Abstract: After distributing a nonmetal element in a region in the vicinity of a surface portion of a semiconductor layer, a metal film is deposited on the semiconductor layer. Next, a semiconductor-metal compound layer is epitaxially grown in the surface portion of the semiconductor layer by causing a reaction between an element included in the semiconductor layer and a metal included in the metal film through annealing carried out on the metal film.

Abstract: A memory cell transistor and a planar capacitor are provided in a memory region, and both transistors of a CMOS device are provided in a logic circuit region. A capacitance dielectric 15 and a plate electrode 16b of the planar capacitor are provided over a trench shared with a shallow trench isolation 12a, and the upper part of the trench is filled with the capacitance dielectric 15 and the plate electrode 16b. An n-type diffusion layer 19 that is a storage node is formed, with an end region thereof extending along one side of the upper part of the trench, to a region of the substrate overlapping with the shallow trench isolation 12a. The area of a part of the substrate functioning as a capacitor can be increased without increasing the substrate area.

Abstract: A photomask includes, on a translucent substrate, three or more first light-shielding portions each in insular shape having a property of shielding exposure light and spaced equidistantly, a second light-shielding portion having a property of shielding the exposure light and formed to connect the adjacent first light-shielding portions, and first light-transmitting portions each in slit shape having a property of transmitting the exposure light and formed to be surrounded with the first and second light-shielding portions. The second light-shielding portion is formed to contain a point located equidistantly from the three or more first light-shielding portions.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a first insulating film formed on a semiconductor substrate, a first metal pattern formed on the first insulating film, a second insulating film formed on the first metal pattern, a second metal pattern formed on the second insulating film, and a third metal pattern formed in the second insulating film and connecting between the first metal pattern and the second metal pattern. The third metal pattern is a single continuous structure, and the principal orientation axes of crystals of a metal constituting the third metal pattern are parallel to the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A slurry feeding apparatus includes closed slurry bottle, piping, wet nitrogen generator, wet nitrogen supply pipe, suction and spray nozzles, temperature regulator, flow rate control valves, slurry delivery pump and controller for controlling the operation and flow rate of the slurry delivery pump. While a wafer is being polished by a CMP polisher, the controller continuously operates the pump. On the other hand, while the polisher is idling, the controller starts and stops the pump intermittently at regular intervals. No stirrer like a propeller is inserted into the slurry bottle, but the slurry is stirred up by spraying the slurry through the spray nozzle.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is composed of: an interconnect made of a first conductive film and a second conductive film that are stacked in sequence from the interconnect underside on an insulating film formed on a substrate; and a capacitor composed of a lower capacitor electrode made of the first conductive film, a dielectric film formed on the lower capacitor electrode, and an upper capacitor electrode made of the second conductive film and formed on the dielectric film.

Abstract: A slurry feeding apparatus includes closed slurry bottle, piping, wet nitrogen generator, wet nitrogen supply pipe, suction and spray nozzles, temperature regulator, flow rate control valves, slurry delivery pump and controller for controlling the operation and flow rate of the slurry delivery pump. While a wafer is being polished by a CMP polisher, the controller continuously operates the pump. On the other hand, while the polisher is idling, the controller starts and stops the pump intermittently at regular intervals. No stirrer like a propeller is inserted into the slurry bottle, but the slurry is stirred up by spraying the slurry through the spray nozzle.

Abstract: A slurry feeding apparatus includes closed slurry bottle, piping, wet nitrogen generator, wet nitrogen supply pipe, suction and spray nozzles, temperature regulator, flow rate control valves, slurry delivery pump and controller for controlling the operation and flow rate of the slurry delivery pump. While a wafer is being polished by a CMP polisher, the controller continuously operates the pump. On the other hand, while the polisher is idling, the controller starts and stops the pump intermittently at regular intervals. No stirrer like a propeller is inserted into the slurry bottle, but the slurry is stirred up by spraying the slurry through the spray nozzle.

Abstract: A memory cell transistor and a planar capacitor are provided in a memory region, and both transistors of a CMOS device are provided in a logic circuit region. A capacitance dielectric 15 and a plate electrode 16b of the planar capacitor are provided over a trench shared with a shallow trench isolation 12a, and the upper part of the trench is filled with the capacitance dielectric 15 and the plate electrode 16b. An n-type diffusion layer 19 that is a storage node is formed, with an end region thereof extending along one side of the upper part of the trench, to a region of the substrate overlapping with the shallow trench isolation 12a. The area of a part of the substrate functioning as a capacitor can be increased without increasing the substrate area.

Abstract: A slurry feeding apparatus includes closed slurry bottle, piping, wet nitrogen generator, wet nitrogen supply pipe, suction and spray nozzles, temperature regulator, flow rate control valves, slurry delivery pump and controller for controlling the operation and flow rate of the slurry delivery pump. While a wafer is being polished by a CMP polisher, the controller continuously operates the pump. On the other hand, while the polisher is idling, the controller starts and stops the pump intermittently at regular intervals. No stirrer like a propeller is inserted into the slurry bottle, but the slurry is stirred up by spraying the slurry through the spray nozzle.

Abstract: A slurry feeding apparatus includes closed slurry bottle, piping, wet nitrogen generator, wet nitrogen supply pipe, suction and spray nozzles, temperature regulator, flow rate control valves, slurry delivery pump and controller for controlling the operation and flow rate of the slurry delivery pump. While a wafer is being polished by a CMP polisher, the controller continuously operates the pump. On the other hand, while the polisher is idling, the controller starts and stops the pump intermittently at regular intervals. No stirrer like a propeller is inserted into the slurry bottle, but the slurry is stirred up by spraying the slurry through the spray nozzle.

Abstract: After a cobalt film is deposited on a silicon-containing film formed on a semiconductor substrate, a first heat treatment at a relatively low temperature is performed with respect to the semiconductor substrate to cause a reaction between the cobalt film and the silicon layer and thereby form a Co2Si layer or CoSi layer in at least a surface portion of the silicon layer. Then, a silicon-containing film is deposited on the Co2Si layer or CoSi layer and a second heat treatment at a relatively high temperature is performed with respect to the semiconductor substrate to cause a reaction between the silicon-containing film and the Co2Si layer or CoSi layer and thereby form a CoSi2 layer in at least a surface portion of the silicon layer.

Abstract: It is arranged such that the least common multiple of two numbers m and n of which one is prime to the other, is made as large as possible where the number m is the rotational speed (rpm) of a platen with a polishing pad affixed thereto and the number n is the rotational speed (rpm) of a carrier with a wafer mounted thereon. As a result of such arrangement, it is not until the platen completes m revolutions that a point on the polishing pad that comes into contact with a fixed point on the wafer returns to the original contact point with the fixed point at the start of polishing, and the resulting trajectory is therefore spread uniformly over the polishing pad.

Abstract: A slurry feeding apparatus includes closed slurry bottle, piping, wet nitrogen generator, wet nitrogen supply pipe, suction and spray nozzles, temperature regulator, flow rate control valves, slurry delivery pump and controller for controlling the operation and flow rate of the slurry delivery pump. While a wafer is being polished by a CMP polisher, the controller continuously operates the pump. On the other hand, while the polisher is idling, the controller starts and stops the pump intermittently at regular intervals. No stirrer like a propeller is inserted into the slurry bottle, but the slurry is stirred up by spraying the slurry through the spray nozzle.

Abstract: A retainer board, holding a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of integrated circuit terminals for testing a semiconductor chip, is provided in confronting relation to a probe sheet having a plurality of probe terminals electrically connected to their corresponding integrated circuit terminals. An insulating substrate, having wiring electrically connected to the plural probe terminals, is provided on the probe sheet in opposed relation to the retainer board. An elastic member is interposed between the probe sheet and the insulating substrate. The retainer board and the probe sheet are brought into so closer relationship that each integrated circuit terminal of the semiconductor wafer held by the retainer board is electrically connected to its corresponding probe terminal of the probe sheet.

Abstract: A slurry feeding apparatus includes closed slurry bottle, piping, wet nitrogen generator, wet nitrogen supply pipe, suction and spray nozzles, temperature regulator, flow rate control valves, slurry delivery pump and controller for controlling the operation and flow rate of the slurry delivery pump. While a wafer is being polished by a CMP polisher, the controller continuously operates the pump. On the other hand, while the polisher is idling, the controller starts and stops the pump intermittently at regular intervals. No stirrer like a propeller is inserted into the slurry bottle, but the slurry is stirred up by spraying the slurry through the spray nozzle.

Abstract: An apparatus analyzes the operations of a parallel processing system. The parallel processing system has a serial processing state, a redundant parallel processing state, and a parallel processing state. The apparatus carries out an interrupt process to provide information about the program executing conditions of the parallel processing system. This apparatus efficiently provides information about parallel processing carried out in a multiprocessor system.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transmitting unit transmits an ultrasonic wave to a slurry supply pipe. A polishing slurry is conveyed under pressure from a slurry supply tank to a slurry outlet via the slurry supply pipe and supplied from the slurry outlet to a surface of a polishing cloth. A wafer carrier holding a semiconductor wafer presses a surface of the semiconductor wafer against the surface of the polishing cloth coated with the polishing slurry and moves the semiconductor wafer relative to the polishing cloth to polish the surface of the semiconductor wafer. A discharged slurry flown out of the surface of the polishing cloth is discharged via a discharged slurry pipe. The application of the ultrasonic wave allows abrasive particles agglomerated in the polishing slurry in the slurry supply pipe to be re-dispersed into individual forms in the polishing slurry.

Abstract: After a cobalt film is deposited on a silicon-containing film formed on a semiconductor substrate, a first heat treatment at a relatively low temperature is performed with respect to the semiconductor substrate to cause a reaction between the cobalt film and the silicon layer and thereby form a Co2Si layer or CoSi layer in at least a surface portion of the silicon layer. Then, a silicon-containing film is deposited on the Co2Si layer or CoSi layer and a second heat treatment at a relatively high temperature is performed with respect to the semiconductor substrate to cause a reaction between the silicon-containing film and the Co2Si layer or CoSi layer and thereby form a CoSi2 layer in at least a surface portion of the silicon layer.

Abstract: It is arranged such that the least common multiple of two numbers m and n of which one is prime to the other, is made as large as possible where the number m is the rotational speed (rpm) of a platen with a polishing pad affixed thereto and the number n is the rotational speed (rpm) of a carrier with a wafer mounted thereon. As a result of such arrangement, it is not until the platen completes m revolutions that a point on the polishing pad that comes into contact with a fixed point on the wafer returns to the original contact point with the fixed point at the start of polishing, and the resulting trajectory is therefore spread uniformly over the polishing pad.