Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device of the invention includes a plating process of filling a plurality of recesses provided to an insulating film formed on a substrate with an electro-conductive material, wherein the plating process includes a process step (S104) of performing the plating with a first current density which was obtained by correcting a predetermined first reference current density based on ratio of surface area Sr?S1/S2 of a first surface area S1 over the entire surface of the substrate which includes the area of side walls of the plurality of recesses over the entire surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a second surface area S2 over the entire surface of the substrate which does not include the area of side walls of the plurality of recesses, when fine recesses not larger than a predetermined width, out of all of the plurality of recesses, are filled with the electro-conductive material.

Abstract: An improved SIV resistance and an improved EM resistance are achieved in the coupling structure containing copper films. A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a second insulating layer formed on or over the semiconductor substrate; a second barrier metal film, formed on the second insulating film, and being capable of preventing copper from diffusing into the second insulating film; and an electrically conducting film formed on the second barrier metal film so as to be in contact with the second barrier metal film, and containing copper and carbon, wherein a distribution of carbon concentration along a depositing direction in the second electrically conducting film includes a first peak and a second peak.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is to be provided, which improves filling performance of a conductive layer to be formed by an electrolytic plating process in an interconnect trench or a via hole, and achieves a higher in-plane uniformity in bottom-up performance. An electrolytic plating process to fill with a conductive layer at least one of an interconnect trench and a via hole formed in a dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate includes a first step of executing a plating operation under a predetermined integrated current density, which is a product of a current density representing a current value supplied per unit area of a plating solution containing a material which constitutes the conductive layer and a plating time, and a second step of executing a plating operation under a lower current density than that of the first step.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has a semiconductor substrate, and a multi-layered wiring arrangement provided thereon. The multi-layered wring arrangement includes at least one insulating layer structure having a metal wiring pattern formed therein. The insulating layer structure includes a first SiOCH layer, a second SiOCH layer formed on the first SiOCH layer, and a silicon dioxide (SiO2) layer formed on the second SiOCH layer. The second SiOCH layer features a carbon (C) density lower than that of the first SiOCH layer, a hydrogen (H) density lower than that of the first SiOCH layer, and an oxygen (O) density higher than that of the first SiOCH layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has a semiconductor substrate, and a multi-layered wiring arrangement provided thereon. The multi-layered wring arrangement includes at least one insulating layer structure having a metal wiring pattern formed therein. The insulating layer structure includes a first SiOCH layer, a second SiOCH layer formed on the first SiOCH layer, and a silicon dioxide (SiO2) layer formed on the second SiOCH layer. The second SiOCH layer features a carbon (C) density lower than that of the first SiOCH layer, a hydrogen (H) density lower than that of the first SiOCH layer, and an oxygen (O) density higher than that of the first SiOCH layer.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device using a PECVD method is provided, which improves the adhesion strength of a deposited dielectric layer to an underlying layer and the reliability of the deposited dielectric layer. After placing a substrate in a chamber, a gas having a thermal conductivity of 0.1 W/mK or greater (e.g., H2 or He) is introduced into the chamber, thereby contacting the gas with the substrate for stabilization of a temperature of the substrate. A desired dielectric layer is deposited on or over the substrate in the chamber using a PECVD method after the step of introducing the gas. As the desired dielectric layer, a dielectric layer having a low dielectric constant, such as a SiCH, SiCHN, or SiOCH layer, is preferably used.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device including a step of forming a via hole in an insulation layer including an organic low dielectric film, such as MSQ, SiC, and SiCN, and then embedding a wiring material in the via hole through a barrier metal. According to this method, a plasma treatment is performed after the via hole is formed and before the barrier metal is deposited, using a He/H2 gas capable of replacing groups (methyl groups) made of organic constituents and covering the surface of the exposed organic low dielectric film (MSQ) with hydrogen, or a He gas capable decomposing the groups (methyl groups) without removing organic low dielectric molecules. As a result, the surface of the low dielectric film (MSQ) is reformed to be hydrophilic and adhesion to the barrier metal is hence improved, thereby making it possible to prevent the occurrence of separation of the barrier metal and scratches.

Abstract: In copper plating using a damascene method, in order to prevent cost rise, dishing, erosion and the like due to the protrusion of plating on the dense wiring area to increase the time for CMP polishing, the copper plating is performed so that the current step of the copper plating has only one step for flowing current in the direction opposite to the direction of growing the plating as shown in FIG. 1. In this time, this opposite direction current step is performed under the condition of a current-time product within a range between 1.0 and 120 mA×sec/cm2.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device having a precision-worked dual damascene structure. A semiconductor substrate is obtained by forming at least a first interlayer film, an etching stopper film, a second interlayer film, a first hard mask and a second hard mask on a substrate in the order mentioned, the second hard mask being formed to have a trench pattern. At least a light absorbing sacrificial film, which has an etching rate different from that of a photoresist and is removable by use of a stripping solution, is formed on the semiconductor substrate in such a manner that the overall surface thereof will be flat. The photoresist is formed on the light absorbing sacrificial film and has an aperture pattern whose opening width is less than that of the trench pattern. At least the light absorbing sacrificial film, the first hard mask and the second interlayer film are etched selectively, one after the other, using the photoresist as an etching mask.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having interconnects is reduced in leakage current between the interconnects and improved in the TDDB characteristic. It includes an insulating interlayer 108, and interconnects 160 filled in grooves formed in the insulating interlayer, including a copper layer 124 mainly composed of copper, having the thickness smaller than the depth of the grooves, and a low-expansion metal layer 140, which is a metal layer having a heat expansion coefficient smaller than that of the copper layer, formed on the copper layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device having a precision-worked dual damascene structure. A semiconductor substrate is obtained by forming at least a first interlayer film, an etching stopper film, a second interlayer film, a first hard mask and a second hard mask on a substrate in the order mentioned, the second hard mask being formed to have a trench pattern. At least a light absorbing sacrificial film, which has an etching rate different from that of a photoresist and is removable by use of a stripping solution, is formed on the semiconductor substrate in such a manner that the overall surface thereof will be flat. The photoresist is formed on the light absorbing sacrificial film and has an aperture pattern whose opening width is less than that of the trench pattern. At least the light absorbing sacrificial film, the first hard mask and the second interlayer film are etched selectively, one after the other, using the photoresist as an etching mask.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a field-effect transistor with a gate electrode that has been formed over a semiconductor substrate with a ferroelectric layer interposed between the electrode and the substrate. The device includes a first insulating layer, which is insulated against a leakage current more fully than the ferroelectric layer, between the ferroelectric layer and the gate electrode.

Abstract: Integrated circuit capacitors in which the capacitor dielectric is a thin film of BST having a grain size smaller than 200 nanometers formed above a silicon germanium substrate. Typical grain sizes are 40 nm and less. The BST is formed by deposition of a liquid precursor by a spin-on process. The original liquid precursor includes an alkoxycarboxylate dissolved in 2-methoxyethanol and a xylene exchange is performed just prior to spinning. The precursor is dried in air at a temperature of about 400° C. and then furnace annealed in oxygen at a temperature of between 600° C. and 850° C.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is to be provided, which improves filling performance of a conductive layer to be formed by an electrolytic plating process in an interconnect trench or a via hole, and achieves a higher in-plane uniformity in bottom-up performance. An electrolytic plating process to fill with a conductive layer at least one of an interconnect trench and a via hole formed in a dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate includes a first step of executing a plating operation under a predetermined integrated current density, which is a product of a current density representing a current value supplied per unit area of a plating solution containing a material which constitutes the conductive layer and a plating time, and a second step of executing a plating operation under a lower current density than that of the first step.

Abstract: In a semiconductor layer formed on a first insulating film is formed an element isolation groove extending to the first insulating film. Thereafter, a second insulating film is deposited in the element isolation groove by using a vapor deposition method.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device using a PECVD method is provided, which improves the adhesion strength of a deposited dielectric layer to an underlying layer and the reliability of the deposited dielectric layer. After placing a substrate in a chamber, a gas having a thermal conductivity of 0.1 W/mK or greater (e.g.. H2 or He) is introduced into the chamber, thereby contacting the gas with the substrate for stabilization of a temperature of the substrate. A desired dielectric layer is deposited on or over the substrate in the chamber using a PECVD method after the step of introducing the gas. As the desired dielectric layer, a dielectric layer having a low dielectric constant, such as a SiCH, SiCHN, or SiOCH layer, is preferably used.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has a semiconductor substrate, and a multi-layered wiring arrangement provided thereon. The multi-layered wring arrangement includes at least one insulating layer structure having a metal wiring pattern formed therein. The insulating layer structure includes a first SiOCH layer, a second SiOCH layer formed on the first SiOCH layer, and a silicon dioxide (SiO2) layer formed on the second SiOCH layer. The second SiOCH layer features a carbon (C) density lower than that of the first SiOCH layer, a hydrogen (H) density lower than that of the first SiOCH layer, and an oxygen (O) density higher than that of the first SiOCH layer.

Abstract: In copper plating using a damascene method, in order to prevent cost rise, dishing, erosion and the like due to the protrusion of plating on the dense wiring area to increase the time for CMP polishing, the copper plating is performed so that the current step of the copper plating has only one step for flowing current in the direction opposite to the direction of growing the plating as shown in FIG. 1. In this time, this opposite direction current step is performed under the condition of a current-time product within a range between 1.0 and 120 mA×sec/cm2.

Abstract: Integrated circuit capacitors in which the capacitor dielectric is a thin film of BST having a grain size smaller than 200 nanometers formed above a silicon germanium substrate. Typical grain sizes are 40 nm and less. The BST is formed by deposition of a liquid precursor by a spin-on process. The original liquid precursor includes an alkoxycarboxylate dissolved in 2-methoxyethanol and a xylene exchange is performed just prior to spinning. The precursor is dried in air at a temperature of about 400° C. and then furnace annealed in oxygen at a temperature of between 600° C. and 850° C.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device having a precision-worked dual damascene structure. A semiconductor substrate is obtained by forming at least a first interlayer film, an etching stopper film, a second interlayer film, a first hard mask and a second hard mask on a substrate in the order mentioned, the second hard mask being formed to have a trench pattern. At least a light absorbing sacrificial film, which has an etching rate different from that of a photoresist and is removable by use of a stripping solution, is formed on the semiconductor substrate in such a manner that the overall surface thereof will be flat. The photoresist is formed on the light absorbing sacrificial film and has an aperture pattern whose opening width is less than that of the trench pattern. At least the light absorbing sacrificial film, the first hard mask and the second interlayer film are etched selectively, one after the other, using the photoresist as an etching mask.