Abstract: A method for fabricating a phase change memory device including a plurality of in via phase change memory cells includes forming pillar heaters formed of a conductive material along a contact surface of a substrate corresponding to each of an array of conductive contacts to be connected to access circuitry, forming a dielectric layer along exposed areas of the substrate surrounding the pillar heaters, forming an interlevel dielectric (ILD) layer above the dielectric layer, etching a via to the dielectric layer, each via corresponding to each of pillar heater such that an upper surface of each pillar heater is exposed within each via, recessing each pillar heater, depositing phase change material in each via on each recessed pillar heater, recessing the phase change material within each via, and forming a top electrode within the via on the phase change material.

Abstract: A memory device includes a phase change element, which further includes a first phase change layer having a first grain size; and a second phase change layer over the first phase change layer. The first and the second phase change layers are depth-wise regions of the phase change element. The second phase change layer has a second average grain size different from the first average grain size.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a source metallization, a source region of a first conductivity type in contact with the source metallization, a body region of a second conductivity type which is adjacent to the source region. The semiconductor device further includes a first field-effect structure including a first insulated gate electrode and a second field-effect structure including a second insulated gate electrode which is electrically connected to the source metallization. The capacitance per unit area between the second insulated gate electrode and the body region is larger than the capacitance per unit area between the first insulated gate electrode and the body region.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device with a structure such that an electrode for reading a signal charge is provided on one side of a light-receiving sensor portion constituting a pixel; a predetermined voltage signal V is applied to a light-shielding film formed to cover an image pickup area except the light-receiving sensor portion; a second-conductivity-type semiconductor area is formed in the center on the surface of a first-conductivity-type semiconductor area constituting a photo-electric conversion area of the light-receiving sensor portion; and areas containing a lower impurity concentration than that of the second-conductivity-type semiconductor area is formed on the surface of the first-conductivity-type semiconductor area at the end on the side of the electrode and at the opposite end on the side of a pixel-separation area.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate includes a wafer, a first stepped structure formed of plural stepped parts formed on a surface of the wafer with a first area occupation ratio, a second stepped structure formed of plural stepped parts formed on the surface of the wafer with a second, different area occupation ratio, and an interlayer insulation film formed on the surface so as to cover the first and second stepped structures, the interlayer insulation film having a planarized top surface, wherein there are provided at least first and second film-thickness monitoring patterns for monitoring film thickness on the surface in a manner covered by the interlayer insulation film, a first pattern group is formed on the surface such that the first pattern group comprises plural patterns disposed so as to surround the first film-thickness monitoring pattern, a second pattern group is formed on the surface such that the second pattern group comprises plural patterns disposed so as to surround the second film-thickness monitori

Abstract: A high-k gate dielectric layer and a metal gate layer are formed and patterned to expose semiconductor surfaces in a bipolar junction transistor region, while covering a CMOS region. A disposable material portion is formed on a portion of the exposed semiconductor surfaces in the bipolar junction transistor area. A semiconductor layer and a dielectric layer are deposited and patterned to form gate stacks including a semiconductor portion and a dielectric gate cap in the CMOS region and a cavity containing mesa over the disposable material portion in the bipolar junction transistor region. The disposable material portion is selectively removed and a base layer including an epitaxial portion and a polycrystalline portion fills the cavity formed by removal of the disposable material portion. The emitter formed by selective epitaxy fills the cavity in the mesa.

Abstract: A magnetic memory cell is provided with a magnetization record layer and a magnetic tunnel junction section. The magnetization record layer is a ferromagnetic layer having a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The magnetic tunnel junction section is used to read data from the magnetization record layer. The magnetization record layer has a plurality of domain wall motion regions.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and methods of manufacturing and operating the semiconductor device may be disclosed. The semiconductor device may comprise different nanostructures. The semiconductor device may have a first element formed of nanowires and a second element formed of nanoparticles. The nanowires may be ambipolar carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The first element may be a channel layer. The second element may be a charge trap layer. In this regard, the semiconductor device may be a transistor or a memory device.

Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device includes: a substrate; a stacked structure member including a plurality of dielectric films and a plurality of electrode films alternately stacked on the substrate and including a through-hole penetrating through the plurality of the dielectric films and the plurality of the electrode films in a stacking direction of the plurality of the dielectric films and the plurality of the electrode films; a semiconductor pillar provided in the through-hole; and a charge storage layer provided between the semiconductor pillar and each of the plurality of the electrode films. At least one of the dielectric films includes a film generating one of a compressive stress and a tensile stress, and at least one of the electrode films includes a film generating the other of the compressive stress and the tensile stress.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to an active pixel cell including a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure. The active pixel cell further includes a photodiode neighboring the STI structure, where a first stress resulted from substrate processing prior to deposition of a pre-metal dielectric layer increases dark current and white cell counts of a photodiode of the active pixel cell. The active pixel cell further includes a transistor, where the transistor controls the operation of the active pixel cell. The active pixel cell further includes a stress layer over the photodiode, the STI structure, and the transistor, and the stress layer has a second stress that counters the first stress exerted on the substrate, and the second stress reduces the dark current and the white cell counts caused by the first stress.

Abstract: A capacitance cell includes a substrate structure layer having pair diffusion regions, and an interconnect layer having pair of power supply lines. The capacitance cell also includes a capacitance composed of a first electrode, a dielectric member and a second electrode stacked together, and is formed in a frame shape and disposed in a space between the substrate structure layer and the interconnect layer so as to extend along an outer rim of the frame shape of a standard cell region in which a standard cell is arranged. The capacitance cell also includes a first substrate contact that electrically connects one of the pair of power supply lines to one of the diffusion regions externally of the standard cell region. The capacitance cell also includes a second substrate contact that electrically connects the other power supply line to the other diffusion region, externally of the standard cell region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a semiconductor body, a source metallization arranged on a first surface of the semiconductor body and a trench including a first trench portion and a second trench portion and extending from the first surface into the semiconductor body is provided. The semiconductor body further includes a pn-junction formed between a first semiconductor region and a second semiconductor region. The first trench portion includes an insulated gate electrode which is connected to the source metallization, and the second trench portion includes a conductive plug which is connected to the source metallization and to the second semiconductor region.

Abstract: An object is to provide a semiconductor device which can hold stored data even when not powered and which achieves high integration by reduction of the number of wirings. The semiconductor device is formed using a material which can sufficiently reduce the off-state current of a transistor, e.g., an oxide semiconductor material which is a wide bandgap semiconductor. When a semiconductor material which allows a sufficient reduction in the off-state current of a transistor is used, data can be held for a long period. One line serves as the word line for writing and the word line for reading and one line serves as the bit line for writing and the bit line for reading, whereby the number of wirings is reduced. Accordingly, the storage capacity per unit area is increased.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate having an active region and an isolation region, a gate pattern crossing both the active region and the isolation region of the substrate, and a protrusion having a surface higher than that of the substrate over at least an edge of the active region contacting a portion of the isolation region under the gate pattern.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a micromechanical diaphragm structure having access from the rear of the substrate includes: n-doping at least one contiguous lattice-type area of a p-doped silicon substrate surface; porously etching a substrate area beneath the n-doped lattice structure; producing a cavity in this substrate area beneath the n-doped lattice structure; growing a first monocrystalline silicon epitaxial layer on the n-doped lattice structure; at least one opening in the n-doped lattice structure being dimensioned in such a way that it is not closed by the growing first epitaxial layer but instead forms an access opening to the cavity; an oxide layer being created on the cavity wall; a rear access to the cavity being created, the oxide layer on the cavity wall acting as an etch stop layer; and the oxide layer being removed in the area of the cavity.

Abstract: The layouts, device structures, and methods described above utilize dummy devices to extend the diffusion regions of edge structures and/or non-allowed structures to the dummy device. Such extension of diffusion regions resolves or reduces LOD and edge effect issues. In addition, treating the gate structure of a dummy device next to an edge device also allows only one dummy structure to be added next to the dummy device and saves the real estate on the semiconductor chip. The dummy devices are deactivated and their performance is not important. Therefore, utilizing dummy devices to extend the diffusion regions of edge structures and/or non-allowed structures according to design rules allows the resolution or reduction or LOD and edge effect issues without the penalty of yield reduction or increase in layout areas.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is fabricating using a photoresist mask pattern, and selectively removing portions of a liner nitride layer in a cell region and a peripheral circuit region. A modified FinFET is formed to reduce the influence of signals transmitted by adjacent gate lines in a cell region. A double FinFET and a substantially planar MOSFET are formed in a core region and in a peripheral region, respectively, concurrently with the formation of the modified FinFET.

Abstract: A method of forming a capacitor includes forming a conductive first capacitor electrode material comprising TiN over a substrate. TiN of the TiN-comprising material is oxidized effective to form conductive TiOxNy having resistivity no greater than 1 ohm·cm over the TiN-comprising material where x is greater than 0 and y is from 0 to 1.4. A capacitor dielectric is formed over the conductive TiOxNy. Conductive second capacitor electrode material is formed over the capacitor dielectric. Other aspects and implementations are contemplated, including capacitors independent of method of fabrication.

Abstract: A semiconductor device, including a substrate having first and second active regions, the first and second active regions being disposed on opposite sides of an isolation structure, and a bit line electrically coupled to a contact plug that is on the isolation structure between the first active region and the second active region, and electrically coupled to an active bridge pattern directly contacting at least one of the first and second active regions, wherein the contact plug is electrically coupled to the first active region and the second active region, and a bottom surface of the active bridge pattern is below a top surface of the first and second active regions.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including a gate electrode disposed on a semiconductor substrate and source/drain regions disposed at both sides of the gate electrode, the source/drain regions being formed by implanting impurities. The source/drain regions include an epitaxial layer formed by epitaxially growing a semiconductor material having a different lattice constant from that of the semiconductor substrate in a recessed position at a side of the gate electrode, and a diffusion layer disposed in a surface layer of the semiconductor substrate.