level single conductive united structure which further comprises: a second lower level contact plug extending in the lower level inter-layer insulator structure; and a first lower level interconnection extending in a lower-level interconnection groove formed in an upper region of the lower level inter-layer insulator structure

Abstract: A device for capacitor characteristic evaluation is provided, which enables measurement of the characteristic of a capacitor immediately after the completion of its formation processes, and which improves the fabrication yield.

Abstract: An embedded LSI includes a FeRAM macro block and an associated logic circuit section. A hydrogen barrier layer covers the FeRAM macro block as a whole and exposes the logic circuit section. The edge of the hydrogen barrier layer overlies the peripheral circuit of the FeRAM macro block and the boundary separating the FeRAM macro block from the logic circuit section. The ferroelectric capacitor is protected by the hydrogen barrier layer against hydrogen during a hydrogen-annealing process.

Abstract: A semiconductor device that enables to avoid short-circuit between an interconnection film and an underlying conductive region even when a contact hole is partially overlapped with an isolation insulator. A conductive region is selectively formed in an active region to be contacted therewith. An interlayer insulating film having a contact hole is formed to cover the active region and the isolation insulator. An interconnection film is formed on the interlayer insulator film to be contacted with the conductive region through the contact hole. The isolation region contains a first insulating subregion and a second insulating subregion formed on the first insulating subregion. The first insulating subregion is positioned at a deeper level than that of the second insulating subregion. The second insulating subregion may be formed in self-alignment to the first insulating subregion and may have a substantially flat surface.

Abstract: A gate electrode 5 is provided on a surface of a semiconductor substrate 1, an insulation film 6 being formed over the gate electrode 5 and the side wall of the gate electrode 5 being covered by an insulation film 8, and, on a diffusion region 7 that is formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate 1 at both sides of the above-noted gate electrode 5 and in a region that is sandwiched between the above-noted side walls 8, 8, a silicon single crystal is anisotropically grown in a direction that is perpendicular with respect to the semiconductor substrate 1, so as to form a pad 9, and the anisotropic growth of the silicon single crystal is only within a part 8a of the region sandwiched between parts of the side wall 8 that are perpendicular to the substrate surface.

Abstract: An embedded LSI includes a FeRAM macro block and an associated logic circuit section. A hydrogen barrier layer covers the FeRAM macro block as a whole and exposes the logic circuit section. The edge of the hydrogen barrier layer overlies the peripheral circuit of the FeRAM macro block and the boundary separating the FeRAM macro block from the logic circuit section. The ferroelectric capacitor is protected by the hydrogen barrier layer against hydrogen during a hydrogen-annealing process.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first diffusion layer, an insulating film, and an electrode. The first diffusion layer is formed on the surface of a first-conductivity-type semiconductor substrate and has an opposite conductivity type. The insulating film is formed on the first diffusion layer. The electrode is made of a conductor layer formed on the insulating film. The width of the electrode is smaller than a value twice the length by which an impurity doped into the surface of the semiconductor substrate, using the electrode as a mask, laterally diffuses during annealing to a position immediately below the electrode.