Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
152 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, said method comprising the steps of: forming a first insulation film on a first wiring layer formed on a semiconductor substrate; forming a second insulation film on said first insulation film; forming a third insulation film on said second insulation film; forming a hole through said first, second and third insulation films to expose said first wiring layer at its bottom; forming a refractory metal pillar structure by filling in said hole with a refractory metal; forming a fourth insulation film to cover exposed surfaces of said pillar structure and said third insulation film; selectively removing portions of said third and fourth insulation films to form an opening exposing a side and a top surface of said refractory metal pillar structure; and filling in said opening with a conductive wiring material to form a second wiring layer to electrically connect with said refractory metal pillar.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
152 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, said method comprising the steps of: forming a first insulation film on a first wiring layer formed on a semiconductor substrate; forming a second insulation film on said first insulation film; forming a third insulation film on said second insulation film; forming a hole through said first, second and third insulation films to expose said first wiring layer at its bottom; forming a refractory metal pillar structure by filling in said hole with a refractory metal; forming a fourth insulation film to cover exposed surfaces of said pillar structure and said third insulation film; selectively removing portions of said third and fourth insulation films to form an opening exposing a side and a top surface of said refractory metal pillar structure; and filling in said opening with a conductive wiring material to form a second wiring layer to electrically connect with said refractory metal pillar.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the film thickness of said third insulation film is 1/3 to 2/3 times the film thickness of said second wiring layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the film thickness of said third insulation film is 1/3 to 2/3 times the film thickness of said second wiring layer, and the film thickness of said second insulation film is 10-30 nm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said third insulation film is silicon oxide having a film thickness of 1/3 to 2/3 times the film thickness of said second wiring layer, and said second insulation film is silicon nitride having a film thickness of 10-30 nm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said third insulation film is etched with a higher etch rate than said second insulation film so that said second insulation film is used as an etching stopper film in said selective removing step.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the film thickness of said third insulation film is 1/3 to 2/3 times the film thickness of said second wiring layer, and said third insulation film is etched with a higher etch rate than said second insulation film so that said second insulation film is used as an etching stopper film in said selective removing step.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
80 words
The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the film thickness of said third insulation film is 1/3 to 2/3 times the film thickness of said second wiring layer, the film thickness of said second insulation film is 10-30 nm, wherein said third insulation film is etched with a higher etch rate than said second insulation film so that said second insulation film is used as an etching stopper film in said selective removing step.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second wiring layer is provided by depositing a wiring metal on an area containing said opening and thereafter subjecting said wiring metal to surface polishing to remove said wiring metal outside said opening.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the film thickness of said third insulation film is 1/3 to 2/3 times the film thickness of said second wiring layer, and said second wiring layer is provided by depositing a wiring metal on an area containing said opening and thereafter subjecting said wiring metal to surface polishing to remove said wiring metal outside said opening.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
81 words
The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the film thickness of said third insulation film is 1/3 to 2/3 times the film thickness of said second wiring layer, and the film thickness of said second insulation film is 10-30 nm, wherein said second wiring layer is provided by depositing a wiring metal on an area containing said opening and thereafter subjecting said wiring metal to surface polishing to remove said wiring metal outside said opening.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said refractory metal is tungsten, and said wiring material is an aluminum alloy.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said refractory metal pillar comprises a laminated structure of titanium, titanium nitride, and tungsten successively filled in said hole, and said wiring material is an aluminum alloy.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said selective removing step partially exposes said side surface and said top surface of said refractory metal pillar.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
192 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, said method comprising the steps of: forming a first insulation film on a first wiring layer formed on a semiconductor substrate; forming a second insulation film to a predetermined thickness on said first insulation film; forming a hole through said first and second insulation films to expose said first wiring layer at its bottom; forming a refractory metal pillar structure by filling in said hole with a refractory metal; forming a third insulation film to cover exposed surfaces of said pillar structure and said second insulation film; selectively removing portions of said second and third insulation films to form an opening exposing a side and a top surface of said refractory metal pillar structure, wherein a height of said side of said pillar exposed is made substantially equal to said predetermined thickness by etching said second insulation film with a higher etch rate than said first insulation film so that said first insulation film is used as an etching stopper film; and filling in said opening with a conductive wiring material to form a second wiring layer to electrically connect with said refractory metal pillar.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
192 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, said method comprising the steps of: forming a first insulation film on a first wiring layer formed on a semiconductor substrate; forming a second insulation film to a predetermined thickness on said first insulation film; forming a hole through said first and second insulation films to expose said first wiring layer at its bottom; forming a refractory metal pillar structure by filling in said hole with a refractory metal; forming a third insulation film to cover exposed surfaces of said pillar structure and said second insulation film; selectively removing portions of said second and third insulation films to form an opening exposing a side and a top surface of said refractory metal pillar structure, wherein a height of said side of said pillar exposed is made substantially equal to said predetermined thickness by etching said second insulation film with a higher etch rate than said first insulation film so that said first insulation film is used as an etching stopper film; and filling in said opening with a conductive wiring material to form a second wiring layer to electrically connect with said refractory metal pillar.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the film thickness of said second insulation film is 1/3 to 2/3 times the film thickness of said second wiring layer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the film thickness of said second insulation film is 1/3 to 2/3 times the film thickness of said second wiring layer, and said second insulation film is etched with a higher etch rate than said first insulation film so that said first insulation film is used as an etching stopper film in said selective removing step.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
74 words
The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said second insulation film is silicon nitride having a film thickness 1/3 to 2/3 times the film thickness of said second wiring layer, and said first insulation film is silicon oxide being etched with a lower etch rate than said second insulation film so that said first insulation film is used as an etching stopper film in said selective removing step.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
75 words
The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said second insulation film is silicon oxy-fluoride having a film thickness of 1/3 to 2/3 times the film thickness of said second wiring layer, and said first insulation film is silicon oxide being etched with a lower etch rate than said first insulation film so that said second insulation film is used as an etching stopper film in said selective removing step.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the second wiring layer is provided by depositing a wiring metal on an area containing said opening and thereafter subjecting said wiring metal to surface polishing to remove said wiring metal outside said opening.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said refractory metal pillar comprises a laminated structure of titanium, titanium nitride, and tungsten successively filled in said hole, and said wiring material is an aluminum alloy.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method for fabricating a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said selective removing step partially exposes said side surface and said top surface of said refractory metal pillar.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
240 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, said method comprising the steps of: forming a first insulation film on a first wiring layer formed on a semiconductor substrate; forming a second insulation film to a predetermined thickness on said first insulation film; forming a hole through said first and second insulation films to expose said first wiring layer at its bottom; forming a refractory metal pillar structure by filling in said hole with a refractory metal; forming a third insulation film to cover exposed surfaces of said pillar structure and said second insulation film; selectively removing a portion of said third insulation film to form an opening exposing a top surface of said refractory metal pillar structure and a surface of said second insulation film adjacent to said top surface of said refractory metal pillar structure using a first etchant; selectively removing a portion of said second insulation film exposed by said first etchant to form an opening exposing a side surface of said refractory metal pillar structure using a second etchant different from said first etchant, wherein a height of said side of said pillar exposed is made substantially equal to said predetermined thickness by etching said second insulation film with a higher etch rate than said first insulation film so that said first insulation film is used as an etching stopper film; and filling in said opening with a conductive wiring material to form a second wiring layer.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
240 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, said method comprising the steps of: forming a first insulation film on a first wiring layer formed on a semiconductor substrate; forming a second insulation film to a predetermined thickness on said first insulation film; forming a hole through said first and second insulation films to expose said first wiring layer at its bottom; forming a refractory metal pillar structure by filling in said hole with a refractory metal; forming a third insulation film to cover exposed surfaces of said pillar structure and said second insulation film; selectively removing a portion of said third insulation film to form an opening exposing a top surface of said refractory metal pillar structure and a surface of said second insulation film adjacent to said top surface of said refractory metal pillar structure using a first etchant; selectively removing a portion of said second insulation film exposed by said first etchant to form an opening exposing a side surface of said refractory metal pillar structure using a second etchant different from said first etchant, wherein a height of said side of said pillar exposed is made substantially equal to said predetermined thickness by etching said second insulation film with a higher etch rate than said first insulation film so that said first insulation film is used as an etching stopper film; and filling in said opening with a conductive wiring material to form a second wiring layer.