Abstract: Each of varicaps 50A to 50C configured to be connected in parallel is an MOS capacitor III produced under a common and single process condition. Each of the varicaps 50A to 50C has a conductor layer serving as a second electrode and formed via a capacitance insulating film on a first conductivity-type semiconductor substrate serving as a first electrode, and a second conductivity-type impurity region formed near a surface in proximity to a region of the first conductivity-type semiconductor substrate opposing the conductor layer. Each of the varicaps 50A to 50C is configured such that a capacitance value as a capacitance element between the first conductivity-type semiconductor substrate serving as the first electrode and the conductor layer serving as the second electrode is changed by applying a control voltage to the conductor layer while applying any one of a plurality of types of direct-current voltages having different voltages to the second conductivity-type impurity region.

Abstract: An integrated structure of compound semiconductor devices is disclosed. The integrated structure comprises from bottom to top a substrate, a first epitaxial layer, an etching-stop layer, a second epitaxial layer, a sub-collector layer, a collector layer, a base layer, and an emitter layer, in which the first epitaxial layer is a p-type doped layer, the second epitaxial layer is an n-type graded doping layer with a gradually increased or decreased doping concentration, and the sub-collector layer is an n-type doped layer. The integrated structure can be used to form an HBT, a varactor, or an MESFET.

Abstract: A trench isolation metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) P-N junction diode device and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The trench isolation MOS P-N junction diode device is a combination of an N-channel MOS structure and a lateral P-N junction diode, wherein a polysilicon-filled trench oxide layer is buried in the P-type structure to replace the majority of the P-type structure. As a consequence, the trench isolation MOS P-N junction diode device of the present invention has the benefits of the Schottky diode and the P-N junction diode. That is, the trench isolation MOS P-N junction diode device has rapid switching speed, low forward voltage drop, low reverse leakage current and short reverse recovery time.

Abstract: An electrical device includes a semiconductor material. The semiconductor material includes a first region of the semiconductor material having a first conductivity type, a second region of the semiconductor material having a second conductivity type complementary to the first conductivity type and an intermediate region of the semiconductor material between the first region and the second region. The first and second regions lie next to each other the intermediate region so as to form a diode structure. A shape of the intermediate region tapers from the first region to the second region.

Abstract: Semiconductor variable capacitor (varactor) devices are provided, which are formed with an array of radial p-n junction structures to provide improved dynamic range and sensitivity. For example, a semiconductor varactor device includes a doped semiconductor substrate having first and second opposing surfaces and an array of pillar structures formed on the first surface of the doped semiconductor substrate. Each pillar structure includes a radial p-n junction structure. A first metallic contact layer is conformally formed over the array of pillar structures on the first surface of the doped semiconductor substrate. A second metallic contact layer formed on the second surface of the doped semiconductor substrate. An insulating layer is formed on the doped semiconductor substrate surrounding the array of pillar structures.

Abstract: Gate cross diffusion in a semiconductor structure is substantially reduced or eliminated by forming multiple n-type gate regions with different dopant concentrations and multiple p-type gate regions with different dopant concentrations so that the n-type gate region with the lowest dopant concentration touches the p-type gate region with the lowest dopant concentration.

Abstract: A PN-junction varactor in a BiCMOS process is disclosed which comprises an N-type region, a P-type region and N-type pseudo buried layers. Both of the N-type and P-type regions are formed in an active area and contact with each other, forming a PN-junction; the P-type region is situated on top of the N-type region. The N-type pseudo buried layers are formed at bottom of shallow trench field oxide regions on both sides of the active area and contact with the N-type region; deep hole contacts are formed on top of the N-type pseudo buried layers in the shallow trench field oxide regions to pick up the N-type region. A manufacturing method of PN-junction varactor in a BiCMOS process is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor structure, which includes a non-planar varactor having a geometrically designed depletion zone with a taper, as to provide improved Cmax/Cmin with low series resistance. Because of the taper, the narrowest portion of the depletion zone can be designed to be fully depleted, while the remainder of the depletion zone is only partially depleted. The fabrication of semiconductor structure may follow that of standard FinFET process, with a few additional or different steps. These additional or different steps may include formation of a doped trapezoidal (or triangular) shaped silicon mesa, growing/depositing a gate dielectric, forming a gate electrode over a portion of the mesa, and forming a highly doped contact region in the mesa where it is not covered by the gate electrode.

Abstract: Large tuning range junction varactor includes first and second junction capacitors coupled in parallel between first and second varactor terminals. First and second plates of the capacitors are formed by three alternating doped regions in a substrate. The first and third doped regions are of the same type sandwiching the second doped region of the second type. A first input terminal is coupled to the first and third doped regions and a second terminal is coupled to the second doped region. At the interfaces of the doped regions are first and second depletion regions whose width can be varied by varying the voltage across the terminals from zero to full reverse bias.

Abstract: A PN-junction varactor in a BiCMOS process is disclosed which comprises an N-type region, a P-type region and N-type pseudo buried layers. Both of the N-type and P-type regions are formed in an active area and contact with each other, forming a PN-junction; the P-type region is situated on top of the N-type region. The N-type pseudo buried layers are formed at bottom of shallow trench field oxide regions on both sides of the active area and contact with the N-type region; deep hole contacts are formed on top of the N-type pseudo buried layers in the shallow trench field oxide regions to pick up the N-type region. A manufacturing method of PN-junction varactor in a BiCMOS process is also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods of forming hyper-abrupt p-n junctions and design structures for an integrated circuit containing devices structures with hyper-abrupt p-n junctions. The hyper-abrupt p-n junction is defined in a SOI substrate by implanting a portion of a device layer to have one conductivity type and then implanting a portion of this doped region to have an opposite conductivity type. The counterdoping defines the hyper-abrupt p-n junction. A gate structure carried on a top surface of the device layer operates as a hard mask during the ion implantations to assist in defining a lateral boundary for the hyper-abrupt p-n junction.

Abstract: An improved varactor diode is obtained by providing a substrate having a first surface and in which are formed a first N region having a first peak dopant concentration located at a first depth beneath the surface, and a first P region having a second peak dopant concentration greater than the first peak dopant concentration located at a second depth beneath the surface less than the first depth, and a second P region having a third peak dopant concentration greater than the second peak dopant concentration and located at a third depth at or beneath the surface less than the second depth, so that the first P region provides a retrograde doping profile whose impurity concentration increases with distance from the inward edge of the second P region up to the second peak dopant concentration.

Abstract: Large tuning range junction varactor includes first and second junction capacitors coupled in parallel between first and second varactor terminals. First and second plates of the capacitors are formed by three alternating doped regions in a substrate. The second and third doped regions are of the same type sandwiching the first doped region of the second type. A first varactor terminal is coupled to the second and third doped regions and a second varactor terminal is coupled to the first doped region. At the interfaces of the doped regions are first and second depletion regions, the widths of which can be varied by varying the voltage across the terminals from zero to full reverse bias. At zero bias condition, junction capacitance (Cmax) is enhanced due to summation of two junction capacitances in parallel. At reverse bias condition, with the merging of the two junction depletion widths, the capacitor areas are drastically reduced, thereby reducing Cmin significantly.

Abstract: A nano structure formed on the surface of a substrate containing Si and having a pattern of at least 2 ?m in depth, in which Ga or In is contained in the surface of the pattern, and the Ga or the In has a concentration distribution that an elemental composition ratio Ga/Si or In/Si of Si and Ga or In detected by an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is at least 0.4 atomic percent in the depth direction of the substrate, and the maximum value of the concentration is positioned within 50 nm of the surface of the pattern.

Abstract: An improved varactor diode (40) is obtained by providing a substrate (41) having a first surface (43), in which are formed a P+ region (53, 46) proximate the first surface (43), a first N region (54, 45) located beneath the P+ region (53, 46), an N well region (56, 44) located beneath the first N region (54, 45) and a first P counter-doped region (55) located between the first N region (54, 45) and the N well region (56, 44), thereby forming an P+NPN structure for the varactor diode. In some embodiments, a second P-type counter-doped region (59) is provided within the N-well region (56, 44) so as to reduce the N doping concentration within the N well region (56, 44) but without creating a further PN junction therein. The net doping profile (52) provides varactor diodes (40) having a larger tuning ratio than varactors (20) without such counter-doped regions. By interchanging N and P regions an N+PNP varactor is obtained.

Abstract: Device structures with hyper-abrupt p-n junctions, methods of forming hyper-abrupt p-n junctions, and design structures for an integrated circuit containing devices structures with hyper-abrupt p-n junctions. The hyper-abrupt p-n junction is defined in a SOI substrate by implanting a portion of a device layer to have one conductivity type and then implanting a portion of this doped region to have an opposite conductivity type. The counterdoping defines the hyper-abrupt p-n junction. A gate structure carried on a top surface of the device layer operates as a hard mask during the ion implantations to assist in defining a lateral boundary for the hyper-abrupt-n junction.

Abstract: A trench MOSFET with drain (8), drift region (10) body (12) and source (14). In order to improve the figure of merit for use of the MOSFET as control and sync FETs, the trench (20) is partially filled with dielectric (24) adjacent to the drift region (10) and a graded doping profile is used in the drift region (10).

Abstract: Methods and heterostructure barrier varactor (HBV) diodes optimized for application with frequency multipliers at providing outputs at submillimeter wave frequencies and above. The HBV diodes include a silicon-containing substrate, an electrode over the silicon-containing substrate, and one or more heterojunction quantum wells of alternating layers of Si and SiGe of one or more electrodes of the diode. Each SiGe quantum well preferably has a floating SiGe layer between adjacent SiGe gradients followed by adjacent Si layers, such that, a single homogeneous structure is provided characterized by having no distinct separations. The plurality of Si/SiGe heterojunction quantum wells may be symmetric or asymmetric.

Abstract: An improved varactor diode (40) is obtained by providing a substrate (70) having a first surface (73) and in which are formed a first N region (46) having a first peak dopant concentration (47) located at a first depth (48) beneath the surface (73), and a first P region having a second peak dopant concentration (50) greater than the first peak dopant concentration located at a second depth (51) beneath the surface less than the first depth (48), and a second P region (42) having a third peak dopant concentration (43) greater than the second peak dopant concentration and located at a third depth at or beneath the surface (73) less than the second depth (51), so that the first P region (49) provides a retrograde doping profile whose impurity concentration increases with distance from the inward edge (44) of the second P region (42) up to the second peak dopant concentration (50).

Abstract: An improved varactor diode (40) is obtained by providing a substrate (41) having a first surface (43), in which are formed a P+ region (53, 46) proximate the first surface (43), a first N region (54, 45) located beneath the P+ region (53, 46), an N well region (56, 44) located beneath the first N region (54, 45) and a first P counter-doped region (55) located between the first N region (54, 45) and the N well region (56, 44), thereby forming an P+NPN structure for the varactor diode. In some embodiments, a second P-type counter-doped region (59) is provided within the N-well region (56, 44) so as to reduce the N doping concentration within the N well region (56, 44) but without creating a further PN junction therein. The net doping profile (52) provides varactor diodes (40) having a larger tuning ratio than varactors (20) without such counter-doped regions. By interchanging N and P regions an N+PNP varactor is obtained.

Abstract: A high-Q differential varactor includes reduced inner spacing dimensions between differential fingers.

Abstract: A varactor comprising a first layer separated from a second layer by an insulating layer, wherein the first layer is a first type of semiconductor material and the second layer is a second type of semiconductor material and the insulation layer is arranged to allow an accumulation region to be formed in the first layer and second layer when a positive bias is applied to the first layer and the second layer and a depletion region to be formed in the first layer and second layer when a negative bias is applied to the first layer and the second layer.

Abstract: In a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor and a method of fabricating the MIM capacitor, a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor comprises: a lower electrode pattern which is formed on a substrate and includes a conductive layer having a portion as a lower interconnect; a dielectric layer on the lower electrode pattern; a first upper electrode pattern on the dielectric layer; an interlayer insulating layer which covers the first upper electrode pattern, the dielectric layer, and the lower electrode pattern and has a planarized upper surface; a second upper electrode opening pattern formed in the interlayer insulating layer to expose the first upper electrode pattern; a second upper electrode which fills the opening pattern and has an upper surface that is substantially level with an upper surface of the interlayer insulating layer; and an upper interconnect on the interlayer insulating layer and contacts the second upper electrode.

Abstract: A first layer (an insulating layer), a second layer (a metal layer), and a third layer (an insulating layer) are formed over a substrate. Then, a fourth layer including a semiconductor element is formed over the third layer. After applying an organic resin film covering the fourth layer, laser light is irradiated to sections of a rear surface side of the substrate. By irradiating the second layer with laser light, the state of being covered with the organic resin film can be maintained at the same time as forming a space under the organic resin film by ablating (alternatively, evaporating or breaking down) an irradiated region of the second layer, to cause a lift in the film in a periphery thereof.

Abstract: A semiconductor diode (30) has an anode (32), a cathode (33) and a semiconductor volume (31) provided between the anode (32) and the cathode (33). An electron mobility and/or hole mobility within a zone (34) of the semiconductor volume (31) that is situated in front of the cathode (33) is reduced relative to the rest of the semiconductor volume (31).

Abstract: A varactor comprising a first layer separated from a second layer by an insulating layer, wherein the first layer is a first type of semiconductor material and the second layer is a second type of semiconductor material and the insulation layer is arranged to allow an accumulation region to be formed in the first layer and second layer when a positive bias is applied to the first layer and the second layer and a depletion region to be formed in the first layer and second layer when a negative bias is applied to the first layer and the second layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a lateral PNP transistor and the method of manufacturing the same. The medium doping N-type base area and the light doping P? collector area were first introduced in the structure before the formation of P+ doping emitter area and the collector area. The emitter-base-collector doping profile in the lateral and the base width of LPNP were similar to NPN. The designer can optimize the doping profile and area size of each area according to the request of the current gain (Hfe), collector-base breakdown voltage (BVceo), and early voltage (VA) of LPNP transistor. These advantages may cause to reduce the area and enhance performance of the LPNP transistor.

Abstract: A method for forming an organic or partly organic switching device, comprising: depositing layers of conducting, semiconducting, insulating, or surface modifying layers by solution processing and direct printing; and defining high-resolution patterns of these layers by exposure to a focused laser beam.

Abstract: A variable capacitor comprising a substrate having a first type ion-doped buried layer, a first type ion-doped well, a second type ion-doped region and a conductive layer thereon. The first type ion-doped well is formed within the substrate. The first type ion-doped well has a cavity. The first type ion-doped buried layer is in the substrate underneath the first type ion-doped well. The first type ion-doped buried layer and the first type ion-doped well are connected. The second type ion-doped region is at the bottom of the cavity of the first type ion-doped well. The conductive layer is above and in connection with the first type ion-doped buried layer.

Abstract: A storage device includes a first electrode, a second electrode facing the first electrode, an inter-electrode material layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a voltage application unit applying a predetermined voltage to the first and the second electrodes. Furthermore, an oxidation-reduction active material changeable into an electrode reaction inhibition layer by applying voltages to the first and the second electrodes is contained in a region that is covered by an electric field, the electric field being generated when the voltage is applied, and the electrode reaction inhibition layer is either formed along an interface region between the second electrode and the inter-electrode material layer, or changes an area thereof, or disappears depending on an application condition of the voltage to the first and the second.

Abstract: In a bipolar transistor including a base layer made of SiGe, a non-doped SiGe layer and a non-doped Si layer are provided between the base layer and an emitter layer. The composition ratio of Ge in the emitter side of SiGe base layer is decreased with increasing proximity to the emitter side, and the composition ratio of Ge in the non-doped SiGe layer is made smaller than the composition ratio of Ge at the emitter layer-side end of the SiGe base layer. In this manner, restriction is put on the diffusion of boron from the base layer to the emitter side, and the base-emitter junction capacitance CBE reduced. Furthermore, the direct-current gain ? can be improved by increasing the composition of Ge at the emitter end of the SiGe base layer to more than or equal to a predetermined value.

Abstract: A varactor designed to enable voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) integration in wireless systems is the base-emitter junction of a specially optimized NPN device formed with a double base implant. A first, shallow implant optimizes capacitance, leakage current, and tuning range. A second, deeper base implant is used to improve the quality factor of the device by reducing the base resistance. The varactor includes a third terminal (collector), which isolates the emitter-base junction from the substrate, providing flexibility in circuit applications. A method for fabricating a high performance varactor having the above-described structure is also provided.

Abstract: A first conductivity type well area is formed in a semiconductor substrate. A second conductivity type semiconductor layer is formed at a first area of a well area which is separated by element isolation areas. In a base portion of the well area, a first conductivity type low resistance area is provided.

Abstract: Multi-terminal electronic switching devices comprising a chalcogenide material switchable between a resistive state and a conductive state. The devices include a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal. Application of a control signal to the control terminal modulates the conductivity of the chalcogenide material between the first and second terminals and/or the threshold voltage required to switch the chalcogenide material between the first and second terminals from a resistive state to a conductive state. The devices may be used as interconnection devices or signal providing devices in circuits and networks.

Abstract: A PN-junction varactor includes a first ion well of first conductivity type formed on a semiconductor substrate of second conductivity type. A first dummy gate is formed over the first ion well. A first gate dielectric layer is formed between the first dummy gate and the first ion well. A second dummy gate is formed over the first ion well at one side of the first dummy gate. A second gate dielectric layer is formed between the second dummy gate and the first ion well. A first heavily doped region of the second conductivity type is located in the first ion well between the first dummy gate and the second dummy gate. The first heavily doped region of the second conductivity type serving as an anode of the PN-junction varactor.

Abstract: A varactor diode having a first electrode comprising a well region of a first conductivity type in a substrate, a second electrode comprising a first plurality of diffusion regions of a second conductivity type abutting isolation regions disposed in said well region, and a second plurality of diffusion regions of said first conductivity type extending laterally from portions of said first plurality of diffusion regions not adjacent said isolation regions and having a dopant concentration greater than that of said first plurality of diffusion regions. The varactor has a tunability of at least approximately 3.5 in a range of applied voltage between approximately 0V to 3V, an approximately linear change in capacitive value in a range of applied voltage between approximately 0V to 2V, and a Q of at least approximately 100 at a circuit operating frequency of approximately 2 GHz.

Abstract: A varactor is formed with a semiconductor junction having a retrograde dopant concentration profile in a depletion region. The retrograde dopant concentration profile results in an approximately linear capacitance/voltage characteristic response of the varactor. The retrograde dopant concentration profile also enables a peak of the dopant concentration to function as a low resistance conductive path connecting to the varactor.

Abstract: The present invention provides an varactor, a method of manufacture thereof. In an exemplary embodiment, the varactor includes a semiconductor substrate and well of a first and second conductivity type, respectively. A conductive region in the well has a same conductivity type as the well but a lower resistivity than the well. At least a portion of the well is between at least two sides of the conductive region and an area delineated by an outer perimeter of a conductive layer over the well. Such varactors have a lower series resistance and therefore have an increased quality factor.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of barrier layers and a plurality of quantum well layers which are alternately interleaved with each other and disposed on a substrate of semiconductor material so as to form a multiple-heterojunction varactor diode. The barrier layers and quantum well layers are doped with impurities. The varactor diode includes an ohmic contact which is electrically connected to a heavily doped embedded region and a Schottky contact which is electrically connected to a depletion region of the diode. The ohmic contact and the Schottky contact enable an external voltage source to be applied to the contacts so as to provide a bias voltage to the varactor diode. A variable capacitance is produced as a result of the depletion region varying with a variation in the bias voltage. The varactor diode also provides a constant series resistance.

Abstract: A dielectric layer comprises lanthanum, aluminum, nitrogen, and oxygen and is formed between two conductors or a conductor and substrate. In one embodiment, the dielectric layer is graded with among the lanthanum, nitrogen, or aluminum. An additional insulating layer may be formed between the conductor or substrate and the dielectric layer. The dielectric layer can be formed by atomic layer chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, organometallic chemical vapor deposition or pulsed laser deposition.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a semiconductor rectifier includes an insulation-filled trench formed in a semiconductor region. Strips of resistive material extend along the trench sidewalls. The strips of resistive material have a conductivity type opposite that of the semiconductor region. A conductor extends over and in contact with the semiconductor region so that the conductor and the underlying semiconductor region form a Schottky contact.

Abstract: A receiver for radio or television signals provided with a high-frequency circuit having a discrete semiconductor component which includes a planar variable capacitance diode and an integrated series resistor formed on a common semiconductor or substrate. The receiver has lower parasitic capacitance and improved data reception, resulting in an increase of the Q factor of the variable capacitance diode and an increase in the circuit performance. The overall circuit loss is also reduced.

Abstract: The linear tuning range of a semiconductor varactor is substantially increased by forming a lightly-doped drain region of a first conductivity type in a semiconductor material of a second conductivity type between a heavily-doped diffusion of the second conductivity type and a lower-plate region of the semiconductor material.

Abstract: A variable capacitor includes an N+ layer including a variable capacitance region, a P+ layer epitaxially grown on the N+ layer and formed from a SiGe film and a Si film, and a P-type electrode. An NPN-HBT (Hetero-junction Bipolar Transistor) includes a collector diffusion layer formed simultaneously with the N+ layer of the variable capacitor, a collector layer, and a Si/SiGe layer epitaxially grown simultaneously with the P+ layer of the variable capacitor. Since a depletion layer formed in a PN junction of the variable capacitor can extend entirely across the N+ layer, reduction in variation range of the capacitance can be suppressed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for fabricating merged integrated circuits on a semiconductor wafer substrate. The process comprises forming a gate oxide on the semiconductor wafer substrate, forming a first transistor having a first gate on the gate oxide, and forming a second transistor having a second gate on the same gate oxide. The first transistor is optimized to a first operating voltage by varying a physical property of the first gate, varying a first tub doping profile, or varying a first source/drain doping profile. The second transistor is optimized to a second operating voltage by varying a physical property of the second gate, varying a second tub doping profile, or varying a second source/drain doping profile of the second transistor. These physical characteristics may be changed in any combination or singly to achieve the determined optimization of the operating voltage of any given transistor.

Abstract: A variable-capacitance device includes first and second variable-capacitance elements which are connected in parallel to each other. Each of the first and variable-capacitance elements include gate, source and drain regions and operates in response to a control voltage applied to the gate region. The first and second variable-capacitance elements have different levels of threshold values.

Abstract: A varactor includes a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a high-concentration buried collector region of a second conductivity type formed in an upper portion of the semiconductor substrate, a collector region of the second conductivity type formed on a first surface of the high-concentration buried collector region, a high-concentration collector contact region of the second conductivity type formed on a second surface of the high-concentration buried collector region, a high-concentration silicon-germanium base region of the first conductivity type formed on the collector region, a metal silicide layer formed on the silicon-germanium base region, a first electrode layer formed to contact the metal silicide layer, and a second electrode layer formed to be electrically connected to the collector contact region.

Abstract: Varactors are provided which have a high tunability and/or a high quality factor associated therewith as well as methods for fabricating the same. One type of varactor disclosed is a quasi hyper-abrupt base-collector junction varactor which includes a substrate having a collector region of a first conductivity type atop a subcollector region, the collector region having a plurality of isolation regions present therein; reach-through implant regions located between at least a pair of the isolation regions; a SiGe layer atop a portion of the substrate not containing a reach-through implant region, the SiGe layer having an extrinsic base region of a second conductivity type which is different from the first conductivity type; and an antimony implant region located between the extrinsic base region and the subcollector region. Another type of varactor disclosed is an MOS varactor which includes at least a poly gate region and a well region wherein the poly gate region and the well region have opposite polarities.

Abstract: An extensive network of N-channel transistor formed capacitor, with one node tie directly to VCC power bus and the other node directly VSS power bus, is implemented throughout all open space available on the whole silicon chip (memory as well as logic chip), particularly those directly underneath the metal power bus to achieve an on-chip power bus decoupling capacitor with capacitance in excess of 0.001 &mgr;F.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device comprises the steps of: (a) forming a mask layer over an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate such that the mask layer has an aperture penetrating the mask layer and having an inclined lateral wall so as to make the aperture inverted taper shaped; (b) forming a first dielectric layer at a first area over the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate within the aperture by sputtering at a first sputtering incidence direction; and (c) forming a first electrode layer at a second area over the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate within the aperture by sputtering at a second sputtering incidence direction which is different from the first sputtering incidence direction.