Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a first gate structure on a substrate, the first gate structure including a gate insulation layer, a gate electrode, and a hard mask sequentially stacked on the substrate, forming a preliminary spacer layer on sidewalls of the first gate structure and the substrate, the preliminary spacer layer including silicon nitride, implanting molecular ions into the preliminary spacer layer to form a spacer layer having a dielectric constant lower than a dielectric constant of the preliminary spacer layer, anisotropically etching the spacer layer to form spacers on the sidewalls of the first gate structure, and forming impurity regions at upper portions of the substrate adjacent to the first gate structure.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a first gate structure on a substrate, the first gate structure including a gate insulation layer, a gate electrode, and a hard mask sequentially stacked on the substrate, forming a preliminary spacer layer on sidewalls of the first gate structure and the substrate, the preliminary spacer layer including silicon nitride, implanting molecular ions into the preliminary spacer layer to form a spacer layer having a dielectric constant lower than a dielectric constant of the preliminary spacer layer, anisotropically etching the spacer layer to form spacers on the sidewalls of the first gate structure, and forming impurity regions at upper portions of the substrate adjacent to the first gate structure.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices including multilayer dielectric layers are disclosed. The methods include forming a multilayer dielectric layer including metal atoms and silicon atoms on a semiconductor substrate. The multilayer dielectric layer includes at least two crystalline metal silicate layers having different silicon concentrations. The multilayer dielectric layer may be used, for example, as a dielectric layer for a capacitor, or as a blocking layer for a nonvolatile memory device.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices including multilayer dielectric layers are disclosed. The methods include forming a multilayer dielectric layer including metal atoms and silicon atoms on a semiconductor substrate. The multilayer dielectric layer includes at least two crystalline metal silicate layers having different silicon concentrations. The multilayer dielectric layer may be used, for example, as a dielectric layer for a capacitor, or as a blocking layer for a nonvolatile memory device.

Abstract: A dielectric layer, an MIM capacitor, a method of manufacturing the dielectric layer and a method of manufacturing the MIM capacitor. The method of manufacturing the dielectric layer includes chemically reacting a metal source with different amounts of an oxidizing agent based on the cycle of the chemical reactions in order to control leakage characteristics of the dielectric layer, the electrical characteristics of the dielectric layer, and the dielectric characteristics of the dielectric layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes loading a semiconductor substrate into a reaction chamber, and providing metal organic precursors including hafnium and zirconium into the reaction chamber to form hafnium-zirconium oxide (HfxZr1-xO; 0<X<1) with a tetragonal crystalline structure on the semiconductor substrate. Related structures are also discussed.

Abstract: A method of forming a dielectric layer in a capacitor adapted for use in a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes forming a first ZrO2 layer, forming an interfacial layer using a plasma treatment on the first ZrO2 layer, and forming a second ZrO2 layer on the interfacial layer.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a dielectric structure, after a first dielectric layer is formed on a substrate by using a metal oxide doped with silicon, the substrate is placed on a susceptor of a chamber. By treating the first dielectric layer with a plasma in controlling a voltage difference between the susceptor and a ground, a second dielectric layer is formed on the first dielectric layer. The second dielectric layer including a metal oxynitride doped with silicon having enough content of nitrogen is formed on the first dielectric layer. Therefore, dielectric properties of the dielectric structure comprising the first and the second dielectric layers can be improved and a leakage current can be greatly decreased. By adapting the dielectric structure to a gate insulation layer and/or to a dielectric layer of a capacitor or of a non-volatile semiconductor memory device, capacitances and electrical properties can be improved.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing a semiconductor device include forming an absorption layer on a surface of a substrate by exposing the surface of the substrate to a first reaction gas at a first temperature. A metal oxide layer is then formed on the surface of the substrate by exposing the absorption layer to a second reaction gas at a second temperature. The first reaction gas may include a precursor containing zirconium (e.g., tetrakis(ethylmethylamino)zirconium) and the second reaction gas may include an oxidizing agent.

Abstract: A multilayer electrode structure has a conductive layer including aluminum, an oxide layer formed on the conductive layer, and an oxygen diffusion barrier layer. The oxide layer includes zirconium oxide and/or titanium oxide. The oxygen diffusion barrier layer is formed at an interface between the conductive layer and the oxide layer by re-oxidizing the oxide layer. The oxygen diffusion barrier layer includes aluminum oxide.

Abstract: A multilayer electrode structure has a conductive layer including aluminum, an oxide layer formed on the conductive layer, and an oxygen diffusion barrier layer. The oxide layer includes zirconium oxide and/or titanium oxide. The oxygen diffusion barrier layer is formed at an interface between the conductive layer and the oxide layer by re-oxidizing the oxide layer. The oxygen diffusion barrier layer includes aluminum oxide.

Abstract: In a method of forming a thin film and methods of manufacturing a gate structure and a capacitor, a hafnium precursor including one alkoxy group and three amino groups, and an oxidizing agent are provided on a substrate. The hafnium precursor is reacted with the oxidizing agent to form the thin film including hafnium oxide on the substrate. The hafnium precursor may be employed for forming a gate insulation layer of a transistor or a dielectric layer of a capacitor.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a dielectric structure, after a tunnel oxide layer pattern is formed on a substrate, a floating gate is formed on the tunnel oxide layer. After a first dielectric layer pattern including a metal silicon oxide and a second dielectric layer pattern including a metal silicon oxynitride are formed, a control gate is formed on the dielectric structure. Since the dielectric structure includes at least one metal silicon oxide layer and at least one metal silicon oxynitride layer, the dielectric structure may have a high dielectric constant and a good thermal resistance. A non-volatile semiconductor memory device including the dielectric structure may have good electrical characteristics such as a large capacitance and a low leakage current.

Abstract: Provided is a capacitor of a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same. In one embodiment, the capacitor includes a lower electrode formed on a semiconductor substrate; a dielectric layer formed on the lower electrode; and an upper electrode that is formed on the dielectric layer. The upper electrode includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and a third conductive layer stacked sequentially. The first conductive layer comprises a metal layer, a conductive metal oxide layer, a conductive metal nitride layer, or a conductive metal oxynitride layer. The second conductive layer comprises a doped polysilicon germanium layer. The third conductive layer comprises a material having a lower resistance than that of the second conductive layer.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of forming dielectric materials using atomic layer deposition (ALD) and methods of forming dielectric layers from such materials on a semiconductor device. The ALD process utilizes a first reactant containing at least one alkoxide group that is chemisorbed onto a surface of a substrate and then reacted with an activated oxidant that contains no hydroxyl group to form a dielectric material exhibiting excellent step coverage and improved leakage current characteristics.

Abstract: A method of forming a dielectric layer in a capacitor adapted for use in a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes forming a first ZrO2 layer, forming an interfacial layer using a plasma treatment on the first ZrO2 layer, and forming a second ZrO2 layer on the interfacial layer.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for forming thin films for semiconductor devices, which enable supplying and removing reactants containing constituent elements of a thin film to be formed, by preheating and supplying a process gas and a purging gas at a predetermined temperature in forming the thin film on a substrate. For example, a method for forming a thin film includes supplying a first reactant to a chamber to chemically absorb the first reactant onto a substrate, the first reactant being bubbled by a first gas that is preheated, purging the chamber to remove residues on the substrate having the first reactant chemically absorbed, and forming the thin film by a means of chemical displacement by supplying a second reactant to the chamber to chemically absorb the second reactant onto the substrate.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes loading a semiconductor substrate into a reaction chamber, and providing metal organic precursors including hafnium and zirconium into the reaction chamber to form hafnium-zirconium oxide (HfxZr1-xO; 0<X<1) with a tetragonal crystalline structure on the semiconductor substrate. Related structures are also discussed.

Abstract: A multilayer electrode structure has a conductive layer including aluminum, an oxide layer formed on the conductive layer, and an oxygen diffusion barrier layer. The oxide layer includes zirconium oxide and/or titanium oxide. The oxygen diffusion barrier layer is formed at an interface between the conductive layer and the oxide layer by re-oxidizing the oxide layer. The oxygen diffusion barrier layer includes aluminum oxide.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of forming metal thin films, lanthanum oxide films and high dielectric films. Compositions of metal thin films, lanthanum oxide films and high dielectric films are also provided. Further provided are semiconductor devices comprising the metal thin films, lanthanum oxide films and high dielectric films provided herein.