Abstract: Provided is a technique capable of improving the reliability of a semiconductor device having a slit made over a main surface of a semiconductor substrate, so as to surround each element formation region. In the technique, a second passivation film covers the side surface of an opening made to make the upper surface of a sixth-layer interconnection M6 used for bonding pads naked, and the inner walls (the side surfaces and the bottom surface) of a slit made to surround the circumference of a guard ring and made in a first passivation film, an insulating film for bonding, and an interlayer dielectric, so as to cause the bottom thereof not to penetrate through a barrier insulating film.

Abstract: In connection with a semiconductor device including a capacitor element there is provided a technique capable of improving the reliability of the capacitor element. A capacitor element is formed in an element isolation region formed over a semiconductor substrate. The capacitor element includes a lower electrode and an upper electrode formed over the lower electrode through a capacitor insulating film. Basically, the lower electrode and the upper electrode are formed from polysilicon films and a cobalt silicide film formed over the surfaces of the polysilicon films. End portions of the cobalt silicide film formed over the upper electrode are spaced apart a distance from end portions of the upper electrode. Besides, end portions of the cobalt silicide film formed over the lower electrode are spaced apart a distance from boundaries between the upper electrode and the lower electrode.

Abstract: For enhancing the high performance of a non-volatile semiconductor memory device having an MONOS type transistor, a non-volatile semiconductor memory device is provided with MONOS type transistors having improved performance in which the memory cell of an MONOS non-volatile memory comprises a control transistor and a memory transistor. A control gate of the control transistor comprises an n-type polycrystal silicon film and is formed over a gate insulative film comprising a silicon oxide film. A memory gate of the memory transistor comprises an n-type polycrystal silicon film and is disposed on one of the side walls of the control gate. The memory gate comprises a doped polycrystal silicon film with a sheet resistance lower than that of the control gate comprising a polycrystal silicon film formed by ion implantation of impurities to the undoped silicon film.

Abstract: In connection with a semiconductor device including a capacitor element there is provided a technique capable of improving the reliability of the capacitor element. A capacitor element is formed in an element isolation region formed over a semiconductor substrate. The capacitor element includes a lower electrode and an upper electrode formed over the lower electrode through a capacitor insulating film. Basically, the lower electrode and the upper electrode are formed from polysilicon films and a cobalt silicide film formed over the surfaces of the polysilicon films. End portions of the cobalt silicide film formed over the upper electrode are spaced apart a distance from end portions of the upper electrode. Besides, end portions of the cobalt silicide film formed over the lower electrode are spaced apart a distance from boundaries between the upper electrode and the lower electrode.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory array includes a first nonvolatile memory cell having a first charge storage layer and a first gate electrode and a second nonvolatile memory cell, adjacent to the first memory cell in a first direction, having a second charge storage layer and a second gate electrode. The first and second electrodes extend in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the first electrode has a first contact section extending toward the second electrode in the first direction, and the second electrode has a second contact section extending toward the first electrode in the first direction. The first and second contact positions are shifted in the second direction, respectively, and the first electrode and the first contact section are electrically separated from the second electrode and the second contact section.

Abstract: In connection with a semiconductor device including a capacitor element there is provided a technique capable of improving the reliability of the capacitor element. A capacitor element is formed in an element isolation region formed over a semiconductor substrate. The capacitor element includes a lower electrode and an upper electrode formed over the lower electrode through a capacitor insulating film. Basically, the lower electrode and the upper electrode are formed from polysilicon films and a cobalt silicide film formed over the surfaces of the polysilicon films. End portions of the cobalt silicide film formed over the upper electrode are spaced apart a distance from end portions of the upper electrode. Besides, end portions of the cobalt silicide film formed over the lower electrode are spaced apart a distance from boundaries between the upper electrode and the lower electrode.

Abstract: In connection with a semiconductor device including a capacitor element there is provided a technique capable of improving the reliability of the capacitor element. A capacitor element is formed in an element isolation region formed over a semiconductor substrate. The capacitor element includes a lower electrode and an upper electrode formed over the lower electrode through a capacitor insulating film. Basically, the lower electrode and the upper electrode are formed from polysilicon films and a cobalt silicide film formed over the surfaces of the polysilicon films. End portions of the cobalt silicide film formed over the upper electrode are spaced apart a distance from end portions of the upper electrode. Besides, end portions of the cobalt silicide film formed over the lower electrode are spaced apart a distance from boundaries between the upper electrode and the lower electrode.

Abstract: In connection with a semiconductor device including a capacitor element there is provided a technique capable of improving the reliability of the capacitor element. A capacitor element is formed in an element isolation region formed over a semiconductor substrate. The capacitor element includes a lower electrode and an upper electrode formed over the lower electrode through a capacitor insulating film. Basically, the lower electrode and the upper electrode are formed from polysilicon films and a cobalt silicide film formed over the surfaces of the polysilicon films. End portions of the cobalt silicide film formed over the upper electrode are spaced apart a distance from end portions of the upper electrode. Besides, end portions of the cobalt silicide film formed over the lower electrode are spaced apart a distance from boundaries between the upper electrode and the lower electrode.

Abstract: Provided is a technique capable of improving the reliability of a semiconductor device having a slit made over a main surface of a semiconductor substrate, so as to surround each element formation region. In the technique, a second passivation film covers the side surface of an opening made to make the upper surface of a sixth-layer interconnection M6 used for bonding pads naked, and the inner walls (the side surfaces and the bottom surface) of a slit made to surround the circumference of a guard ring and made in a first passivation film, an insulating film for bonding, and an interlayer dielectric, so as to cause the bottom thereof not to penetrate through a barrier insulating film.

Abstract: The present invention aims to enhance the reliability of a semiconductor device having first through fourth capacitive elements. The first through fourth capacitive elements are disposed over a semiconductor substrate. A series circuit of the first and second capacitive elements and a series circuit of the third and fourth capacitive elements are coupled in parallel between first and second potentials. Lower electrodes of the first and third capacitive elements are respectively formed by a common conductor pattern and coupled to the first potential. Lower electrodes of the second and fourth capacitive elements are respectively formed by a conductor pattern of the same layer as the above conductor pattern and coupled to the second potential. Upper electrodes of the first and second capacitive elements are respectively formed by a common conductor pattern and brought to a floating potential.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device at low cost in which the gate insulation film having a trench structure is not damaged by arsenic ions when the emitter layer or the like is formed and the insulation breakdown voltage is enhanced. A gate electrode made of polysilicon formed in a trench is thermally oxidized in a high temperature furnace or the like to form a thick polysilicon thermal oxide film on the gate electrode. Impurity ions are then ion-implanted to form an N type semiconductor layer that is to be an emitter layer or the like. At this time, the polysilicon thermal oxide film is formed thicker than the projected range Rp of impurity ions in the silicon oxide film for forming the N type semiconductor layer as the emitter layer or the like by ion implantation. This prevents a gate insulation film between the gate electrode and the N type semiconductor layer from being damaged by the impurity ions.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device at low cost in which the gate insulation film having a trench structure is not damaged by arsenic ions when the emitter layer or the like is formed and the insulation breakdown voltage is enhanced. A gate electrode made of polysilicon formed in a trench is thermally oxidized in a high temperature furnace or the like to form a thick polysilicon thermal oxide film on the gate electrode. Impurity ions are then ion-implanted to form an N type semiconductor layer that is to be an emitter layer or the like. At this time, the polysilicon thermal oxide film is formed thicker than the projected range Rp of impurity ions in the silicon oxide film for forming the N type semiconductor layer as the emitter layer or the like by ion implantation. This prevents a gate insulation film between the gate electrode and the N type semiconductor layer from being damaged by the impurity ions.

Abstract: The present invention aims at providing a photocathode which can improve various characteristics. In a photocathode 10, an intermediate layer 14, an underlayer 16, and a photoelectron emission layer 18 are formed in this order on a substrate 12. The photoelectron emission layer 18 contains Sb and Bi and functions to emit a photoelectron in response to light incident thereon. The photoelectron emission layer 18 contains 32 mol % or less of Bi relative to SbBi. This can dramatically improve the linearity at low temperatures.

Abstract: For enhancing the high performance of a non-volatile semiconductor memory device having an MONOS type transistor, a non-volatile semiconductor memory device is provided with MONOS type transistors having improved performance in which the memory cell of an MONOS non-volatile memory comprises a control transistor and a memory transistor. A control gate of the control transistor comprises an n-type polycrystal silicon film and is formed over a gate insulative film comprising a silicon oxide film. A memory gate of the memory transistor comprises an n-type polycrystal silicon film and is disposed on one of the side walls of the control gate. The memory gate comprises a doped polycrystal silicon film with a sheet resistance lower than that of the control gate comprising a polycrystal silicon film formed by ion implantation of impurities to the undoped silicon film.

Abstract: For enhancing the high performance of a non-volatile semiconductor memory device having an MONOS type transistor, a non-volatile semiconductor memory device is provided with MONOS type transistors having improved performance in which the memory cell of an MONOS non-volatile memory comprises a control transistor and a memory transistor. A control gate of the control transistor comprises an n-type polycrystal silicon film and is formed over a gate insulative film comprising a silicon oxide film. A memory gate of the memory transistor comprises an n-type polycrystal silicon film and is disposed on one of the side walls of the control gate. The memory gate comprises a doped polycrystal silicon film with a sheet resistance lower than that of the control gate comprising a polycrystal silicon film formed by ion implantation of impurities to the undoped silicon film.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device which includes a split-gate type memory cell having a control gate and a memory gate, a low withstand voltage MISFET and a high withstand voltage MISFET, variations of the threshold voltage of the memory cell are suppressed. A gate insulating film of a control gate is thinner than a gate insulating film of a high withstand voltage MISFET, the control gate is thicker than a gate electrode 14 of the low withstand voltage MISFET and the ratio of thickness of a memory gate with respect to the gate length of the memory gate is larger than 1. The control gate and a gate electrode 15 are formed in a multilayer structure including an electrode material film 8A and an electrode material layer 8B, and the gate electrode 14 is a single layer structure formed at the same time as the electrode material film 8A of the control gate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a non-volatile memory is disclosed, whose disturb defect can be diminished or prevented. A memory cell of the non-volatile memory has a memory gate electrode formed over a main surface of a semiconductor substrate through an insulating film for charge storage. A first side wall is formed on a side face of the memory gate electrode, and at a side face of the first side wall, a second side wall is formed. On an upper surface of an n+-type semiconductor region for source in the memory cell there is formed a silicide layer whose end portion on the memory gate electrode MG side is defined by the second side wall.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a non-volatile memory is disclosed, whose disturb defect can be diminished or prevented. A memory cell of the non-volatile memory has a memory gate electrode formed over a main surface of a semiconductor substrate through an insulating film for charge storage. A first side wall is formed on a side face of the memory gate electrode, and at a side face of the first side wall, a second side wall is formed. On an upper surface of an n+-type semiconductor region for source in the memory cell there is formed a silicide layer whose end portion on the memory gate electrode MG side is defined by the second side wall.

Abstract: For enhancing the high performance of a non-volatile semiconductor memory device having an MONOS type transistor, a non-volatile semiconductor memory device is provided with MONOS type transistors having improved performance in which the memory cell of an MONOS non-volatile memory comprises a control transistor and a memory transistor. A control gate of the control transistor comprises an n-type polycrystal silicon film and is formed over a gate insulative film comprising a silicon oxide film. A memory gate of the memory transistor comprises an n-type polycrystal silicon film and is disposed on one of the side walls of the control gate. The memory gate comprises a doped polycrystal silicon film with a sheet resistance lower than that of the control gate comprising a polycrystal silicon film formed by ion implantation of impurities to the undoped silicon film.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory array includes a first nonvolatile memory cell having a first charge storage layer and a first gate electrode and a second nonvolatile memory cell, adjacent to the first memory cell in a first direction, having a second charge storage layer and a second gate electrode. The first and second electrodes extend in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the first electrode has a first contact section extending toward the second electrode in the first direction, and the second electrode has a second contact section extending toward the first electrode in the first direction. The first and second contact positions are shifted in the second direction, respectively, and the first electrode and the first contact section are electrically separated from the second electrode and the second contact section.