Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi Microcomputer Engineering, Ltd.

Tatsuo Itagaki

Kunio Miyazaki

Jin Onuki

Yasushi Koubuchi

Masayasu Nihei

Shinichi Fukada

Jun Sugiura

Seiichi Ichihara

Ken Uchida

Katsuhiko Shiota

Hideo Meguro

Tsuneo Satoh

Motoo Suwa

Yoshiaki Yoshiura

Koichi Nagasawa

Katuhiko Shiota

Genji Taki

A thin film forming method and apparatus, wherein a negative voltage is applied alternately to a target and a substrate to perform film formation and reverse sputter alternately. Further, a coil is mounted between the target and the substrate and a high frequency current is made to flow therethrough to generate plasma. A negative base voltage smaller in absolute value than that during sputter may be applied to the substrate to make Ar ions flow into the substrate while it is subjected to reverse sputter. Thus, a film whose step coverage is 0.3 or more is possible. It becomes also possible to maintain a stable discharge and perform reverse sputter in a high vacuum region. The pressure of an Ar atmosphere may be lowered to 10.sup.-3 Torr or less. An aluminum wiring film whose peak value of x-ray diffraction strength at a (111) plane is 150 Kcps or more is possible. Also, a barrier layer having a layered structure of granular and columnar crystals or a mixed structure thereof providing an efficient barrier effect and a large specific resistance is possible.

Method of and apparatus for sputtering, and integrated circuit device

With the reduction in the size of semiconductor integrated circuit devices, there have been increases in the resistance at the contact portions of metal interconnections and in the incidence of contact failure. To solve these problems, the present invention provides a novel interconnection structure. Namely, a metal interconnection which has a barrier metal layer formed thereunder and which is also used to form electrode lead-out portions for external connection is arranged such that, among the following portions, that is, electrode portions of a plurality of elements fabricated on a semiconductor substrate in the form of an integrated circuit, interconnection portions between these elements, and the above-described electrode lead-out portions for external connection, those portions of the interconnection layer which are defined as the electrode portions of the elements and the interconnection portions are isolated from the semiconductor substrate by means of a barrier metal layer, while those portions of the interconnection layer which are defined as the electrode lead-out portions for external connection are formed not through the barrier metal layer but directly on the interlayer insulating layer.

Semiconductor integrated circuit device and process for producing the

A semiconductor device having a high reliability wiring conductor structure applicable to DRAMs and SRAMs. The semiconductor device of the present invention is characterized by comprising a first wiring conductor film wherein a specific resistance is 5.about.15.mu..OMEGA.cm and an allowable current density is 1.times.10.sup.6 .about.1.times.10.sup.8 A/cm.sup.2 ; a second wiring conductor film having a laminated layer structure formed of a layer of high fusing point and low resistance material and a layer of an Al based alloy; and a plug composed of a high fusing point and low resistance material, electrically connecting to the first wiring conductor film and the second wiring conductor film. Thus, a semiconductor device showing almost no increase in electrical resistance in a wiring conductor film due to electromigration even after subjecting to a large current is provided.

Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same

A semiconductor device and the method of fabricating the semiconductor device include a semiconductor substrate and a plurality of conductor films formed on the substrate. Each of the conductor films is made of aluminum alloy including at least one element selected from palladium and platinum and, more preferably, further including at least one element selected from lithium, beryllium, magnesium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, lanthanum, cerium, chromium hafnium, zirconium, cadmium, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, tantalum, and niobium, with a protective film which includes oxide of the selected one of palladium and platinum being formed on the side wall of the conductor film.

Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same

A thin film forming method and apparatus is provided, wherein a negative voltage is applied alternately to a target and a substrate to perform film formation and reverse sputter alternately. Further, a coil is mounted between the target and the substrate and a high frequency current is made to flow therethrough to generate plasma. A negative base voltage smaller in absolute value than that during sputter may be applied to the substrate to make a fraction of Ar ions to flow into the substrate while it is subjected to reverse sputter. Thus, a film whose step coverage is 0.3 or more is possible. It becomes also possible to hold stable discharge and reverse sputter at a high vacuum region. The pressure of an Ar atmosphere may be lowered to 10.sup.-3 Torr or less. A film whose peak value of x-ray diffraction strength in the (111) plane is 150 Xcps or more is possible. Also, a barrier layer with a layered structure of granular and columnar crystals or a mixed structure thereof and hence with an efficient barrier effect and a large specific resistance is possible.

Method of and apparatus for sputtering

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Tokyo, Japan

Tatsuo Itagaki