Abstract: A semiconductor device that has a dual gate having different work functions is simply formed by using a selective nitridation. A gate insulating layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate including a first region and a second region, on which devices having different threshold voltages are to be formed. A diffusion inhibiting material is selectively injected into the gate insulating layer in one of the first region and the second region. A diffusion layer is formed on the gate insulating layer. A work function controlling material is directly diffused from the diffusion layer to the gate insulating layer using a heat treatment, wherein the gate insulting layer is self-aligned capped with the selectively injected diffusion inhibiting material so that the work function controlling material is diffused into the other of the first region and the second region. The gate insulating layer is entirely exposed by removing the diffusion layer. A gate electrode layer is formed on the exposed gate insulating layer.

Abstract: Methods of forming integrated circuit devices include forming an electrically conductive layer containing silicon on a substrate and forming a mask pattern on the electrically conductive layer. The electrically conductive layer is selectively etched to define a first sidewall thereon, using the mask pattern as an etching mask. The first sidewall of the electrically conductive layer may be exposed to a nitrogen plasma to thereby form a first silicon nitride layer on the first sidewall. The electrically conductive layer is then selectively etched again to expose a second sidewall thereon that is free of the first silicon nitride layer. The mask pattern may be used again as an etching mask during this second step of selectively etching the electrically conductive layer.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor includes providing a substrate having a first region and a second region defined therein, forming a first gate and a first source and drain region in the first region and forming a second gate and a second source and drain region in the second region, forming an epitaxial layer in the second source and drain region, forming a first metal silicide layer in the first source and drain region, forming an interlayer dielectric layer on the first region and the second region, forming a plurality of contact holes exposing the first metal silicide layer and the epitaxial layer while penetrating the interlayer dielectric layer, forming a second metal silicide layer in the exposed epitaxial layer, and forming a plurality of contacts contacting the first and second metal silicide layers by filling the plurality of contact holes.

Abstract: Provided are a method of forming an insulating layer and a method of manufacturing a transistor using the method. The method of forming the insulating layer includes forming a preliminary insulating layer including silicon oxide (SiO2) on a silicon (Si)-containing substrate. A reactive gas containing ammonia (NH3) gas is supplied to the preliminary insulating layer. Nitrogen radicals (N*) and hydrogen radicals (H*) are generated from the ammonia gas using plasma. The hydrogen radicals combine with oxygen of the preliminary insulating layer, and the nitrogen radicals combine with the silicon oxide so that an insulating layer including hydroxides (OH) and silicon oxynitride (SiON) can be formed.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes sequentially forming a first gate insulating layer and a second gate insulating layer on a substrate, implanting impurity ions into the substrate and performing a first thermal process for activating the impurity ions to form a source and drain region, and forming a third gate insulating layer on the substrate after the first thermal process has been completed.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a metal silicide layer includes forming a metal layer on a substrate, and forming a pre-metal silicide layer by reacting the substrate with the metal layer by performing a first annealing process on the substrate. The method also includes implanting silicon into the substrate using a gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) process, and changing the pre-metal silicide layer into a metal silicide layer by performing a second annealing process on the substrate.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming gate structures on PMOS and NMOS transistor regions of the semiconductor substrate, forming epitaxial blocking layers on source/drain regions of PMOS and NMOS transistor regions using a nitridation process, then selectively removing one of the epitaxial blocking layers, and using a SEG process to form an epitaxial layer on respective source/drain regions while shielding the other source/drain regions with a remaining epitaxial blocking layer.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device are provided. The method includes method of fabricating a semiconductor device including providing a semiconductor substrate having a first semiconductor device region and a second semiconductor device region defined therein, forming a first gate structure in the first semiconductor device region, forming a second gate structure in the second semiconductor device region, forming a first trench adjacent to a first side of the first gate structure, forming a second trench adjacent to a first side of the second gate structure, and forming a first semiconductor pattern in the first trench and forming a second semiconductor pattern in the second trench, wherein the first and second trenches have different cross-sectional shapes from each other.

Abstract: Methods of forming a semiconductor device include providing a substrate having an area including a source and a drain region of a transistor. A nickel (Ni) metal film is formed on the substrate area including the source and the drain region. A first heat-treatment process is performed including heating the substrate including the metal film from a first temperature to a second temperature at a first ramping rate and holding the substrate including the metal film at the second temperature for a first period of time. A second heat-treatment process is then performed including heating the substrate including the metal film from a third temperature to a fourth temperature at a second ramping rate and holding the substrate at the fourth temperature for a second period of time. The fourth temperature is different from the second temperature and the second period of time is different from the first period of time.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an inorganic insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate, a contact plug that extends through the inorganic insulating layer to contact the semiconductor substrate and a stress buffer spacer disposed between the node contact plug and the inorganic insulating layer. The device further includes a thin-film transistor (TFT) disposed on the inorganic insulating layer and having a source/drain region extending along the inorganic insulating layer to contact the contact plug. The device may further include an etch stop layer interposed between the inorganic insulating layer and the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate including a plurality of active areas defined by a device isolation layer, a gate line structure crossing the plurality of active areas, a buffer insulation layer on the semiconductor substrate, the buffer insulation layer contacting a portion of a side of the gate line structure, a contact etching stopper layer on the buffer insulation layer, and a contact plug passing through the buffer insulation layer and the contact etching stopper layer to be connected to the plurality of active areas.

Abstract: In methods of manufacturing a recessed channel array transistor, a recess may be formed in an active region of a substrate. A plasma oxidation process may be performed on the substrate to form a preliminary gate oxide layer on an inner surface of the recess and an upper surface of the substrate. Moistures may be absorbed in a surface of the preliminary gate oxide layer to form a gate oxide layer. A gate electrode may be formed on the gate oxide layer to fill up the recess. Source/drain regions may be formed in an upper surface of the substrate at both sides of the gate electrode. Thus, the oxide layer may have a uniform thickness distribution and a dense structure.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device having a dual gate allows for the gates to have a wide variety of threshold voltages. The method includes forming a gate insulation layer, a first capping layer, and a barrier layer in the foregoing sequence across a first region and a second region on a substrate, exposing the gate insulation layer on the first region by removing the first capping layer and the barrier layer from the first region, forming a second capping layer on the gate insulation layer in the first region and on the barrier layer in the second region, and thermally processing the substrate on which the second capping layer is formed. The thermal processing causes material of the second capping layer to spread into the gate insulation layer in the first region and material of the first capping layer to spread into the gate insulation layer in the second region. Thus, devices having different threshold voltages can be formed in the first and second regions.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an inorganic insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate, a contact plug that extends through the inorganic insulating layer to contact the semiconductor substrate and a stress buffer spacer disposed between the node contact plug and the inorganic insulating layer. The device further includes a thin-film transistor (TFT) disposed on the inorganic insulating layer and having a source/drain region extending along the inorganic insulating layer to contact the contact plug. The device may further include an etch stop layer interposed between the inorganic insulating layer and the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Provided are a CMOS transistor, a semiconductor device having the transistor, and a semiconductor module having the device. The CMOS transistor may include first and second interconnection structures respectively disposed in first and second regions of a semiconductor substrate. The first and second regions of the semiconductor substrate may have different conductivity types. The first and second interconnection structures may be disposed on the semiconductor substrate. The first interconnection structure may have a different stacked structure from the second interconnection structure. The CMOS transistor may be disposed in the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device may be disposed in the semiconductor module.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device having a dual gate allows for the gates to have a wide variety of threshold voltages. The method includes forming a gate insulation layer, a first capping layer, and a barrier layer in the foregoing sequence across a first region and a second region on a substrate, exposing the gate insulation layer on the first region by removing the first capping layer and the barrier layer from the first region, forming a second capping layer on the gate insulation layer in the first region and on the barrier layer in the second region, and thermally processing the substrate on which the second capping layer is formed. The thermal processing causes material of the second capping layer to spread into the gate insulation layer in the first region and material of the first capping layer to spread into the gate insulation layer in the second region. Thus, devices having different threshold voltages can be formed in the first and second regions.

Abstract: A fin field effect transistor includes a fin protruding from a semiconductor substrate, a gate insulating layer formed so as to cover upper and lateral surfaces of the fin, and a gate electrode formed across the fin so as to cover the gate insulating layer. An upper edge of the fin is rounded so that an electric field concentratedly applied to the upper edge of the fin through the gate electrode is dispersed. A thickness of a portion of the gate insulating layer formed on an upper surface of the fin is greater than a thickness of a portion of the gate insulating layer formed on a lateral surface of the fin, in order to reduce an electric field applied through the gate electrode.

Abstract: A sputtering target includes a tungsten (W)-nickel (Ni) alloy, wherein the nickel (Ni) is present in an amount of between about 0.01 weight % and about 1 weight %.

Abstract: Provided are a method of forming an insulating layer and a method of manufacturing a transistor using the method. The method of forming the insulating layer includes forming a preliminary insulating layer including silicon oxide (SiO2) on a silicon (Si)-containing substrate. A reactive gas containing ammonia (NH3) gas is supplied to the preliminary insulating layer. Nitrogen radicals (N*) and hydrogen radicals (H*) are generated from the ammonia gas using plasma. The hydrogen radicals combine with oxygen of the preliminary insulating layer, and the nitrogen radicals combine with the silicon oxide so that an insulating layer including hydroxides (OH) and silicon oxynitride (SiON) can be formed.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has two transistors of different structure from each other. One of transistors is P-type and the other is N-type. One of the transistors includes a gate structure in which a polysilicon layer contacts a gate insulation film while the other transistor includes a gate structure in which a metal layer contacts a gate insulation film.