Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode, a first insulating film formed between the semiconductor substrate and the gate electrode, and a second insulating film formed along a top surface or a side surface of the gate electrode and including a lower silicon nitride film containing nitrogen, silicon and hydrogen and an upper silicon nitride film formed on the lower silicon nitride film and containing nitrogen, silicon and hydrogen, and wherein a composition ratio N/Si of nitrogen (N) to silicon (Si) in the lower silicon nitride film is higher than that in the upper silicon nitride film.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including, forming an insulating film on a silicide layer formed at the surface of a silicon semiconductor substrate, etching the insulating film to form a contact hole in which the silicide layer is exposed, forming a metal nitride film on the bottom and side wall of the contact hole, carrying out a first heating process at 600° C. or lower on the substrate, carrying out, during the first heating process, a second heating process for 10 msec or shorter with light whose main wavelength is shorter than a light absorbing end of silicon, forming a contact conductor in the contact hole after the second heating process, and forming, on the insulating film, wiring that is electrically connected to the substrate through the contact conductor.

Abstract: SiGe or SiC films are selectively grown on source/drain regions, followed by selectively growing silicon. A monocrystalline film having a high dislocation density or a polycrystalline film can be grown in growing the silicon film by making the C or Ge concentration higher than a predetermined level. The silicon layer on each of the source/drain regions is not monocrystalline or, even if monocrystalline, has a high density of dislocation. Therefore, the silicon film formed thereon is in the form of a monocrystalline silicon film having a high dislocation density or a polycrystalline silicon film. It is possible to suppress an impurity diffusion to reach a deep region caused by channeling of ions generated in the doping step by means of an ion implantation.

Abstract: Hexachlorodisilane (Si2Cl6) is used as a Si raw material for forming a silicon nitride film that can be widely different in the etching rate from a silicon oxide film. The silicon nitride film is formed by an LPCVD method.

Abstract: An improved method of reducing contamination in processing of ICs is disclosed. The method includes forming a contamination protection layer on at least the back surface of the substrate. The contamination protection layer comprises a low diffusion factor and can be cleaned efficiently. In one embodiment, the contamination protection layer comprises HCD silicon nitride.

Abstract: Claimed and disclosed is a semiconductor device including a transistor having a gate insulating film structure containing nitrogen or fluorine in a compound, such as metal silicate, containing metal, silicon and oxygen, a gate insulating film structure having a laminated structure of an amorphous metal oxide film and metal silicate film, or a gate insulating film structure having a first gate insulating film including an oxide film of a first metal element and a second gate insulating film including a metal silicate film of a second metal element.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode, a first insulating film formed between the semiconductor substrate and the gate electrode, and a second insulating film formed along a top surface or a side surface of the gate electrode and including a lower silicon nitride film containing nitrogen, silicon and hydrogen and an upper silicon nitride film formed on the lower silicon nitride film and containing nitrogen, silicon and hydrogen, and wherein a composition ratio N/Si of nitrogen (N) to silicon (Si) in the lower silicon nitride film is higher than that in the upper silicon nitride film.

Abstract: A system for determining dry cleaning timing, includes: a manufacturing apparatus configured to process materials assigned by a sequence of lots; an apparatus controller configured to control the manufacturing apparatus and obtaining operational conditions of the manufacturing apparatus as apparatus information; a lot information input terminal configured to obtain process conditions of one of the lots as lot information; an apparatus information storage unit configured to store the apparatus information from the apparatus controller as an apparatus information database; a lot information storage unit configured to store the lot information from the lot information input terminal as a lot information database; and a cleaning determination unit configured to determine timing to perform a dry cleaning of the manufacturing apparatus based on the apparatus information database and the lot information database.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including, forming an insulating film on a silicide layer formed at the surface of a silicon semiconductor substrate, etching the insulating film to form a contact hole in which the silicide layer is exposed, forming a metal nitride film on the bottom and side wall of the contact hole, carrying out a first heating process at 600° C. or lower on the substrate, carrying out, during the first heating process, a second heating process for 10 msec or shorter with light whose main wavelength is shorter than a light absorbing end of silicon, forming a contact conductor in the contact hole after the second heating process, and forming, on the insulating film, wiring that is electrically connected to the substrate through the contact conductor.

Abstract: In using an epitaxial growth method to selectively grow on a silicon substrate an epitaxial layer on which an element is to be formed, the epitaxial layer is formed so as to extend upward above a thermal oxide film that is an element isolating insulating film, in order to prevent formation of facets. Subsequently, unwanted portions of the epitaxial layer are removed by means of CMP to complete an STI element isolating structure.

Abstract: SiGe or SiC films are selectively grown on source/drain regions, followed by selectively growing silicon. A monocrystalline film having a high dislocation density or a polycrystalline film can be grown in growing the silicon film by making the C or Ge concentration higher than a predetermined level. The silicon layer on each of the source/drain regions is not monocrystalline or, even if monocrystalline, has a high density of dislocation. Therefore, the silicon film formed thereon is in the form of a monocrystalline silicon film having a high dislocation density or a polycrystalline silicon film. It is possible to suppress an impurity diffusion to reach a deep region caused by channeling of ions generated in the doping step by means of an ion implantation.

Abstract: SiGe or SiC films are selectively grown on source/drain regions, followed by selectively growing silicon. A monocrystalline film having a high dislocation density or a polycrystalline film can be grown in growing the silicon film by making the C or Ge concentration higher than a predetermined level. The silicon layer on each of the source/drain regions is not monocrystalline or, even if monocrystalline, has a high density of dislocation. Therefore, the silicon film formed thereon is in the form of a monocrystalline silicon film having a high dislocation density or a polycrystalline silicon film. It is possible to suppress an impurity diffusion to reach a deep region caused by channeling of ions generated in the doping step by means of an ion implantation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode, a first insulating film formed between the semiconductor substrate and the gate electrode, and a second insulating film formed along a top surface or a side surface of the gate electrode and including a lower silicon nitride film containing nitrogen, silicon and hydrogen and an upper silicon nitride film formed on the lower silicon nitride film and containing nitrogen, silicon and hydrogen, and wherein a composition ratio N/Si of nitrogen (N) to silicon (Si) in the lower silicon nitride film is higher than that in the upper silicon nitride film.

Abstract: In using an epitaxial growth method to selectively grow on a silicon substrate an epitaxial layer on which an element is to be formed, the epitaxial layer is formed so as to extend upward above a thermal oxide film that is an element isolating insulating film, in order to prevent formation of facets. Subsequently, unwanted portions of the epitaxial layer are removed by means of CMP to complete an STI element isolating structure.

Abstract: To provide a cavity in the portion of the silicon substrate which lies beneath the channel region of the MOS transistor.

Abstract: In using an epitaxial growth method to selectively grow on a silicon substrate an epitaxial layer on which an element is to be formed, the epitaxial layer is formed so as to extend upward above a thermal oxide film that is an element isolating insulating film, in order to prevent formation of facets. Subsequently, unwanted portions of the epitaxial layer are removed by means of CMP to complete an STI element isolating structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a trench on a surface thereof and an embedding member embedding the interior of the trench therewith. While the section of the trench when cut by a first plane perpendicular to the direction of the depth of the trench is defined as a first section and the section of the trench when cut by a second plane perpendicular to the direction of the depth of the trench and closer to the bottom of the trench than the first plane is defined as a second section, the area of the first section is smaller than that of the second section and a minimum radius of curvature of the first section is smaller than a minimum radius of curvature of the second section. As a result, it is possible to lessen the concentration of the electric field into the bottom of the trench.

Abstract: A system for determining dry cleaning timing, includes: a manufacturing apparatus configured to process materials assigned by a sequence of lots; an apparatus controller configured to control the manufacturing apparatus and obtaining operational conditions of the manufacturing apparatus as apparatus information; a lot information input terminal configured to obtain process conditions of one of the lots as lot information; an apparatus information storage unit configured to store the apparatus information from the apparatus controller as an apparatus information database; a lot information storage unit configured to store the lot information from the lot information input terminal as a lot information database; and a cleaning determination unit configured to determine timing to perform a dry cleaning of the manufacturing apparatus based on the apparatus information database and the lot information database.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor substrate, a gate dielectrics formed on the semiconductor substrate and including a silicon oxide film containing a metallic element, the silicon oxide film containing the metallic element including a first region near a lower surface thereof, a second region near an upper surface thereof, and a third region between the first and second regions, the metallic element contained in the silicon oxide film having a density distribution in a thickness direction of the silicon oxide film, a peak of the density distribution existing in the third region, and an electrode formed on the gate dielectrics.

Abstract: To provide a cavity in the portion of the silicon substrate which lies beneath the channel region of the MOS transistor.