Abstract: A method of forming patterns includes: forming a hard mask layer on a target layer, coating a cleavage relief layer on the hard mask layer to fill cleavages generated in the hard mask layer, forming photoresist patterns on the cleavage relief layer, removing portions of the cleavage relief layer and portions of the hard mask layer using the photoresist patterns as a first etch mask to form hard mask patterns, removing portions of the target layer using the hard mask patterns as a second etch mask to form target layer patterns, and removing the hard mask patterns. The hard mask layer includes an amorphous carbon layer (ACL), and the cleavage relief layer includes a spin-on carbon (SOC) layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having isolation regions formed therein and a fin-shaped semiconductor structure protruding vertically above the isolation regions and extending laterally in a first direction. The device additionally includes a gate dielectric wrapping a channel region of the fin-shaped semiconductor structure and a gate electrode wrapping the gate dielectric. The channel region is interposed in the first direction between a source region and a drain region and has sloped sidewalls and a width that continuously decreases from a base towards a peak of the channel region. The channel region comprises a volume inversion region having a height greater than about 25% of a total height of the channel region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having isolation regions formed therein and a fin-shaped semiconductor structure protruding vertically above the isolation regions and extending laterally in a first direction. The device additionally includes a gate dielectric wrapping a channel region of the fin-shaped semiconductor structure and a gate electrode wrapping the gate dielectric. The channel region is interposed in the first direction between a source region and a drain region and has sloped sidewalls and a width that continuously decreases from a base towards a peak of the channel region. The channel region comprises a volume inversion region having a height greater than about 25% of a total height of the channel region.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device formed by the method. The method includes form a stack conductive structure by stacking a first conductive pattern and an insulation pattern over a substrate; forming a sacrificial pattern over sidewalls of the stack conductive structure; forming a second conductive pattern having a recessed surface lower than a top surface of the stack conductive structure; forming a sacrificial spacer to expose sidewalls of the insulation pattern by removing an upper portion of the sacrificial pattern; reducing a width of the exposed portion of the insulation patters; forming a capping spacer to cap the sidewalls of the insulation pattern having the reduced width over the sacrificial spacer; and forming an air gap between the first conductive pattern and the second conductive pattern by converting the sacrificial spacer to volatile byproducts.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device formed by the method. The method includes form a stack conductive structure by stacking a first conductive pattern and an insulation pattern over a substrate; forming a sacrificial pattern over sidewalls of the stack conductive structure; forming a second conductive pattern having a recessed surface lower than a top surface of the stack conductive structure; forming a sacrificial spacer to expose sidewalls of the insulation pattern by removing an upper portion of the sacrificial pattern; reducing a width of the exposed portion of the insulation patters; forming a capping spacer to cap the sidewalls of the insulation pattern having the reduced width over the sacrificial spacer; and forming an air gap between the first conductive pattern and the second conductive pattern by converting the sacrificial spacer to volatile byproducts.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device formed by the method. The method includes form a stack conductive structure by stacking a first conductive pattern and an insulation pattern over a substrate; forming a sacrificial pattern over sidewalls of the stack conductive structure; forming a second conductive pattern having a recessed surface lower than a top surface of the stack conductive structure; forming a sacrificial spacer to expose sidewalls of the insulation pattern by removing an upper portion of the sacrificial pattern; reducing a width of the exposed portion of the insulation patters; forming a capping spacer to cap the sidewalls of the insulation pattern having the reduced width over the sacrificial spacer; and forming an air gap between the first conductive pattern and the second conductive pattern by converting the sacrificial spacer to volatile byproducts.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device formed by the method.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device formed by the method. The method includes form a stack conductive structure by stacking a first conductive pattern and an insulation pattern over a substrate; forming a sacrificial pattern over sidewalls of the stack conductive structure; forming a second conductive pattern having a recessed surface lower than a top surface of the stack conductive structure; forming a sacrificial spacer to expose sidewalls of the insulation pattern by removing an upper portion of the sacrificial pattern; reducing a width of the exposed portion of the insulation patters; forming a capping spacer to cap the sidewalls of the insulation pattern having the reduced width over the sacrificial spacer; and forming an air gap between the first conductive pattern and the second conductive pattern by converting the sacrificial spacer to volatile byproducts.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device formed by the method.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes providing a substrate having a first and a second region, forming an etch target layer over the substrate, forming a hard mask layer over the etch target layer to have different thicknesses over the first and the second regions, forming a hard mask pattern by etching the hard mask layer, and etching the etch target layer using the hard mask pattern as an etch mask to form a target pattern having different densities over the first and the second regions.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes sequentially stacking a pad oxide layer and a hard mask layer over a substrate, forming a device isolation layer over the substrate, forming a capping layer pattern configured to open a first region of the substrate and cover a second region of the substrate, removing the hard mask layer, removing the capping layer pattern, and removing the pad oxide layer.

Abstract: In a method of fabricating a semiconductor device on a substrate having thereon a conductive layer, the conductive layer is patterned to form a plurality of opened regions. A gate insulation layer is formed on a sidewall of each of the opened regions. A pillar pattern is formed in each opened region. On each pillar pattern, a gate electrode, which encloses the pillar pattern, is formed by removing the conductive layer between the pillar patterns.

Abstract: In a method of fabricating a semiconductor device on a substrate which includes a plurality of pillar patterns, an impurity region between adjacent pillar patterns, a gate electrode on each pillar pattern, a first capping layer covering the gate electrode, and a separation layer covering the first capping layer between the gate electrodes of adjacent pillar patterns, the first capping layer is removed except for a portion contacting the separation layer, a sacrificial layer is formed to cover the gate electrode, a second capping layer is formed on sidewalls of each pillar pattern, the sacrificial layer is removed and a word line connecting the gate electrodes of the adjacent pillar patterns is formed. In the manufactured device, the first capping layer isolates the impurity region from the word line and the second capping region prevents the sidewalls of the respective pillar pattern from being exposed.

Abstract: A method for forming an active pillar of a vertical channel transistor includes forming a hard mask pattern on a substrate, etching vertically the substrate using the hard mask pattern as an etch barrier to form an active pillar, and etching horizontally to remove by-product remaining on the exposed substrate, the hard mask pattern and the active pillar and at the same time to reduce line width of the hard mask pattern and the active pillar, wherein a unit cycle in which the vertical etching and the horizontal etching are each performed subsequently once, respectively, is performed repeatedly at least two times or more. According to the present invention, an active pillar having vertical profiles on its sidewalls and having height and line width (or diameter) required in a highly integrated vertical channel transistor can be provided.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same includes preparing a substrate, forming a plurality of conductive layer patterns on the substrate, forming a gate insulation layer on sidewalls of the conductive layer patterns, forming a pillar neck pattern between the conductive layer patterns, forming a pillar head over the pillar neck pattern and the conductive layer patterns, and forming a gate electrode surrounding the pillar neck pattern and forming a pillar head pattern by selectively etching the conductive layer patterns and the pillar head formed over the pillar neck pattern.

Abstract: A semiconductor device can prevent exposure of an inner wall of a recess pattern caused by misalignment between masks. A gate electrode is formed inside the recess pattern so that only a gate hard mask layer is exposed above a substrate surface. Since the gate electrode is not exposed above the substrate, it is possible to prevent SAC failure and decrease an aspect ratio of a gate pattern to increase an open margin of a contact hole. Thus, a semiconductor device having a recess channel gate structure which exhibits a superior refresh property is fabricated.

Abstract: In a method of fabricating a semiconductor device on a substrate which includes a plurality of pillar patterns, an impurity region between adjacent pillar patterns, a gate electrode on each pillar pattern, a first capping layer covering the gate electrode, and a separation layer covering the first capping layer between the gate electrodes of adjacent pillar patterns, the first capping layer is removed except for a portion contacting the separation layer, a sacrificial layer is formed to cover the gate electrode, a second capping layer is formed on sidewalls of each pillar pattern, the sacrificial layer is removed and a word line connecting the gate electrodes of the adjacent pillar patterns is formed. In the manufactured device, the first capping layer isolates the impurity region from the word line and the second capping region prevents the sidewalls of the respective pillar pattern from being exposed.

Abstract: In a method of fabricating a semiconductor device on a substrate which includes a plurality of pillar patterns, an impurity region between adjacent pillar patterns, a gate electrode on each pillar pattern, a first capping layer covering the gate electrode, and a separation layer covering the first capping layer between the gate electrodes of adjacent pillar patterns, the first capping layer is removed except for a portion contacting the separation layer, a sacrificial layer is formed to cover the gate electrode, a second capping layer is formed on sidewalls of each pillar pattern, the sacrificial layer is removed and a word line connecting the gate electrodes of the adjacent pillar patterns is formed. In the manufactured device, the first capping layer isolates the impurity region from the word line and the second capping region prevents the sidewalls of the respective pillar pattern from being exposed.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes sequentially stacking a pad oxide layer and a hard mask layer over a substrate, forming a device isolation layer over the substrate, forming a capping layer pattern configured to open a first region of the substrate and cover a second region of the substrate, removing the hard mask layer, removing the capping layer pattern, and removing the pad oxide layer.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a first recess in a substrate, forming a plasma oxide layer over the substrate including first recess, etching the plasma oxide layer to have a portion of the plasma oxide layer remain on sidewalls of the first recess, and forming a second recess by isotropically etching a bottom portion of the first recess, wherein the second recess has a width greater than a width of the first recess.