Abstract: A semiconductor device with a metal line and a method of forming the same. The method includes forming an insulation layer on a semiconductor substrate including a predetermined lower structure, forming a vertical hole and a horizontal hole by etching the insulation layer, forming a supporting part by filling the vertical holes and horizontal holes with a nitride layer, and forming a damascene metal line layer by forming a metal line on the insulation layer. The method also includes performing the forming process for the damascene metal line layer a plurality of times, removing the insulation layer, and forming a protective layer on the highest layer of the damascene metal line layer.

Abstract: A method for cleaning a semiconductor substrate, on which a semiconductor device is formed having a damascene structure using a copper line, that may prevent an abrasion of the substrate by using a simplified cleaning process. The method includes cleaning a surface of the semiconductor substrate having a copper line with a first cleaning solution including HF and ultra pure water; and cleaning the surface of the semiconductor substrate having the copper line with a mixture of a second cleaning solution including H2O2 and ultra pure water and a third cleaning including TMAH and ultra pure water.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a high voltage MOS transistor. The device includes a gate oxide layer disposed between a gate electrode and a substrate on an active area and having relatively thick portions at edges thereof. A fabrication method includes forming on the substrate is a nitride layer having an opening in a high voltage region. An oxide layer is deposited over the substrate and anisotropically etched to remain only on sidewalls of the opening. A first gate oxide layer is formed on the substrate in the opening, and the nitride layer is removed. Then a second gate oxide layer is formed over the substrate such that the second gate oxide layer has a relatively thinner thickness than the first gate oxide layer. Gate electrodes are then formed in the high voltage region and the low voltage region.

Abstract: A method for forming shallow trench isolation in a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a trench in a predetermined depth on a semiconductor substrate, filling the trench with a first filing oxide, injecting an impurity into a portion of the first filling oxide inside the trench, removing the portion of the first filling oxide by wet etching, and filling the trench with a second filling oxide.

Abstract: An image sensor is disclosed where individual photo diodes of the respective unit cells separated by an element isolating layer are physically integrated into a single large scale pixel formed widely on a semiconductor substrate so as to hold the pixels in common. A pixel separation pattern is additionally formed on a portion of the large scale photo diode formed so as to electrically separate them. An optimization of the light receiving area of the photo diode, a minimization of the intrusion area of an element isolating layer, and so on are achieved, so that the photo diode recovers an area occupied by an intrusion of the element isolating layer, thus maximizing the light receiving area in an optimal scale and easily preventing electrical impacts between the respective unit cells.

Abstract: A method of cleaning a silicon nitride layer on a substrate is provided to effectively remove negative-charged impurities such as polymer and particle from the silicon nitride layer. In the method, the zeta potential of the silicon nitride layer is changed from positive to negative, and then the silicon nitride layer is cleaned with a first solution selected from an alkali solution and an NC-2 solution. So the negatively-charged impurities can be easily removed due to a repulsion force. The substrate can be treated with spin scrubber or quick dump rinse before and/or after the changing of the zeta potential. To change the zeta potential, the substrate can be dipped into a second solution such as an SC-1 solution, an NC-2 solution, and an alkali solution.

Abstract: A semiconductor transistor device and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The method includes forming a silicon epitaxial layer having a predetermined thickness in source and drain diffusion regions of a silicon semiconductor substrate and forming a source and drain junction by ion implantation and rapid annealing in the silicon semiconductor substrate in which the silicon epitaxial layer is formed. The semiconductor transistor device includes a silicon epitaxial layer formed to have a predetermined thickness in source and drain diffusion regions of a silicon semiconductor substrate. Thus, since a salicide layer is used without increase of leakage current, the transistor device having low power and high performance can be manufactured.

Abstract: A method for forming an intermetal dielectric layer in a semiconductor device using high density plasma chemical vapor deposition (HDP-CVD), and a semiconductor device manufactured thereby. The method includes the steps of: (a) forming a metal wiring including at least one via-hole by patterning a metal layer formed on a semiconductor substrate; (b) forming a nitride liner protecting the metal wiring; and (c) forming the intermetal dielectric layer on and between the metal wiring using HDP-CVD.

Abstract: A cleaning method for removing copper-based foreign particles from a wafer. The method includes changing the zeta-potential of the copper-based foreign particles to negative and removing the copper-based foreign particles having negative zeta-potential by spin-scrubbing. Consequently, the quality of the semiconductor device and the yield thereof can be increased.

Abstract: A method for making a mask in a process of fabricating a semiconductor device is disclosed, in which one database is classified into an SRAM block and a random logic block so that OPC is separately performed for the SRAM block and the random logic block, thereby improving performance of the OPC. The method includes dividing an input database into an SRAM block and a random logic block, respectively performing optical proximity correction (OPC) for the SRAM block and the random logic block, and combining the SRAM block to the random logic block.

Abstract: A CMOS image sensor and a method for fabricating the same are disclosed, in which transfer characteristics are improved. The method includes forming a photodiode region and a second conductive type ion region on a surface of a first conductive type substrate by implanting a second conductive type impurity ion into an entire surface of the substrate where a transistor is to be formed, forming a second conductive type lightly doped ion region in the substrate corresponding to the photodiode region by lightly implanting a second conductive type impurity ion only in an area where the photodiode region is opened, and diffusing the second conductive type lightly doped ion region into the second conductive type ion region by a thermal process.

Abstract: Disclosed are a CMOS image sensor capable of improving the focusing capability of light and a method for manufacturing the same. The CMOS image sensor includes a plurality of first micro-lenses formed in the upper part of the planarization layer, each of the first micro-lenses arranged over a corresponding photodiode, and a plurality of second micro-lenses formed on the planarization layer, each of the plurality of second micro-lenses wrapping a corresponding first micro-lens respectively.

Abstract: A sputtering apparatus for forming a low-resistance uniform metal silicide layer without additional heat treatment and a metal silicide layer forming method using the same are provided. The sputtering apparatus includes a sputtering chamber; a gas introduction port formed at an upper location of a lateral wall of the sputtering chamber; a gas exhaust port formed at a bottom wall of the sputtering chamber; a target located in an upper region of the sputtering chamber; a power source to supply the target with high-frequency electric power; a stage located in a bottom region of the sputtering chamber to heat the semiconductor substrate; and a sieve provided between the target and the semiconductor substrate to improve straightness of charged metal particles.

Abstract: A method for correcting angle zero position of an ion implantation equipment. The method includes loading a semiconductor wafer into the ion implantation equipment, implanting ions into the wafer with varying angle, measuring thermal wave and sheet resistance value of the wafer, and correcting the angle zero position with reference to points at which the measured thermal wave or sheet resistance value is minimized.

Abstract: A method for forming shallow trench isolation in a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a pad oxide and a pad nitride on a semiconductor substrate in successive order, forming a trench in the substrate by etching the pad nitride, the pad oxide and the substrate, removing a portion of the pad oxide to expose top corners of the trench, and rounding the exposed portion of the top corners of the trench by a wet chemical etch.

Abstract: A CMOS image sensor and method for fabricating the same improve image characteristics by eliminating the thickness of a planarization layer.

Abstract: A method for forming an isolation region in a semiconductor device such as a photodiode forms depletion layers at boundary regions between N-type regions of the photodiode and an ion injection layer in which P-type impurity ions are injected. Depletion layers are also formed between the N-type regions of the photodiode and a substrate of P-type semiconductor. Thus, depletion layers minimize a leakage current and eliminate interface defects. Low temperature processes are applied to prevent the impurity ions in the substrate from diffusing undesirably, thereby maximizing the pinning effect of the semiconductor device. The method includes steps of forming a trench region in a substrate; forming an ion injection layer by injecting impurity ions into an inner sidewall of the trench region; and forming an isolation region for a semiconductor device by filling the trench region with an undoped silicate glass film interposing the ion injection layer.

Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device, a method for fabricating the same, and a method for programming/erasing data in the same are provided. At least one of a plurality of device isolation films is filled with polysilicon and used as an acceleration line. The nonvolatile memory device includes a semiconductor substrate defined by a plurality of device isolation regions and an active region, a first electrode layer formed in the at least one device isolation region of the plurality of device isolation regions, an isolation insulating layer filled in the other device isolation region of the plurality of device isolation regions, junction regions formed in a predetermined portion of the active region, a gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate including the plurality of device isolation regions and the junction regions, a tunnel oxide film formed by selectively etching the gate insulating film, and a second electrode layer formed on the gate insulating film to partially overlap the junction regions.

Abstract: A method of sequentially forming a silicide layer and a contact barrier in a semiconductor device is provided. In the method, a pre-metal dielectric layer is deposited over an underlying structure that has a silicon substrate, a gate electrode on the substrate, and source/drain regions in the substrate. Contact holes are formed toward the gate electrode and the source/drain regions in the dielectric layer. Then, a metal layer for the silicide layer is selectively deposited on the bottom of the contact holes by using ion implantation, for example. Thereafter, the contact barrier is conformally deposited on entire exposed surface, and a heat-treatment process is performed to form the silicide layer from the metal layer.

Abstract: A method of forming an aluminum contact including forming a barrier metal layer on an interlayer insulation layer pattern defining a contact hole, and forming an aluminum layer on the barrier metal layer so as to fill the contact hole. The method further includes forming a photoresist pattern for ion implantation, implanting ions into the aluminum layer, and annealing by using a rapid thermal process.