Abstract: A semiconductor device of a selective gate region having a semiconductor layer, a first insulating film formed on the semiconductor layer, a first electrode layer formed on the first insulating film, and an element isolating region including an element isolating insulating film formed to extend through the first electrode layer and the first insulating film to reach an inner region of the semiconductor layer. The element isolating region isolates an element region and is self-aligned with the first electrode layer, a second insulating film is formed on the first electrode layer and the element isolating region, and an open portion exposes a surface of the first electrode layer and is formed in the second insulating film. A second electrode layer is formed on the second insulating film and the exposed surface of the first electrode layer, the second electrode layer being electrically connected to the first electrode layer via the open portion.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, source and drain regions, a channel region, a gate insulating film, a charge storage layer, and a control gate electrode. The source and drain regions include first impurities of a first conductivity type. The channel region includes second impurities of a second conductivity type. The gate insulating film includes the second impurities in a region thereof located immediately above at least a portion of the channel region. The charge storage layer is formed on the gate insulating film. The control gate electrode is provided on the charge storage layer. The control gate electrode is formed on the charge storage layer and is electrically connected to the charge storage layer by a connection portion provided on a part of the charge storage layer, which is located immediately above at least a part of the region of the gate insulating film including the second impurities.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising element regions formed in a semiconductor substrate, conductor plugs embedded in an interlayer insulation film, and wiring layers connected to the plugs, wherein the plugs are arranged on a straight line orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the wiring layer in the same pitch as the wiring layers such that the straight line and upper surfaces of the plugs are superposed each other, and when the plugs are viewed in a cross section parallel to a main surface of the substrate and a distance which is between those two edge points of each of the plugs where a split line which passes through a center of each of the plugs passes is defined as a contact diameter, the contact diameter has three or more maximum values and three or more minimum values while the split line is rotated in the cross section by 360 degrees.

Abstract: An element isolating region for separating an element region of a semiconductor layer is formed in a peripheral circuit section of a semiconductor memory device, and a first conductive layer is formed with the element region with a first insulating film interposed therebetween. A second conductive layer is formed on the first conductive layer to extend into the element isolating region. A surface of that section of the second conductive layer which is positioned within the element isolating region is exposed, and a third conductive layer is formed on the second conductive layer with a second insulating film interposed therebetween. Further, a contact is electrically connected to an exposed surface of the second conductive layer.

Abstract: An element isolating region for separating an element region of a semiconductor layer is formed in a peripheral circuit section of a semiconductor memory device, and a first conductive layer is formed with the element region with a first insulating film interposed therebetween. A second conductive layer is formed on the first conductive layer to extend into the element isolating region. A surface of that section of the second conductive layer which is positioned within the element isolating region is exposed, and a third conductive layer is formed on the second conductive layer with a second insulating film interposed therebetween. Further, a contact is electrically connected to an exposed surface of the second conductive layer.

Abstract: A select gate transistor has a select gate electrode composed of a first-level conductive layer and a second-level conductive layer. The first-level conductive layer has a plurality of contact areas. The second-level conductive layer has its portions removed that are located above the contact areas. Two adjacent select gate electrodes that are adjacent to each other in the column direction are arranged such that the contact areas of one select gate electrode are not opposed to the contact areas of the other select gate electrode. One select gate electrode has its first- and second-level conductive layers removed in their portions that are opposed to the contact areas of the other select gate electrode.

Abstract: A select gate transistor has a select gate electrode composed of a first-level conductive layer and a second-level conductive layer. The first-level conductive layer has contact areas. The second-level conductive layer has its portions removed that are located above the contact areas. Two adjacent select gate electrodes that are adjacent to each other in the column direction are arranged such that the contact areas of one select gate electrode are not opposed to the contact areas of the other select gate electrode. One select gate electrode has its first- and second-level conductive layers removed in their portions that are opposed to the contact areas of the other select gate electrode.

Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory includes: a memory cell array constituted by word lines, bit lines, and electrically erasable/rewritable memory cell transistors, which have respective tunnel insulating films and are arranged at the intersections of the word lines and the bit lines; and a word line transfer transistor, which is separated by an element isolation region, has a source diffusion layer, a channel region, a gate insulating film on the channel region, and a drain diffusion layer, and is connected to a word line and a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film via a word line contact plug formed in the drain diffusion layer.

Abstract: The major surface of a semiconductor substrate of a semiconductor device includes first and second regions and a boundary area therebetween. A first gate insulating film and a first gate electrode are formed in the first region. A second gate insulating film different from the first gate insulating film and a second gate electrode are formed in the second region. A device isolation region is formed in the boundary area. This device isolation region includes a trench formed in the major surface, and an insulating layer having a portion buried in the trench and a portion projecting upward from the major surface. The bottom of the trench has depths different with portions.

Abstract: A semiconductor device of a selective gate region having a semiconductor layer, a first insulating film formed on the semiconductor layer, a first electrode layer formed on the first insulating film, and an element isolating region including an element isolating insulating film formed to extend through the first electrode layer and the first insulating film to reach an inner region of the semiconductor layer. The element isolating region isolates an element region and is self-aligned with the first electrode layer, a second insulating film is formed on the first electrode layer and the element isolating region, and an open portion exposes a surface of the first electrode layer and is formed in the second insulating film. A second electrode layer is formed on the second insulating film and the exposed surface of the first electrode layer, the second electrode layer being electrically connected to the first electrode layer via the open portion.

Abstract: A data writing method for a semiconductor memory device includes writing data into the first memory cell, rewriting the data into the first memory cell when an insufficiency of the data of the first memory cell is determined as a result of verifying the data of the first memory cell at one first reference threshold voltage, writing data into the second memory cell following writing the data into the first memory cell, and rewriting the data into the first memory cell following writing the data into the second memory cell when an insufficiency of the data of the first memory cell is determined as a result of verifying the data of the first memory cell at one second reference threshold voltage. The first reference threshold voltage is set to be different from the second reference threshold voltage.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising element regions formed in a semiconductor substrate, conductor plugs embedded in an interlayer insulation film, and wiring layers connected to the plugs, wherein the plugs are arranged on a straight line orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the wiring layer in the same pitch as the wiring layers such that the straight line and upper surfaces of the plugs are superposed each other, and when the plugs are viewed in a cross section parallel to a main surface of the substrate and a distance which is between those two edge points of each of the plugs where a split line which passes through a center of each of the plugs passes is defined as a contact diameter, the contact diameter has three or more maximum values and three or more minimum values while the split line is rotated in the cross section by 360 degrees.

Abstract: A semiconductor device with a non-volatile memory, having: first to fourth memory cells arranged in a first direction; a first bit line extending over the first memory cell in a second direction and connected to the second memory cell; a second bit line extending over the second memory cell in the second direction and connected to the first memory cell; a third bit line extending over the third memory cell in the second direction and connected to the third memory cell; and a fourth bit line extending over the fourth memory cell in the second direction and connected to the fourth memory cell.

Abstract: A semiconductor device of a selective gate region having a semiconductor layer, a first insulating film formed on the semiconductor layer, a first electrode layer formed on the first insulating film, and an element isolating region including an element isolating insulating film formed to extend through the first electrode layer and the first insulating film to reach an inner region of the semiconductor layer. The element isolating region isolates an element region and is self-aligned with the first electrode layer, a second insulating film is formed on the first electrode layer and the element isolating region, and an open portion exposes a surface of the first electrode layer and is formed in the second insulating film. A second electrode layer is formed on the second insulating film and the exposed surface of the first electrode layer, the second electrode layer being electrically connected to the first electrode layer via the open portion.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a structure in which a first electrode layer, an inter-electrode insulating film and a second electrode layer are laminated in a main circuit in this order, and includes a capacitor element having a lower electrode formed of the same layer as the first electrode layer, a charge storage layer formed of the same layer as the inter-electrode insulating film, and an upper electrode formed of the second electrode layer. The semiconductor device further includes an opening portion formed in the charge storage layer, the opening portion having a bottom to which the lower electrode is exposed, and a first region electrically connected to the lower electrode via the opening portion and electrically isolated from the upper electrode, the first region being formed of the same layer as the second electrode layer.

Abstract: A data writing method for a semiconductor memory device includes writing data into the first memory cell, rewriting the data into the first memory cell when an insufficiency of the data of the first memory cell is determined as a result of verifying the data of the first memory cell at one first reference threshold voltage, writing data into the second memory cell following writing the data into the first memory cell, and rewriting the data into the first memory cell following writing the data into the second memory cell when an insufficiency of the data of the first memory cell is determined as a result of verifying the data of the first memory cell at one second reference threshold voltage. The first reference threshold voltage is set to be different from the second reference threshold voltage.

Abstract: The major surface of a semiconductor substrate of a semiconductor device includes first and second regions and a boundary area therebetween. A first gate insulating film and a first gate electrode are formed in the first region. A second gate insulating film different from the first gate insulating film and a second gate electrode are formed in the second region. A device isolation region is formed in the boundary area. This device isolation region includes a trench formed in the major surface, and an insulating layer having a portion buried in the trench and a portion projecting upward from the major surface. The bottom of the trench has depths different with portions.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, source and drain regions, a channel region, a gate insulating film, a charge storage layer, and a control gate electrode. The source and drain regions include first impurities of a first conductivity type. The channel region includes second impurities of a second conductivity type. The gate insulating film includes the second impurities in a region thereof located immediately above at least a portion of the channel region. The charge storage layer is formed on the gate insulating film. The control gate electrode is provided on the charge storage layer. The control gate electrode is formed on the charge storage layer and is electrically connected to the charge storage layer by a connection portion provided on a part of the charge storage layer, which is located immediately above at least a part of the region of the gate insulating film including the second impurities.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a memory cell array portion and peripheral circuit portion, wherein a first insulation film including elements as main components other than nitrogen fills between the memory cell gate electrodes of the memory cell array portion, the first insulation film is formed as a liner on a sidewall of a peripheral gate electrode of the peripheral circuit portion simultaneously with the memory cell portion, and a second insulation film including nitrogen as the main component is formed on the sidewall of the peripheral gate electrode via the first insulation film, thus enabling not only the formation of the memory cell portion having high reliability, but also the formation of a peripheral circuit with good efficiency, simultaneously, and avoiding gate offset of a peripheral gate.

Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory which is configured to include a plurality of word lines disposed in a row direction; a plurality of bit lines disposed in a column direction perpendicular to the word lines; memory cell transistors having a charge storage layer, provided in the column direction and an electronic storage condition of the memory cell transistor configured to be controlled by one of the plurality of the word lines connected to the memory cell; a plurality of first select transistors, each including a gate electrode, selecting the memory cell transistors provided in the column direction, arranged in the column direction and adjacent to the memory cell transistors at a first end of the memory cell transistors; and a first select gate line connected to each of the gate electrodes of the first select transistors.