Abstract: A light detector is configured such that a light receiving portion having APDs and a peripheral portion are provided on a first principal surface of a p-type semiconductor substrate, and further includes a back electrode provided on a second principal surface of the semiconductor substrate and a p-type first separation portion provided between the light receiving portion and the peripheral portion. The APD has, on a first principal surface side, an n-type region and a p-epitaxial layer contacting the n-type region in a Z-direction. The peripheral portion has an n-type MISFET provided at a p-well and an n-well provided to surround entire side and bottom portions of the p-well.

Abstract: An acoustic wave device is disclosed. The acoustic wave device includes a piezoelectric layer, an interdigital transducer electrode positioned over the piezoelectric layer, and an anti-refection layer over a conductive layer of the interdigital transducer electrode. The conductive layer can include aluminum, for example. The anti-reflection layer can include silicon. The anti-reflection layer can be free from a material of the interdigital transducer electrode. The acoustic wave device can further include a temperature compensation layer positioned over the anti-reflection layer in certain embodiments.

Abstract: An AI module includes a first semiconductor chip. The first semiconductor chip includes a plurality of operation blocks each of which performs a predetermined operation and a plurality of memory blocks each including memory. The plurality of operation blocks and the plurality of memory blocks are arranged in a checkered pattern or in a striped pattern in plan view.

Abstract: A light detector is configured such that a light receiving portion having APDs and a peripheral circuit portion are provided on a first principal surface of a p-type semiconductor substrate, and further includes a back electrode provided on a second principal surface of the semiconductor substrate and a p-type first separation portion provided between the light receiving portion and the peripheral circuit portion. The APD has, on a first principal surface side, an n-type region and a p-epitaxial layer contacting the n-type region in a Z-direction. The peripheral circuit portion has an n-type MISFET provided at a p-well and an n-well provided to surround side and bottom portions of the p-well.

Abstract: A substrate current suppression circuit includes: a fixed voltage line that supplies a fixed voltage to the collectors of the third and fourth transistors. The fixed voltage is a voltage higher than the base voltage of the third and fourth transistors when the first polarity is p type, and is a voltage lower than the base voltage when the first polarity is n type.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate a pixel region in which an APD is disposed, and a logic region different from the pixel region; a transistor which is disposed in the logic region and includes a sidewall made of an insulating material; an anti-reflective film which is disposed above a main surface of the semiconductor substrate in the pixel region and is made of the insulating material; and a first liner film which is disposed above the main surface of the semiconductor substrate in the logic region and is made of the insulating material. The anti-reflective film and the first liner film are integrally formed. The thickness of the anti-reflective film is larger than or equal to the sum of the thickness of the sidewall and the thickness of the first liner film.

Abstract: A light detector is configured such that a light receiving portion having APDs and a peripheral circuit portion are provided on a first principal surface of a p-type semiconductor substrate, and further includes a back electrode provided on a second principal surface of the semiconductor substrate and a p-type first separation portion provided between the light receiving portion and the peripheral circuit portion. The APD has, on a first principal surface side, an n-type region and a p-epitaxial layer contacting the n-type region in a Z-direction. The peripheral circuit portion has an n-type MISFET provided at a p-well and an n-well provided to surround side and bottom portions of the p-well.

Abstract: A semiconductor devise includes a first substrate and a second substrate which are bonded each other. A first substrate includes an insulating first surface film as an uppermost layer, a first electrode and an insulating second surface film respectively formed inside a plurality of openings in the first surface film, and a first seal ring. A second substrate includes an insulating third surface film as an uppermost layer, and a second electrode, an insulating fourth surface film respectively formed inside a plurality of openings in the third surface film, and a second seal ring. The first electrode and the second electrode are directly bonded together. The first surface film and the third surface film are directly bonded together. The second surface film and the fourth surface film are directly bonded together. A seal ring formed of the first seal ring, the second surface film, the fourth surface film, and the second seal ring is continuous between the first substrate and the second substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor devise includes a first substrate and a second substrate which are bonded each other. A first substrate includes an insulating first surface film as an uppermost layer, a first electrode and an insulating second surface film respectively formed inside a plurality of openings in the first surface film, and a first seal ring. A second substrate includes an insulating third surface film as an uppermost layer, and a second electrode, an insulating fourth surface film respectively formed inside a plurality of openings in the third surface film, and a second seal ring. The first electrode and the second electrode are directly bonded together. The first surface film and the third surface film are directly bonded together. The second surface film and the fourth surface film are directly bonded together. A seal ring formed of the first seal ring, the second surface film, the fourth surface film, and the second seal ring is continuous between the first substrate and the second substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a first substrate including a first surface layer that includes first and second electrodes; a second substrate including a second surface layer that includes third and fourth electrodes, and directly bonded to the first substrate such that the second surface layer is in contact with the first surface layer; and a functional film provided between the second and fourth electrodes. The first and third electrodes are bonded together so as to be in contact with each other, and the second electrode, the functional film, and the fourth electrode constitute a passive element.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a first substrate including a first surface layer that includes first and second electrodes; a second substrate including a second surface layer that includes third and fourth electrodes, and directly bonded to the first substrate such that the second surface layer is in contact with the first surface layer; and a functional film provided between the second and fourth electrodes. The first and third electrodes are bonded together so as to be in contact with each other, and the second electrode, the functional film, and the fourth electrode constitute a passive element.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes: forming an interlayer insulating film on a substrate; forming a first hard mask formation film on the interlayer insulating film; altering the first hard mask formation film; after the altering of the first hard mask formation film, transferring an interconnect groove pattern to the altered first hard mask formation film to form a first hard mask made of the altered first hard mask formation film; and etching the interlayer insulating film using the first hard mask to form an interconnect groove in the interlayer insulating film. The first hard mask formation film is made of a metal film or a metallic compound film.

Abstract: An interlayer insulating film containing oxygen and carbon is formed on a semiconductor substrate. A groove is formed in the interlayer insulating film. An auxiliary film containing predetermined first and second metallic elements is formed on a bottom surface and a sidewall of the formed groove. Then, an interconnect body layer containing copper is formed to fill the groove. By performing a thermal treatment, a first barrier film containing a compound of the first metallic element and an oxygen element of the interlayer insulating film, and a second barrier film containing a compound of the second metallic element and carbon element of the interlayer insulating film are formed on the interlayer insulating film on the bottom surface and the sidewall of the groove.

Abstract: An interlayer insulating film containing oxygen and carbon is formed on a semiconductor substrate. A groove is formed in the interlayer insulating film. An auxiliary film containing predetermined first and second metallic elements is formed on a bottom surface and a sidewall of the formed groove. Then, an interconnect body layer containing copper is formed to fill the groove. By performing a thermal treatment, a first barrier film containing a compound of the first metallic element and an oxygen element of the interlayer insulating film, and a second barrier film containing a compound of the second metallic element and carbon element of the interlayer insulating film are formed on the interlayer insulating film on the bottom surface and the sidewall of the groove.

Abstract: A method of fabricating semiconductor interconnections is provided which can form a Ti-rich layer as a barrier layer and which can embed pure Cu material as interconnection material into every corner of grooves provided in an insulating film even when the grooves have a narrow minimum width and are deep. The method may include the steps of forming one or more grooves in an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate, the recess having a minimum width of 0.15 ?m or less and a ratio of a depth of the groove to the minimum width thereof (depth/minimum width) of 1 or more, forming a Cu alloy thin film containing 0.5 to 10 atomic % of Ti in the groove of the insulated film along a shape of the groove in a thickness of 10 to 50 nm, forming a pure Cu thin film in the groove with the Cu alloy thin film attached thereto, and annealing the substrate with the films at 350° C. or more to allow the Ti to be precipitated between the insulating film and the Cu alloy thin film.

Abstract: There is provided a fabrication method for interconnections, capable of embedding a Cu-alloy in recesses in an insulating film, and forming a barrier layer on an interface between the an insulating film and Cu-interconnections, without causing a rise in electric resistivity of the interconnections when fabricating semiconductor interconnections of the Cu-alloy embedded in the recesses provided in the insulating film on a semiconductor substrate. The fabrication method for the interconnections may comprise the steps of forming the respective recesses having a minimum width not more than 0.15 ?m, and a ratio of a depth thereof to the minimum width (a depth/minimum width ratio) not less than 1, forming a Cu-alloy film containing Ti in a range of 0.5 to 3 at %, and N in a range of 0.4 to 2.0 at % over the respective recesses, and subsequently, annealing the Cu-alloy film to not lower than 200° C.

Abstract: A method of fabricating semiconductor interconnections is provided which can form a Ti-rich layer as a barrier layer and which can embed pure Cu material as interconnection material into every corner of grooves provided in an insulating film even when the grooves have a narrow minimum width and are deep. The method may include the steps of forming one or more grooves in an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate, the recess having a minimum width of 0.15 ?m or less and a ratio of a depth of the groove to the minimum width thereof (depth/minimum width) of 1 or more, forming a Cu alloy thin film containing 0.5 to 10 atomic % of Ti in the groove of the insulated film along a shape of the groove in a thickness of 10 to 50 nm, forming a pure Cu thin film in the groove with the Cu alloy thin film attached thereto, and annealing the substrate with the films at 350° C. or more to allow the Ti to be precipitated between the insulating film and the Cu alloy thin film.

Abstract: There is provided a fabrication method for interconnections, capable of embedding a Cu-alloy in recesses in an insulating film, and forming a barrier layer on an interface between the an insulating film and Cu-interconnections, without causing a rise in electric resistivity of the interconnections when fabricating semiconductor interconnections of the Cu-alloy embedded in the recesses provided in the insulating film on a semiconductor substrate. The fabrication method for the interconnections may comprise the steps of forming the respective recesses having a minimum width not more than 0.15 ?m, and a ratio of a depth thereof to the minimum width (a depth/minimum width ratio) not less than 1, forming a Cu-alloy film containing Ti in a range of 0.5 to 3 at %, and N in a range of 0.4 to 2.0 at % over the respective recesses, and subsequently, annealing the Cu-alloy film to not lower than 200° C.