Abstract: A semiconductor element, and a pair of insulation substrates sandwiching the semiconductor element therebetween forms a substrate unit. The substrate unit is press-fitted in a recess provided between first radiation block and cooling block. The press-fitting of the substrate unit is performed by a second radiation block which is screwed to push the first radiation block toward the cooling block. A high thermal-conductive radiation material is disposed at the interfaces between each of the insulation substrates and each of the blocks to keep adhesiveness therebetween.

Abstract: An image sensor comprising an array of pixels 2, each pixel 2 including a pin or nip photodiode P. At least the intrinsic semiconductor layer of the photodiodes of a group of pixels is shared between those pixels and acts as a barrier to reduce edge leakage currents. A group of pixels may be a row of pixels, or may be all pixels of the array.

Abstract: A method for reducing dishing effects is provided. The method is applied to polish a surface of a wafer containing a silicate film thereon. The method comprises using a polishing slurry containing organic alkyl or aryl compound with at least one hydroxyl group (i.e. ROH compound) during the process of polishing the silicate film. An organic hydrophobic layer created over the silicate film in contact with the ROH compound thus alleviates the undesirable dishing effects. The organic hydrophobic layer is thereafter cleaned using ozone-containing deionized water.

Abstract: With a view to preventing the oxidation of a metal film at the time of light oxidation treatment after gate patterning and at the same time to making it possible to control the reproducibility of oxide film formation and homogeneity of oxide film thickness at gate side-wall end portions, in a gate processing step using a poly-metal, a gate electrode is formed by patterning a gate electrode material which has been deposited over a semiconductor wafer 1A having a gate oxide film formed thereon and has a poly-metal structure and then, the principal surface of the semiconductor wafer 1A heated to a predetermined temperature or vicinity thereof is supplied with a hydrogen gas which contains water at a low concentration, the water having been formed from hydrogen and oxygen by a catalytic action, to selectively oxidize the principal surface of the semiconductor wafer 1A, whereby the profile of the side-wall end portions of the gate electrode is improved.

Abstract: Embodiments include a manufacturing method for a semiconductor device which can suppress a concave from being generated in an upper area of a wiring layer at a position above plug. The method may include the steps of (a) forming an impurity diffusion layer 34; (b) forming, on the impurity diffusion layer 34, an interlayer insulating layer 40 having at least one. through hole 42; (c) forming a plug 50 in the through hole 42; (d) forming an underlying layer 62 on the plug 50 and the interlayer insulating layer 40, and (e) forming an aluminum layer 64 on the underlying layer 62, the aluminum layer 64 being formed at a substrate temperature not lower than 250° C. and under a reduced pressure.

Abstract: A method for reducing the resistivity in a gate electrode is described. In one embodiment of the present invention, a silicon layer is formed on a substrate. A tungsten silicide layer is then formed on the silicon layer. The tungsten silicide layer is implanted with boron ions and an anneal is performed. The tungsten silicide layer and silicon layer are then patterned to form a gate electrode.

Abstract: An organic electroluminescent (EL) element has a sealed structure improved in humidity resistance. Subsequently deposited on a glass substrate of the organic EL element are components of the organic EL element, that is: a transparent electrode; an organic EL layer; and, a negative electrode. Further, the negative electrode is coated with a protection film on which a dehydrating agent is fixedly mounted using a porous sheet or a like. After that, the organic EL element has all the components sealed using a sealing member in an inert atmosphere to complete the sealed structure thereof.

Abstract: A preparation for forming a thin film capacitor includes forming an amorphous ferroelectric film, such as barium strontium titanate [(Ba,Sr)TiO3] film, for use as an interface between a metal electrode and a polycrystalline ferroelectric film, such as (Ba,Sr) TiO3 film. The polycrystalline ferroelectric film serves as a dielectric layer of the thin film capacitor in view of the fact that the polycrystalline ferroelectric film has a high dielectric constant. The amorphous ferroelectric film serves as a buffer layer for inhibiting the leakage current of the thin film capacitor. The amorphous ferroelectric film is grown by sputtering and by introducing a working gas, such as argon, and a reactive gas, such as oxygen, into a reaction chamber in which a plasma is generated at room temperature.

Abstract: A compensation circuit and method for compensating for the threshold shift in an irradiated MOSFET. The method determines the gate threshold voltage to body voltage relationship to vary the body voltage with radiation. The compensation circuit has at least one MOSFET having the same channel type as the MOSFET being compensated. The at least one matching MOSFET is connected to the gate of the MOSFET being compensated. At least one MOSFET having a channel type that is different from the channel type of the MOSFET being compensated is connected to the gate of the matching MOSFET. The result is that the compensation circuit controls a negative shift in the body voltage of the MOSFET being compensated resulting in a higher threshold voltage.

Abstract: A memory system that includes a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cell that includes an access transistor and a storage capacitor. The storage capacitor of the DRAM cell is fabricated by forming a polysilicon crown electrode, a dielectric layer overlying the polysilicon crown, and a polysilicon plate electrode overlying the dielectric layer. A first set of thermal cycles are performed during the formation of the storage capacitor to form and anneal the elements of the capacitor structure. After the first set of thermal cycles are complete, shallow P+ and/or N+ regions are formed by ion implantation, and metal salicide is formed. As a result, the relatively high first set of thermal cycles required to form the capacitor structure does not adversely affect the shallow P+ and N+ regions or the metal salicide. A second set of thermal cycles, which are comparable to or less than the first set of thermal cycles, are performed during the formation of the shallow regions and the metal salicide.

Abstract: With a view to preventing the oxidation of a metal film at the time of light oxidation treatment after gate patterning and at the same time to making it possible to control the reproducibility of oxide film formation and homogeneity of oxide film thickness at gate side-wall end portions, in a gate processing step using a poly-metal, a gate electrode is formed by patterning a gate electrode material which has been deposited over a semiconductor wafer 1A having a gate oxide film formed thereon and has a poly-metal structure and then, the principal surface of the semiconductor wafer 1A heated to a predetermined temperature or vicinity thereof is supplied with a hydrogen gas which contains water at a low concentration, the water having been formed from hydrogen and oxygen by a catalytic action, to selectively oxidize the principal surface of the semiconductor wafer 1A, whereby the profile of the side-wall end portions of the gate electrode is improved.

Abstract: A semiconductor body-having a pair of vertical, double-gated CMOS transistors. An insulating layer extending horizontally beneath the surface of the semiconductor body such insulating layer being disposed beneath the pair of transistors. The transistors, together with additional such transistors, are arranged to form a Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SRAM) array. The array includes a plurality of SRAM cells arranged in rows and columns, each one of the cells having a WORDLINE connected to a WORLDINE CONTACT. The WORDLINE CONTACT is common to four contiguous one of the cells. One of the cells having a plurality of electrically interconnected MOS transistors arranged to provide an SRAM circuit. Each one of the cells has a VDD CONTACT and a VSS CONTACT. One of such CONTACTs is disposed centrally within each one of the cells and the other one of the CONTACTs being common to four contiguous ones of the cells.

Abstract: A surface treatment method for forming a fluorine-doped nitridized interface on a semiconductor substrate. The fluorine-doped nitridized interface may be formed using an ammonia plasma CVD process having a treatment gas doped with a fluorine component, such as carbon hexafluorine. The method may be employed as part of a LOCOS-based processing scheme in the manufacture of MOS semiconductor devices, such as DRAM devices.

Abstract: A method of re-working a semiconductor device having a defective copper damascene interconnect structure, including the steps of obtaining a semiconductor wafer having at least one defect in a copper damascene interconnect structure; placing the wafer in an electrolyte in an electrolytic cell such that the defective copper damascene interconnect structure forms an anode; applying electrical current to the wafer to remove from the wafer substantially all copper from the defective copper damascene interconnect structure; re-applying copper to the semiconductor wafer to form a copper damascene interconnect structure.

Abstract: A process for forming a semiconductor device comprises the steps of providing a semiconductor substrate assembly comprising a semiconductor wafer having an active area formed therein, a plurality of transistor gates each having a TEOS cap thereon and a pair of nitride spacers along each gate, a plurality of conductive plugs each contacting the wafer, and a BPSG layer overlying the transistor gates and contacting the active area. A portion of the BPSG layer is etched thereby exposing the TEOS caps. A portion of the BPSG layer remains on the active area after completion of the etch. Subsequently, a portion of the TEOS caps are removed to expose the transistor gates and a titanium silicide layer is formed simultaneously to contact the transistor gates and the plugs. An inventive structure resulting from the inventive process is also described.

Abstract: A method for depositing tungsten nitride uses a source gas mixture having a silicon based gas for depositing the tungsten nitride to overlie a deposition substrate. A non-planar storage capacitor has a tungsten nitride capacitor electrode.

Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device allowing accurate reading of data, having superior charge detection characteristic and high rewriting durability, and free of undesirable writing of a non-selected memory cell transistor is provided. A memory cell transistor 100b includes a silicon substrate 1 having a main surface, a plurality of strip shaped isolating oxide films 4a and 4b formed on the main surface 1b of silicon substrate 1 to continuously extend approximately along the <100> direction, and strip shaped source and drain regions 5b and 6b formed on the main surface 1b of silicon substrate 1 to continuously extend approximately along the <100> direction.

Abstract: A semiconductor body having a pair of vertical, double-gated CMOS transistors. An insulating layer extending horizontally beneath the surface of the semiconductor body such insulating layer being disposed beneath the pair of transistors. The transistors, together with additional such transistors, are arranged to form a Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SRAM) array. The array includes a plurality of SRAM cells arranged in rows and columns, each one of the cells having a WORDLINE connected to a WORLDINE CONTACT. The WORDLINE CONTACT is common to four contiguous one of the cells. One of the cells having a plurality of electrically interconnected MOS transistors arranged to provide an SRAM circuit. Each one of the cells has a VDD CONTACT and a VSS CONTACT. One of such CONTACTs is disposed centrally within each one of the cells and the other one of the CONTACTs being common to four contiguous ones of the cells.

Abstract: A capacitor for a semiconductor device is disclosed with increased capacitance which is produced by a simplified manufacturing process. The capacitor has a storage node electrode structure formed on the semiconductor device having impurity regions formed therein. The storage node electrode structure includes a buried layer formed in a storage node hole defined by the semiconductor device, the buried layer being in contact with at least one impurity region, a bottom layer formed on the buried layer and extending beyond the buried layer, a first cylindrical electrode having first walls upwardly extending from the bottom layer, and second cylindrical electrodes having second walls upwardly extending from the bottom layer and disposed on outer sides of the first cylindrical electrode.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process of treating semiconductor substrates, including the production of pure water, a method of producing the pure water for semiconductor fabrication, and a water-producing apparatus. Ammonia is catalytically oxidized in a catalytic conversion reactor to form pure water. The water is then supplied to a semiconductor fabrication process. The water-producing apparatus comprises a housing surrounding a catalytic material for adsorbing ammonia, an ammonia and oxidant source, each in communication with the housing, and an outlet for reaction products. The outlet is connected to a semiconductor processing apparatus. According to preferred embodiments of the invention, the apparatus can be a catalytic tube reactor, a fixed bed reactor or a fluidized bed reactor.