Abstract: A Deep Trench (DT) capacitor in a semiconductor substrate has an isolation collar formed on trench sidewalls above the DT bottom. An outer plate is formed below the collar. Capacitor dielectric is formed on DT walls below the collar. An node electrode is formed in the DT, recessed below the DT top. The collar is recessed in the DT. A combined poly/counter-recrystallizing species cap is formed over the node electrode with a peripheral strap. The cap may be formed after formed a peripheral divot of a recessed collar, followed by forming an intrinsic poly strap in the divot and doping with a counter-recrystallization species, e.g. Ge, into the node electrode and the strap. Alternatively, the node electrode is recessed followed by codeposition of poly and Ge or another counter-recrystallization species to form the cap and strap.

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: Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a MIM (metal-insulator-metal) capacitor using copper as a lower electrode. The MIM capacitor is manufactured by the following processes. A lower copper electrode is formed on a substrate. A photoresist pattern having a capacitor hole through which the lower copper electrode is exposed, is then formed. Next, the surface of the photoresist pattern is hardened to form a photoresist hardening layer. Thereafter, a capacitor dielectric film and an upper electrode material layer are formed on the photoresist hardening layer including the capacitor hole. The upper electrode material layer and the capacitor dielectric film are then polished by means of chemical mechanical polishing process to form an upper electrode within the capacitor hole. Finally, the photoresist pattern including the photoresist hardening layer is removed. As such, the MIM capacitor is manufactured without using the mask process and the etch process.

Abstract: A method of forming an H2 passivation layer in an FeRAM includes preparing a silicon substrate; depositing a layer of TiOx thin film, where 0<x<2, on a damascene structure; plasma space etching of the Ti or TiOx thin film to form a TiOx sidewall; annealing the TiOx side wall thin film form a TiO2 thin film; depositing a layer of ferroelectric material; and metallizing the structure to form a FeRAM.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a deep trench capacitor for dynamic memory cells in which a trench is etched into the depth of a semiconductor substrate, and wherein the interior of the trench is provided with a doping and a dielectric and is filled with a conductive material as an inner electrode. The inner electrode and the dielectric are etched back within a collar region, and a collar is formed using a collar process comprising a collar oxide deposition and etching back of the collar oxide on the substrate surface and in the trench as far as the inner electrode, after which the inner electrode is completed by further steps of depositing and etching back conductive layers. Prior to the doping a masking layer is applied to the collar region of the trench, and this masking layer is removed again before the collar process. Before the dielectric is applied the surface of the lower regions of the trench outside the collar region a layer of grains of conductive material is applied.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device has access transistors with a gate and a pair of impurity diffusion layers formed on a semiconductor substrate and memory capacitors with a storage node electrode and a cell plate electrode. The electrodes are connected to each other via a capacitive insulating layer made of a ferroelectric material. The storage node electrode has a surface covered with the capacitive insulating layer and is formed in a shape of column on one of the pair of impurity diffusion layers in a hole formed from an inter-layer insulating film covering the access transistor to the one of the pair of impurity diffusion layers. A upper surface of the column does not exceed the inter-layer insulating film. The storage node electrode formed in the hole face the cell plate electrode via the inter-layer insulating film.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a capacitor on a semiconductor substrate is disclosed. The method may include simultaneously forming at least one via and at least one upper capacitor plate opening in a first dielectric layer having an underlying cap dielectric layer deposited over a first material region having a first conductive material within a conductive region and forming a trench above the via. The method may also include filling the via, trench, and upper capacitor plate opening with a second conductive material resulting in an integrated circuit structure and employing CMP to remove any excess second conductive material from the integrated circuit structure.

Abstract: A scrubbing controller used with a DRAM stores data in an error correcting code format. The system then uses a memory control state machine and associated timer to periodically cause the DRAM to read the error correcting codes. An ECC generator/checker in the scrubbing controller then detects any errors in the read error correcting codes, and generates corrected error correcting codes that are written to the DRAM. This scrubbing procedure, by reading error correcting codes from the DRAM, inherently refreshes memory cells in the DRAM. The error correcting codes are read at rate that may allow data errors to be generated, but these errors are corrected in the memory scrubbing procedure. However, the low rate at which the error correcting codes are read results in a substantial power saving compared to refreshing the memory cells at a higher rate needed to ensure that no data errors are generated.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a first interlayer insulation film on a semiconductor substrate, depositing a first metal film on the first interlayer insulation film, depositing an antireflection film including a dielectric layer on an upper surface of the first metal film, patterning the first metal film and the antireflection film to form a lower electrode having the antireflection film on an upper surface thereof, forming a second interlayer insulation film on the antireflection film, forming first and second openings in a first region and in a second region in the second interlayer insulation film, respectively, removing a portion of the antireflection film where the second opening is formed, depositing a second metal film on the second interlayer insulation film, and removing the second metal film except in the first and second openings to form an upper electrode in the first opening, and a contact in the second opening.

Abstract: Disclosed is a capacitor construction for a more uniformly thick capacitor dielectric layer, and a method for fabricating the same. The method has special utility where the bottom electrode comprises composite layers over which the capacitor dielectric demonstrates differential growth during deposition. Exposed portions of an underlying first electrode layer, are covered either by a conductive or dielectric spacer, or by a dielectric padding. For the preferred embodiments, in which the bottom electrode comprises titanium carbonitride over rough polysilicon, a dielectric padding may be formed during a rapid thermal nitridation step, which causes silicon nitride to grow out of an exposed polysilicon sidewall. Alternatively, a sidewall spacer may be formed by deposition an additional layer of titanium nitride over the original titanim nitride strap, and performing a spacer etch.

Abstract: A structure on a layer surface of the semiconductor wafer has at least one first area region (8, 9), which is reflective for electromagnetic radiation, and at least one second, essentially nonreflecting area region (10, 11, 12). A light-transmissive insulation layer (13) and a light-sensitive layer are produced on said layer surface. The electromagnetic radiation is directed onto the light-sensitive layer with an angle &THgr; of incidence and the structure of the layer surface is imaged with a lateral offset into the light-sensitive layer.

Abstract: An improved TOL process with a partial lithography-assisted sacrifcial oxide strip to prevent arsenic out-diffusion from polysilicon studs during gate oxidation. The invention prevents arsenic out-diffusion during gate oxidation from polysilicon studs by completely covering polysilicon studs with an oxide layer during gate oxidation, therby mantaining nitrogen amounts in the thin gate oxide regions, and hence, maintaining gate oxide thickness and avoiding any increase in Vt's for thin gate devices.

Abstract: A semiconductor device manufacturing process for forming a semiconductor device having a high density region and a low density region of transistor elements, includes forming a gate oxide film and gate electrodes on a semiconductor substrate surface. Then, a first nitride film is uniformly formed on the gate electrodes, and only the low-density region of the semiconductor device is etched. Then, a second nitride film is uniformly formed, and then an interlayer insulating film is formed. The high-density region is self-aligned using the first nitride film as an etch stopper to form contact holes in the interlayer insulating film, and contact electrodes are formed In the contact holes. The assembly is then annealed by a forming gas to recover an interfacial layer.

Abstract: A trench capacitor, in particular for use in a semiconductor memory cell, has a trench formed in a substrate; an insulation collar formed in an upper region of the trench; an optional buried plate in the substrate region serving as a first capacitor plate; a dielectric layer lining the lower region of the trench and the insulation collar as a capacitor dielectric; a conductive second filling material filled into the trench as a second capacitor plate; and a buried contact underneath the surface of the substrate. The substrate has, underneath its surface in the region of the buried contact, a doped region introduced by implantation, plasma doping and/or vapor phase deposition. A tunnel layer, in particular an oxide, nitride or oxinitride layer, is preferably formed at the interface of the buried contact. A method for producing a trench capacitor is also provided.

Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing capacitor in a semiconductor memory device. The method for manufacturing a memory device having a dielectric layer includes the steps of forming a seed layer as a first dielectric layer by using an ALD method and forming a second dielectric layer by using a CVD method.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device and a method of manufacturing same, wherein landing pads are formed to contact source/drain regions of an access transistor in a memory cell array area and a first resistor device is formed in the peripheral circuit area, by depositing a first conductive layer on a semiconductor substrate having an access transistor formed thereon and patterning the first conductive layer. An interlayer insulation layer is deposited on the resultant structure, and a lower electrode and a dielectric layer having a high dielectric constant of a capacitor are formed to contact the source/drain region of the access transistor. By depositing a second conductive layer on the resultant structure having the dielectric layer and patterning the dielectric layer, a capacitor upper electrode is formed in the memory cell array area and a second resistor device is formed in the peripheral circuit area.

Abstract: Methods of forming a uniform cell nitride dielectric layer over varying substrate materials such as an insulation material and a conductive or semiconductive material, methods of forming capacitors having a uniform nitride dielectric layer deposited onto varying substrate materials such as an insulation layer and overlying conductive or semiconductive electrode, and capacitors formed from such methods are provided. In one embodiment of forming a uniform cell nitride layer in a capacitor construction, a surface-modifying agent is implanted into exposed surfaces of an insulation layer of a capacitor container by low angle implantation to alter the surface properties of the insulation layer for enhanced nucleation of the depositing cell nitride material, preferably while rotating the substrate for adequate implantation of the modifying substance along the top corner portion of the container.

Abstract: In a process for manufacturing deep trench (32) memory cells, a method of enhancing the process window by better protecting the nitride spacer (52) prior to the process of stripping the pad nitride layer (38). The method also provides for the deposition of a nitride liner (64) and offers an additional advantage of not requiring the top shoulder (58) of the nitride spacer (52) to be over etched during its formation.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrode arrangement for charge storage with an external trench electrode (202; 406), embodied along the wall of a trench provided in a substrate (401) and electrically insulated on both sides in the trench by a first and a second dielectric (104; 405, 409); an internal trench electrode (201; 410), serving as counter-electrode to the external trench electrode (201; 406) and insulated by the second dielectric (104; 409) and a substrate electrode (201; 403), which is insulated by the first dielectric (104; 405) outside the trench, which serves as counter-electrode to the external trench electrode (202; 406) and is connected to the internal trench electrode (201; 410) in the upper trench region.

Abstract: A trench capacitor includes an electrode having a first conductive area formed in a trench provided in a substrate, and a second conductive area extending from a bottom of the trench, the second conductive area being electrically coupled to the first conductive area and spaced apart from the first conductive area; a storage node having a first conductive extension extending into a first dielectric space provided between the first conductive area and the second conductive area of the electrode, and a second conductive extension extending into a second dielectric space provided within the second conductive area of the electrode; and a dielectric layer electrically insulating the electrode from the storage node.

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: This invention pertains to a method for making a trench capacitor of DRAM devices. A portion of the collar oxide layer is masked after the second polysilicon deposition and recess etching process. Subsequently, the un-masked collar oxide layer is etched away to form an asymmetric collar oxide structure. The third polysilicon deposition and recess etching process is then carried out to form a third polysilicon stud atop the second polysilicon layer. The asymmetric collar oxide structure has a lower annular portion wrapping the second polysilicon layer and insulating the second polysilicon layer from the substrate, and an upper portion serving as a single-sided spacer for blocking diffusion of dopants from the third polysilicon stud to the substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus and method are provided. According to an embodiment, the apparatus includes a first contact extending from a first conductive element disposed in a substrate. A second contact extends from a second conductive element disposed in the substrate at least to a lower limit of a capacitor well. The capacitor well is formed in a pre-metal dielectric layer disposed on the substrate. The second contact is shorter than the first contact. The height of the capacitor structure may be substantially the same as the height of the pre-metal dielectric layer. A first metal layer is disposed on the pre-metal dielectric layer. Thus, the capacitor structure may extend from the lower limit of the capacitor well to the first metal layer. The first contact extends to the first metal layer.

Abstract: A method for fabricating buried decoupling capacitors in an integrated circuit is disclosed. The method forms decoupling capacitors by creating an opening within a substrate which has fin-like spacers, depositing a dielectric material over the spacers, depositing an electrode material over the dielectric material, depositing an insulative material over the electrode material, and forming integrated circuit components over the insulative material.

Abstract: The invention includes methods in which metal oxide dielectric materials are deposited over barrier layers. The barrier layers can comprise compositions of metal and one or more of carbon, boron and nitrogen, and the metal oxide of the dielectric material can comprise the same metal as the barrier layer. The dielectric material/barrier layer constructions can be incorporated into capacitors. The capacitors can be used in, for example, DRAM cells, which in turn can be used in electronic systems.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a semiconductor device are described. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a core and a periphery. The core includes a plurality of core gate stacks having a first plurality of edges, while the periphery a plurality of periphery gate stacks having a second plurality of edges. The method and system include providing a plurality of core spacers, a plurality of periphery spacers, a plurality of core sources and a plurality of conductive regions. The core spacers reside at the first plurality of edges and have a thickness. The periphery spacers reside at the second plurality of edges and have a second thickness greater than the first thickness. The core sources reside between the plurality of core gate stacks. The conductive regions are on the plurality of core sources. This method allows different thicknesses of the spacers to be formed in the core and the periphery so that the spacers can be tailored to the different requirements of the core and periphery.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device comprising a cylindrical storage node, the surface area of the storage node is increased by forming silicone grains in an amorphous silicone film by a heat treatment only to an outer wall of the cylindrical portion to thereby form a roughened surface in the outer wall, and the amorphous silicone film is left in an inner wall without conducting a surface roughening treatment to the inner wall whereby the physical strength of the cylindrical portion is maintained and the destruction and the breakage of the cylindrical portion are prevented.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a T-shaped gate on a gate insulation film, wherein the T-shaped gate includes a lower polycrystal layer containing Si and Ge and an upper polycrystal layer of polysilicon.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a capacitor having a lower electrode (102), a high-dielectric-constant or ferroelectric thin film (103), and an upper electrode (104) which are subsequently stacked. An impurity having an action of suppressing the catalytic activity of a metal or a conductive oxide constituting the electrode is added to the upper electrode (104). The addition of the impurity is effective to prevent inconveniences such as a reduction in capacitance, an insulation failure, and the peeling of the electrode due to hydrogen heat-treatment performed after formation of the upper electrode (104), and to improve the long-term reliability.

Abstract: A memory cell and method of forming the same is provided. To make contact between a bit line and a select transistor of a dynamic memory unit on a semiconductor wafer, a contact hole is filled with a metal or a metal alloy. A liner layer may be introduced between the semiconductor substrate and the metal filling. The semiconductor substrate has a doped region in the contact hole.

Abstract: The invention forms a 1T Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) with a low concentration cell node region and a higher concentration bit line region (e.g., second bit line region). The method of the invention forms a 1T Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) that uses a resist mask to block a high concentration implant into the cell node region, but allows the high concentration implant into the bit line region to form a second (high concentration) bit line. The invention's 1T SRAM, with the low concentration cell node, has reduced p-n junction leakage at the cell node and increase date retention time.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device that forms a capacitor and metal interconnection in the same level, simultaneously using a damascene process for forming a metal interconnection. A capacitor structure having the high capacitance needed for logic elements is obtained without increasing the number of layers for fabricating the capacitor by forming a three-dimensional capacitor in the damascene pattern while maintaining the conventional processes in a damascene interconnection process.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device including a first conductive layer, the first conductive layer is treated with a nitrogen/hydrogen plasma before an additional layer is deposited thereover. The treatment stuffs the surface with nitrogen, thereby preventing oxygen from being adsorbed onto the surface of the first conductive layer. In one embodiment, a second conductive layer is deposited onto the first conductive layer, and the plasma treatment lessens if not eliminates an oxide formed between the two layers as a result of subsequent thermal treatments. In another embodiment, a dielectric layer is deposited onto the first conductive layer, and the plasma treatment lessens if not eliminates the ability of the first conductive layer to incorporate oxygen from the dielectric.

Abstract: Disclosed are a gain cell structure capable of making a memory cell compact in size and a method of manufacturing the same at low cost. A memory cell is constituted of a reading MIS transistor and a writing MIS transistor. The reading MIS transistor has a pair of n+ type semiconductor regions (source region and drain region) formed on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate and a first gate electrode formed on a path of the n+ type semiconductor regions 13 via a first gate insulating film. The writing MIS transistor is arranged on the reading MIS transistor and has a layered structure made by laminating a lower semiconductor layer (source region), an intermediate semiconductor layer (channel forming region), and an upper semiconductor layer (drain region) in this order. The writing MIS transistor has a vertical structure in which a second gate electrode is arranged on both sidewalls of the layered structure via a second gate insulating film.

Abstract: An aluminum interconnect which extends adjacent to and is insulated from a stacked capacitor structure to facilitate electrical communication between an active device region of a semiconductor substrate of a semiconductor device structure and a bit line extending above the semiconductor substrate. The aluminum interconnect is disposed within a trench and may include a metal silicide layer adjacent the active device region to form a buried metal diffusion layer. The aluminum interconnect may also include a metal nitride layer disposed between the metal silicide and aluminum. The invention also includes methods of fabricating aluminum interconnects adjacent stacked capacitor structures and semiconductor device structures which include the aluminum interconnects.

Abstract: A method for use in manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a photoresist pattern on a substrate, performing first etching process in which an initial trench is formed using the photoresist pattern as a mask, and performing second distinct etching process to enlarge the initial trench. Thus, the initial trench can be formed using the photoresist pattern having a stable structure. Thereafter, the trench is enlarged using an etching solution having a composition based on the material in which the initial trench is formed, e.g., a silicon substrate or an insulation film. Therefore, a metal wiring, an isolation film or a contact can be formed in the enlarged trench to desired dimensions.

Abstract: A capacitor structure is formed over a semiconductor substrate by atomic layer deposition to achieve uniform thickness in memory cell dielectric layers, particularly where the dielectric layer is formed in a container-type capacitor structure. In accordance with several embodiments of the present invention, a process for forming a capacitor structure over a semiconductor substrate is provided. Other embodiments of the present invention relate to processes for forming memory cell capacitor structures, memory cells, and memory cell arrays. Capacitor structures, memory cells, and memory cell arrays are also provided.

Abstract: At least a partial layer of an upper capacitor electrode is formed by metal carbide, preferably by a transition metal carbide. In one embodiment, the metal carbide layer is formed by depositing an alternating sequence of metal-containing layers and carbon-containing layers on top of one another and then subjecting them to a heat treatment, in such a manner that they mix with one another. The patterning of the layer sequence can be carried out before the carbide formation step.

Abstract: A semiconductor has a MIM capacitor formed on the same level with a dual damascene Cu line. The semiconductor includes a first insulating interlayer with first contact holes, first metal lines formed in the first contact holes, and second and third insulating interlayers including the first metal lines. Second and third contact holes are formed in the second insulating interlayer to expose some region of the first metal lines, a trench is formed in the third insulating interlayer corresponding to the second and third contact holes, and a capacitor structure is formed in the second contact hole and the trench above the second contact hole. Second metal lines fill the second and third contact holes and the trenches above the second and third contact holes.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a capacitor of an MIM structure and a method of forming the same are described. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate; a first bottom interconnection formed over the semiconductor substrate; an intermetal dielectric layer formed over the semiconductor substrate; a plurality of openings exposing the first bottom interconnection through the intermetal dielectric layer; a bottom electrode conformally formed on the inside wall of the openings, on the exposed surface of the first bottom interconnection and on the intermetal dielectric layer between the openings; a dielectric layer and an upper electrode sequentially stacked on the bottom electrode; and a first upper interconnection disposed on the upper electrode. According to the present invention, an effective surface area per a unit planar area of a capacitor with an MIM structure is enlarged to increase capacitance thereof.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a capacitor is obtained that improves adhesiveness between an interlayer dielectric film and a capacitor lower electrode without providing a liner material. A bottom surface of a through hole (28) and a side surface of the lower portion thereof are defined by silicon nitride films (20) and (25). The silicon nitride film (20) is formed on a silicon oxide film (19). An upper end of a contact plug (24) protrudes from the bottom surface of the through hole (28). A tungsten film (27) is formed on a silicon oxide film (26), and a ruthenium film (30) is formed on the tungsten film (27). A portion of the silicon oxide film (26) that defines the side surface of the through hole (28) is nitrided, thereby forming a modified layer (29) in the side surface of the silicon oxide film (26). The ruthenium film (30) is directly formed on the side surface and the bottom surface of the through hole (28), so that no liner material is interposed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a DRAM integration method that does away with the alignment margins inherent to the photoetching step of the upper electrode of the capacitance for inserting the bit line contact. The removal of the upper electrode is self-aligned on the lower electrode of the capacitance. This is accomplished by forming a difference in topography at the point where the opening of the upper electrode is to be made, and depositing a non-doped polysilicon layer on the upper electrode. An implantation of dopants is performed on this layer, and the part of the non-doped layer located in the lower part of the zone showing the difference in topography is selectively etched. The remainder of the polysilicon layer and the part of the upper electrode located in the lower layer are also etched.

Abstract: A protective insulating film is deposited over first and second field-effect transistors formed on a semiconductor substrate. A capacitor composed of a capacitor lower electrode, a capacitor insulating film composed of an insulating metal oxide film, and a capacitor upper electrode is formed on the protective insulating film. A first contact plug formed in the protective insulating film provides a direct connection between the capacitor lower electrode and an impurity diffusion layer of the first field-effect transistor. A second contact plug formed in the protective insulating film provides a direct connection between the capacitor upper electrode and an impurity diffusion layer of the second field-effect transistor.

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: In semiconductor memories having a surrounding gate configuration, webs, i.e. vertical rectangular pillars made of substrate material, are formed at the surface of a semiconductor substrate and are surrounded by the gate electrodes in a lower region. Conventionally, it is not possible for word lines to make contact with the gate electrodes in the lower region of the webs without at the same time electrically influencing substrate regions at a higher level in the webs or short-circuiting bit lines from their sidewalls, unless complicated methods requiring additional lithography steps are used. A method for the self-aligning, selective contact-connection of the peripheral gate electrodes is performed with the aid of an insulation layer having a smaller layer thickness than the peripheral gate electrodes.

Abstract: A self-aligned trench-type DRAM structure comprising a self-aligned DRAM capacitor structure and a self-aligned DRAM transistor structure are disclosed by the present invention, in which the self-aligned DRAM capacitor structure comprises a deep-trench capacitor region and a shallow-trench-isolation region being defined by a spacer technique and the self-aligned DRAM transistor structure comprises a scalable gate-stack region and a common-drain region being defined by another spacer technique. The self-aligned trench-type DRAM structure is used to implement two contactless DRAM arrays. A first-type contactless DRAM array comprises a plurality of metal bit-lines integrated with planarized common-drain conductive islands and a plurality of highly conductive word-lines. A second-type contactless DRAM array comprises a plurality of metal word-lines integrated with planarized conductive-gate islands and a plurality of common-drain conductive bit-lines.

Abstract: A method of forming a bitline and a bitline contact and a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cell array includes the following steps. The bitline and the bitline contact are formed in a two-step process, in which, first, the bitline contact is formed in a first dielectric layer and, then, the bitline of a conductive material having a lower resistivity than the bitline contact material is defined in a second dielectric layer (5). According to a preferred embodiment, the second dielectric layer (5) is made of a low k dielectric. The retention anneal process, which is usually performed in the standard DRAM process, is preferably made before depositing the bitline material and, optionally, the low k dielectric. A dynamic random access memory cell array having at least one bitline and a bitline contact can be manufactured by this method.

Abstract: There are provides the steps of forming sequentially a first conductive film, a dielectric film, and a second conductive film on an insulating film, forming a first film on the second conductive film, forming a second film made of insulating material on the first film, forming hard masks by patterning the second film and the first film into a capacitor planar shape, etching the second conductive film and the dielectric film in a region not covered with the hard masks, etching the first conductive film in the region not covered with the hard masks up to a depth that does not expose the insulating film, removing the second film constituting the hard masks by etching, etching a remaining portion of the first conductive film in the region not covered with the hard masks to the end, and removing the first film.

Abstract: A method of forming a deep trench DRAM cell on a semiconductor substrate has steps of: forming a deep trench capacitor in the semiconductor substrate; using silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology to form a silicon layer on the deep trench capacitor; and forming a vertical transistor on the silicon layer over the deep trench capacitor, wherein the vertical transistor is electrically connected to the deep trench capacitor.

Abstract: An object is to prevent protrusion of a plug from an interlayer insulating film to prevent formation of a step between circuit parts exceeding a step height allowed in a planarization process and also to prevent formation of particles due to a protruded plug. An interlayer insulating film (11) is etched back over the entire surface under an etching condition in which the etching selectivity of a polysilicon plug (13) with respect to the interlayer insulating film (11) is 10, for example, to recess the polysilicon plug (13) to a given depth in a bit line contact hole (12) to form a recessed polysilicon plug (27).