Abstract: To make it possible to form a metal electrode of low electrical contact resistance on a conductive indium-containing oxide semiconductor layer constituting a device active layer of a thin-film transistor or the like. Between an indium-containing oxide semiconductor layer and a metal electrode layer provided above this layer for passing device operating current, which can reduce indium oxide or the like of the oxide semiconductor layer. A metallic oxide layer and a metal layer are formed using as material a metal film including an easily oxidable metal, and further an indium-rich layer in which reduced indium is accumulated is formed at a boundary between the metallic oxide layer and the metal layer.

Abstract: A method for forming a copper interconnection structure includes the steps of forming an opening in an insulating layer, forming a copper alloy layer including a metal element on an inner surface of the opening, and conducting a heat treatment on the copper alloy layer so as to form a barrier layer. An enthalpy of oxide formation for the metal element is lower than the enthalpy of oxide formation for copper. The heat treatment is conducted at temperatures ranging from 327° C. to 427° C. and for a time period ranging from 1 minute to 80 minutes.

Abstract: An ohmic contact between an electrode and a semiconductor layer is more stably formed and an electrical contact resistance between them is further reduced. A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor layer 103 composed of an oxide semiconductor material containing indium, an ohmic electrode 107 provided on the semiconductor layer 103 and having an ohmic contact with the semiconductor layer 103, and an intermediate layer 106 provided between the semiconductor layer 103 and the ohmic electrode 107, wherein the intermediate layer 106 includes a first region 106a whose indium atomic concentration is greater than that of an interior of the semiconductor layer 103 and a second region 106b whose indium atomic concentration is less than that of the first region.

Abstract: Making it possible to improve adhesion between the semiconductor layer and the electrodes, realize high-speed operation of the thin-film transistor by enhancing ohmic contact between these members, reliably prevent oxidation of the electrode surfaces, and realize an electrode fabrication process with few processing steps. The thin-film transistor 10 of the present invention includes a semiconductor layer 4 composed of oxide semiconductor, a source electrode 5 and a drain electrode 6 that are layers composed mainly of copper, and oxide reaction layers 22 provided between the semiconductor layer 4 and each of the source electrode 5 and drain electrode 6, and high-conductance layers 21 provided between the oxide reaction layers 22 and semiconductor layer 4.

Abstract: To make it possible to form a metal electrode of low electrical contact resistance on a conductive indium-containing oxide semiconductor layer constituting a device active layer of a thin-film transistor or the like. Between an indium-containing oxide semiconductor layer and a metal electrode layer provided above this layer for passing device operating current, which can reduce indium oxide or the like of the oxide semiconductor layer. A metallic oxide layer and a metal layer are formed using as material a metal film including an easily oxidable metal, and further an indium-rich layer in which reduced indium is accumulated is formed at a boundary between the metallic oxide layer and the metal layer.

Abstract: A contact plug structure formed on a contact hole of an insulating layer of a semiconductor device includes a metal silicide layer formed on a bottom part of the contact hole of the insulating layer, a manganese oxide layer formed on the metal silicide layer in the contact hole, and a buried copper formed on the manganese oxide layer which substantially fills the contact hole.

Abstract: An ohmic contact between an electrode and a semiconductor layer is more stably formed and an electrical contact resistance between them is further reduced. A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor layer 103 composed of an oxide semiconductor material containing indium, an ohmic electrode 107 provided on the semiconductor layer 103 and having an ohmic contact with the semiconductor layer 103, and an intermediate layer 106 provided between the semiconductor layer 103 and the ohmic electrode 107, wherein the intermediate layer 106 includes a first region 106a whose indium atomic concentration is greater than that of an interior of the semiconductor layer 103 and a second region 106b whose indium atomic concentration is less than that of the first region.

Abstract: Making it possible to improve adhesion between the semiconductor layer and the electrodes, realize high-speed operation of the thin-film transistor by enhancing ohmic contact between these members, reliably prevent oxidation of the electrode surfaces, and realize an electrode fabrication process with few processing steps. The thin-film transistor 10 of the present invention includes a semiconductor layer 4 composed of oxide semiconductor, a source electrode 5 and a drain electrode 6 that are layers composed mainly of copper, and oxide reaction layers 22 provided between the semiconductor layer 4 and each of the source electrode 5 and drain electrode 6, and high-conductance layers 21 provided between the oxide reaction layers 22 and semiconductor layer 4.

Abstract: A copper interconnection structure includes an insulating layer, an interconnection body including copper and a barrier layer surrounding the interconnection body. The barrier layer includes a first barrier layer formed between a first portion of the interconnection body and the insulating layer. The first portion of the interconnection body is part of the interconnection body that faces the insulating layer. The barrier layer also includes a second barrier layer formed on a second portion of the interconnection body. The second portion of the interconnection body is part of the interconnection body not facing the insulating layer. Each of the first and the second barrier layers is formed of an oxide layer including manganese, and each of the first and the second barrier layers has a position where the atomic concentration of manganese is maximized in their thickness direction of the first and the second barrier layers.

Abstract: A semiconductor device enables a barrier layer to fully acquire a barriering property against the diffusion of Cu from a wiring main body and the diffusion of Si from an insulating film, enhances the adhesiveness of the barrier layer and the insulating film and excels in reliability of operation over a long period of time. In this invention, a semiconductor device provided on an insulating film with a wiring includes the insulating film containing silicon, a wiring main body formed of copper in a groove-like opening disposed in the insulating film, and a barrier layer formed between the wiring main body and the insulating film and made of an oxide containing Cu and Si and Mn.

Abstract: A copper interconnection structure includes an insulating layer, an interconnection body including copper in an opening provided on the insulating layer, and a diffusion barrier layer formed between the insulating layer and the interconnection body. The diffusion barrier layer includes an oxide layer including manganese having a compositional ratio of oxygen to manganese (y/x) less than 2.

Abstract: A copper interconnection structure includes an insulating layer, an interconnection body including copper and a barrier layer surrounding the interconnection body. The barrier layer includes a first barrier layer formed between a first portion of the interconnection body and the insulating layer. The first portion of the interconnection body is part of the interconnection body that faces the insulating layer. The barrier layer also includes a second barrier layer formed on a second portion of the interconnection body. The second portion of the interconnection body is part of the interconnection body not facing the insulating layer. Each of the first and the second barrier layers is formed of an oxide layer including manganese, and each of the first and the second barrier layers has a position where the atomic concentration of manganese is maximized in their thickness direction of the first and the second barrier layers.

Abstract: A copper interconnection structure includes an insulating layer, an interconnection body including copper and a barrier layer surrounding the interconnection body. The barrier layer includes a first barrier layer formed between a first portion of the interconnection body and the insulating layer. The first portion of the interconnection body is part of the interconnection body that faces the insulating layer. The barrier layer also includes a second barrier layer formed on a second portion of the interconnection body. The second portion of the interconnection body is part of the interconnection body not facing the insulating layer. Each of the first and the second barrier layers is formed of an oxide layer including manganese, and each of the first and the second barrier layers has a position where the atomic concentration of manganese is maximized in their thickness direction of the first and the second barrier layers.

Abstract: A semiconductor device enables a barrier layer to fully acquire a barriering property against the diffusion of Cu from a wiring main body and the diffusion of Si from an insulating film, enhances the adhesiveness of the barrier layer and the insulating film and excels in reliability of operation over a long period of time.

Abstract: A copper interconnection structure includes an insulating layer, an interconnection body including copper in an opening provided on the insulating layer and a barrier layer including a metal element and copper, formed between the insulating layer and the interconnection body. An atomic concentration of the metal element in the barrier layer is accumulated toward an outer surface of the barrier layer facing the insulating layer, and an atomic concentration of copper in the barrier layer is accumulated toward an inner surface of the barrier layer facing the interconnection body. The inner surface of the barrier layer comprises copper surface orientation of {111} and {200}, and an intensity of X-ray diffraction peak from the inner surface of the barrier layer is stronger for the {111} peak than for the {200} peak.

Abstract: A copper interconnection structure includes an insulating layer, an interconnection and a barrier layer. The insulating layer includes silicon (element symbol: Si), carbon (element symbol: C), hydrogen (element symbol: H) and oxygen (element symbol: O). The interconnection is located on the insulating layer, and the interconnection includes copper (element symbol: Cu). The barrier layer is located between the insulating layer and the interconnection. The barrier layer includes an additional element, carbon (element symbol: C) and hydrogen (element symbol: H). The barrier layer has atomic concentrations of carbon (element symbol: C) and hydrogen (element symbol: H) maximized in a region of a thickness of the barrier layer where the atomic concentration of the additional element is maximized.

Abstract: In a liquid crystal display (LCD) device having a thin film transistor (TFT), the TFT includes a source electrode, a drain electrode and a semiconductor layer. At least one of the source electrode and drain electrode includes a first layer including copper and a second layer forming an oxide layer and covering the first layer. The semiconductor layer has a substantially linear current-voltage relationship with said source electrode or drain electrode including said first and second layers, when a voltage is applied between the semiconductor layer and said source electrode or drain electrode.

Abstract: A method for forming a copper interconnection structure includes the steps of forming an opening in an insulating layer, forming a copper alloy layer including a metal element on an inner surface of the opening, and conducting a heat treatment on the copper alloy layer so as to form a barrier layer. An enthalpy of oxide formation for the metal element is lower than the enthalpy of oxide formation for copper. The heat treatment is conducted at temperatures ranging from 327° C. to 427° C. and for a time period ranging from 1 minute to 80 minutes.

Abstract: A method for forming a copper interconnection structure includes the steps of forming an opening in an insulating layer, forming a copper alloy layer including a metal element on an inner surface of the opening, and conducting a heat treatment on the copper alloy layer so as to form a barrier layer. An enthalpy of oxide formation for the metal element is lower than the enthalpy of oxide formation for copper. The heat treatment is conducted at temperatures ranging from 327° C. to 427° C. and for a time period ranging from 1 minute to 80 minutes.

Abstract: A copper interconnection structure includes an insulating layer, an interconnection body including copper in an opening provided on the insulating layer, and a diffusion barrier layer formed between the insulating layer and the interconnection body. The diffusion barrier layer includes an oxide layer including manganese having a compositional ratio of oxygen to manganese (y/x) less than 2.