Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device is disclosed which comprises a chamber which holds a to-be-processed substrate having a film containing at least one kind of metal element which will become a component of a volatile metal compound, a heater which heats the substrate held in the chamber, and an adsorbent which is provided in the chamber and which adsorbs the volatile metal compound generated from the film by heating the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a ferroelectric device relatively free of fences by using a hardmask having high etching selectivity relative to an underlying barrier layer. The present invention also includes a method for suppressing the fences clinging to the sidewalls of ferroelectric devices. Additionally, the present invention provides a ferroelectric device having a hardmask relatively thin compared to an underlying barrier layer when compared to prior art devices.

Abstract: A lower electrode is formed on an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate. A pair of ferroelectric films are formed on the lower electrode separately from each other. An upper electrode is formed on each of the pair of ferroelectric films. A portion of the lower electrode on which the ferroelectric film is formed is thicker than a portion thereof on which the ferroelectric film is not formed. Such a structure is obtained by sequentially depositing the lower electrode, the ferroelectric film, and the upper electrode on the insulating film, forming a mask on the upper-electrode, using this mask to etch the upper-electrode and the ferroelectric film to thereby pattern a pair of upper electrodes and a pair of ferroelectric electrodes, forming such a mask that continuously covers the pair of upper electrodes and the pair of ferroelectric films, and then etching the lower-electrode material film.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit has a ferroelectric capacitor. The ferroelectric capacitor includes a first insulation film formed above a semiconductor substrate, a first electrode which is buried in a fist hole formed in the first insulation film and whose surface is flattened, a second insulation film formed above the first insulation film and having a second hole above the first electrode, a ferroelectric film formed in the second hole, and a second electrode formed in the second hole and above the ferroelectric film and flattened so as to be flush with a surface of the second insulation film.

Abstract: First and second semiconductor regions are formed separately from each other in a semiconductor substrate. A gate electrode is formed above the semiconductor substrate which lies between the first and second semiconductor regions. An interlayer insulating film is formed on the semiconductor substrate to cover the first and second semiconductor regions and the gate electrode. First and second lower electrodes are formed on the interlayer insulating film. A first contact plug is formed in the interlayer insulating film in contact with the first lower electrode. A second contact plug is formed in the interlayer insulating film in contact with the second lower electrode. A first ferroelectric film is formed on the first lower electrode. A first upper electrode is formed on the first ferroelectric film. A second ferroelectric film is formed on the second lower electrode. A second upper electrode is formed on the second ferroelectric film.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a MOS transistor, an interlayer insulating film, a contact plug, a capacitor lower electrode, a ferroelectric film and two capacitor upper electrodes. The MOS transistor is formed on a semiconductor substrate. The interlayer insulating film covers the MOS transistor. The contact plug is connected to an impurity diffusion layer of the MOS transistor. The capacitor lower electrode is formed on the contact plug. The two capacitor upper electrodes are formed on the capacitor lower electrode with the ferroelectric film interposed therebetween. A contact area between the contact plug and the capacitor lower electrode is greater than a contact area between each of the two capacitor upper electrodes and the ferroelectric film. At least a part of a gate electrode of the MOS transistor is located just below a region of the contact plug, which region is in contact with the capacitor lower electrode.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a semiconductor substrate; an insulating film formed on said semiconductor substrate; a ferroelectric capacitor having a lower electrode, a ferroelectric film and an upper electrode which are stacked sequentially on the insulating film; a first hydrogen barrier film; a first inter-layer insulating film covering said ferroelectric capacitor; and a second inter-layer insulating film stacked on the first inter-layer insulating film, the first hydrogen barrier film being interposed between the first and second interlayer insulating films is proposed.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device having a ferroelectric capacitor formed on a semiconductor substrate covered with an insulator film, wherein the ferroelectric capacitor comprises: a bottom electrode formed on the insulator film; a ferroelectric film formed on the bottom electrode; and a top electrode formed on the ferroelectric film. The ferroelectric film has a stacked structure of either of two-layer-ferroelectric film or three-layer-ferroelectric film. The upper ferroelectric film is metallized and prevents hydrogen from diffusing in lower ferroelectric layer. Crystal grains of the stacked ferroelectric films are preferably different.

Abstract: The semiconductor device is constituted in such a manner that a switching transistor having a drain region and a source region which are comprised of an impurity-diffused region is formed in the surface layer portion of a semiconductor substrate. On the semiconductor substrate containing the transistor, a first insulation film is formed, and, at the upper layer side of the first insulation film, a capacitor is formed. The capacitor is comprised of a lower electrode, an inter-electrode insulation film comprising one of ferroelectric and high-permittivity dielectric, and an upper electrode. Before the inter-electrode insulation film is formed, a second insulation film is formed so as to cover the side face portion of the inter-electrode insulation film, the second insulation film protecting the side face portion of the inter-electrode insulation film.

Abstract: Provided are a semiconductor memory device that permits increasing the degree of integration without decreasing the capacitance of the capacitor included in a memory cell, and a method of manufacturing the particular semiconductor memory device. Specifically, provided are a semiconductor memory device, comprising a semiconductor substrate, an interlayer insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate, a first electrode formed on the interlayer insulating film, a first ferroelectric film formed on the first electrode, a second electrode formed on the first ferroelectric film, a second ferroelectric film formed on the second electrode, and a third electrode formed on the second ferroelectric film, and a method of manufacturing the particular semiconductor memory device.

Abstract: First and second semiconductor regions are formed separately from each other in a semiconductor substrate. A gate electrode is formed above the semiconductor substrate which lies between the first and second semiconductor regions. An interlayer insulating film is formed on the semiconductor substrate to cover the first and second semiconductor regions and the gate electrode. First and second lower electrodes are formed on the interlayer insulating film. A first contact plug is formed in the interlayer insulating film in contact with the first lower electrode. A second contact plug is formed in the interlayer insulating film in contact with the second lower electrode. A first ferroelectric film is formed on the first lower electrode. A first upper electrode is formed on the first ferroelectric film. A second ferroelectric film is formed on the second lower electrode. A second upper electrode is formed on the second ferroelectric film.

Abstract: First and second semiconductor regions are formed separately from each other in a semiconductor substrate. A gate electrode is formed above the semiconductor substrate which lies between the first and second semiconductor regions. An interlayer insulating film is formed on the semiconductor substrate to cover the first and second semiconductor regions and the gate electrode. First and second lower electrodes are formed on the interlayer insulating film. A first contact plug is formed in the interlayer insulating film in contact with the first lower electrode. A second contact plug is formed in the interlayer insulating film in contact with the second lower electrode. A first ferroelectric film is formed on the first lower electrode. A first upper electrode is formed on the first ferroelectric film. A second ferroelectric film is formed on the second lower electrode. A second upper electrode is formed on the second ferroelectric film.

Abstract: A lower electrode is formed on an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate. A pair of ferroelectric films are formed on the lower electrode separately from each other. An upper electrode is formed on each of the pair of ferroelectric films. A portion of the lower electrode on which the ferroelectric film is formed is thicker than a portion thereof on which the ferroelectric film is not formed. Such a structure is obtained by sequentially depositing the lower electrode, the ferroelectric film, and the upper electrode on the insulating film, forming a mask on the upper-electrode, using this mask to etch the upper-electrode and the ferroelectric film to thereby pattern a pair of upper electrodes and a pair of ferroelectric electrodes, forming such a mask that continuously covers the pair of upper electrodes and the pair of ferroelectric films, and then etching the lower-electrode material film.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory including a ferroelectric gate capacitor structure includes an insulating interlayer formed on the surface of a semiconductor substrate. The insulating interlayer includes a hole at a position corresponding to a channel region. In the channel length direction, the hole extends across the channel region. A ferroelectric gate capacitor structure is formed in the hole. The ferroelectric gate capacitor structure includes a dielectric film, ferroelectric film, and upper electrode formed in this order from the substrate side.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device including a memory cell block having a plurality of memory transistors formed on a semiconductor substrate. The memory transistors include first and second impurity-diffused regions and a gate formed therebetween. A plurality of memory cells are also included in the memory cell block and have lower electrodes connected to the first impurity-diffused regions, ferroelectric films formed on the lower electrodes and first upper electrodes formed on the ferroelectric films and connected to the second impurity-diffused regions. Further included are block selecting transistors formed on the semiconductor substrate and being connected to one end of the memory cell block. Second upper electrodes are also formed adjoined to the block selecting transistors and being disconnected from the first upper electrode of the memory cells.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a semiconductor substrate; an insulating film formed on said semiconductor substrate; a ferroelectric capacitor having a lower electrode, a ferroelectric film and an upper electrode which are stacked sequentially on the insulating film; a first hydrogen barrier film; a first inter-layer insulating film covering said ferroelectric capacitor; and a second inter-layer insulating film stacked on the first inter-layer insulating film, the first hydrogen barrier film being interposed between the first and second interlayer insulating films is proposed.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device having a ferroelectric capacitor formed on a semiconductor substrate covered with an insulator film, wherein the ferroelectric capacitor comprises: a bottom electrode formed on the insulator film; a ferroelectric film formed on the bottom electrode; and a top electrode formed on the ferroelectric film. The ferroelectric film has a stacked structure of either of two-layer-ferroelectric film or three-layer-ferroelectric film. The upper ferroelectric film is metallized and prevents hydrogen from diffusing in lower ferroelectric layer. Crystal grains of the stacked ferroelectric films are preferably different.

Abstract: The semiconductor device is constituted in such a manner that a switching transistor having a drain region and a source region which are comprised of an impurity-diffused region is formed in the surface layer portion of a semiconductor substrate. On the semiconductor substrate containing the transistor, a first insulation film is formed, and, at the upper layer side of the first insulation film, a capacitor is formed. The capacitor is comprised of a lower electrode, an inter-electrode insulation film comprising one of ferroelectric and high-permittivity dielectric, and an upper electrode. Before the inter-electrode insulation film is formed, a second insulation film is formed so as to cover the side face portion of the inter-electrode insulation film, the second insulation film protecting the side face portion of the inter-electrode insulation film.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device having a ferroelectric capacitor formed on a semiconductor substrate covered with an insulator film, wherein the ferroelectric capacitor comprises: a bottom electrode formed on the insulator film; a ferroelectric film formed on the bottom electrode; and a top electrode formed on the ferroelectric film. The ferroelectric film has a stacked structure of either of two-layer-ferroelectric film or three-layer-ferroelectric film. The upper ferroelectric film is metallized and prevents hydrogen from diffusing in lower ferroelectric layer. Crystal grains of the stacked ferroelectric films are preferably different.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit has a ferroelectric capacitor. The ferroelectric capacitor includes a first insulation film formed above a semiconductor substrate, a first electrode which is buried in a fist hole formed in the first insulation film and whose surface is flattened, a second insulation film formed above the first insulation film and having a second hole above the first electrode, a ferroelectric film formed in the second hole, and a second electrode formed in the second hole and above the ferroelectric film and flattened so as to be flush with a surface of the second insulation film.