Abstract: Ferroelectric rare-earth manganese-titanium oxides and methods of their manufacture. The ferroelectric materials can provide nonvolatile data storage in rapid access memory devices.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of transistors on the semiconductor substrate, each of the transistors has a source and drain region; an interlayer insulating film on the semiconductor substrate and the plurality of transistors; and at least three capacitors on the interlayer insulation film, each of them has a top electrode, a bottom electrode and an insulating film interposed therebetween; wherein the 1st and 2nd capacitors have an shared electrode, with the top electrodes of the 1st and 2nd capacitors, which has a 1st longer direction, the 2nd and 3rd capacitors have an shared electrode, with the bottom electrodes of the 2nd and 3rd capacitors, which has a 2nd longer direction different from the 1st direction.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit including a ferroelectric memory cell is disclosed. One embodiment of the method includes: forming a amorphous oxide layer over a carrier, the amorphous layer including: O and any of the group of: Hf, Zr and (Hf,Zr), forming a covering layer on the amorphous layer, and heating the amorphous layer up to a temperature above its crystallization temperature to at least partly alter its crystal state from amorphous to crystalline, resulting in a crystallized oxide layer.

Abstract: A method contains the steps of (a) heating a silicon substrate in a reaction chamber; and (b) supplying film-forming gas containing source gas, nitridizing gas, and nitridation enhancing gas to a surface of the heated silicon substrate, to deposit on the silicon substrate an Hf1-xAlxO:N film (0.1<x<0.3) having a higher specific dielectric constant than that of silicon oxide, and incorporating N, by thermal CVD. The method can form an oxide film of Hf1-xAlxO (0<x<0.3) having desired characteristics, as a gate insulation film.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory according to an embodiment of the present invention including first and second adjacent bit lines extending in a first direction and provided in the same interconnect layer, an active provided in a memory cell array, a first and second adjacent word lines extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction, a cell group having two transistor provided in the active region and two resistive storage element, wherein the active region has a striped structure, and extends from one end of the memory cell array to the other.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a method of fabricating a semiconductor device is provided including forming a first interlayer insulating film 11, a crystalline conductive film 21, a first conductive film 23, a ferroelectric film 24 and a second conductive film 25 on a silicon substrate 1 in sequence, forming a conductive cover film 18 on the second conductive film 25, forming a hard mask 26a on the conductive cover film 18, forming a capacitor upon etching the conductive cover film 18, the second conductive film 25, the ferroelectric film 24 and the first conductive film 23 using the hard mask 26a as an etching mask in areas exposed from the hard mask 26a, and etching the hard mask 26a and the crystalline conductive film 21 exposed from the lower electrode 23a using an etching condition under which the hard mask 26a is etched.

Abstract: The present invention to provide a new technique to reduce a variation in switching field of a magnetization free layer in a magnetic memory. The magnetic memory according to the present invention includes a magnetization free layer including a ferromagnetic layer having a shape magnetic anisotropy in a first direction and a magnetic strain constant is positive; and a stress inducing structure configured to apply a tensile stress to said magnetization free layer in a same direction as the first direction.

Abstract: A ferroelectric memory device includes a field effect transistor formed on a semiconductor substrate, an interlayer insulation film formed on the semiconductor substrate so as to cover the field effect transistor, a conductive plug formed in the interlayer insulation film in contact with the first diffusion region, and a ferroelectric capacitor formed over the interlayer insulation in contact with the conductive plug, wherein the ferroelectric capacitor includes a ferroelectric film and upper and lower electrodes sandwiching the ferroelectric film respectively from above and below, the lower electrode being connected electrically to the conductive plug, a layer containing oxygen being interposed between the conductive plug and the lower electrode, a layer containing nitrogen being interposed between the layer containing oxygen and the lower electrode, a self-aligned layer being interposed between the layer containing nitrogen and the lower electrode.

Abstract: A hybrid memory device includes a plurality of regions including a memory cell array region upon which are formed a plurality of memory cells and a logic circuit region upon which is formed a logic circuit device, and is provided with a liner oxide layer formed on a region covering the logic circuit region except the memory cell array region and a cover layer formed on the liner oxide layer while extending to the memory cell array region.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are new resistive memory devices having one or more buffers layer surrounding a dielectric layer. By inserting one or more buffer layers around the dielectric layer of the device, the resistive ratio of the device is highly enhanced. For example, tests using this unique stack structure have revealed a resistance ratio of approximately 1000× over conventional electrode-dielectric-electrode stack structures found in resistive memory devices. This improvement in the resistance ratio of the resistive memory device is believed to be from the improved interface coherence, and thus smoother topography, between the buffer layer(s) and the dielectric layer.

Abstract: A ferroelectric memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, a first insulating film, a plurality of first and second plugs which extend through the first insulating film, conductive hydrogen barrier films, ferroelectric capacitor structural bodies, a first insulating hydrogen barrier film provided so as to cover the ferroelectric capacitor structural bodies, a second insulating film, local wirings extending on the second insulating film, a second insulating hydrogen barrier film which covers the local wirings, a third insulating film, third plugs which extend through the third insulating film so as to connect to their corresponding conductive hydrogen barrier films, and a first wiring layer extending on the third insulating film.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a first source region and a first drain region formed at a distance from each other in a semiconductor substrate; a first gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate between the first source region and the first drain region; a first gate electrode formed on the first gate insulating film; a first source electrode formed above the first source region and including a ferromagnetic layer having an easy axis of magnetization in a first direction; a first drain electrode formed above the first drain region and including a ferromagnetic layer magnetized in a second direction at an angle larger than 0 degrees but not larger than 180 degrees with respect to the first direction; and a second drain electrode formed above the first drain region, being located at a distance from the first drain electrode, and including a ferromagnetic layer magnetized in a direction substantially antiparallel to the second direction.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method comprises forming conductive and ferroelectric material layers on a semiconductor substrate. The material layers are patterned to form electrodes and a ferroelectric layer of a ferroelectric capacitor, wherein a conductive residue is generated on sidewalls of the ferroelectric capacitor as a by-product of the patterning. The method also comprises removing the conductive residue using a physical plasma etch clean-up process that includes maintaining a substrate temperature that is greater than about 60° C.

Abstract: A ferroelectric memory device includes a microelectronic substrate and a plurality of ferroelectric capacitors on the substrate, arranged as a plurality of row and columns in respective row and column directions. A plurality of parallel plate lines overlie the ferroelectric capacitors and extend along the row direction, wherein a plate line contacts ferroelectric capacitors in at least two adjacent rows. The plurality of plate lines may include a plurality of local plate lines, and the ferroelectric memory device may further include an insulating layer disposed on the local plate lines and a plurality of main plate lines disposed on the insulating layer and contacting the local plate lines through openings in the insulating layer. In some embodiments, ferroelectric capacitors in adjacent rows share a common upper electrode, and respective ones of the local plate lines are disposed on respective ones of the common upper electrodes.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to an integrated circuit that includes a ferroelectric memory cell. The ferroelectric memory cell includes a ferroelectric capacitor having a first plate and a second plate. The first plate is associated with a storage node of the ferroelectric memory cell, and the second plate associated with a plateline. The ferroelectric memory cell also includes a complementary transmission gate configured to selectively couple the storage node to a bitline as a function of a wordline voltage and a complementary wordline voltage. Bias limiting circuitry selectively alters voltage on the storage node as a function of the wordline voltage or the complementary wordline voltage. Other methods, devices, and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method includes the steps of forming a first interlayer insulating film over a silicon substrate; forming a first conductive film on the first interlayer insulating film; forming a first ferroelectric film, which is crystallized, on the first conductive film; annealing the first ferroelectric film; after the annealing, forming, on the first ferroelectric film, a second ferroelectric film made of an amorphous material or a microcrystalline material; forming a second conductive film on the second ferroelectric film; and forming a capacitor by patterning the first and second conductive films and the first and second ferroelectric films.

Abstract: There is formed a gate electrode (word line) via a gate insulating film on a semiconductor substrate, the gate electrode extending in the direction inclining at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the extending direction of an element region. The element region is divided into three portions by the two gate electrodes. In each element region portion, two MOS transistors are provided. A bit line is connected to a W plug provided in the central region portion and lower electrodes of two ferroelectric capacitors are connected to other W plugs provided in both end region portions. The extending direction of the bit line inclines approximately 45 degrees to the extending direction of the element region.

Abstract: A flash memory device incorporating: a semiconductor substrate having an active region and a field region defined therein; a device isolation layer formed in the field region of the substrate; a floating gate having an edge portion overlapping the device isolation layer, the overlapped portion being etched back a depth about equal to a height of a protruding portion of the device isolation layer, the floating gate having a tunneling oxide layer interposed in the active region of the semiconductor substrate; and a gate insulation layer and a control gate sequentially formed on the floating gate.

Abstract: A ferroelectric memory device, which includes a vertical ferroelectric capacitor having an electrode distance smaller than a minimum feature size of lithography technology being used and suitable for the miniaturization, and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, it is provided a ferroelectric memory device comprising an MIS transistor formed on a substrate, and a ferroelectric capacitor formed on an interlevel insulator above the MIS transistor, wherein a pair of electrodes of the ferroelectric capacitor are disposed in a channel length direction of the MIS transistor to face each other putting a ferroelectric film in-between, and wherein a distance between the electrodes of the ferroelectric capacitor is smaller than a gate length of the MIS transistor.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory cell and production method provides a storage capacitor connected to a selection transistor. The storage capacitor is formed as a contact hole capacitor in at least one contact hole for a source or drain region. Such a semiconductor memory cell can be produced cost-effectively and allows a high integration density.

Abstract: A non-volatile method with a self-aligned RRAM element. The method includes a lower electrode element, generally planar in form, having an inner contact surface. At the top of the device is a upper electrode element, spaced from the lower electrode element. A containment structure extends between the upper electrode element and the lower electrode element, and this element includes a sidewall spacer element having an inner surface defining a generally funnel-shaped central cavity, terminating at a terminal edge to define a central aperture; and a spandrel element positioned between the sidewall spacer element and the lower electrode, having an inner surface defining a thermal isolation cell, the spandrel inner walls being spaced radially outward from the sidewall spacer terminal edge, such that the sidewall spacer terminal edge projects radially inward from the spandrel element inner surface.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor memory device including a ferroelectric capacitor, including a semiconductor substrate, a transistor having diffusion layers being a source and a drain, the transistor being formed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, a ferroelectric capacitor being formed over the transistor, the ferroelectric capacitor including a lower electrode, a ferroelectric film and an upper electrode stacked in order, an interlayer insulator separating between the transistor and the ferroelectric capacitor, a first contact plug being embedded in the interlayer insulator formed beneath the ferroelectric capacitor, the first contact plug directly connecting between one of the diffusion layers and the lower electrode, a first hydrogen barrier film covering the transistor a second hydrogen barrier film, a portion of the second hydrogen barrier film being formed on the first hydrogen barrier film, another portion of the second hydrogen barrier film

Abstract: A first electrode is formed on a stacked-layer film, which is formed of a ferroelectric layer and a semiconductor layer, at the ferroelectric layer and a plurality of second electrodes are formed on the stacked-layer film at the semiconductor layer side. Each of parts of the semiconductor layer located in regions in which the second electrodes are formed functions as a resistance modulation element (memory) using the polarization assist effect of the ferroelectric layer. Information (a low resistance state or a high resistance state) held in a memory is read by detecting a value of a current flowing in each part of the semiconductor layer. Information is written in a memory by inverting a polarization of the ferroelectric layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a MOS transistor formed in the semiconductor substrate and having an insulated gate and source/drain regions on both sides of the insulated gate; a ferroelectric capacitor formed above the semiconductor substrate and having a lower electrode, a ferroelectric layer and an upper electrode; a metal film formed on the upper electrode and having a thickness of a half of or thinner than a thickness of the upper electrode; an interlayer insulating film burying the ferroelectric capacitor and the metal film; a conductive plug formed through the interlayer insulating film, reaching the metal film and including a conductive glue film and a tungsten body; and an aluminum wiring formed on the interlayer insulating film and connected to the conductive plug. A new problem near an upper electrode contact is solved which may otherwise be caused by adopting a W plug over the F capacitor.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a ferroelectric memory device includes: forming an active element on a substrate; forming an interlayer insulating layer on the substrate; forming an opening on the interlayer insulating layer and forming a contact plug inside the opening; forming a foundation layer above the substrate; and laminating, on the foundation layer, a first electrode, a ferroelectric layer, and a second electrode. In this method, the forming of the foundation layer includes: forming a first titanium layer having a thickness less than a depth of a recess; nitriding the first titanium layer into a first titanium nitride layer; forming a second titanium layer on the first titanium nitride layer so as to at least partially fill the recess remaining on the contact plug; nitriding the second titanium layer into a second titanium nitride layer, and polishing a surface of the second titanium nitride layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate and a transistor formed on the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device also includes: a first interlayer insulation film formed on the semiconductor substrate including the upper portion of the transistor, a first contact formed to be connected through the first interlayer insulation film to the transistor, a ferroelectric capacitor formed to be connected to the first contact, a second interlayer insulation film formed on the first interlayer insulation film, and a second contact formed to connect the ferroelectric capacitor to a wiring through the second interlayer insulation film. The contact surfaces between the second contact and the ferroelectric capacitor have the same planar shape.

Abstract: A semiconductor device according to an aspect of the present invention comprises a semiconductor substrate, a ferroelectric capacitor, a protective film and an auxiliary capacitor. The ferroelectric capacitor is provided above the semiconductor substrate and comprises an upper electrode, a lower electrode and a ferroelectric film interposed between the upper and lower electrodes. The protective film is formed, covering the ferroelectric capacitor. The auxiliary capacitor is provided in a circuit section peripheral to the ferroelectric capacitor and uses the protective film as capacitor insulating film.

Abstract: A field-effect transistor for nonvolatile memory holding use and a field-effect transistor for logical operation use are manufactured in the same structure on the same semiconductor substrate without separately providing manufacturing processes for the field-effect transistors for the two uses. Both a memory circuit and a logic circuit of a semiconductor integrated circuit are composed of n-channel and p-channel field-effect transistors including a memory holding material in a gate insulating structure. A logical operation state, a memory writing state and a nonvolatile memory holding state are electrically switched by controlling the level and application timing of a voltage to be applied between a gate conductor and a substrate region of the n-channel and p-channel field-effect transistors including the memory holding material in the gate insulating structure.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a semiconductor memory device capable of providing excellent storage properties, scaling and high integration and a method of fabricating the same. A semiconductor memory device has a multiferroic film exhibiting ferroelectricity and ferromagnetism, a channel region on an interface of a semiconductor substrate below the multiferroic film, source and drain regions formed on both sides of the channel region, a gate electrode (data write electrode) applying gate voltage to the multiferroic film to write data in such a way that the orientation of magnetization is changed as corresponding to the orientation of dielectric polarization, and source and drain electrodes (data read electrodes) that read data based on a deviation in a flow of the carrier, the deviation caused by applying the Lorentz force to the carrier flowing in the channel region from a magnetic field occurring in the channel region because of magnetization.

Abstract: A memory device utilizing a phase change material as the storage medium, the phase change material based on antimony as the solvent in a solid solution.

Abstract: The present invention relates to non-volatile ferroelectric memory devices (30) comprising a transistor (22) and a capacitor (23), and more particularly to non-volatile electrically erasable programmable ferroelectric memory elements, and a method for processing such non-volatile ferroelectric memory devices (30). The method according to the invention comprises a limited number of mask steps because a gate dielectric layer of the transistor (22) and a dielectric layer of the capacitor (23) are made from the same organic or inorganic ferroelectric layer (14).

Abstract: In a method for forming ferroelectric thin films of vinylidene fluoride oligomer or vinylidene fluoride co-oligomer, oligomer material is evaporated in vacuum chamber and deposited as a thin film on a substrate which is cooled to a temperature in a range determined by process parameters and physical properties of the deposited VDF oligomer or co-oligomer thin film. In an application of the method of the invention for fabricating ferroelectric memory cells or ferroelectric memory devices, a ferroelectric memory material is provided in the form of a thin film of VDF oligomer or VDF co-oligomer located between electrode structures. A ferroelectric memory cell or ferroelectric memory device fabricated in this manner has the memory material in the form of a thin film of VDF oligomer or VDF co-oligomer provided on at least one of first and second electrode structures, such that the thin film is provided on at least one of the electrode structures or between first and second electrode structures.

Abstract: After a step of fabricating a MOS transistor (14) on a semiconductor substrate (11) and further steps up to bury a W plug (24), an Ir film (25a), an IrOy film (25b), a PZT film (26), and an IrOx film (27) are formed sequentially over the entire surface. The composition of the PZT film (26) is such that the content of Pb exceeds that of Zr and that of Ti. After processing the Ir film (25a), the IrOy film (25b), the PZT film (26) and the IrOx film (27), annealing is effected to remedy the damage to the PZT film (26) that is caused when the IrOx film (27) is formed and to diffuse Ir in the IrOx film (27) into the PZT film (26). As a result, the Ir diffused into the PZT film (26) concentrates at an interface between the IrOx film (27) and the PZT film (26) and at grain boundaries in the PZT film (26), and the Ir concentrations at the interface and boundaries are higher than those in the grains.

Abstract: A ferroelectric memory device includes a gate electrode formed on a semiconductor body via a ferroelectric film, first and second diffusion regions being formed in the semiconductor body at respective sides of a channel region, wherein the ferroelectric film comprises a first region located in the vicinity of the first diffusion region, a second region located in the vicinity of the second diffusion region, and a third region located between the first and second regions, wherein the first, second and third regions carry respective, mutually independent polarizations.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is equipped with a plug conductive layer formed in an interlayer dielectric film on a substrate, and a conductive member provided on the plug conductive layer. The semiconductor device further includes a spacer dielectric film formed on the interlayer dielectric film and having a hole section connecting to the plug conductive layer; and a spacer conductive section embedded in the hole section of the spacer dielectric film, connected to the plug conductive layer and connected to the conducive member, wherein the spacer conductive section is formed from a conductive material having self-orientation characteristic, and a top surface of the spacer dielectric film and a top surface of the spacer conductive section are planarized.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor memory device including: a semiconductor substrate; a transistor that is formed on the semiconductor substrate; a ferroelectric capacitor including a bottom electrode that is formed above the semiconductor to be connected with the transistor, a ferroelectric film that is formed on the bottom electrode, and a top electrode that is formed on the ferroelectric film; a first reaction preventing film that covers a lower side surface of the ferroelectric capacitor; and a second reaction preventing film that covers an upper side surface and a top surface of the ferroelectric capacitor.

Abstract: A semiconductor device according to the present invention comprises a semiconductor substrate, a capacitor including a lower electrode disposed above the semiconductor substrate, a dielectric film disposed above the lower electrode, and an upper electrode disposed above the dielectric film, the upper electrode including metal oxide formed of ABO3 perovskite oxide and containing at least an Ru element as a B site element, and a metal film containing a Ti element being disposed between the dielectric film and the upper electrode.

Abstract: This disclosure concerns a semiconductor device comprising a switching transistor provided on a semiconductor substrate; an interlayer dielectric film formed on the switching transistor; a ferroelectric capacitor including an upper electrode, a ferroelectric film, and a lower electrode formed on the interlayer dielectric film; a contact plug provided within the interlayer dielectric film and electrically connected to the lower electrode; a diffusion layer connected to between the contact plug and the switching transistor; a barrier metal covering a whole upper surface of the upper electrode; and an insulation sidewall film provided on a side surface of the barrier metal and provided substantially on a same plane as a side surface of the upper electrode.

Abstract: A magnetic random access memory includes a single tunnel junction element which includes a first fixed layer, a first recording layer, and a first nonmagnetic layer, a double tunnel junction element which includes a second fixed layer and a third fixed layer, a second recording layer, a second nonmagnetic layer formed between the second fixed layer and the second recording layer, and a third nonmagnetic layer formed between the third fixed layer and the second recording layer, and in which the magnetization directions in the second fixed layer and the second recording layer take one of the parallel state and the antiparallel state in accordance with a direction of an electric current flowing between the second fixed layer and the second recording layer, and a transistor connected to a memory cell having the single tunnel junction element and the double tunnel junction element connected in parallel.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor device including: a transistor including: a source, a drain and a gate; first and second plugs on the source and the drain; a third plug on the gate to have a top face higher than that of the first plug; an interlayer insulating film covering the transistor and the first to the third plugs; a ferroelectric capacitor on the interlayer insulating film, one electrode thereof being connected to the first plug; a barrier film covering surfaces of the ferroelectric capacitor and the interlayer insulating film to prevent a substance affecting the ferroelectric capacitor from entering therethrough; and fourth and fifth plugs disposed on the second and the third plugs and connected thereto through connection holes formed in the barrier film.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has: a circuit portion having semiconductor elements formed on a semiconductor substrate; insulating lamination formed above the semiconductor substrate and covering the circuit portion; a multilevel wiring structure formed in the insulating lamination and including wiring patterns and via conductors; and a pad electrode structure formed above the semiconductor substrate and connected to the multilevel wiring structure. The pad electrode structure includes pad wiring patterns and pad via conductors interconnecting the pad wiring patterns, the uppermost pad wiring pattern includes a pad pattern and a sealing pattern surrounding the pad pattern in a loop shape. Another pad wiring pattern has continuous extended pad pattern of a size overlapping the sealing pattern. The pad via conductors include a plurality of columnar via conductors disposed in register with the pad pattern and a loop-shaped wall portion disposed in register with the sealing pattern.

Abstract: A method of forming an integrated ferroelectric/CMOS structure which effectively separates incompatible high temperature deposition and annealing processes is provided. The method of the present invention includes separately forming a CMOS structure and a ferroelectric delivery wafer. These separate structures are then brought into contact with each and the ferroelectric film of the delivery wafer is bonded to the upper conductive electrode layer of the CMOS structure by using a low temperature anneal step. A portion of the delivery wafer is then removed providing an integrated FE/CMOS structure wherein the ferroelectric capacitor is formed on top of the CMOS structure. The capacitor is in contact with the transistor of the CMOS structure through all the wiring levels of the CMOS structure.

Abstract: A ferroelectric memory device has a high performance, includes no Pb, and can be directly mounted onto an Si substrate. The ferroelectric memory device includes a (001)-oriented BiFeO3 ferroelectric layer 5 with a tetragonal structure, which is formed on an electrode 4 made of a perovskite material formed on an Si oxide film. The electrode 4 with a perovskite structure is formed by an ion beam assist method.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate formed with an active element, an oxidation resistant film formed over the semiconductor substrate so as to cover the active element, a ferroelectric capacitor formed over the oxidation resistance film, the ferroelectric capacitor having a construction of consecutively stacking a lower electrode, a ferroelectric film and an upper electrode, and an interlayer insulation film formed over the oxidation resistance film so as to cover the ferroelectric capacitor, wherein there are formed, in the interlayer insulation film, a first via-plug in a first contact hole exposing the first electrode and a second via-plug in a second contact hole exposing the lower electrode, and wherein there is formed another conductive plug in the interlayer insulation film in an opening exposing the oxidation resistant film.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor apparatus including: a semiconductor substrate; a transistor including: a first diffusion layer formed on the semiconductor substrate, and a second diffusion layer formed on the semiconductor substrate; a ferroelectric capacitor including: a bottom electrode connected to the first diffusion layer, a ferroelectric film formed on the bottom electrode, and a top electrode formed on the ferroelectric film; a side wall disposed on a side surface of the ferroelectric capacitor, the side wall having a lower end positioned upper than a bottom plane of the ferroelectric capacitor; and a contact plug connected to the second diffusion layer and to the top electrode, the contact plug being in touch with the side wall.

Abstract: A method contains the steps of (a) heating a silicon substrate in a reaction chamber; and (b) supplying film-forming gas containing source gas, nitridizing gas, and nitridation enhancing gas to a surface of the heated silicon substrate, to deposit on the silicon substrate an Hf1-xAlxO:N film (0.1<x<0.3) having a higher specific dielectric constant than that of silicon oxide, and incorporating N, by thermal CVD. The method can form an oxide film of Hf1-xAlxO (0<x<0.3) having desired characteristics, as a gate insulation film.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a ferroelectric memory device, including terminating a surface of the interlayer insulation film and a surface of the contact plug with an OH group; forming a layer containing Si, oxygen and a CH group on the surface of the interlayer insulation film and the contact hole terminated with the OH group by coating a Si compound containing a Si atom and a CH group in a molecule thereof; converting the layer containing Si, oxygen and the CH group to a layer containing nitrogen at a surface thereof, by substituting the CH group in the layer containing Si, oxygen and the CH group at least at a surface part thereof with nitrogen atoms; and forming a layer showing self-orientation on the surface containing nitrogen.

Abstract: A ferroelectric memory device has a lower insulating film formed on a semiconductor substrate. A ferroelectric capacitor structure is formed on the lower insulating film. The ferroelectric capacitor structure is created by layering in order a lower electrode, ferroelectric layer and upper electrode. The ferroelectric memory device also has an upper insulating film which covers the ferroelectric capacitor structure. A wiring layer is formed over the upper insulating film. An aluminum oxide film of thickness 5 to 50 nm is formed so as to cover the wiring layer and upper insulating film.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device, comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a memory cell section comprising a memory transistor provided on the semiconductor substrate, the memory transistor including a first gate electrode provided on the semiconductor substrate with a gate insulating film interposed therebetween, and a source and drain provided at both sides of the first gate electrode on the semiconductor substrate, and a ferroelectric capacitor provided above the memory transistor, the ferroelectric capacitor including a first electrode film connected to any one of a source and drain of the memory transistor, a second electrode film connected to the other one of the drain and source of the memory transistor, and a ferroelectric film provided between the first electrode film and the second electrode film, the memory cell section having the memory transistor and the ferroelectric capacitor connected in parallel to each other; and a select transistor section, comprising a select transistor provided at an end of t

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor device including a semiconductor element and a dummy semiconductor element adjacent to the semiconductor element. When the semiconductor element is a capacitor element including a bottom electrode, a top electrode and a dielectric layer between the electrodes, a dummy capacitor element also has dummy electrodes and a dummy dielectric layer between the dummy electrodes. The dummy electrode is located so that a space between the top electrode of the capacitor element ad the dummy top electrode is in a predetermined range (e.g. 0.3 ?m to 14 ?m). The dummy capacitor element prevents the capacitor dielectric layer from degrading since the collisions of the etching ions with the capacitor dielectric layer in a dry etching process is suppressed.