Abstract: Semiconductor regions for the suppression of short channel effects are not provided for a pMIS and an nMIS that constitute an inverter circuit of an input first stage of an I/O buffer circuit, whereas semiconductor regions for the suppression of short channel effects are provided for pMIS and nMIS of inverter circuits subsequent to the next stage of an I/O buffer circuit.

Abstract: There is provided a technique for improving the flatness at the surface of members embedded in a plurality of recesses without resulting in increase of time required for manufacturing processes. According to this technique, the dummy patterns can be placed up to the area near the boundary BL between the element forming region DA and dummy region FA by placing the first dummy pattern DP1 of relatively wider area and the second dummy pattern DP2 of relatively small area in the dummy region FA. Thereby, the flatness of the surface of the silicon oxide film embedded within the isolation groove can be improved in the entire part of the dummy region FA. Moreover, increase of mask data can be controlled when the first dummy patterns DP1 occupy the relatively wide region among the dummy region FA.

Abstract: In a DRAM having information storage capacitative elements over their corresponding bit lines BL, wiring grooves are defined in an insulating film for wire or interconnection formation, which are formed over gate electrode serving as word lines of the DRAM. Sidewall spacers are formed on their corresponding side walls of the wiring grooves. Each bit line BL and a first layer interconnection composed of a tungsten film are formed so as to be embedded in the wiring grooves whose intervals are respectively narrowed by the sidewall spacers. The bit lines BL are respectively connected to a semiconductor substrate through connecting plugs. The bit lines BL and the connecting plugs are respectively connected to one another at the bottoms of the wiring grooves.

Abstract: A photoresist pattern through which a first well forming region and a second well forming region are exposed is formed over a semiconductor substrate, used as the mask to dope the semiconductor substrate with an impurity thereby to form buried n-wells, and further used as the mask to dope the same with an impurity thereby to form shallow p-wells in a self-alignment manner over the buried n-wells. Subsequently, the photoresist pattern is removed. After this, a photoresist pattern through which the outer peripheral region of the first well forming region and a third well forming region are exposed is formed over the major surface of the semiconductor substrate, and used as the mask to dope the semiconductor substrate with an impurity thereby to form shallow p-wells.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having and electrically erasable and programmable nonvolatile memory, for example, a rewritable nonvolatile memory including memory cells arranged in rows and columns and disposed to facilitate both flash erasure as well as selective erasure of individual units of plural memory cells. The semiconductor device which functions as a microcomputer chip also has a processing unit and includes an input terminal for receiving an operation mode signal for switching the microcomputer between a first operation mode in which the flash memory is rewritten under control of a processing unit and a second operation mode in which the flash memory is rewritten under control of separate writing circuit externally connectable to the microcomputer.

Abstract: A nonvolatile storage element of a single-layer gate type structure is arranged so that a floating gate is formed of a conductive layer which partly overlaps with a control gate, formed of a diffused layer, and is provided with a barrier layer covering a part of or the whole surface of the floating gate. Nonvolatile storage elements characterized as such are used for redundancy control of defects or change of functions.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having and electrically erasable and programmable nonvolatile memory, for example, a rewritable nonvolatile memory including memory cells arranged in rows and columns and disposed to facilitate both flash erasure as well as selective erasure of individual units of plural memory cells. The semiconductor device which functions as a microcomputer chip also has a processing unit and includes an input terminal for receiving an operation mode signal for switching the microcomputer between a first operation mode in which the flash memory is rewritten under control of a processing unit and a second operation mode in which the flash memory is rewritten under control of separate writing circuit externally connectable to the microcomputer.

Abstract: A gate electrode of MISFET Qs for information transmission in a memory cell-forming region is constituted of a built-up film of a polysilicon film and a W film, and gate electrodes of n channel-type MISFET Qn1 and p channel-type MISFET's QP1, Qp2 in a peripheral circuit-forming region are each constituted of a built-up film of a polysilicon and a CoSi layer. The CoSi layer is formed on a source and a drain of these MISFET's, and any CoSi layer is not formed on a source and a drain of the MISFET for information transmission. As a result, refresh characteristics of a memory cell can be improved, and contact holes can be formed in high precision over the CoSi layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device comprising a one-chip microcomputer having a nonvolatile memory circuit to and from which write and read operations are carried out at high speed in keeping with the cycle time of the processor. Part of the memory circuit is set aside as a read-only area for accommodating a data processing program, and the rest of the memory is used to write and read data thereto and therefrom. With no need to optimize the assignments of the ROM and RAM parts in the memory circuit, the one-chip microchip is easy to design and manufacture with high productivity. With the program storage area established as desired, users enjoy more convenience use of the one-chip microcomputer than before.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having and electrically erasable and programmable nonvolatile memory, for example, a rewritable nonvolatile memory including memory cells arranged in rows and columns and disposed to facilitate both flash erasure as well as selective erasure of individual units of plural memory cells. The semiconductor device which functions as a microcomputer chip also has a processing unit and includes an input terminal for receiving an operation mode signal for switching the microcomputer between a first operation mode in which the flash memory is rewritten under control of a processing unit and a second operation mode in which the flash memory is rewritten under control of separate writing circuit externally connectable to the microcomputer.

Abstract: In an automatic testing apparatus comprising, a specimen holder area adapted to hold thereon a specimen substrate for receiving therein a specimen, a reagent injector adapted to inject a reagent toward the specimen in the specimen substrate on the specimen holder area to mix the specimen with the reagent, a mixture reaction device adapted to hold thereon the specimen substrate including the mixture of the specimen and the reagent within a predetermined circumferential condition during a time period, and a transferring device for transferring the specimen substrate relative to the specimen holder area, the mixture reaction device has a take-in area to which the specimen substrate is transferred from the specimen holder area by the transferring device, and the take-in area is arranged adjacent to the specimen holder area.

Abstract: A photoresist pattern through which a first well forming region and a second well forming region are exposed is formed over a semiconductor substrate, used as the mask to dope the semiconductor substrate with an impurity thereby to form buried n-wells, and further used as the mask to dope the same with an impurity thereby to form shallow p-wells in a self-alignment manner over the buried n-wells. Subsequently, the photoresist pattern is removed. After this, a photoresist pattern through which the outer peripheral region of the first well forming region and a third well forming region are exposed is formed over the major surface of the semiconductor substrate, and used as the mask to dope the semiconductor substrate with an impurity thereby to form shallow p-wells.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having and electrically erasable and programmable nonvolatile memory, for example, a rewritable nonvolatile memory including memory cells arranged in rows and columns and disposed to facilitate both flash erasure as well as selective erasure of individual units of plural memory cells. The semiconductor device which functions as a microcomputer chip also has a processing unit and includes an input terminal for receiving an operation mode signal for switching the microcomputer between a first operation mode in which the flash memory is rewritten under control of a processing unit and a second operation mode in which the flash memory is rewritten under control of separate writing circuit externally connectable to the microcomputer.

Abstract: In a method for distributing liquids, in which a distribution tip attached detachably to the lower end of a distribution nozzle can be replaced at any time necessary, a tip rack having a plurality of unused distribution tips lined up thereon is placed on a fitting stage to have the distribution tips fitted with a distribution nozzles. Then, the existence, or non-existence, of a distribution tip left behind on the tip rack without being attached to a distribution nozzle after the fitting operation is finished is detected by a detection section formed of an interrupting-type light sensor, the targeted place of detection by the light sensor being the lower end of the distribution tip. Under the above-described structure, misfitting of a distribution tip can be detected with a high certainty at an early stage before an operation for sucking/discharging liquids is started.

Abstract: A photoresist pattern through which a first well forming region and a second well forming region are exposed is formed over a semiconductor substrate, used as the mask to dope the semiconductor substrate with an impurity thereby to form buried n-wells, and further used as the mask to dope the same with an impurity thereby to form shallow p-wells in a self-alignment manner over the buried n-wells. Subsequently, the photoresist pattern is removed. After this, a photoresist pattern through which the outer peripheral region of the first well forming region and a third well forming region are exposed is formed over the major surface of the semiconductor substrate, and used as the mask to dope the semiconductor substrate with an impurity thereby to form shallow p-wells.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having and electrically erasable and programmable nonvolatile memory, for example, a rewritable nonvolatile memory including memory cells arranged in rows and columns and disposed to facilitate both flash erasure as well as selective erasure of individual units of plural memory cells. The semiconductor device which functions as a microcomputer chip also has a processing unit and includes an input terminal for receiving an operation mode signal for switching the microcomputer between a first operation mode in which the flash memory is rewritten under control of a processing unit and a second operation mode in which the flash memory is rewritten under control of separate writing circuit externally connectable to the microcomputer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having and electrically erasable and programmable nonvolatile memory, for example, a rewritable nonvolatile memory including memory cells arranged in rows and columns and disposed to facilitate both flash erasure as well as selective erasure of individual units of plural memory cells. The semiconductor device which functions as a microcomputer chip also has a processing unit and includes an input terminal for receiving an operation mode signal for switching the microcomputer between a first operation mode in which the flash memory is rewritten under control of a processing unit and a second operation mode in which the flash memory is rewritten under control of separate writing circuit externally connectable to the microcomputer.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device having a processing unit and a memory which stores data to be processed by the processing unit and which provides data to the processing unit through the data bus in response to accessing instructions from the processing unit through the address bus. The memory has a plurality of memory blocks each of which has a plurality of electrically programmable nonvolatile memory cells arranged in rows and columns in which each nonvolatile memory cell is coupled to one of a plurality of word lines and one of a plurality of data lines of the memory. The memory blocks formed can be facilitated with different memory capacities, including through controlling the number of rows or columns of memory cells associated therewith.

Abstract: In a DRAM, a plurality of memory cells each consisting of a memory cell selection transistor Qs and an information storage capacity element connected thereto in series are provided on a semiconductor substrate 1. An active region of the memory cell selection MISFET Qs is formed to have an isolated rectangular plan view. A part of the bit line BL extends in a direction crossing the extending direction thereof, and the extending part two-dimensionally overlaps a semiconductor region formed in the active region and is electrically connected thereto. In the DRAM having this structure, the bit line BL is formed of conductive films 16b1 and 16b2 embedded in the contact hole 14b for the bit line and in the wiring groove 15a for the bit line.

Abstract: A thin film forming apparatus using laser includes a chamber (1), a target (5) placed therein, a laser light source (10) for emitting laser beam to target (5), and a substrate holder (3). When target (5) is irradiated with laser beam (16), a plume (15) is generated, and materials included in plume (15) are deposited on the surface of a substrate (2) held by substrate holder (3). The laser beam emitted from laser light source (10) has its cross section shaped to a desired shape when passed through a shielding plate (4804), for example, so that the surface of the target (5) is irradiated with the beam having uniform light intensity distribution. Therefore, a plume (15) having uniform density distribution of active particles is generated, and therefore a thin film of high quality can be formed over a wide area with uniform film quality, without damaging the substrate.