Abstract: The present invention provides methods of fabricating integrated circuit devices that include a microelectronic substrate and a conductive layer disposed on the microelectronic substrate. An insulating layer is disposed on the conductive layer and the insulating layer includes an overhanging portion that extends beyond the conductive layer. A sidewall insulating region is disposed laterally adjacent to a sidewall of the conductive layer and extends between the overhanging portion of the insulating layer and the microelectronic substrate.

Abstract: An etch stop layer is formed over a surface of an interlayer insulating layer and over a surface of a conductive plug extending at a depth from the surface of the interlayer insulating layer. A lower mold layer is deposited over the etch stop layer, and a wet etch rate of the lower mold layer is adjusted by adding dopants to the lower mold layer during formation of the lower mold layer, and by annealing the lower mold layer. An upper mold layer is then deposited over the surface of the lower mold layer, such that a wet etch rate of the upper mold layer is less than the adjusted wet etch rate of the lower mold layer. The upper mold layer, the lower mold layer and the etch stop layer are then subjected to dry etching to form an opening therein which exposes at least a portion of the surface of the contact plug.

Abstract: Methods of forming Ta2O5 layers in a process chamber are disclosed. A Ta2O5 layer can be maintained at a first temperature that is less than a temperature for crystallization of the Ta2O5 layer. At least one of a position of the Ta2O5 layer in the process chamber relative to the heater and a pressure in the process chamber is changed to increase the temperature of the Ta2O5 layer to about the temperature for crystallization.

Abstract: Methods are provided for forming an integrated circuit device including a resistor pattern having a desired resistance value. A low resistive layer is formed on an integrated circuit substrate. An insulating layer is formed on the low resistive layer opposite the integrated circuit substrate. A high resistive layer, which may have a specific resistance of at least about a hundred &mgr;&OHgr;·cm, is formed on the insulating layer opposite the low resistive layer. The low resistive layer, the insulating layer and the high resistive layer define the resistor pattern in a region of the integrated circuit substrate. Integrated circuit devices including resistor patterns as provided by the methods are also provided and methods for forming metal contacts to the resistor pattern are also provided.

Abstract: An etch stop layer is formed over a surface of an interlayer insulating layer and over a surface of a conductive plug extending at a depth from the surface of the interlayer insulating layer. A lower mold layer is deposited over the etch stop layer, and a wet etch rate of the lower mold layer is adjusted by adding dopants to the lower mold layer during formation of the lower mold layer, and by annealing the lower mold layer. An upper mold layer is then deposited over the surface of the lower mold layer, such that a wet etch rate of the upper mold layer is less than the adjusted wet etch rate of the lower mold layer. The upper mold layer, the lower mold layer and the etch stop layer are then subjected to dry etching to form an opening therein which exposes at least a portion of the surface of the contact plug.

Abstract: Methods of forming integrated circuit capacitors include the steps of forming a lower electrode of a capacitor by forming a conductive layer pattern (e.g., silicon layer) on a semiconductor substrate and then forming a hemispherical grain (HSG) silicon surface layer of first conductivity type on the conductive layer pattern. The inclusion of a HSG silicon surface layer on an outer surface of the conductive layer pattern increases the effective surface area of the lower electrode for a given lateral dimension. The HSG silicon surface layer is also preferably sufficiently doped with first conductivity type dopants (e.g., N-type) to minimize the size of any depletion layer which may be formed in the lower electrode when the capacitor is reverse biased and thereby improve the capacitor's characteristic Cmin/Cmax ratio. A diffusion barrier layer (e.g., silicon nitride) is also formed on the lower electrode and then a dielectric layer is formed on the diffusion barrier layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device adopting an interlayer contact structure between upper and lower conductive layers and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device adopting the structure are provided. The lower conductive layer includes a first conductive layer and a first silicide layer stacked together. The upper conductive layer includes a second conductive layer doped with impurities and a second silicide layer stacked together. In the interlayer contact structure, the first and second conductive layers are in direct contact with each other. This decreases the contact resistance between the two conductive layers and improves the electrical properties of the device.

Abstract: The present invention provide integrated circuit devices and methods of fabricating the same that include a microelectronic substrate and a conductive layer disposed on the microelectronic substrate. An insulating layer is disposed on the conductive layer and the insulating layer includes an overhanging portion that extends beyond the conductive layer. A sidewall insulating region is disposed laterally adjacent to a sidewall of the conductive layer and extends between the overhanging portion of the insulating layer and the microelectronic substrate.

Abstract: A layer is formed by chemical vapor depositing a seeding layer of ruthenium oxide on a substrate at a chemical vapor deposition flow rate ratio of a ruthenium source to oxygen gas. A main layer of ruthenium is chemical vapor deposited on the seeding layer by increasing the chemical vapor deposition flow rate ratio of the ruthenium source to the oxygen gas.

Abstract: Methods are provided for forming an integrated circuit device including a resistor pattern having a desired resistance value. A low resistive layer is formed on an integrated circuit substrate. An insulating layer is formed on the low resistive layer opposite the integrated circuit substrate. A high resistive layer, which may have a specific resistance of at least about a hundred &mgr;&OHgr;·cm, is formed on the insulating layer opposite the low resistive layer. The low resistive layer, the insulating layer and the high resistive layer define the resistor pattern in a region of the integrated circuit substrate. Integrated circuit devices including resistor patterns as provided by the methods are also provided and methods for forming metal contacts to the resistor pattern are also provided.

Abstract: Methods of forming integrated circuit capacitors include the steps of forming a lower electrode of a capacitor by forming a conductive layer pattern (e.g., silicon layer) on a semiconductor substrate and then forming a hemispherical grain (HSG) silicon surface layer of first conductivity type on the conductive layer pattern. The inclusion of a HSG silicon surface layer on an outer surface of the conductive layer pattern increases the effective surface area of the lower electrode for a given lateral dimension. The HSG silicon surface layer is also preferably sufficiently doped with first conductivity type dopants (e.g., N-type) to minimize the size of any depletion layer which may be formed in the lower electrode when the capacitor is reverse biased and thereby improve the capacitor's characteristic Cmin/Cmax ratio. A diffusion barrier layer (e.g., silicon nitride) is also formed on the lower electrode and then a dielectric layer is formed on the diffusion barrier layer.

Abstract: Methods of forming Ta2O5 layers in a process chamber are disclosed. A Ta2O5 layer can be maintained at a first temperature that is less than a temperature for crystallization of the Ta2O5 layer. At least one of a position of the Ta2O5 layer in the process chamber relative to the heater and a pressure in the process chamber is changed to increase the temperature of the Ta2O5 layer to about the temperature for crystallization.

Abstract: An etch stop layer is formed over a surface of an interlayer insulating layer and over a surface of a conductive plug extending at a depth from the surface of the interlayer insulating layer. A lower mold layer is deposited over the etch stop layer, and a wet etch rate of the lower mold layer is adjusted by adding dopants to the lower mold layer during formation of the lower mold layer, and by annealing the lower mold layer. An upper mold layer is then deposited over the surface of the lower mold layer, such that a wet etch rate of the upper mold layer is less than the adjusted wet etch rate of the lower mold layer. The upper mold layer, the lower mold layer and the etch stop layer are then subjected to dry etching to form an opening therein which exposes at least a portion of the surface of the contact plug.

Abstract: In a method of forming a thin film using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) method, a thin film is formed on a substrate in cycles. Each cycle includes injecting a first reactant including an atom that forms the thin film and a ligand into a reaction chamber that includes the substrate, purging the first reactant, injecting a second reactant into the reaction chamber, and purging the second reactant. The thin film is formed by a chemical reaction between the atom that forms the thin film and a second reactant whose binding energy with respect to the atom that forms the thin film is larger than the binding energy of the ligand with respect to the atom that forms the thin film and the generation of by-products is prevented. The generation of a hydroxide by-product in the thin film is suppressed by using a material that does not include a hydroxide as the second reactant, purging the second reactant, and reacting the second reactant with a third reactant that includes hydroxide.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for oxygen radical annealing or plasma annealing various layers (e.g., a lower electrode, a dielectric layer, or an upper electrode) of a microelectronic capacitor on a substrate are provided. By oxygen radical or plasma annealing the lower electrode of the capacitor, the leakage current characteristic of the capacitor may be improved such that the leakage current is reduced, for example, by a factor of 100 or more. The amount of impurities on the lower electrode may also be reduced. Oxygen radical or plasma annealing the dielectric layer of the capacitor may improve the leakage current characteristics of the capacitor and may reduce the amount of impurities in the dielectric layer. By ozone annealing the upper electrode, the leakage current characteristic of the capacitor may be improved and the number of oxygen vacancies formed in the dielectric layer may be reduced.

Abstract: Methods of forming Ta2O5 layers in a process chamber are disclosed. A Ta2O5 layer can be maintained at a first temperature that is less than a temperature for crystallization of the Ta2O5 layer. At least one of a position of the Ta2O5 layer in the process chamber relative to the heater and a pressure in the process chamber is changed to increase the temperature of the Ta2O5 layer to about the temperature for crystallization.

Abstract: A method of forming a dielectric film composed of metal oxide under an atmosphere of activated vapor containing oxygen. In the method of forming the dielectric film, a metal oxide film is formed on a semiconductor substrate using a metal organic precursor and O2 gas while the semiconductor substrate is exposed under activated vapor atmosphere containing oxygen, and then, the metal oxide film is annealed while the semiconductor substrate is exposed under activated vapor containing oxygen. The annealing may take place in situ with the formation of the metal oxide film, at the same or substantially the same temperature as the metal oxide forming, and/or at at least one of a different pressure, oxygen concentration, or oxygen flow rate as the metal oxide forming.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of forming a thin film using atomic layer deposition (ALD). An ALD reactor having a single reaction space is provided. A batch of substrates is concurrently loaded into the single reaction space of the ALD reactor.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first electrode formed of a silicon-family material, a dielectric layer formed by sequentially supplying reactants on the first electrode, and a second electrode having a work function larger than that of the first electrode, with the second electrode being formed on the dielectric layer. The first electrode and the second electrode can be a lower electrode and an upper electrode, respectively, in a capacitor structure. Also, the first electrode and the second electrode can be a silicon substrate and a gate electrode, respectively, in a transistor structure. A stabilizing layer, which is, for example, a silicon oxide layer, a silicon nitride layer, or a composite layer of the silicon oxide layer and the silicon nitride layer, for facilitating the formation of the dielectric layer by hydrophilizing the surface of the first electrode, may be formed on the first electrode. The dielectric layer can be formed by an atomic layer deposition method.

Abstract: A semiconductor device adopting an interlayer contact structure between upper and lower conductive layers and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device adopting the structure are provided. The lower conductive layer includes a first conductive layer and a first silicide layer stacked together. The upper conductive layer includes a second conductive layer doped with impurities and a second silicide layer stacked together. In the interlayer contact structure, the first and second conductive layers are in direct contact with each other. This decreases the contact resistance between the two conductive layers and improves the electrical properties of the device.