Abstract: An insulating film formed on a conducting layer is dry-etched so as to make a connection hole in the insulating film to expose the conducting layer. Plasma is supplied onto the exposed conducting layer to dry-clean a damage layer produced in the connection hole. A product produced in the connection hole as a result of the dry cleaning is removed by a wet process. An oxide film formed in the connection hole as a result of the wet process is etched by a chemical dry process using a gas including either NF3 or HF. A thermally decomposable reaction product produced as a result of the etching is removed by heat treatment.

Abstract: An insulating film formed on a conducting layer is dry-etched so as to make a connection hole in the insulating film to expose the conducting layer. Plasma is supplied onto the exposed conducting layer to dry-clean a damage layer produced in the connection hole. A product produced in the connection hole as a result of the dry cleaning is removed by a wet process. An oxide film formed in the connection hole as a result of the wet process is etched by a chemical dry process using a gas including either NF3 or HF. A thermally decomposable reaction product produced as a result of the etching is removed by heat treatment.

Abstract: An insulating film formed on a conducting layer is dry-etched so as to make a connection hole in the insulating film to expose the conducting layer. Plasma is supplied onto the exposed conducting layer to dry-clean a damage layer produced in the connection hole. A product produced in the connection hole as a result of the dry cleaning is removed by a wet process. An oxide film formed in the connection hole as a result of the wet process is etched by a chemical dry process using a gas including either NF3 or HF. A thermally decomposable reaction product produced as a result of the etching is removed by heat treatment.

Abstract: An insulating film formed on a conducting layer is dry-etched so as to make a connection hole in the insulating film to expose the conducting layer. Plasma is supplied onto the exposed conducting layer to dry-clean a damage layer produced in the connection hole. A product produced in the connection hole as a result of the dry cleaning is removed by a wet process. An oxide film formed in the connection hole as a result of the wet process is etched by a chemical dry process using a gas including either NF3 or HF. A thermally decomposable reaction product produced as a result of the etching is removed by heat treatment.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate is provided which can efficiently exhibit intrinsic gettering (IG) effect, is less likely to cause slipping or dislocation, and causes no significant lowering in mechanical strength. The semiconductor substrate has bulk micro defects dispersed at a density of not less than 1011 micro defects/cm3 in the interior thereof.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for manufacturing a semiconductor substrate has first annealing step for annealing silicon single crystal to permit oxygen embryos or oxygen precipitations grown from the oxygen embryos precipitating in a predetermined region and a second annealing step for permitting said oxygen embryos or said oxygen precipitations to contract using a second temperature range higher than the first temperature range, said second temperature range being high enough to contract said oxygen embryos and low enough to prevent redistribution of boron from affecting to device characteristics, to form a denuded zone in said predetermined region at the principal surface. An inspection method for inspecting a semiconductor substrate further has measuring step, subsequent to said first and second annealing steps for measuring the density of oxygen embryos grown into oxygen precipitations among those precipitated in said silicon single crystal.

Abstract: Element isolation technique for LSIs having a fine pattern of sub-micron class or finer. A high strained region doped with impurities at a high concentration is formed under, and remote from, a buried insulating material (dielectrics) layer for element isolation. With this buried dielectrics element isolation (BDEI) structure, since the high strained layer exists just under the buried dielectrics layer, crystal defects generated near the buried dielectrics layer due to strain caused by a difference of thermal expansion coefficient between a semiconductor layer and the buried dielectrics layer, are moved toward the high strained layer. Accordingly, the crystal defects do not reach an active region where active elements are formed, so that leakage current in the p-n junction formed in the active layer can be advantageously reduced.

Abstract: Provided is a process for producing a semiconductor silicon wafer by which an intrinsic gettering effect can be improved and at the same time the top side can be made free from faults. A silicon ingot is produced and sliced to obtain silicon wafers. Then, a polycrystal silicon depositing film is formed on one side of a silicon wafer, which is subjected to a heat treatment in an inert gas, a reducing gas or a mixture thereof to discharge oxygen from the vicinity of the other side. Alternatively, after discharging oxygen from the silicon wafer by a heat treatment, a polycrystal silicon depositing film may be formed on one side of the silicon wafer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has a semiconductor substrate having a groove, and a semiconductor element formed in a surface region of the semiconductor substrate. A substance having a thermal expansion coefficient different from the semiconductor substrate is embedded in at least a portion of the groove, a crystal defect is generated from the region near the bottom of the groove in the semiconductor substrate, thereby alleviating stress and strain in other regions of the semiconductor substrate, such that such regions cannot generate crystal defects in a region necessary for a circuit operation of the semiconductor element of the surface region.

Abstract: Provided is a process for producing a semiconductor silicon wafer by which an intrinsic gettering effect can be improved and at the same time the top side can be made free from faults. A silicon ingot is produced and sliced to obtain silicon wafers. Then, a polycrystal silicon depositing film is formed on one side of a silicon wafer, which is subjected to a heat treatment in an inert gas, a reducing gas or a mixture thereof to discharge oxygen from the vicinity of the other side. Alternatively, after discharging oxygen from the silicon wafer by a heat treatment, a polycrystal silicon depositing film may be formed on one side of the silicon wafer.

Abstract: There are provided a method of inspecting and evaluating semiconductor substrates, good quality semiconductor substrates, a method of manufacturing good quality semiconductor substrates, and a method of manufacturing semiconductor devices using good quality semiconductor substrates.A semiconductor substrate is processed with aqueous basic solution. In this process, the substrate is dipped in the aqueous solution or exposed to a vapor of the aqueous solution. With this process, the surface of the substrate is selectively etched. The substrate surface after the etching process is radiated with a laser beam to measure a light scattered point density. The quality of the substrate can be judged in accordance with the measured density. A thermal treatment may be carried out before or after processing the substrate with the aqueous basic solution. The thermal treatment considerably changes the fine defect density on the surface of the substrate.