Abstract: A hard Al oxide film having a high melting point, which grows on the surface of an Al—Cu film during a wafer is carried in atmospheric air, obstructs the burying of a viahole with the Al—Cu film by high pressure reflow, with a result that a void remains in the hole. The present invention is intended to remove such an Al oxide film grown on the Al—Cu film formed by sputtering, by Ar+ sputtering/etching directly before high pressure reflow. Moreover, when a Ti oxide film is present on the surface of a Ti based underlying film formed by CVD, an Al oxide film is possibly grown at the boundary between the Ti based underlying film and an Al—Cu film laminated thereon. In this case, the Ti oxide film is similarly removed directly before formation of the Al—Cu film, thereby preventing the growth of the Al oxide film.

Abstract: A method of forming wirings which comprises forming a film of a silicon-containing metal layer at a high temperature on an underlying metals, thereby forming a silicon alloy layer comprising the underlying metal and the silicon-containing metal during film formation. In a case of forming wirings by a silicon-containing metal layer occurrence of Si nodules can be eliminated to obtain wirings of high reliability.

Abstract: A metallization method for filling an Al-based material in a contact hole having a barrier metal structure, in which high barrier characteristics and high step coverage may be achieved simultaneously, is proposed. The present invention is based on two concepts. The first concept is to provide a Ti/TiON/Ti three-layer barrier metal structure and to deposit a layer of the Al-based material by high temperature sputtering. Sufficient barrier characteristics may be provided by the intermediate TiON layer of the three-layer structure. The interface between the Al-based layer and the barrier metal layer is the Ti layer having excellent wetting characteristics with respect to the Al-based layer so that the contact hole can be filled uniformly without forming voids. The second concept is to set the substrate heating temperature during high temperature sputtering to 450 to 550° C. and to set the deposition rate to 0.6 &mgr;m/minute or less.

Abstract: Upon forming a groove and a connection hole by a dual damascene process, there is a problem in that the connection hole has a bowing shape, and it is difficult to form a shape of the connection hole in a good and stable manner. A process for producing a multi-layer wiring structure is provided, which comprises a step of forming an inter level dielectric film 15 covering a lower layer wiring 14; a step of forming a connection hole 16 in the inter level dielectric film 15 to reach the lower layer wiring 14; a step of forming an inter metal dielectric film 17 filling the connection hole 16 on the inter level dielectric film 15, with an insulating material having an etching rate larger than an etching rate of the inter level dielectric film 15; and a step of forming a concave part 18 in the inter metal dielectric film 17, and selectively re-opening the connection hole 16 with respect to the inter level dielectric film in such a manner that the connection hole is continuous to the concave part 18.

Abstract: A method of forming wirings which includes forming a film of a silicon-containing metal layer at a high temperature on an underlying metal, thereby forming a silicon alloy layer which includes the underlying metal and the silicon-containing metal during film formation. In a case of forming wirings by a silicon-containing metal layer, occurrence of Si nodules can be eliminated to obtain wirings of high reliability.

Abstract: An underlying Al alloy wiring 3 and an inter-layer insulation film 4 are formed sequentially on a semiconductor substrate 1 via an inter-layer insulation film 2. An inter-layer insulation film 5 highly hygroscopic and containing much moisture is made and etched back to flush depressions by the underlying Al alloy wiring 3. After an inter-layer insulation film 6 is made, a contact-hole C is made in the inter-layer insulation films 6 and 4. After that, prior to making a TiN/Ti film 7, gases are removed from the inter-layer insulation films 4 through 6 by annealing. The TiN/Ti film 7 is made as thick as 80 nm. In an alternative version, after the inter-layer insulation film is etched back, annealing is done to remove gases especially from the inter-layer insulation film 5.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for fabricating a connection structure comprising a anti-reaction layer having excellent barrier properties and having improved ohmic characteristics with respect to the semiconductor substrate. Accordingly, the present invention comprises forming a first anti-reaction layer by temporarily ceasing the film deposition, and then initiating the film deposition again to form a second anti-reaction layer on the surface of the previously deposited first anti-reaction layer. A heat treatment can be applied to the structure after depositing a anti-reaction layer.

Abstract: A multilayer interconnect structure for a semiconductor device. The structure comprises a lower patterned metallization layer, a higher patterned metallization layer, and filled holes for electrically interconnecting these two layers. The two metallization layers are formed out of aluminum or an aluminum alloy by high-temperature aluminum sputtering or aluminum reflow techniques. A suction-preventing layer is formed either at the bottoms of the contact holes or on the surface of the lower metallization layer to prevent the material of the lower metallization layer from being sucked into the overlying contact holes.

Abstract: A method of forming an interconnector configuration includes an arrangement for preventing a Ti type barrier metal associated with an silicone oxide type interlayer insulation membrane, from becoming oxidized and therefore facilitating the burial of high aspect ratio connection holes in a Al layer.The connection holes which are opened in the silicon oxide type interlayer insulation membrane are coated inside with a Ti type barrier metal are apt to be oxidized by oxygen which is released from the interlayer insulating membrane. This oxidation produces a reaction which deteriorates the reaction characteristics with a Al material layer during the burial of the connection holes and produces problems.Accordingly, in order to prevent the oxidation of the barrier metal, a SiNx side wall layer is formed on the sides of the connection hole.

Abstract: An air spout device for an air conditioning system comprises a duct having an intake portion and a ventilator spout. A plurality of guide vanes are arranged in the duct to define passages, and a plurality of dampers are arranged between the intake portion and the plurality of guide vanes to selectively open and close the passages, the plurality of dampers being rotatable with its shaft to assume concentration blow, diffusion blow, and avoidance blow modes. A blow mode selecting mechanism is operatively connected to the shaft to allow the plurality of dampers to assume the concentration blow, diffusion blow, and avoidance blow modes.

Abstract: An air spout device of an automotive air conditioning system has a plurality of fins rotatably mounted in a housing. A control member having a plurality of cam grooves which determine the direction of rotation and the angle of rotation of each fin is mounted on the housing. A lever mechanism connects each fin to the control member. One end of each lever mechanism is engaged with a groove of the control member, and the other end of the lever mechanism is connected to one of the fins. Linear movement of the control member is converted by the lever mechanisms into rotation of the fins.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a high-sensitivity differential refractometer which is characterized by having a light source disposed outside a housing, a reflecting mirror attached at the end portion thereof to a reflecting mirror-supporting plate connected with the end of a movable plate, said movable plate being so constructed as to rotate around a vertical axis and permit free change of the angle formed between said reflecting mirror-supporting plate and the movable plate, a twisting member disposed inside a lead-in tube and said lead-in tube fastened to a removable case and built in a metallic block inside the housing.

Abstract: For use in gas chromatograph, there is provided a specimen capsule which has a sample wrapped in a foil or net of ferromagnetic metal. Also provided is a process for gas chromatography which comprises the steps of placing the specimen capsule in the vaporizer of the gas chromatograph, vaporizing the sample by means of alternative current induction and conducting necessary analysis on the resultant gases.