Abstract: A method of manufacturing a ceramic includes forming a film which includes a complex oxide material having an oxygen octahedral structure and a paraelectric material having a catalytic effect for the complex oxide material in a mixed state, and performing a heat treatment to the film, wherein the paraelectric material is one of a layered catalytic substance which includes Si in the constituent elements and a layered catalytic substance which includes Si and Ge in the constituent elements. The heat treatment includes sintering and post-annealing. At least the post-annealing is performed in a pressurized atmosphere including at least one of oxygen and ozone. A ceramic is a complex oxide having an oxygen octahedral structure, and has Si and Ge in the oxygen octahedral structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a transistor formed on the semiconductor substrate; an interlayer dielectric layer that covers the transistor; a ferroelectric capacitor formed above the interlayer dielectric layer and having a first electrode, a ferroelectric layer and a second electrode; another interlayer dielectric layer that covers the ferroelectric capacitor and is different from the interlayer dielectric layer; and a sensor that is formed above the semiconductor substrate and is one of a pressure sensor, a pyroelectric sensor and a magnetic sensor.

Abstract: A ferroelectric film wherein 5 to 40 mol % in total of at least one of Nb, V, and W is included in the B site of a Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 ferroelectric which includes at least four-fold coordinated Si4+ or Ge4+ in the A site ion of a ferroelectric perovskite material in an amount of 1% or more. This enables to significantly improve reliability of the ferroelectric film.

Abstract: A ferroelectric film is formed by an oxide that is described by a general formula AB1?xNbxO3. An A element includes at least Pb, and a B element includes at least one of Zr, Ti, V, W, Hf and Ta. The ferroelectric film includes Nb within the range of: 0.05?x<1. The ferroelectric film can be used for any of ferroelectric memories of 1T1C, 2T2C and simple matrix types.

Abstract: A ferroelectric thin film formed of a highly oriented polycrystal in which 180° domains and 90° domains arrange at a constant angle to an applied electric field direction in a thin film plane and reversely rotate in a predetermined electric field.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a ceramic film includes forming the ceramic film by crystallizing a ceramic raw material liquid which includes a first raw material liquid and a second raw material liquid. The first raw material liquid and the second raw material liquid are different types of liquids, the first raw material liquid is a raw material liquid for producing a ferroelectric, the second raw material liquid is a raw material liquid for producing an oxide such as an ABO-type oxide, a solvent included in the first raw material liquid and a solvent included in the second raw material liquid have different polarities, and the ceramic film is formed in a state in which the first raw material liquid and the second raw material liquid are phase separated so that first crystals formed of the first raw material liquid are intermittently formed in a surface direction of the ceramic film and second crystals formed of the second raw material liquid are formed so as to interpose between the first crystals.

Abstract: A piezoelectric film is provided having good piezoelectric properties. The piezoelectric film is represented by the following general formula: A1?bB1?aXaO3 wherein A contains Pb; B is at least one of Zr and Ti; X is at least one of V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo and W; a satisfies 0.05?a?0.3; and b satisfies 0.025?b?0.15.

Abstract: A lower electrode is formed over a substrate, and a raw material including a complex oxide is heated in an atmosphere pressurized to two atmospheres or more and containing oxygen at a volume ratio of 10% or less at a temperature raising rate of 100° C./min or less, thereby forming a lower alloy film of a compound of a first metal which makes up the complex oxide, and a second metal, which makes up the lower electrode, over the lower electrode. A ceramic film in which the raw material is crystallized is formed over the lower alloy film, and an upper electrode is formed over the ceramic film.

Abstract: A ferroelectric material for forming a ferroelectric that is described by a general formula ABO3, includes an A-site compensation component which compensates for a vacancy of an A site, and a B-site compensation component which compensates for a vacancy of a B site.

Abstract: A ferroelectric memory device of the present invention includes a memory cell array in which memory cells are arranged in a matrix having first signal electrodes, second signal electrodes arranged in a direction intersecting the first signal electrodes, and a ferroelectric layer disposed at least in intersection regions between the first signal electrodes and the second signal electrodes, and a peripheral circuit section for selectively writing information into or reading information from the memory cell. The memory cell array and the peripheral circuit section are formed in different layers. The peripheral circuit section is formed in a region outside the memory cell array.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an electrode which includes forming an electrode over a substrate. Initial crystal nuclei of an electrode material are formed over the substrate in an island pattern, and then grown layers of the electrode material are formed by causing the initial crystal nuclei to be grown. A substrate temperature when forming the initial crystal nuclei is higher than a substrate temperature when forming the grown layers.

Abstract: A ferroelectric memory device preventing an imprint and including a plurality of wordlines, a plurality of bitlines, a plurality of ferroelectric memory cells, a wordline driver which drives the wordlines, and a bitline driver which drives the bitlines. The wordline driver and the bitline driver switch an operation mode of the ferroelectric memory device to a first mode which is one of a data reading mode, a data rewriting mode and a data writing mode, by applying a voltage Vs having a first polarity to at least one ferroelectric memory cell selected from the ferroelectric memory cells.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a ceramic film includes a step of forming a ceramic film 30 by crystallizing a raw material body 20. The raw material body 20 contains different types of raw materials in a mixed state. The different types of raw materials differ from one another in at least one of a crystal growth condition and a crystal growth mechanism in the crystallization of the raw materials. According to this manufacturing method, a surface morphology of the ceramic film can be improved.

Abstract: The invention provides an MOCVD apparatus and a MOCVD method which can deposit a thin film having satisfactory properties by reducing or preventing temperature decrease of a source gas. An MOCVD apparatus according to the present invention supplies a source gas, as a mixture of an MO source gas, with an oxidizing gas to a substrate to thereby form a film. The MOCVD apparatus includes a substrate holder to hold the substrate; a deposition chamber to house the substrate holder; a supply mechanism to supply the source gas to a surface of the substrate; and a heating device to heat the substrate held by the substrate holder. The deposition chamber includes a substrate housing unit to house the substrate holder holding the substrate, and a passage housing unit connected to the substrate housing unit and constituting a passage to supply the source gas to the substrate.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a ferroelectric film includes crystallizing a raw material having a complex oxide, the method including: performing a heat treatment in a first condition in which a predetermined pressure and a predetermined temperature are applied; and maintaining a second condition, in which a pressure and a temperature lower than the pressure and the temperature in the first condition are applied, after the heat treatment in the first condition, and the raw material is crystallized by repeating the heat treatment in the first condition and the maintaining the second condition.

Abstract: A method of forming a thin-film including a capability to remove contaminants from the formed thin-film and/or a substrate on which the thin-film is formed using alcohol. The method includes allowing a substrate holder to support a substract. A first mixture is produced by mixing a condensation polymer containing an element of metal oxide compound and alcohol. Then second mixture is produced by mixing supercritical fluid or liquid carbon dioxide and the first mixture. A thin film is formed by applying the second mixture on a surface of the substrate. After forming the thin-film, the substrate is cleaned by applying alcohol to upper and lower surfaces, preferably the whole upper and lower surfaces, of the substract. The thin-film is crystallized by heating, and the crystallizing may include applying oxygen in a crystallizing chamber. Soft X-rays may be applied to the substrate, during the forming of the thin-film on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a ceramic includes forming a film which includes a complex oxide material having an oxygen octahedral structure and a paraelectric material having a catalytic effect for the complex oxide material in a mixed state, and performing a heat treatment to the film, wherein the paraelectric material is one of a layered catalytic substance which includes Si in the constituent elements and a layered catalytic substance which includes Si and Ge in the constituent elements. The heat treatment includes sintering and post-annealing. At least the post-annealing is performed in a pressurized atmosphere including at least one of oxygen and ozone. A ceramic is a complex oxide having an oxygen octahedral structure, and has Si and Ge in the oxygen octahedral structure.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a ceramic coating material which includes stirring a material including a complex oxide in the presence of a catalyst containing platinum group elements. The material is a sol-gel material which includes at least one of a hydrolysate and a polycondensate of the complex oxide.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a ferroelectric capacitor. In this method, a lower electrode is formed on a base at first. A ferroelectric film which includes a PZTN complex oxide including lead, zirconium, titanium, and niobium on the lower electrode is formed, and then an upper electrode is formed on the ferroelectric film. A protective film is then formed to cover the lower electrode, the ferroelectric film, and the upper electrode, and heat treatment for crystallizing the PZTN complex oxide is performed at least after forming the protective film.

Abstract: A ferroelectric film is formed by an oxide that is described by a general formula AB1-xNbxO3. An A element includes at least Pb, and a B element includes at least one of Zr, Ti, V, W, Hf and Ta. The ferroelectric film includes Nb within the range of: 0.05?x<1. The ferroelectric film can be used for any of ferroelectric memories of 1T1C, 2T2C and simple matrix types.