Abstract: A method of forming a buried wiring in a low-k dielectric film, includes: forming a low-k dielectric film having a dielectric constant of 3 or less on an underlayer; removing the low-k dielectric film by a first width from an edge of the underlayer; forming a cap film on the low-k dielectric film, after removing the low-k dielectric film by the first width; forming a groove in the cap film and the low-k dielectric film; forming a conductive film in the groove and on the cap film; removing the conductive film by a second width, different from the first width by 1 mm or more, from the edge of the underlayer; and polishing unnecessary portions of the conductive film on the cap film, after removing the conductive film by the second width.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises: a substrate; a first film provided on the substrate; an insulation layer made of low-k material provided on the first film; a protection layer provided on a sidewall of a hole penetrating through the insulation layer and the first film to the substrate to cover the insulation layer, and a conducting portion filling the hole. The protection layer is more compact than the low-k material.

Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus comprises a first semiconductor device and a second semiconductor device. The first semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor layer having a p-type channel area; an n-type source area, and an n-type drain area; a first gate insulating film provided on the p-type channel area; and a first gate electrode provided on the first gate insulating film containing a first metallic element and nitrogen. The second semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor layer having an n-type channel area, a p-type source area, and a p-type drain area; a second gate insulating film provided on the n-type channel area; and a second gate electrode provided on the second gate insulating film containing a second metallic element and nitrogen. A nitrogen content of the second gate electrode is higher than a nitrogen content of the first gate electrode.

Abstract: A first insulating film, a second insulating film, a third insulating film, an antireflective film, and a resist film are formed in this order on a lower-layer wiring. After dry etching the third insulating film and the second insulating film, using the resist film as a mask, the resist film and the antireflective film are removed by ashing. Thereafter, the first insulating film is dry etched, using the third insulating film as a mask, to form a wiring trench extending to the lower-layer wiring. Dry etching uses a fluorocarbon-based gas to which at least one of hydrogen and an inert gas is added. Ashing is performed using at least one of hydrogen and an inert gas.

Abstract: A structure of test element group wiring includes, in addition to an electrode on a substrate including one or more layers of insulating films, and real wirings electrically connected to the electrode, includes dummy wirings electrically isolated from the electrode and having a portion of the same shape as the real wiring. The dummy wirings are disposed at a predetermined constant distance adjacent to the real wirings or to each other, so that the wiring rate of the real wiring relaxes the concentration difference of patterns. The distance between the real wirings is sufficient to perform pattern analysis using the OBIRCH method.

Abstract: A mass-production transfer support system has a mass-production transfer source managing computer for managing information generated in a trial-production process of a semiconductor device and a mass-production transfer destination managing computer for managing a mass-production process of the semiconductor device.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a gate electrode on a silicon substrate via a gate insulating film is formed by laminating the gate insulating film with a silicon oxide film, formed on the silicon substrate, an Hf silicate film is formed on the silicon oxide film, and a nitrogen-containing Hf silicate film formed on the Hf silicate film, and containing Hf in a peak concentration in a range from one atomic % to thirty atomic %, and nitrogen in a peak concentration in a range from ten atomic % to thirty atomic %.

Abstract: A catalytic CVD equipment comprises: a vacuum chamber; a stage; a first catalyzer; and a second catalyzer. The stage holds a substrate in the vacuum chamber. The first catalyzer is provided in the vacuum chamber and has a bar member arranged substantially in parallel to a major surface of the substrate. The second catalyzer is provided in the vacuum chamber, and has a bar member arranged at a tilted angle to the major surface of the substrate. A thin film is deposited on the substrate held on the stage by introducing a source gas, by heating the first and the second catalyzer, and by decomposing the gas in the vacuum chamber under a low pressure.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a metal wire on a substrate, forming an interlayer insulating film on the metal wire, forming a resist pattern on the interlayer insulating film, selectively etching the interlayer film to form a trench or via-hole in the interlayer insulating film and reaching the metal wire, and ashing, using a reducing gas, to remove the resist pattern.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate and an interlayer interconnection structure provided on the semiconductor substrate. The interlayer interconnection structure includes a porous insulation film and a conductive part of a conductive material containing a metal as a major component. A volume occupation ratio of pores of a diameter greater than 0.6 nanometers is less than 30% in the porous insulation film.

Abstract: In an exposure step, a combination of a first photomask and a second mask is used. The first mask has a real pattern corresponding to the pattern actually formed on the film to be processed, and a dummy pattern added for controlling pattern pitch in the first photomask within a prescribed range; and the second photomask has a pattern isolating a real-pattern-formed region from a dummy-pattern-formed region. In forming the pattern, after forming a film to be processed on a substrate, a first mask is formed on the film to be processed, by lithography, using the first photomask, and a second mask is formed on the film to be processed, by lithography, using the second photomask. Thereafter, the film to be processed is etched and removed using the first and second masks as masks to form the pattern.

Abstract: An insulating-film composition containing an insulating-film precursor and a pore-generating material is applied onto a surface of a semiconductor substrate, and a first heat treatment is performed to polymerize the insulating-film precursor without vaporizing the pore-generating material, to form a non-porous insulating film. Next, a resist pattern is formed on the non-porous insulating film, and dry etching is performed, using the resist pattern as a mask, to form a trench in the non-porous insulating film. After removing the resist pattern by ashing, the surface of the semiconductor substrate is cleaned. Next, a second heat treatment is performed to remove the pore-generating material from the non-porous insulating film and to form a porous insulating film. Thereafter, a copper layer is deposited in the trench on a barrier-metal film to form copper wiring.

Abstract: An exposure method includes forming a resist film on a substrate to be processed, forming a top anti-reflection coating on the resist film, and irradiating the resist film with exposure light through the top anti-reflection coating. Forming the top anti-reflection coating includes adjusting refractive index and thickness of the top anti-reflection coating to increase a ratio of s-polarized light to p-polarized light in the exposure light entering the resist film.

Abstract: A gate insulating film is formed in a first region and a second region of a substrate, a first metallic film is formed on the gate insulating film in one of the first region or the second region, and a second metallic film is formed on each of the first and second regions. Furthermore, a protective film is formed on the second metallic film, and the protective film and the metallic film are patterned to the pattern of the gate electrode. Next, a first sidewall is formed on the side of a gate electrode. Then, impurities producing first and second conductivity types are implanted into the surface of the substrate in respective regions, using the first sidewalls and the gate electrodes as masks to form a first impurity-diffused region, and impurities producing second and first conductivity types are implanted to form an impurity diffusion preventing layer.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a high density semiconductor integrated circuit device with a multilayer interconnect wiring structure is disclosed. This structure has a low-dielectric constant insulator film including an organic thin-film with its dielectric constant ranging from about 2.0 to about 2.4. To fabricate the multilayer wiring structure, a substrate with an inorganic film for use as an underlayer dielectric film is prepared. Then, apply plasma processing, such as plasma-assisted chemical vapor-phase growth, to a top surface of the inorganic underlayer dielectric film in environment that contains therein organic silane-based chemical compounds, thereby to form on the inorganic film surface a hydrophobic surface layer with a contact angle with water being 50° or higher. Next, form on the plasma-processed hydrophobic surface an organic film including a fluorinated aromatic carbon hydride polymer film.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus is provided with a processing bath to be filled with a cleaning chemical, an ultrasonic oscillator, and a retainer for holding a substrate to be immersed into a cleaning chemical. The front surface of the substrate is cleaned while ultrasonic waves are radiated from the ultrasonic oscillator onto the back surface of the substrate.

Abstract: In a method for forming a semiconductor device, the major surface of a substrate is separated into a first element region for forming a first field-effect transistor and a second element region for forming a second field-effect transistor. A silicon nitride film is formed in each of the first and second element regions. Thereafter, the silicon nitride film formed in the second element region is removed, and the substrate is subjected to heat treatment in an ambient that contains nitrogen oxide. Thereby, the silicon nitride film in the first element region is oxidized to form an oxynitride film, and a silicon oxynitride film is formed in the second element region. Thereafter, a high-dielectric-constant film is formed on the silicon oxynitride films in each of the first and second element regions.

Abstract: A wafer edge exposure apparatus is provided with an optical section for radiating exposure light onto the edge of a semiconductor wafer. The optical section is provided with a focus sensor for sensing a distance from the lower end of the optical section to the edge of the semiconductor wafer. There is provided a position control mechanism for moving the optical section vertically on the basis of a value detected by the focus sensor such that the distance matches a focal distance of the optical section.

Abstract: A mask layer having an opening is formed on a semiconductor substrate. Next, oxygen ions and a first impurity are implanted into the semiconductor substrate using the mask layer as a mask. Then, the mask layer is removed. Next, the oxygen ions are heat treated to react and form an oxide film on the region where the first impurity has been implanted. Then, the oxide film is removed to form a depression in the semiconductor substrate. Next, a gate insulating film and a gate electrode are formed on the depression. Then a second impurity is implanted into the surface of the semiconductor substrate to form a source/drain. An impurity lighter than the oxygen ions and the second impurity is used as the first impurity.

Abstract: A first CVD dielectric layer is deposited on a surface of a semiconductor substrate. Next, low-k layers are deposited in at least two different steps to form one of a via-layer dielectric film and a wiring-layer dielectric film on the first CVD dielectric layer. Immediately after the depositions, thermal treatment is performed. A second CVD dielectric layer is deposited on the low-k layers. A groove is formed in the second CVD dielectric layer and the low-k layers. A metal layer is deposited on that structure, filling the groove. The metal layer is removed from the second CVD dielectric layer by chemical mechanical polishing.