Abstract: A congestion controlling device is connected to client terminals and contents servers via communications lines. When a load distributing device receives requests from the client terminals that have made the requests for acquisitions of the information, the load distributing device judges whether the situation of the relay processing has satisfied a predetermined condition. If the situation has satisfied the condition, not only the client's requests are regulated, but predetermined messages of either reasons for the regulation or requests to defer the client's requests for a while are notified to the client terminals. The congestion controlling device may include Web proxy servers each including a cache. If the information requested by the client terminals has been stored in the cache of the Web proxy server, the information in the cache is transmitted to the client terminals.

Abstract: Insulating films 34 through 38 (of which insulating films 34, 36, 38 are silicon nitride films and insulating films 35, 38 are silicon oxide films) are sequentially formed on the wires 33 of the fourth wiring layer and groove pattern 40 is transferred into the insulating film 38 by means of photolithography. An anti-reflection film 41 is formed to fill the grooves 40 of the insulating film 38 and then a resist film 42 carrying a hole pattern 43 is formed. The films are subjected to an etching operation in the presence of the resist film 42 to transfer the hole pattern into the insulating films 38, 37, 36 and part of the insulating film 35. Subsequently, the resist film 42 and the anti-reflection film 41 are removed and the groove pattern 40 and the hole pattern 43 are transferred respectively into the insulating film 37 and the insulating film 35 by using the insulating film 38 as mask.

Abstract: Tobacco preferably contains powdery basic calcium phosphate, particularly, powdery calcium-defective basic calcium phosphate, adsorbed on or mixed with the tobacco, for decreasing the amount of side stream smoke rising from the burning site. In the case that tobacco is used in the form of a cigarette, the paper sheet surrounding the tobacco may contain powdery basic calcium phosphate.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is a semiconductor integrated circuit device fabricating process for forming MISFETs over the principal surface in those active regions of a substrate, which are surrounded by inactive regions formed of an element separating insulating film and channel stopper regions, comprising: the step of for forming a first mask by a non-oxidizable mask and an etching mask sequentially over the principal surface of the active regions of the substrate; the step of forming a second mask on and in self-alignment with the side walls of the first mask by a non-oxidizable mask thinner than the non-oxidizable mask of the first mask and an etching mask respectively; the step of etching the principal surface of the inactive regions of the substrate by using the first mask and the second mask; the step of forming the element separating insulating film over the principal surface of the inactive regions of the substrate by an oxidization using the first mask and the second mask; and the step of forming the channel s

Abstract: [Object] To prevent Al wiring formed on a via-hole in which a CVD-TiN film is embedded from corroding.

Abstract: Insulating films 34 through 38 (of which insulating films 34, 36, 38 are silicon nitride films and insulating films 35, 38 are silicon oxide films) are sequentially formed on the wires 33 of the fourth wiring layer and groove pattern 40 is transferred into the insulating film 38 by means of photolithography. An anti-reflection film 41 is formed to fill the grooves 40 of the insulating film 38 and then a resist film 42 carrying a hole pattern 43 is formed. The films are subjected to an etching operation in the presence of the resist film 42 to transfer the hole pattern into the insulating films 38, 37, 36 and part of the insulating film 35. Subsequently, the resist film 42 and the anti-reflection film 41 are removed and the groove pattern 40 and the hole pattern 43 are transferred respectively into the insulating film 37 and the insulating film 35 by using the insulating film 38 as mask.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device comprises a semiconductor substrate, an interlayer insulating film including SiOF films formed on a main surface of the semiconductor substrate, a wiring groove formed by dry etching of the interlayer insulating film, and a Cu wiring buried in the wiring groove by a Damascene method wherein a silicon oxynitride film is provided between a silicon nitride film serving as an etching stopper layer for the dry etching and the SiOF film so that free F generated in the SiOF film is trapped with the silicon oxynitride film.

Abstract: A congestion control and avoidance method including a method check step of determining whether the request contents is cacheable or uncacheable on the basis of the request inputted from the client terminal, a first URI check step of, when it is determined that the request contents is cacheable in the method check step, checking a URI included in the request from the client terminal to determine whether the request contents is cacheable or uncacheable, a first URI hash search step of, when it is determined that the request contents is cacheable based on determination of the first URI check step, searching a URI hash to determine to execute any of regular caching, priority caching and access limitationing operation, and a step of executing any of the regular caching, priority caching and access limitationing operation according to determination in the first URI hash search step.

Abstract: Process gas is fed from a gas supply means to a plasma generating means in a vacuum chamber, and hydrogen-containing plasma is generated by the plasma generating means under a low pressure. A soft solder alloy on the surface of a workpiece supported by a workpiece exposing means is exposed to the hydrogen-containing plasma so that the soft solder alloy is irradiated with the hydrogen-containing plasma. Either simultaneously with or immediately after the plasma irradiation, the soft solder alloy undergoes reflow treatment in a vacuum by a heating means. As no flux is used, there is no need of a washing process, and the bump-shaped electrode terminals produced by using the inexpensive soft solder alloy on the surface of the workpiece have great reliability.

Abstract: A DRAM has, in one embodiment, a plurality of word lines each having its upper and side surfaces covered with a first insulating film, a plurality of bit lines each being provided so as to be insulated from and transverse to the word lines and being covered with a second insulating film, and a plurality of memory cells each provided at an intersection between one word line and one bit line and including a capacitor and a memory cell selection transistor, in which contact holes for connection between semiconductor regions and capacitors and between semiconductor regions and bit lines are formed in self-alignment and the second insulating film is made of a material having a permittivity smaller than that of the first insulating film.

Abstract: The semiconductor device is formed according to the following steps. A TiN film 71 and a W film 72 are deposited on a silicon oxide film 64 including the inside of a via-hole 66 by the CVD method and thereafter, the W film 72 and TiN film 71 on the silicon oxide film 64 are etched back to leave only the inside of the via-hole 66 and form a plug 73. Then, a TiN film 74, Al-alloy film 75, and Ti film 76 are deposited on the silicon oxide film 64 including the surface of the plug 73 by the sputtering method and thereafter, the Ti film 76, Al-alloy film 75, and TiN film 74 are patterned to form second-layer wirings 77 and 78.

Abstract: In a DRAM having a capacitor-over-bitline structure in which the capacitive insulating film of an information storing capacitive element C is formed of a high dielectric material such as Ta2O5 (tantalum oxide) film 46, the portions of bit lines BL and first-layer interconnect lines 23 to 26 of a peripheral circuit which are in contact with at least an underlying silicon oxide film 28 are formed of a W film, the bit lines BL and the interconnect lines 23 to 26 being arranged below the information storing capacitive element C, whereby the adhesion at the interface between the bit lines BL and the interconnect lines 23 to 26 and the silicon oxide film is improved in terms of high-temperature heat treatment to be performed when the capacitive insulating film is being formed.

Abstract: Insulating films 34 through 38 (of which insulating films 34, 36, 38 are silicon nitride films and insulating films 35, 38 are silicon oxide films) are sequentially formed on the wires 33 of the fourth wiring layer and groove pattern 40 is transferred into the insulating film 38 by means of photolithography. An anti-reflection film 41 is formed to fill the grooves 40 of the insulating film 38 and then a resist film 42 carrying a hole pattern 43 is formed. The films are subjected to an etching operation in the presence of the resist film 42 to transfer the hole pattern into the insulating films 38, 37, 36 and part of the insulating film 35. Subsequently, the resist film 42 and the anti-reflection film 41 are removed and the groove pattern 40 and the hole pattern 43 are transferred respectively into the insulating film 37 and the insulating film 35 by using the insulating film 38 as mask.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device and a manufacturing method therefor provide advantages that undulations are prevented from being produced in polycrystal silicon plugs in bit line contact holes and that the undesired phenomenon of transversally etching silicide film at contacts of the bit lines and the polycrystal silicon plugs is avoided. The bit lines formed when forming a first wiring layer are made of a laminate film having a titanium film, a titanium nitride film and a tungsten film, and a titanium silicide film containing nitrogen or oxygen is formed in contact areas of the bit lines and plugs. A titanium silicide film containing nitrogen or oxygen is also formed in contact areas of the first wiring layer and semiconductor substrate. The titanium silicide film may be replaced by silicide film containing nitrogen or oxygen, cobalt silicide film containing nitrogen or oxygen or cobalt silicide film.

Abstract: An interlayer dielectric film that surrounds via holes for connecting wirings of a second wiring layer and the wirings of a third wiring layer is constituted of a dielectric material having a relatively smaller Young's modulus compared with the Young's modulus of a dielectric material constituting a dielectric film that surrounds wiring grooves in dual damascene wirings, which can improve the heat resistance and electromigration resistance of the dual damascene wirings.

Abstract: Insulating films 34 through 38 (of which insulating films 34, 36, 38 are silicon nitride films and insulating films 35, 38 are silicon oxide films) are sequentially formed on the wires 33 of the fourth wiring layer and groove pattern 40 is transferred into the insulating film 38 by means of photolithography. An anti-reflection film 41 is formed to fill the grooves 40 of the insulating film 38 and then a resist film 42 carrying a hole pattern 43 is formed. The films are subjected to an etching operation in the presence of the resist film 42 to transfer the hole pattern into the insulating films 38, 37, 36 and part of the insulating film 35. Subsequently, the resist film 42 and the anti-reflection film 41 are removed and the groove pattern 40 and the hole pattern 43 are transferred respectively into the insulating film 37 and the insulating film 35 by using the insulating film 38 as mask.

Abstract: In a DRAM having a capacitor-over-bitline structure in which the capacitive insulating film of an information storing capacitive element C is formed of a high dielectric material such as Ta2O5 (tantalum oxide) film 46, the portions of bit lines BL and first-layer interconnect lines 23 to 26 of a peripheral circuit which are in contact with at least an underlying silicon oxide film 28 are formed of a W film, the bit lines BL and the interconnect lines 23 to 26 being arranged below the information storing capacitive element C, whereby the adhesion at the interface between the bit lines BL and the interconnect lines 23 to 26 and the silicon oxide film is improved in terms of high-temperature heat treatment to be performed when the capacitive insulating film is being formed.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device and a manufacturing method therefor provide advantages that undulations are prevented from being produced in polycrystal silicon plugs in bit line contact holes and that the undesired phenomenon of transversally etching silicide film at contacts of the bit lines and the polycrystal silicon plugs is avoided. The bit lines formed when forming a first wiring layer are made of a laminate film having a titanium film, a titanium nitride film and a tungsten film, and a titanium silicide film containing nitrogen or oxygen is formed in contact areas of the bit lines and plugs. A titanium silicide film containing nitrogen or oxygen is also formed in contact areas of the first wiring layer and semiconductor substrate. The titanium silicide film may be replaced by silicide film containing nitrogen or oxygen, cobalt silicide film containing nitrogen or oxygen or cobalt silicide film.

Abstract: In a process for manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device having a MISFET, in order that a shallow junction between the source/drain of the MISFET and a semiconductor substrate may be realized by reducing the number of heat treatment steps, all conductive films to be deposited on the semiconductor substrate are deposited at a temperature of 500° C. or lower at a step after the MISFET has been formed. Moreover, all insulating films to be deposited over the semiconductor substrate are deposited at a temperature of 500° C. or lower at a step after the MISFET has been formed.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is a semiconductor integrated circuit device fabricating process for forming MISFETs over the principal surface in those active regions of a substrate, which are surrounded by inactive regions formed of an element separating insulating film and channel stopper regions, comprising: the step of for forming a first mask by a non-oxidizable mask and an etching mask sequentially over the principal surface of the active regions of the substrate; the step of forming a second mask on and in self-alignment with the side walls of the first mask by a non-oxidizable mask thinner than the non-oxidizable mask of the first mask and an etching mask respectively; the step of etching the principal surface of the inactive regions of the substrate by using the first mask and the second mask; the step of forming the element separating insulating film over the principal surface of the inactive regions of the substrate by an oxidization using the first mask and the second mask; and the step of forming the channel s