Abstract: In a gate structure of a non-volatile memory device is formed, a tunnel insulating layer and a charge trapping layer are formed on a substrate. A composite dielectric layer is formed on the charge trapping layer and has a laminate structure in which first material layers including aluminum oxide and second material layers including hafnium oxide or zirconium oxide are alternately stacked. A conductive layer is formed on the composite dielectric layer and then a gate structure is formed by patterning the conductive layer, the composite dielectric layer, the charge trapping layer, and the tunnel insulating layer.

Abstract: Methods of forming a zirconium hafnium oxide thin layer on a semiconductor substrate by supplying tetrakis(ethylmethylamino)zirconium ([Zr{N(C2H5)(CH3)}4], TEMAZ) and tetrakis(ethylmethylamino)hafnium ([Hf{N(C2H5)(CH3)}4], TEMAH) to a substrate are provided. The TEMAZ and the TEMAH may be reacted with an oxidizing agent. The thin layer including zirconium hafnium oxide may be used for a gate insulation layer in a gate structure, a dielectric layer in a capacitor, or a dielectric layer in a flash memory device.

Abstract: Example embodiments of the present invention disclose a non-volatile semiconductor memory device, which may include a dielectric layer having an enhanced dielectric constant. A tunnel oxide layer pattern and a floating gate may be sequentially formed on a substrate. A dielectric layer pattern including metal oxide doped with Group III transition metals may be formed on the floating gate using a pulsed laser deposition process. The dielectric layer pattern having an increased dielectric constant may be formed of metal oxide doped with a transition metal such as scandium, yttrium, or lanthanum.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device can include forming a tunnel oxide layer on a substrate, forming a floating gate on the tunnel oxide layer and forming a dielectric layer pattern on the floating gate using an ALD process. The dielectric layer pattern can include a metal precursor that includes zirconium and an oxidant. A control gate can be formed on the dielectric layer pattern. The semiconductor device can include the dielectric layer pattern provided herein.

Abstract: The present invention can provide methods of forming a layer including lanthanum by utilizing a lanthanum precursor existing in a liquid phase at a room temperature. The present invention can further provide methods of forming layers including lanthanum on objects and methods of manufacturing a capacitor.

Abstract: In a method of forming a layer using an atomic layer deposition process, after a substrate is loaded into a chamber, a reactant is provided onto the substrate to form a preliminary layer. Atoms in the preliminary layer are partially removed from the preliminary layer using plasma formed from an inert gas such as an argon gas, a xenon gas or a krypton gas, or an inactive gas such as an oxygen gas, a nitrogen gas or a nitrous oxide gas to form a desired layer. Processes for forming the desired layer may be simplified. A highly integrated semiconductor device having improved reliability may be economically manufactured so that time and costs required for the manufacturing of the semiconductor device may be reduced.

Abstract: A conductive contact plug extends through an opening in the dielectric layer to contact the substrate and includes a widened pad portion extending onto the dielectric layer adjacent the opening. An ohmic pattern is disposed on the pad portion of the plug, and a barrier pattern is disposed on the ohmic pattern. A concave first capacitor electrode is disposed on the barrier pattern and defines a cavity opening away from the substrate. A capacitor dielectric layer conforms to a surface of the first capacitor electrode and a second capacitor electrode is disposed on the capacitor dielectric layer opposite the first capacitor electrode. Sidewalls of the ohmic pattern, the barrier pattern and the pad portion of the contact plug may be substantially coplanar, and the device may further include an etch stopper layer conforming to at least sidewalls of the ohmic pattern, the barrier pattern and the pad portion of the contact plug. Related fabrication methods are described.

Abstract: Flash memory devices include a semiconductor substrate having an active region. A gate pattern on the active region includes a floating gate pattern and a control gate pattern with an inter-gate dielectric layer pattern therebetween. The inter-gate dielectric layer pattern includes a plurality of hafnium oxide layers and a plurality of aluminum oxide layers, ones of which are alternately arrayed.

Abstract: A conductive contact plug extends through an opening in the dielectric layer to contact the substrate and includes a widened pad portion extending onto the dielectric layer adjacent the opening. An ohmic pattern is disposed on the pad portion of the plug, and a barrier pattern is disposed on the ohmic pattern. A concave first capacitor electrode is disposed on the barrier pattern and defines a cavity opening away from the substrate. A capacitor dielectric layer conforms to a surface of the first capacitor electrode and a second capacitor electrode is disposed on the capacitor dielectric layer opposite the first capacitor electrode. Sidewalls of the ohmic pattern, the barrier pattern and the pad portion of the contact plug may be substantially coplanar, and the device may further include an etch stopper layer conforming to at least sidewalls of the ohmic pattern, the barrier pattern and the pad portion of the contact plug. Related fabrication methods are described.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for forming a multi-layered structure having at least two films on a semiconductor substrate. The substrate is disposed on a thermally conductible stage for supporting the substrate. After the distance between the stage and the substrate is adjusted to a first interval so that the substrate has a first temperature by heat transferred from the stage, a first thin film is formed on the substrate at the first temperature. The distance is then adjusted from the first interval to a second interval so that the substrate reaches a second temperature, and then a second thin film is formed on the first thin film at the second temperature, thereby forming the multi-layered structure on the substrate. The multi-layered structure can be employed for a gate insulation film or the dielectric film of a capacitor.

Abstract: In a method of forming a layer using an atomic layer deposition process, after a substrate is loaded into a chamber, a first reactant is provided onto the substrate. The first reactant is partially chemisorbed on the substrate. A second reactant is introduced into the chamber to form a preliminary layer on the substrate by chemically reacting the second reactant with the chemisorbed first reactant. Impurities in the preliminary layer and unreacted reactants are simultaneously removed using a plasma for removing impurities to thereby form the layer on the substrate. The impurities in the layer may be effectively removed so that the layer may have reduced leakage current.

Abstract: A thin film structure and a capacitor using the film structure and methods for forming the same. The thin film structure may include a first film formed on a substrate using a first reactant and an oxidant for oxidizing the first reactant. A second film may be formed on the first film to suppress crystallization of the first film. A capacitor may include a dielectric layer, which may further include the first thin film and the second thin film.

Abstract: A capacitor including a dielectric structure, a lower electrode may be formed on a substrate. The dielectric structure may be formed on the lower electrode, and may include a first thin film, which may improve a morphology of the dielectric structure, and a second thin film, which may have at least one of an EOT larger than that of the first thin film and a dielectric constant higher than that of the first thin film. An upper electrode may be formed on the dielectric structure, and the dielectric structure may have an improved morphology and/or a higher dielectric constant.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a capping layer covering a capacitor of a semiconductor memory device, preferably a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor, wherein the method includes forming a capacitor having a lower electrode, a dielectric layer and an upper electrode on a semiconductor substrate, forming a capping layer on the capacitor, and crystallizing the dielectric layer. Here, forming the capping layer includes stabilizing for deposition of the capping layer without providing oxygen gas, depositing the capping layer by providing a reaction source for the capping layer; and purging an inside of a reactor for forming the capping layer.

Abstract: Liquid chemical delivery systems are provided which include a liquid chemical storage canister, a pressurized gas source that feeds a pressurized gas into the storage canister, a vaporizer that may be used to vaporize the liquid chemical supplied from the storage canister, a delivery line that connects the storage canister to the vaporizer, a liquid mass flow controller that controls the flow rate of the liquid chemical through the delivery line, a reaction chamber that is connected to the vaporizer, and a liquid chemical recycling element that collects at least some of the chemical flowing through the system during periods when the liquid chemical delivery system is isolated from the reaction chamber.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an integrated circuit device having capacitors is provided. The capacitors can include a first electrode, a dielectric layer and a second electrode. An interlayer insulating layer is formed on the capacitor. The interlayer insulating layer is patterned to form a metal contact hole that exposes a region of the second electrode. The exposed region of the second electrode is reduced to remove excessive oxygen atoms that can exist in the second electrode.

Abstract: Multi-layered structures formed using atomic-layer deposition processes include multiple metal oxide layers wherein the metal oxide layers are formed without the presence of interlayer oxide layers and may include different metal oxide compositions.

Abstract: A conductive contact plug extends through an opening in the dielectric layer to contact the substrate and includes a widened pad portion extending onto the dielectric layer adjacent the opening. An ohmic pattern is disposed on the pad portion of the plug, and a barrier pattern is disposed on the ohmic pattern. A concave first capacitor electrode is disposed on the barrier pattern and defines a cavity opening away from the substrate. A capacitor dielectric layer conforms to a surface of the first capacitor electrode and a second capacitor electrode is disposed on the capacitor dielectric layer opposite the first capacitor electrode. Sidewalls of the ohmic pattern, the barrier pattern and the pad portion of the contact plug may be substantially coplanar, and the device may further include an etch stopper layer conforming to at least sidewalls of the ohmic pattern, the barrier pattern and the pad portion of the contact plug. Related fabrication methods are described.

Abstract: A method of forming a dielectric film composed of metal oxide under an atmosphere of activated vapor containing oxygen. In the method of forming the dielectric film, a metal oxide film is formed on a semiconductor substrate using a metal organic precursor and O2 gas while the semiconductor substrate is exposed under activated vapor atmosphere containing oxygen, and then, the metal oxide film is annealed while the semiconductor substrate is exposed under activated vapor containing oxygen. The annealing may take place in situ with the formation of the metal oxide film, at the same or substantially the same temperature as the metal oxide forming, and/or at at least one of a different pressure, oxygen concentration, or oxygen flow rate as the metal oxide forming.

Abstract: A layer deposition method includes: feeding a reactant with a first flow of an inert gas as a carrier gas into a reaction chamber to chemisorb the reactant on a substrate; feeding the first flow of the inert gas to purge the reaction chamber and a first reactant feed line; and feeding the second flow of the inert gas into the reaction chamber through a feed line different from the first reactant feed line.