Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

A barrier metal that can be used in a semiconductor is to be made extremely thin. Further, the manufacturing steps of a semiconductor device are shortened to reduce its manufacturing cost. An insulating layer (e.g., a thermal nitride layer ) with good step coverage formed on a surface of a conductor film such as lower electrodes and of a capacitor on a semiconductor substrate is transformed into a reformed layer , which serves as a conductive barrier layer. Alternatively, the insulating layer formed on the surface of the insulating layer on the semiconductor substrate is totally or partially reformed into the conductive barrier layer. This reforming process is conducted by heating the above-mentioned semiconductor substrate at a predetermined temperature and, applying a plasma-excited high melting-point metal onto the surface of the above-mentioned insulating layer. This high melting-point metal may be Ti, Ta, Ni, Mo, W or the like.