Abstract: A semiconductor device manufacturing method includes forming a silicon layer by epitaxial growth over a semiconductor substrate having a first area and a second area; forming a first gate oxide film by oxidizing the silicon layer; removing the first gate oxide film from the second area, while maintaining the first gate oxide film in the first area; thereafter, increasing a thickness of the first gate oxide film in the first area and simultaneously forming a second gate oxide film by oxidizing the silicon layer in the second area; and forming a first gate electrode and a second gate electrode over the first gate oxide film and the second gate oxide film, respectively, wherein after the formation of the first and second gate electrodes, the silicon layer in the first area is thicker than the silicon layer in the second area.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device including a memory region and a logic region. The memory region includes a transistor (memory transistor) that stores information by accumulating charge in a sidewall insulating film. The width of the sidewall insulating film of the memory transistor included in the memory region is made larger than the width of a sidewall insulating film of a transistor (logic transistor) included in the logic region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes as a resistance element a first polycrystalline silicon and a second polycrystalline silicon containing impurities, such as boron, of the same kind and having different widths. The first polycrystalline silicon contains the impurities at a concentration CX. The second polycrystalline silicon has a width larger than a width of the first polycrystalline silicon and contains the impurities of the same kind at a concentration CY lower than the concentration CX. A sign of a temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of the first polycrystalline silicon changes at the concentration CX. A sign of a TCR of the second polycrystalline silicon changes at the concentration CY.

Abstract: One aspect of a semiconductor device includes a plurality of first structures, in which each of the first structures includes: a first N-type region; a P-type region which is surrounded by the first N-type region; and a second N-type region which is surrounded by the P-type region. The first N-type region and the P-type region are wired, and the plurality of first structures are connected in parallel to form one diode.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device includes: forming a tunnel oxide layer and a charge-storage layer in a region of a flash memory transistor; forming a first oxide film; removing the first oxide film in regions of a first transistor and a second transistor; forming a third oxide film by adding a first oxide layer between a first oxide film and a semiconductor substrate in a region of a third transistor while forming a second oxide film in the regions of the first transistor and the second transistor by oxidation; removing the second oxide film in the region of the first transistor; and forming a fifth oxide film by adding a second oxide layer between the second oxide film and the semiconductor substrate in the region of the second transistor while forming a fourth oxide film in the region of the first transistor by oxidation, and forming a sixth oxide film by adding a third oxide layer between the first oxide layer and the semiconductor substrate in the region of the third transistor.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes first, second, and third transistor elements each having a first screening region concurrently formed therein. A second screening region is formed in the second and third transistor elements such that there is at least one characteristic of the screening region in the second transistor element that is different than the second screening region in the third transistor element. Different characteristics include doping concentration and depth of implant.

Abstract: Some structures and methods to reduce power consumption in devices can be implemented largely by reusing existing bulk CMOS process flows and manufacturing technology, allowing the semiconductor industry as well as the broader electronics industry to avoid a costly and risky switch to alternative technologies. Some of the structures and methods relate to a Deeply Depleted Channel (DDC) design, allowing CMOS based devices to have a reduced sigma VT compared to conventional bulk CMOS and can allow the threshold voltage VT of FETs having dopants in the channel region to be set much more precisely. The DDC design also can have a strong body effect compared to conventional bulk CMOS transistors, which can allow for significant dynamic control of power consumption in DDC transistors. Additional structures, configurations, and methods presented herein can be used alone or in conjunction with the DDC to yield additional and different benefits.

Abstract: Digital circuits are disclosed that may include multiple transistors having controllable current paths coupled between first and second logic nodes. One or more of the transistors may have a deeply depleted channel formed below its gate that includes a substantially undoped channel region formed over a relatively highly doped screen layer formed over a doped body region. Resulting reductions in threshold voltage variation may improve digital circuit performance. Logic circuit, static random access memory (SRAM) cell, and passgate embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: An integrated circuit can include a plurality of first transistors formed in a substrate and having gate lengths of less than one micron and at least one tipless transistor formed in the substrate and having a source-drain path coupled between a circuit node and a first power supply voltage. In addition or alternatively, an integrated circuit can include minimum feature size transistors; a signal driving circuit comprising a first transistor of a first conductivity type having a source-drain path coupled between a first power supply node and an output node, and a second transistor of a second conductivity type having a source-drain path coupled between a second power supply node and the output node, and a gate coupled to a gate of the first transistor, wherein the first or second transistor is a tipless transistor.

Abstract: A multilayer wiring in a semiconductor device includes a first lower wiring formed in a first insulating layer, a via which is formed in a second insulating layer over the first insulating layer and which is connected to the first lower wiring, and an upper wiring connected to the via. The upper wiring has an outer edge at which a nick portion is formed beside a portion of the upper wiring to which the via is connected. The formation of the nick portion at the outer edge of the upper wiring prevents the via from enlarging.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes first, second, and third transistor elements each having a first screening region concurrently formed therein. A second screening region is formed in the second and third transistor elements such that there is at least one characteristic of the screening region in the second transistor element that is different than the second screening region in the third transistor element. Different characteristics include doping concentration and depth of implant. In addition, a different characteristic may be achieved by concurrently implanting the second screening region in the second and third transistor element followed by implanting an additional dopant into the second screening region of the third transistor element.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device including a memory region and a logic region. The memory region includes a transistor (memory transistor) that stores information by accumulating charge in a sidewall insulating film. The width of the sidewall insulating film of the memory transistor included in the memory region is made larger than the width of a sidewall insulating film of a transistor (logic transistor) included in the logic region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes as a resistance element a first polycrystalline silicon and a second polycrystalline silicon containing impurities, such as boron, of the same kind and having different widths. The first polycrystalline silicon contains the impurities at a concentration CX. The second polycrystalline silicon has a width larger than a width of the first polycrystalline silicon and contains the impurities of the same kind at a concentration CY lower than the concentration CX. A sign of a temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of the first polycrystalline silicon changes at the concentration CX. A sign of a TCR of the second polycrystalline silicon changes at the concentration CY.

Abstract: An exposure method includes: exposing, with a photomask including a shot pattern including chip patterns arranged therein, a plurality of the shot patterns onto a wafer as a first pattern; aligning the photomask on the wafer so that a first region of the shot pattern overlaps the first pattern, a second region other than the first region of the shot pattern is outside the first pattern, and chip patterns are continuously arranged in the first pattern and the second region; adjusting focus on the wafer, with the photomask having been aligned on the wafer; and shielding the first region from light and exposing a pattern of the second region onto the wafer as a second pattern.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: forming an insulating film above a semiconductor substrate; forming a conductive film on the insulating film; forming a dielectric film on the conductive film; forming a plurality of upper electrodes at intervals on the dielectric film; forming a first protective insulating film on the upper electrodes and the dielectric film by a sputtering method; forming a second protective insulating film on the first protective insulating film by an atomic layer deposition method, thereby filling gaps of a grain boundary of the dielectric film with the second protective insulating film; and patterning the conductive film after the second protective insulating film is formed to provide a lower electrode.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a manufacturing method for the same are provided in such a manner that the oxygen barrier film and the conductive plug in the base of a capacitor are prevented from being abnormally oxidized. A capacitor is formed by layering a lower electrode, a dielectric film including a ferroelectric substance or a high dielectric substance, and an upper electrode in this order on top of an interlayer insulation film with at least a conductive oxygen barrier film in between, and at least a portion of a side of the conductive oxygen barrier film is covered with an oxygen entering portion or an insulating oxygen barrier film.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating such devices are provided. The devices include source and drain regions on one conductivity type separated by a channel length and a gate structure. The devices also include a channel region of the one conductivity type formed in the device region between the source and drain regions and a screening region of another conductivity type formed below the channel region and between the source and drain regions. In operation, the channel region forms, in response to a bias voltage at the gate structure, a surface depletion region below the gate structure, a buried depletion region at an interface of the channel region and the screening region, and a buried channel region between the surface depletion region and the buried depletion region, where the buried depletion region is substantially located in channel region.

Abstract: Digital circuits are disclosed that may include multiple transistors having controllable current paths coupled between first and second logic nodes. One or more of the transistors may have a deeply depleted channel formed below its gate that includes a substantially undoped channel region formed over a relatively highly doped screen layer formed over a doped body region. Resulting reductions in threshold voltage variation may improve digital circuit performance. Logic circuit, static random access memory (SRAM) cell, and passgate embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes the following processes. A metal film forming process in which a metal film including cobalt is formed on a surface of silicon. A cap film forming process in which a cap film including titanium is formed on a surface of the metal film. A first thermal processing process in which a cobalt silicide is formed at a specific location of the semiconductor substrate by heating the semiconductor substrate at a first temperature. A second thermal processing process in which the semiconductor substrate is heated at a second temperature higher than the first temperature in nitrogen atmosphere. A removal process in which the cap film and unreacted cobalt are removed. A third thermal processing process in which the cobalt silicide is caused to phase transition by heating the semiconductor substrate at a third temperature higher than the second temperature.

Abstract: An integrated circuit can include multiple SRAM cells, each including at least two pull-up transistors, at least two pull-down transistors, and at least two pass-gate transistors, each of the transistors having a gate; at least one of the pull-up transistors, the pull-down transistors, or the pass-gate transistors having a screening region a distance below the gate and separated from the gate by a semiconductor layer, the screening region having a concentration of screening region dopants, the concentration of screening region dopants being higher than a concentration of dopants in the semiconductor layer, the screening region providing an enhanced body coefficient for the pull-down transistors and the pass-gate transistors to increase the read static noise margin for the SRAM cell when a bias voltage is applied to the screening region; and a bias voltage network operable to apply one or more bias voltages to the multiple SRAM cells.