Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
205 words
A semiconductor device, comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a main surface; an impurity region formed at said main surface of said semiconductor substrate; a first insulating film formed on said main surface of said semiconductor substrate to cover said impurity region and having a first hole reaching a portion of a surface of said impurity region; a second insulating film formed on said first insulating film, and having a second hole communicating with said first hole, said first and second holes having an open diameter extending from the top surface of said second insulating film to said impurity region; a buried conductive layer in contact with a portion of a surface of said impurity region, filling said first and second holes and having a surface substantially flush with the top surface of said second insulating film, said buried conductive layer having etch characteristics substantially equal to those of said second insulating film; a lower electrode layer in contact with said buried conductive layer and formed on the top surface of said second insulating film; a capacitor insulating layer covering said lower electrode layer and containing high permittivity dielectric material; and an upper electrode layer covering said lower electrode layer with said capacitor insulating layer therebetween.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
205 words
A semiconductor device, comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a main surface; an impurity region formed at said main surface of said semiconductor substrate; a first insulating film formed on said main surface of said semiconductor substrate to cover said impurity region and having a first hole reaching a portion of a surface of said impurity region; a second insulating film formed on said first insulating film, and having a second hole communicating with said first hole, said first and second holes having an open diameter extending from the top surface of said second insulating film to said impurity region; a buried conductive layer in contact with a portion of a surface of said impurity region, filling said first and second holes and having a surface substantially flush with the top surface of said second insulating film, said buried conductive layer having etch characteristics substantially equal to those of said second insulating film; a lower electrode layer in contact with said buried conductive layer and formed on the top surface of said second insulating film; a capacitor insulating layer covering said lower electrode layer and containing high permittivity dielectric material; and an upper electrode layer covering said lower electrode layer with said capacitor insulating layer therebetween.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said second insulating film is made of a material containing silicon nitride.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a barrier layer located between said lower electrode layer and said buried conductive layer and between said lower electrode layer and said second insulating film.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein said barrier layer has a multi-layer structure including a titanium layer, a titanium nitride layer and a titanium oxide layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said capacitor insulating layer is made of at least a material selected from the group consisting of tantalum oxide (Ta 2 O 5 ), lead titanate zirconate (PZT), lanthan-lead titanate zirconate (PLZT), strontium titanate (STO), barium titanate (BTO) and barium strontium titanate (BST).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said impurity region has a source/drain region of an MOS transistor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the first and second holes is smaller than the minimum diameter which can be attained by conventional photolithographic techniques.