Abstract: A capacitor is configured by a bottom electrode BE, an inter-electrode dielectric D, and a top electrode TE. Directly under the bottom electrode BE, for example, silicon oxide (SiO2) is disposed, and directly above the top electrode TE as well, for example, silicon oxide (SiO2) is disposed. The capacitor is covered with an insulating layer Low-k having a low dielectric constant. The insulating layer Low-k is formed from a material having as low of a dielectric constant as possible in order to reduce the parasitic capacitance between wirings. High-dielectrics High-k for suppressing the swelling of electric lines of force are disposed on side walls of an inter-electrode dielectric D. A dielectric constant of the High-dielectric High-k is at least higher than a dielectric constant of the insulating layer Low-k.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a plurality of memory cells divided into a plurality of groups, and a reference voltage selecting circuit which sets different reference voltages for the respective groups.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, a transistor formed on the semiconductor substrate, and having a gate electrode and first and second diffusion layers, a first insulating film formed on the transistor, a first multi-layer interconnect layer formed in the first insulating film, and including a plurality of interconnect layers and contacts, a first recessed portion formed to continuously and vertically penetrate the first insulating film including at least two layers of the first multi-layer interconnect layer, and arranged so that at least part of the first recessed portion overlaps with the gate electrode, and a ferroelectric capacitor three-dimensionally formed in the first recessed portion, and having first and second electrodes and a ferroelectric film, the first electrode being electrically connected with the first diffusion layer.

Abstract: In steps S12 and S18, write and erase tests for a ferroelectric memory are performed, and remanent polarization is produced in a ferroelectric capacitor. Before the flow advances from these testing steps to another step, in steps S14 and S20 the remanent polarization is removed. This remanent polarization removal is performed such that the absolute value of the remanent polarization is smaller than the absolute value of polarization remaining in the ferroelectric capacitor in normal operation. This prevents the ferroelectric capacitor from causing imprint by thermal history after the testing steps, thereby improving the characteristics and preventing shortening of the product life.

Abstract: An upper electrode of an FRAM capacitor is connected to a diffusion layer on the surface of a semiconductor substrate via a contact hole, second interconnecting layer, contact hole, first interconnecting layer, and contact hole. The first interconnecting layer is formed at substantially the same level as the FRAM capacitor. This decreases the depth of the contact hole connecting the first interconnecting layer to the surface of the semiconductor substrate and thereby decreases the aspect ratio of this contact hole. This facilitates processing and filling this contact hole and allows micropatterning.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor apparatus comprises the steps of forming, on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, an MIS transistor including a drain region and a source region each formed of an impurity diffusion region, forming an insulation film on the semiconductor substrate after the MIS transistor has been formed, selectively forming contact holes in the insulation film, embedding, into the contact hole, a capacitor contact plug having a lower end which is in contact with one of the drain region and the source region of the MIS transistor, forming a ferroelectric capacitor having a lower electrode, a ferroelectric film and an upper electrode on the insulation film after the capacitor contact plug has been formed, and forming an electric wire for establishing a connection between the upper electrode of the ferroelectric capacitor and an upper surface of the capacitor contact plug.

Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, a memory cell including source and drain regions formed in a surface region of the semiconductor substrate, and a first gate insulating film, a charge storage layer, a second gate insulating film, and a control gate sequentially stacked on the semiconductor substrate, the memory cell being capable of electrically rewriting data by exchanging charges between the charge storage layer and the semiconductor substrate, and a means for applying a high potential to the semiconductor substrate and an intermediate potential to the control gate in a first data erase operation, and applying a high potential to the semiconductor substrate and a low potential to the control gate in second and subsequent data erase operations, thereby removing electrons from the charge storage layer.

Abstract: A memory cell of EEPROM having a floating gate, a control gate, a drain region, and a source region is formed on a silicon substrate. Thereafter, a BPSG film (interlayer insulating film) covering the memory cell is formed by CVD. After a wire including a bit line, an SiON film (passivation film), covering the silicon substrate and serving as an uppermost layer, is formed on an upper portion of the silicon substrate. Thereafter, annealing is performed to discharge water in the BPSG film to an outer portion of an LSI. The annealing is performed under a condition satisfying the following equation of t≧7.86×10−11×L2×exp (9115/T) where t is anneal time (minutes), L is a thickness (nm) of the passivation film, and T is anneal temperature (absolute temperature). Thereby, an amount of electronic trap in a gate oxide film of the transistor can be reduced.

Abstract: As a ferroelectric memory cell arrangement, one terminal of a ferroelectric capacitor is connected to a word line. This eliminates a plate line that is conventionally necessary and enables write and read by controlling only a word line and a bit line. No need for a driver circuit for driving a plate line facilitates control of write and read operations and design of control line potential timings. This reduces the circuit scale and the chip size.

Abstract: In manufacturing a CVD film (interlayer insulating film or passivation film) using material gases containing a gas having Si--H combination, the amount of Si--H combination in the CVD film (12, 31, 32, 33, 34, 47, 48, 49, 57, 59) is set to 0.6.times.10.sup.21 cm.sup.-3 or less to thereby suppress the formation of electron traps in the gate oxide film or tunnel oxide film and prevent variations in the threshold of transistors. In addition, the moisture resistance can be improved by setting the refractive index of the CVD film to 1.65 or more or by setting the concentration of nitrogen in the CVD film to 3.times.10.sup.21 cm.sup.-3 or more.

Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, a memory cell including source and drain regions formed in a surface region of the semiconductor substrate, and a first gate insulating film, a charge storage layer, a second gate insulating film, and a control gate sequentially stacked on the semiconductor substrate, the memory cell being capable of electrically rewriting data by exchanging charges between the charge storage layer and the semiconductor substrate, and a means for applying a high potential to the semiconductor substrate and an intermediate potential to the control gate in a first data erase operation, and applying a high potential to the semiconductor substrate and a low potential to the control gate in second and subsequent data erase operations, thereby removing electrons from the charge storage layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor apparatus comprises the steps of forming, on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, an MIS transistor including a drain region and a source region each formed of an impurity diffusion region, forming an insulation film on the semiconductor substrate after the MIS transistor has been formed, selectively forming contact holes in the insulation film, embedding, into the contact hole, a capacitor contact plug having a lower end which is in contact with one of the drain region and the source region of the MIS transistor, forming a ferroelectric capacitor having a lower electrode, a ferroelectric film and an upper electrode on the insulation film after the capacitor contact plug has been formed, and forming an electric wire for establishing a connection between the upper electrode of the ferroelectric capacitor and an upper surface of the capacitor contact plug.

Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, a memory cell including source and drain regions formed in a surface region of the semiconductor substrate, and a first gate insulating film, a charge storage layer, a second gate insulating film, and a control gate sequentially stacked on the semiconductor substrate, the memory cell being capable of electrically rewriting data by exchanging charges between the charge storage layer and the semiconductor substrate, and a means for applying a high potential to the semiconductor substrate and an intermediate potential to the control gate in a first data erase operation, and applying a high potential to the semiconductor substrate and a low potential to the control gate in second and subsequent data erase operations, thereby removing electrons from the charge storage layer.

Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, a memory cell including source and drain regions formed in a surface region of the semiconductor substrate, and a first gate insulating film, a charge storage layer, a second gate insulating film, and a control gate sequentially stacked on the semiconductor substrate, the memory cell being capable of electrically rewriting data by exchanging charges between the charge storage layer and the semiconductor substrate, and a means for applying a high potential to the semiconductor substrate and an intermediate potential to the control gate in a first data erase operation, and applying a high potential to the semiconductor substrate and a low potential to the control gate in second and subsequent data erase operations, thereby removing electrons from the charge storage layer.

Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, a memory cell including source and drain regions formed in a surface region of the semiconductor substrate, and a first gate insulating film, a charge storage layer, a second gate insulating film, and a control gate sequentially stacked on the semiconductor substrate, the memory cell being capable of electrically rewriting data by exchanging charges between the charge storage layer and the semiconductor substrate, and a means for applying a high potential to the semiconductor substrate and an intermediate potential to the control gate in a first data erase operation, and applying a high potential to the semiconductor substrate and a low potential to the control gate in second and subsequent data erase operations, thereby removing electrons from the charge storage layer.