Abstract: The present invention discloses a novel integrated circuit capacitor and a method of forming such a capacitor. The capacitor formation begins with a base electrode 18 adjacent an insulating region 26. This base electrode 18 can comprise either polysilicon or a metal. A layer 28 of a first material, such as a siliciding metal, is formed over the base electrode 18 as well as the adjacent insulating region. A self-aligned capacitor electrode 12 can then be formed by reacting the first material 28 with the base electrode 18 and removing unreacted portions of the first material 28 from the insulating region 26. The capacitor is then completed by forming a dielectric layer 16 over the self-aligned capacitor electrode 12 and a second capacitor electrode 14 over the dielectric layer 16.

Abstract: A gate insulating film is formed in a partial area of the surface of a semiconductor substrate, and on this gate insulating film, a gate electrode is formed. An ONO film is formed on the side wall of the gate electrode and on the surface of the semiconductor substrate on both sides of the gate electrode, conformable to the side wall and the surface. A silicon nitride film of the ONO film traps carriers. A conductive side wall spacer faces the side wall of the gate electrode and the surface of the semiconductor substrate via the ONO film. A conductive connection member electrically connects the side wall spacer and gate electrode. Source and drain regions are formed in the surface layer of the semiconductor substrate in areas sandwiching the gate electrode. A semiconductor device is provided which can store data of two bits in one memory cell and can be driven at a low voltage.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a high-reliability semiconductor device having a storage capacitor and wiring using copper for a main conductive film. Under the above object, the present invention provides a semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a storage capacitor formed on the main surface side of the semiconductor substrate and being a first electrode and a second electrode arranged so as to put a capacitor insulation film; a wiring conductor formed on the main surface side of the semiconductor substrate and including the copper (Cu) element; and a first film formed on the surface of the wiring conductor; wherein a material configuring the first film and a material configuring the first electrode and/or the second electrode include the same element.

Abstract: The sheet resistance of a gate electrode 8A (a word line) of memory cell selection MISFET Q a DRAM and a sheet resistance of bit lines BL1, BL2 are, respectively, 2 &OHgr;/□ or below. Interconnections of a peripheral circuit are formed during the step of forming the gate electrode 8A (the word line WL) or the bit lines BL1, BL2 by which the number of the steps of manufacturing the DRAM can be reduced.

Abstract: Capacitors are formed in the trenches made in an interlayer insulator made of silicon oxide. An insulating film (e.g., a silicon nitride film) is provided on the sides of each trench of the interlayer insulator. A storage electrode made of ruthenium or the like is provided in each trench of the interlayer insulator. A capacitor insulating film made of BSTO or the like is formed on the storage electrode. A plate electrode made of ruthenium or the like is formed on the capacitor insulating film. The plate electrode is common to all capacitors provided. Any two adjacent capacitors are electrically isolated by the interlayer insulator and the insulating film provided on the sides of the trenches of the interlayer insulator.

Abstract: The invention reduces capacitor coupling between data read bit lines and data write bit lines to thereby prevent error detection of data. A first pair of bit lines BM and {overscore (BM)} that read data from a specified one of memory cells in a memory cell column and a second pair of bit lines BS and {overscore (BS)} that write data in another specified one of the memory cells in the memory cell column are formed in different layers through an interlayer dielectric film. As viewed in a plan view, the space between the first pair of bit lines BM and {overscore (BM)} is wider than the second pair of bit lines BS and {overscore (BS)}, and the second pair of bit lines BS and {overscore (BS)} are disposed between the first pair of bit lines BM and {overscore (BM)}. A first wiring layer that is set a ground potential is disposed in the same layer as the first pair of bit lines BM and {overscore (BM)} and between the first pair of bit lines BM and {overscore (BM)}.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention encompasses a method of forming a capacitor. A mass is formed over an electrical node. An opening is formed within the mass. The opening has a lower portion proximate the node and an upper portion above the lower portion. The lower portion is wider than the upper portion. A first conductive layer is formed within the opening and along a periphery of the opening. After the first conductive layer is formed, a portion of the mass is removed from beside the upper portion of the opening while another portion of the mass is left beside the lower portion of the opening. A dielectric material is formed over the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer is formed over the dielectric material. The second conductive layer is separated from the first conductive layer by the dielectric material. In another aspect, the invention encompasses a capacitor construction.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having an analog capacitor and a method of fabricating the same are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a bottom plate electrode disposed at a predetermined region of a semiconductor substrate, and an upper plate electrode having a region overlapped with the bottom plate electrode thereon. The upper plate electrode and the bottom plate electrode are formed of a metal compound. A capacitor dielectric layer is interposed between the bottom plate electrode and the upper plate electrode. A bottom electrode plug and an upper electrode plug are connected to the bottom plate electrode and the upper plate electrode through the interlayer dielectric layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a first insulating film formed over a semiconductor substrate, a second insulating film formed on the first insulating film, a contact plug made of a conductive material vertically penetrating the first and second insulating films and extending on the second insulating film, and a conductor film in contact with the upper surface of the contact plug and part of the second insulating film. This construction makes it possible to form minute via-holes in a mass-production line without increasing parasitic capacity, increasing the number of manufacturing steps, and generating defects.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a semiconductor substrate; an insulating film formed on said semiconductor substrate; a ferroelectric capacitor having a lower electrode, a ferroelectric film and an upper electrode which are stacked sequentially on the insulating film; a first hydrogen barrier film; a first inter-layer insulating film covering said ferroelectric capacitor; and a second inter-layer insulating film stacked on the first inter-layer insulating film, the first hydrogen barrier film being interposed between the first and second interlayer insulating films is proposed.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device including a memory cell block having a plurality of memory transistors formed on a semiconductor substrate. The memory transistors include first and second impurity-diffused regions and a gate formed therebetween. A plurality of memory cells are also included in the memory cell block and have lower electrodes connected to the first impurity-diffused regions, ferroelectric films formed on the lower electrodes and first upper electrodes formed on the ferroelectric films and connected to the second impurity-diffused regions. Further included are block selecting transistors formed on the semiconductor substrate and being connected to one end of the memory cell block. Second upper electrodes are also formed adjoined to the block selecting transistors and being disconnected from the first upper electrode of the memory cells.

Abstract: After an insulating film serving as a gate insulating film is formed on a semiconductor substrate, a titanium nitride film is deposited by chemical vapor deposition on the insulating film. Then, a tungsten film is deposited by sputtering on the titanium nitride film. Subsequently, a multilayer film composed of the tungsten film and the titanium nitride film is patterned to form a gate electrode composed of the multilayer film.

Abstract: Disclosed is a container capacitor structure and method of constructing it. An etch mask and etch are used to expose portions of an exterior surface of electrode (“bottom electrodes”) of the container capacitor structure. The etch provides a recess between proximal pairs of container capacitor structures, which recess is available for forming additional capacitance. Accordingly, a capacitor dielectric and a top electrode are formed on and adjacent to, respectively, both an interior surface and portions of the exterior surface of the first electrode. Advantageously, surface area common to both the first electrode and second electrodes is increased over using only the interior surface, which provides additional capacitance without a decrease in spacing for clearing portions of the capacitor dielectric and the second electrode away from a contact hole location.

Abstract: A capacitive element structure in a semiconductor device having an interconnection structure. The capacitive element structure includes a capacitive element having a capacitive dielectric film made of an oxide compound. The capacitive element structure is above at least a bottom level interconnection of the interconnection structure.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device having a ferroelectric capacitor formed on a semiconductor substrate covered with an insulator film, wherein the ferroelectric capacitor comprises: a bottom electrode formed on the insulator film; a ferroelectric film formed on the bottom electrode; and a top electrode formed on the ferroelectric film. The ferroelectric film has a stacked structure of either of two-layer-ferroelectric film or three-layer-ferroelectric film. The upper ferroelectric film is metallized and prevents hydrogen from diffusing in lower ferroelectric layer. Crystal grains of the stacked ferroelectric films are preferably different.

Abstract: A planarized surface of a photoresist layer is formed above a layer formed over a hole in a blanket, conformal, silicon nitride layer which in turn is formed above a keyhole in metallization with SOG layers therebetween on the surface of a semiconductor device. A blanket, first photoresist layer was formed above the blanket silicon nitride to fill the damage to the surface caused by the hole. Then the first photoresist layer was stripped leaving a residual portion of the first photoresist layer filling the hole. Next, a blanket, second photoresist layer was formed above the blanket layer. The hole has a neck with a width from about 200 Å to about 500 Å and the hole has a deep, pocket-like gap with a cross-section with a width from about 500 Å to about 1200 Å below the narrow neck.

Abstract: A semiconductor device of the present invention has a plurality of capacitors having a cylindrical lower electrode which is formed along the side and the bottom surface of a recess formed in an insulator film over a semiconductor substrate and which is made of silicon having a lot of grained silicon on the surface, and a protector film with resistance to etching of a silicon oxide film is formed at least on the upper surface of the insulator film positioned between the adjacent lower electrodes.

Abstract: In a method of fabricating a COB DRAM cell, a polysilicon plug is formed on the source and drain in self-alignment with the gate electrode. A bit line contact and a storage electrode contact are formed on the polysilicon plug thereby to reduce the aspect ratio of both the bit line contact and the storage electrode contact. With the polysilicon plug formed in self-alignment with the gate electrode, short-circuiting of contacts of adjacent element regions and short-circuiting of the plugs of the source and drain will not occur, leading to high protection against misregistration. Moreover, an independent lithography process is not required for forming the polysilicon plug, and, therefore, the number of fabrication steps is reduced.

Abstract: An impurity diffusion layer serving as the source or the drain of a transistor is formed in a semiconductor substrate, and a protection insulating film is formed so as to cover the transistor. A capacitor lower electrode, a capacitor dielectric film of an oxide dielectric film and a capacitor upper electrode are successively formed on the protection insulating film. A plug for electrically connecting the impurity diffusion layer of the transistor to the capacitor lower electrode is buried in the protection insulating film. An oxygen barrier layer is formed between the plug and the capacitor lower electrode. The oxygen barrier layer is made from a composite nitride that is a mixture or an alloy of a first nitride having a conducting property and a second nitride having an insulating property.

Abstract: Within a method for fabricating a microelectronic fabrication, and the microelectronic fabrication fabricated employing the method, there is formed within the microelectronic fabrication a capacitor structure upon a conductor stud layer formed into a first via defined by a patterned dielectric layer to reach a one of a pair of patterned conductor layers within the microelectronic fabrication prior to forming through the patterned dielectric layer a second via to reach the other of the pair of patterned conductor layers within the microelectronic fabrication. The method provides the resulting microelectronic fabrication with enhanced reliability and performance.

Abstract: Within metal interconnect layers above a substrate of an integrated circuit, a vertical metal-insulator-metal (VMIM) capacitor is formed by the same damascene metallization types of processes that formed the metal interconnect layers. The metal interconnect layers have horizontal metal conductor lines, are vertically separated from other metal interconnect layers by an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer, and electrically connect to the other metal interconnect layers through via connections extending through the ILD layer. One vertical capacitor plate of the VMIM capacitor is defined by a metal conductor line and a via connection. The other vertical capacitor plate is defined by a metal region adjacent to the metal conductor line and the via connection. The metal conductor line, the via connection and the metal region are formed by the damascene metallization processes.

Abstract: An integrated circuit contains a planar first transistor and a diode. The diode is connected between a first source/drain region of the first transistor and a gate electrode of the first transistor such that a charge is impeded from discharging from the gate electrode to the first source/drain region. A diode layer that is part of the diode is disposed on a portion of the first source/drain region. A conductive structure that is an additional part of the diode is disposed above a portion of the gate electrode and is disposed on the diode layer. The diode can be configured as a tunnel diode. The diode layer can be produced by thermal oxidation. Only one mask is required for producing the diode. A capacitor can be disposed above the diode. The first capacitor electrode of the capacitor is connected to the conductive structure.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a cylindrical capacitor that exceeds photolithographic resolution. The capacitor is formed by partially etching the storage node opening, thereby reducing the distance between adjacent openings defined by the photolithographic process. The openings defined by the photolithographic process is enlarged by wet etching the sidewalls of the openings by at least the same thickness as that of a subsequently formed conductive layer for storage node formation. Contact plugs that are electrically connected to the bottom of the cylindrical storage nodes protrude from the top surface of an insulating layer in order to increase process margins and decrease contact resistance.

Abstract: A data input/output line structure having reduced resistance for a semiconductor memory device includes a first signal line formed from a first metal layer, the first signal line being connected to a bit line of a memory cell; a second signal line formed from a second metal layer, the second signal line being arranged parallel to the first signal line; and a plurality of strapping connectors for connecting the first signal line and the second signal line. The first and the second signal lines having first and second resistances, respectively, wherein the second resistance is lower than the first resistance.

Abstract: A hydrogen barrier layer is formed above a ferroelectric thin film in an integrated circuit. The hydrogen barrier layer is directly over a protected segment of the ferroelectric thin film, while a sacrificial segment of the ferroelectric thin film extends laterally beyond the edges of the hydrogen barrier layer. The sacrificial segment absorbs hydrogen so that it cannot diffuse laterally into the protected segment of the ferroelectric thin film. After it absorbs hydrogen, the sacrificial segment is etched away to allow electrical connection to circuit layers below it. The ferroelectric thin film preferably comprises a layered superlattice compound. Excess bismuth or niobium added to the standard precursor solution of a strontium bismuth tantalum niobate compound helps to reduce hydrogen degradation of the ferroelectric properties.

Abstract: A multi-layer film for a thin film structure, a capacitor using the multi-layer film and methods for fabricating the multi-layer film and the capacitor, the multi-layer film including a composition transition layer between a lower material layer and an upper material layer respectively formed of different elements whose interaction parameters are different from each other, the composition transition layer containing both elements of the lower and upper material layers, the concentration of the composition transition layer gradually varying from the portion of the composition transition layer contacting with the lower material layer to the portion of the composition transition layer contacting with the upper material layer such that the concentration of the element of the upper material layer is relatively large in its portion adjacent to the upper material layer, each of the lower and upper material layers being formed of an oxide or nitride material of aluminum, silicon, zirconium, cerium, titanium, yttrium,

Abstract: A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device comprises a substrate, a plurality of substantially parallel word lines, and a plurality of substantially parallel bit lines. A plurality of memory cells are formed at intersections of the word lines and bit lines. Each of the memory cells includes a pillar of semiconductor material which extends outward from the substrate. A storage node plug extends from a storage node through the pillar to a storage node contact and one of a drain and a source of a MOS transistor. A bit line plug extends from the bit line inwardly to the outer surface of the pillar to form a bit line contact and the other of the drain and the source of the MOS transistor. A word line plug extends from the word line through the pillar and a portion of the word line plug forms a gate of the MOS transistor. The storage node plug, bit line plug, and word line plug can be formed asymmetrically as substantially solid, unitary structures having a desired thickness for ease in manufacturing.

Abstract: A process for fabricating trench capacitors in an interconnect layer of a semiconductor device is disclosed. In the process, at least one interconnect is formed in the interconnect layer, which is then planarized. To form the trench capacitor, a trench is formed in the dielectric material of the interconnect. The bottom of the trench communicates with a metal contact in the underlying layer. A barrier layer of material is formed on the interconnect layer and is anisotropically etched, leaving the barrier layer on the sidewalls of the trench. The lower plate of the capacitor is then formed by depositing a layer of metal over the interconnect layer. The layer of metal is then anisotropically etched, removing the metal on the surface of the interconnect layer and leaving the metal along the trench perimeter. The capacitor dielectric layer is then deposited over the interconnect layer and subsequently patterned. Another layer of barrier material is deposited on the interconnect layer.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention encompasses a semiconductor circuit construction including a material which comprises Q, R, S and B. In such construction, Q comprises one or more refractory metals, R is selected from the group consisting of one or more of tungsten, aluminum and silicon, S is selected from the group consisting of one or more of nitrogen and oxygen, and B is boron. Also, in such construction R and Q do not comprise a common element. In another aspect, the invention encompasses a method of forming a capacitor. A first capacitor electrode is formed, a diffusion barrier layer is formed proximate the first capacitor electrode, and a dielectric layer is formed to be separated from: the: first capacitor electrode by the diffusion barrier layer. A second capacitor electrode is formed to be separated from the first electrode by the dielectric layer.

Abstract: A DRAM capacitor is described that contains a BaSrTiO3 (BST) dielectric. The dielectric has a three-layer structure enabling the formation of a potential trough in which electrons can be permanently trapped.

Abstract: An improved low-voltage MOS device having high ruggedness, low on-resistance, and improved body diode reverse recovery characteristics comprises a semiconductor substrate on which is disposed a doped upper layer of a first conduction type. The upper layer includes a doped first well region of the first conduction type and a doped well region of the second conduction type underlying the first well region. The upper layer further includes at its upper surface a heavily doped source region of the first conduction type and a heavily doped body region of a second and opposite conduction type. A trench gate comprising a conductive material separated from the upper layer by an insulating layer is disposed in the upper layer of the substrate.

Abstract: A gate or capacitor insulator structure using a first grown oxide layer, a high-k dielectric material on the grown oxide layer, and a deposited oxide layer on the high-k dielectric material. The deposited oxide layer is preferably a densified deposited oxide layer. A conducting layer, such as a gate or capacitor plate, may overlay the densified oxide layer.

Abstract: A structure of a DRAM and a manufacturing process therefor, suitable for a substrate on which a plurality of word lines and a plurality of source/drain regions on sides of each of these word lines are formed. A plurality of bit line contacts and a plurality of node contacts are formed in electric contact with the source/drain regions. A first patterned insulating layer is formed on the substrate, in which a plurality of openings are formed in the insulating layer to expose the bit line contacts. The substrate is covered with a first conductive layer and a second insulating layer in sequence. The second insulating layer, the first conductive layer and the first insulating layer are patterned in sequence to form a plurality of bit line stacked structures and a plurality of bit lines electrically connecting to the bit contacts, exposing the node contacts. As a result, the bit line stacked structure forms a plurality of trenches and the bit line stacked structure is orthogonal to the word lines.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device and method of manufacturing thereof, a semiconductor device having an SOI structure is provided with a capacitor including a first electrode in an SOI layer, a second electrode opposing the first electrode, and a dielectric film therebetween. An isolation region is provided as contained in the SOI layer to electrically isolate the first electrode from remaining areas of the SOI layer, such as active areas or the like. The method includes forming the isolation regions in the SOI layer, forming the first electrode in the SOI layer as electrically isolated from the remaining areas of the SOI layer by the isolation regions, forming the dielectric film on the first electrode, and forming the second electrode on the dielectric film opposite the first electrode.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for forming a dielectric film, e.g., a barium-strontium-titanate film, preferably having a thickness of less than about 600 Å. According to the present invention, the dielectric film is preferably formed using a chemical vapor deposition process in which an interfacial layer and a bulk layer are formed. The interfacial layer has an atomic percent of titanium less than or equal to the atomic percent of titanium in the bulk layer. Such films are particularly advantageous for use in memory devices, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device and fabricating method thereof, wherein the semiconductor memory device includes first and second conductive regions formed in parallel at predetermined regions of a semiconductor substrate, a storage node and a multiple tunnel junction layer pattern sequentially stacked on a channel region between the first and second conductive regions, a data line stacked on the multiple tunnel junction layer pattern, and a wordline covering both sidewalls of the storage node and of the multiple tunnel junction layer pattern, wherein both sidewalls of the storage node have undercut regions for increasing the overlapping area of the storage node and a wordline. The storage node is formed by alternately and repeatedly stacking first and second conductive layers having different etch rates, successively patterning the conductive layers to form a storage node pattern, and selectively and isotropically etching the first or second conductive layer of the storage node pattern.

Abstract: Bit lines are arranged in the lower parts of trenches of a substrate. Word lines are located above the substrate except for protuberances or bulges, which extend downwards into the trenches and which are arranged above the bit lines. The transistors are vertical transistors whose source/drain regions are located below the word lines and between adjacent trenches. The capacitors are linked with the upper source/drain regions. Conductive structures that surround the word lines from the top and the sides while being insulated from the word lines and bordering on the upper source/drain regions can link the upper source/drain regions with the capacitors.

Abstract: A metal-insulator-metal capacitor is embedded in an interconnect layer of an integrated circuit (IC). The interconnect layer has a cavity, and the capacitor is formed in the cavity with one of the plates of the capacitor integral with a conductive layer of the interconnect layer, so the capacitor plate electrically communicates with the interconnect layer. The interconnect layer has multiple conductive layers, including a layer, such as aluminum, that is subject to deformation at certain temperatures during fabrication of the IC, and the cavity extends through this layer. A remaining conductive layer of the interconnect layer defines one of the capacitor plates, and a dielectric layer and another capacitor plate are formed thereon within the cavity. Via interconnects of about the same length electrically connect to the top plate and through the interconnect layer to the bottom plate.

Abstract: A memory array is operated by increasing a number of currents through a number of corresponding cells of the array, where each cell has a structural phase-change material to store data for that cell. Each of the currents are increased to an upper level that is sufficiently high that can cause the corresponding cell to be in a first state. Some of the currents are decreased to lower levels at sufficiently high rates that cause their corresponding cells to be programmed to the first state, while others are decreased at sufficiently low rates that cause their corresponding cells to be programmed to a second state.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention relates to a polymer memory device and a method of making it. The polymer memory device may include a composite or single layer of a ferroelectric polymer memory that addresses surface engineering needs according to various embodiments. The ferroelectric polymer memory structure may include crystalline ferroelectric polymer layers such as single and co-polymer compositions. The structure may include spin-on and/or Langmuir-Blodgett deposited compositions.

Abstract: A method of forming a shallow trench isolation type semiconductor device comprises forming an etch protecting layer pattern to define at least one active region on a substrate, forming at least one trench by etching the substrate partially by using the etch protecting layer pattern as an etch mask, forming a thermal-oxide film on an inner wall of the trench, filling the trench having the thermal-oxide film with a CVD silicon oxide layer to form an isolation layer, removing the etch protecting layer pattern from the substrate over which the isolation layer is formed, removing the thermal-oxide film formed on a top end of the inner wall of the trench to a depth of 100 to 350 Å, preferably 200 Å from the upper surface of the substrate, and forming a gate oxide film on the substrate from which the active region and the top end are exposed.

Abstract: A method and structure for a DRAM device which includes a trench within an insulator, a conductor within the trench, a transistor adjacent a first side of the trench, and a shallow trench isolation region formed within a top portion of the conductor on a second side of the trench, opposite the first side, wherein the top portion of the conductor has a curved shape at an edge of the shallow trench isolation region. The curved shape comprises a conductive strap and electrically connects the conductor and the single crystal where the transistor is formed, further comprising a collar oxide surrounding the top portion of the conductor, the collar oxide controlling a shape and location of the curved shape. The curved shape is formed by hydrogen annealing, and may be convex, or concave. The DRAM further comprising a collar oxide extending into the shallow trench isolation region on the second side.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device including a plurality of memory cells, a deposition preventing film is formed on an interlayer insulating film in which a plurality of holes are formed, or a seed film is selectively formed on the interlayer insulating film and on an inner surface and a bottom surface of the holes. A film of Ru, Ir or Pt is deposited by chemical vapor deposition on the deposition preventing film, or on the interlayer insulating film by utilizing the seed film, under the condition where underlayer dependency occurs. In consequence, lower electrodes are formed in accordance with a pattern of the deposition preventing film or the seed film. A dielectric film is formed on the lower electrodes and the deposition preventing film at a predetermined temperature. The material of the lower electrodes does not lose conduction even when exposed to the predetermined temperature employed for forming the dielectric film. Upper electrodes are further formed on the dielectric film.

Abstract: In a memory cell contained in a memory circuit portion of a system LSI, a gate electrode of an N-channel MOS transistor and a cell plate electrode of a capacitor are formed by the same interconnection layer. Thus, the system LSI can be produced using the CMOS logic process alone so that the system LSI including the memory circuit portion having a relatively large capacity can be produced at a low cost.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a dielectric layer having first and second opposing sides. A conductive layer is adjacent to the first side of the dielectric layer and is coupled to a first terminal, and a conductive barrier layer is adjacent to the second side of the dielectric layer and is coupled to a second terminal. The conductive barrier layer may be formed from tungsten nitride, tungsten silicon nitride, titanium silicon nitride or other barrier materials.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory cell has a deep trench capacitor and a vertical transistor formed over the deep trench capacitor. The vertical transistor has a control gate electrode, a source/drain region at opposite sides of the control gate electrode, and a channel region surrounding the sidewall and top of the control gate electrode. This can increase the length of the channel region to reduce leakage current.

Abstract: Methods for fabricating low leakage trenches for Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) cells and the devices formed thereby are disclosed. In one embodiment of the present invention, the method includes etching a container cell in an isolation film that is disposed within a trench. The container cell forms a vertical interface with the semiconductor substrate on one side through the isolation film. Formation of the container cell is self-aligning wherein previously-formed gate stacks act as etch stops for the container cell etch. In this way the container cell size is dependent for proper etch alignment only upon proper previous alignment and spacing of the gate stacks. The method of forming the container cell within an isolation film that is within a trench in the semiconductor substrate prevents cell-bit line shorting where the cell and the bit line are not horizontally adjacent to each other.

Abstract: Systems, devices, structures, and methods are described that inhibit dielectric degradation in the presence of contaminants. An enhanced capacitor in a dynamic random access memory cell is discussed. The enhanced capacitor includes a first electrode, a dielectric coupled to the first electrode, a second electrode coupled to the dielectric, and at least one inhibiting layer that couples to the first electrode, the dielectric, and the second electrode. The inhibiting layer defines a chamber that encloses the capacitor and renders the capacitor impervious to disturbance in its physical or chemical forces in the presence of contaminants. The inhibiting layer includes a nitride compound, an oxynitride compound, and an oxide compound. In one embodiment, the nitride compound includes SixNy. In another embodiment, the oxynitride compound includes SiOxNy. In another embodiment, the oxide compound includes Al2O3 and (SrRu)O3. The variables x and y are indicative of a desired number of atoms.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device, formed are a lower capacitor electrode on an element isolation film on a silicon substrate, a capacitor insulating film and an upper capacitor electrode. A silicon oxide film is formed on the entire surface of the silicon substrate. On the silicon oxide substrate, formed is a resist pattern that covers a region extending from the inside of a periphery of the upper capacitor electrode to the outside of the periphery thereof. Sidewalls that cover side faces of a gate electrode and the lower capacitor electrode, and a sidewall that covers a side face and an upper periphery of the upper capacitor electrode, are formed by performing anisotropic etching.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device and a fabricating method thereof are provided. In the course of forming a buried contact hole after forming a bit line pattern, the buried contact hole is formed by a self aligned contact process using capping layers included in the bit line pattern, thereby securing an overlap margin. Formation of a deep inner cylinder type capacitor unit prevents a bridge defect between lower electrodes of the capacitor and suppresses the occurrence of particles while simplifying the fabrication process. Furthermore, a mechanism for forming a second metal contact hole can simplifies the problems related to etching and filling of the second metal contact hole.