Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a via structure and a conductive structure. The via structure has a surface with a planar portion and a protrusion portion. The conductive structure is formed over at least part of the planar portion and not over at least part of the protrusion portion of the via structure. For example, the conductive structure is formed only onto the planar portion and not onto any of the protrusion portion for forming high quality connection between the conductive structure and the via structure.

Abstract: The methods include forming a semiconductor substrate pattern by etching a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor pattern has a first via hole that exposes side walls of the semiconductor substrate pattern, and the side walls of the semiconductor substrate pattern exposed by the first via hole have an impurity layer pattern. The methods further include treating upper surfaces of the semiconductor substrate pattern, the treated upper surfaces of the semiconductor substrate pattern being hydrophobic; removing the impurity layer pattern from the side walls of the semiconductor substrate pattern exposed by the first via hole; forming a first insulating layer pattern on the side walls of the semiconductor substrate pattern exposed by the first via hole; and filling a first conductive layer pattern into the first via hole and over the first insulating layer pattern.

Abstract: For forming a semiconductor device, a via structure is formed through at least one dielectric layer and at least a portion of a substrate. In addition, a protective buffer layer is formed onto the via structure. Furthermore, a conductive structure for an integrated circuit is formed over the substrate after forming the via structure and the protective buffer layer, with the conductive structure not being formed over the via structure. Thus, deterioration of the conductive and via structures is minimized.

Abstract: Example embodiments herein relate to a method of fabricating a semiconductor device. The method may include forming a liner insulating layer on a surface of a gate pattern to have a first thickness. Subsequently, a gap fill layer may be formed on the liner insulating layer by flowable chemical vapor deposition (FCVD) or spin-on-glass (SOG). The liner insulating layer and the gap fill layer may be recessed such that the liner insulating layer has a second thickness, which is smaller than the first thickness, in the region in which a metal silicide will be formed. Metal silicide may be formed on the plurality of gate patterns to have a relatively uniform thickness using the difference in thickness of the liner insulating layer.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a metal wiring structure, a first metal wiring and a first barrier layer are formed on a substrate, and the first barrier layer is nitridated. An insulating interlayer is formed on the substrate so as to extend over the first metal wiring and the first barrier layer. Part of the insulating interlayer is removed to form a hole exposing at least part of the first metal wiring and part of the first barrier layer. A nitidation plasma treatment is performed on the exposed portion of the first barrier layer. A second barrier layer is formed along the bottom and sides of the hole. A plug is formed on the second barrier layer to fill the hole.

Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device including a fuse, in which a insulating layer surrounding the fuse or metal wiring is prevented from being damaged due to the cut of a fuse, which can occur when a repair process is performed. The semiconductor device includes a conductive line formed on a semiconductor layer, a protective layer formed on the conductive line, one or more fuses that are electrically connected to the conductive line, and a fuse protective layer formed on the one or more fuses, and spaced apart from the protective layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a flash memory device includes: forming a dielectric layer on an active region of a substrate having an isolation region and the active region; forming a floating gate on the dielectric layer; forming an isolation layer in the isolation region; forming a nitride layer including a first nitride layer portion formed on an exposed surface of the floating gate and a second nitride layer portion formed on an exposed surface of the isolation layer; selectively removing nitrogen atoms from the second nitride layer portion of the nitride layer; forming an inter-gate dielectric layer on both the first nitride layer portion and the isolation layer; and forming a control gate on the inter-gate dielectric layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a silicon based optical waveguide can include forming a silicon-on-insulator structure including a non-crystalline silicon portion and a single crystalline silicon portion of an active silicon layer in the structure. The non-crystalline silicon portion can be replaced with an amorphous silicon portion and maintaining the single crystalline silicon portion and the amorphous portion can be crystallized using the single crystalline silicon portion as a seed to form a laterally grown single crystalline silicon portion including the amorphous and single crystalline silicon portions.

Abstract: In a method of forming a wiring structure for a semiconductor device, an insulation layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate on which a plurality of conductive structures is positioned. An upper surface of the insulation layer is planarized and spaces between the conductive structures are filled with the insulation layer. The insulation layer is partially removed from the substrate to form at least one opening through which the substrate is partially exposed. A residual metal layer is formed on a bottom and a lower portion of the sidewall of the at least one opening and a metal nitride layer is formed on the residual metal layer and an upper sidewall of the opening with a metal material. Accordingly, an upper portion of the barrier layer can be prevented from being removed in a planarization process for forming the metal plug.

Abstract: Provided are a semiconductor device and a method of forming the same. The method includes forming an interlayer dielectric on a semiconductor substrate, forming a contact hole in the interlayer dielectric to expose the semiconductor substrate, forming a metal pattern including a dopant on the exposed semiconductor substrate, and performing a heat treatment process to react the semiconductor substrate with the metal pattern to form a metal silicide pattern. The heat treatment process includes diffuses the dopant into the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Provided are methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices. The methods may include forming a first insulation layer on a semiconductor substrate, forming a groove by selectively etching the first insulation layer, filling the groove with a copper-based conductive layer, depositing a cobalt-based capping layer on the copper-based conductive layer by electroless plating, and cleansing the first insulation layer and the cobalt-based capping layer using a basic cleansing solution.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a buried wiring type substrate comprises implanting hydrogen ions into a single crystalline substrate through a first surface thereof to form an ion implantation region, forming a conductive layer comprising a metal on the first surface of the single crystalline substrate, forming an insulation layer comprising silicon oxide on the conductive layer, bonding the insulation layer to a support substrate to form a preliminary buried wiring type substrate, and separating the single crystalline substrate at the ion implantation region to form a single crystalline semiconductor layer on the conductive layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes an improved technique of filling a trench to provide the resulting semiconductor device with better characteristics and higher reliability. The method includes forming a trench in a semiconductor layer, forming a first layer on the semiconductor layer using a silicon source and a nitrogen source to fill the trench, curing the first layer using an oxygen source, and annealing the second layer. The method may also be used to form other types of insulating layers such as an interlayer insulating layer.

Abstract: A method of forming metal films includes preparing a substrate, on which an insulating layer and a metal layer formed of a first metal are exposed; and forming a metal capping layer by supplying an organic precursor of a second metal onto the substrate to deposit the second metal simultaneously on the insulating layer and the metal layer, wherein the second metal capping layer has different thicknesses on the insulating layer and the metal layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a gate electrode of a semiconductor device is provided, the method including: forming a plurality of stacked structures each comprising a tunnel dielectric layer, a first silicon layer for floating gates, an intergate dielectric layer, a second silicon layer for control gates, and a mask pattern, on a semiconductor substrate in the stated order; forming a first interlayer dielectric layer between the plurality of stacked structures so that a top surface of the mask pattern is exposed; selectively removing the mask pattern of which the top surface is exposed; forming a third silicon layer in an area from which the hard disk layer was removed, and forming a silicon layer comprising the third silicon layer and the second silicon layer; recessing the first interlayer dielectric layer so that an upper portion of the silicon layer protrudes over the he first interlayer dielectric layer; and forming a metal silicide layer on the upper portion of the silicon layer.

Abstract: A photo-electric integrated circuit device comprises an on-die optical input/output device. The on-die optical input/output device comprises a substrate having a trench, a lower cladding layer disposed in the trench and having an upper surface lower than an upper surface of the substrate, and a core disposed on the lower cladding layer at a distance from sidewalls of the trench and having an upper surface at substantially the same level as the upper surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Methods of forming integrated circuit devices include forming a gate electrode on a substrate and forming a nitride layer on a sidewall and upper surface of the gate electrode. The nitride layer is then anisotropically oxidized under conditions that cause a first portion of the nitride layer extending on the upper surface of the gate electrode to be more heavily oxidized relative to a second portion of the nitride layer extending on the sidewall of the gate electrode. A ratio of a thickness of an oxidized first portion of the nitride layer relative to a thickness of an oxidized second portion of the nitride layer may be in a range from about 3:1 to about 7:1.

Abstract: A gate structure can include a polysilicon layer, a metal layer on the polysilicon layer, a metal silicide nitride layer on the metal layer and a silicon nitride mask on the metal silicide nitride layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a gate structure can be provided by forming a tunnel insulation layer on a substrate and forming a floating gate on the tunnel insulation layer. A dielectric layer pattern can be on the floating gate and a control gate can be formed on the dielectric layer pattern, which can be provided by forming a first conductive layer pattern on the dielectric layer pattern. A metal ohmic layer pattern can be formed on the first conductive layer pattern. A diffusion preventing layer pattern can be formed on the metal ohmic layer pattern. An amorphous layer pattern can be formed on the diffusion preventing layer pattern forming a second conductive layer pattern on the amorphous layer pattern. The floating gate can be further formed by forming an additional first conductive layer pattern on the tunnel insulation layer. An additional metal ohmic layer pattern can be formed on the additional first conductive layer pattern.

Abstract: A gate structure is formed on a substrate. An insulating interlayer is formed covering the gate structure. The substrate is heat treated while exposing a surface of the insulating interlayer to a hydrogen gas atmosphere. A silicon nitride layer is formed directly on the interlayer insulating layer after the heat treatment and a metal wiring is formed on the insulating interlayer. The metal wiring may include copper. Heat treating the substrate while exposing a surface of the interlayer insulating layer to a hydrogen gas atmosphere may be preceded by forming a plug through the first insulating interlayer that contacts the substrate, and the metal wiring may be electrically connected to the plug. The plug may include tungsten.