Abstract: A method of forming an insulating film which includes the steps of: dissolving in a solvent a first and second polymer which each comprise methylpolysiloxane as the main component and one of which has a weight average molecular weight at least 10 times that of the other to thereby prepare a chemical solution; applying the chemical solution to a semiconductor substrate to form a coating film; and heat-treating the coating film to thereby form an organosilicon oxide film. The weight-average molecular weight of the first polymer is preferably at least 100 times that of the second polymer. Thus, an insulating organosilicon oxide film having a low dielectric constant and high cracking resistance is formed from a coating fluid.

Abstract: Al wirings of first to fifth layers are formed on a P—SiO2 film, and FSG films are formed between the wiring layers. An organic silicon oxide film is formed between wirings in one same wiring layer. The Al wirings in the first and second layers have a carbon concentration of 22 wt %, and the Al wirings in the third to fifth layers have a carbon concentration of 20 wt %.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device of the present invention includes, forming a first silicon oxide film by HDP-CVD so as to bury a recess portion in a three-dimensional portion formed in a surface region of a semiconductor workpiece to a position lower than an upper surface of the recess portion, and forming a second silicon oxide film by SOG on the first silicon oxide film so as to fill the recess portion.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising forming a low dielectric constant insulating film containing Si atoms over a semiconductor substrate, heating the low dielectric constant insulating film while irradiating the low dielectric constant insulating film with an electron beam, and exposing the low dielectric constant insulating film during or after the heating to a gas promoting the bond formation of the Si atoms.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for forming an insulating layer, comprising coating a substrate with an insulating film material to form a coated film, the insulating film material containing at least first and second polymers differing from each other in average molecular weight, and heating the coated film while irradiating the coated film with an electron beam.

Abstract: A method of forming a film, which comprises the steps of coating a liquid raw material comprising a precursor of film-forming material dissolved in a solvent, on a surface of substrate, and forming a solid film on the surface of substrate by subjecting the substrate to a plurality of heat treatments differing in heating temperature from each other. The heat treatments differing heating temperatures from each other are performed over the same single hot plate. The film to be formed may be an organic SOG film. There is also disclosed a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, which comprises the steps of coating a liquid raw material for forming an organosilicon oxide film on a surface of semiconductor substrate, and subjecting the semiconductor substrate to a first heat treatment where the semiconductor substrate is heated in an oxidizing atmosphere and at a temperature of 200° C. or more.

Abstract: A gas-circulating processing apparatus which comprises a processing chamber, a gas feeding piping, a gas supply piping, a first exhaust mechanism discharging a gas from the processing chamber, a second exhaust mechanism discharging a portion of a gas discharged from the first exhaust mechanism, a back pressure adjusting mechanism interposed between the first exhaust mechanism and the second exhaust mechanism to adjust a back pressure of the first exhaust mechanism, and a gas circulating piping which is configured to combine another portion of the gas that has been discharged from the first exhaust mechanism with a processing gas supplied from the gas supply piping, wherein the gas feeding piping has a larger inner diameter than that of the gas supply, or the processing gas is introduced into the first exhaust mechanism, or a first heater is provided to heat at least part of the circulating route.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising controlling a humidity in an atmosphere around a low dielectric constant insulating film at 30% or less, during a processing period and a transfer period between processing equipments, in which at least a part of said low dielectric constant insulating film is exposed to the atmosphere.

Abstract: A polishing method including applying a polishing agent containing polishing grains and a surfactant onto an oxide film, which is formed on a substrate having a depressed portion and a protruding portion, wherein the surfactant is an organic compound including at least one hydrophilic group selected from the group consisting of COOH, COOM1, wherein M1 represents an atom or a functional group which can form a salt when substituted for a hydrogen atom of a carboxyl group, SO3H and SO3M2, wherein M2 represents an atom or a functional group which can form a salt when substituted for a hydrogen atom of a sulfo group; and polishing the film until the film is flattened without the occurrence of dishing.

Abstract: A method of forming an insulating film which includes the steps of: dissolving in a solvent a first and second polymer which each comprise methylpolysiloxane as the main component and one of which has a weight average molecular weight at least 10 times that of the other to thereby prepare a chemical solution; applying the chemical solution to a semiconductor substrate to form a coating film; and heat-treating the coating film to thereby form an organosilicon oxide film. The weight-average molecular weight of the first polymer is preferably at least 100 times that of the second polymer. Thus, an insulating organosilicon oxide film having a low dielectric constant and high cracking resistance is formed from a coating fluid.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises preparing a substrate to be treated, and forming an insulation film above the substrate, which includes applying an insulation film raw material above the substrate, the insulation film raw material including a substance or a precursor of the substance, the insulation film comprising the substance, curing the insulation film raw material by irradiating an electron beam on the substrate while heating the substrate in a reactor chamber, changing at least one of parameter selected from the group consisting of pressure in the reactor chamber, temperature of the substrate, type of gas having the substrate exposed thereto, flow rate of gas introduced into the reactor chamber, position of the substrate, and quantity of electrons incident to the substrate per unit time when the electron beam is being irradiated on the substrate.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate and a conductive layer above the semiconductor substrate, wherein the conductive layer contains copper, a surface region of the conductive layer contains at least one of C—H bonds and C—C bonds, and a total amount of C atoms forming the C—H bonds and C atoms forming the C—C bonds in the surface region is 30 atomic % or more of a whole amount of elements in the surface region.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising controlling a humidity in an atmosphere around a low dielectric constant insulating film at 30% or less, during a processing period and a transfer period between processing equipments, in which at least a part of said low dielectric constant insulating film is exposed to the atmosphere

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a polishing method having the steps of forming a film to be polished, having a depressed portion and a protruding portion on a surface of a substrate, and polishing the film to be polished by relatively moving the substrate and a polishing table, while pressing the substrate having the film to be polished, onto a polishing cloth of the polishing table and supplying a polishing solution containing polishing grains, between the film to be polished and the polishing cloth, wherein an organic compound having a molecular weight of 100 or more, and containing at least one hydrophilic group selected from the group consisting of COOM1 (M represents an atom or a functional group which can form a salt when substituted with a hydrogen atom of a carboxyl group), SO3H (sulfo group) and SO3M2 (M2 represents an atom or a functional group which can form a salt when substituted with a hydrogen atom of a carboxyl group) is added to the polishing solution.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a polishing method having the steps of forming a film to be polished, having a depressed portion and a protruding portion on a surface of a substrate, and polishing the film to be polished by relatively moving the substrate and a polishing table, while pressing the substrate having the film to be polished, onto a polishing cloth of the polishing table and supplying a polishing solution containing polishing grains, between the film to be polished and the polishing cloth, wherein an organic compound having a molecular weight of 100 or more, and containing at least one hydrophilic group selected from the group consisting of COOM1 (M represents an atom or a functional group which can form a salt when substituted with a hydrogen atom of a carboxyl group), SO3H (sulfo group) and SO3M2 (M2 represents an atom or a functional group which can form a salt when substituted with a hydrogen atom of a carboxyl group) is added to the polishing solution.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including the steps of forming a first film on an entire surface of a substrate having a recessed portion, including a bottom surface and a side wall of the recessed portion, without completely filling the recessed portion, forming a second film on an entire surface of the first film such that the recessed portion, on the bottom surface and the side wall of which the first film is formed, is completely filled, and polishing the first and second films by a chemical-mechanical polishing method such that the substrate is exposed and the first and second films in the recessed portion remain.

Abstract: The first pipe 34 delivers the first solution 21 containing polishing particles. The second pipe 37, containing a liquid mass flow unit 36, delivers the second solution containing a chemical substance. The outlet port of the first pipe and the outlet port of the second pipe are connected to one end portion of the third pipe 31. The third pipe has the other end portion with an inner diameter almost equal to the inner diameter of its one end portion. The first and second solutions introduced into the third pipe are mixed in the third pipe to generate a polishing liquid. The generated polishing liquid is supplied from the other end portion of the third pipe onto a polishing pad 13 to polish a semiconductor wafer 16.

Abstract: Ozonizer (10) which supplies a feed gas to ozone generating cell (11) under application of a high voltage and which delivers an ozone gas through an ozone gas transport path (consisting of pipes (14) and (15)) as it has been generated in said ozone generating cell (11) is characterized in that the ozone gas transport path is furnished with means for removing at least one of NOx, HF and SOx (in the drawings, the means is for removing NOx) and that the ozone gas from the ozone generating cell (11) is passed through said removing means, whereby at least one of NOx, HF and SOx in said ozone gas is removed before it is delivered to a subsequent stage. The product ozone is not contaminated with Cr compounds at all or insufficiently contaminated to cause any practical problems in the fabrication of highly integrated semiconductor devices.

Abstract: In an improved ozonizer, at least those parts of an ozone gas delivery path located downstream of an ozone generating cell which are to come into contact with ozone gas are either composed of or coated with at least one ozone-resistant, Cr-free material selected from among aluminum (Al), an aluminum alloy, Teflon, fluorinated nickel, a nickel alloy, a silicon oxide based glass and a high-purity aluminium oxide. The ozonizer is capable of producing ozone that is not contaminated with Cr compounds at all or which is insufficiently contaminated to cause any practical problem in the fabrication of highly integrated semiconductor devices.

Abstract: This invention provides a polishing method including the steps of forming a film to be polished on a substrate having a recessed portion in its surface so as to fill at least the recessed portion, and selectively leaving the film to be polished behind in the recessed portion by polishing the film by using a polishing agent containing polishing particles and a solvent, and having a pH of 7.5 or more. The invention also provides a polishing apparatus including a polishing agent storage vessel for storing a polishing agent, a turntable for polishing an object to be polished, a polishing agent supply pipe for supplying the polishing agent from the polishing agent storage vessel onto the turntable, a polishing object holding jig for holding the object to be polished such that the surface to be polished of the object opposes the turntable, and a polishing agent supply pipe temperature adjusting unit, connected to the polishing agent supply pipe, for adjusting the temperature of the polishing agent.