Semiconductor device

Abstract

A semiconductor device exhibits a stable driving force and high performance reliability. The semiconductor device has at least one transistor having a gate insulating film formed on a element region in a semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film, and a diffused layer in element regions on both sides of the gate electrode. The device also has a barrier insulating film formed so as to cover the transistor and the diffused layer. The height from a surface of the semiconductor substrate to the barrier insulating film is greater than the height from the surface, of the interface between the gate insulating film and the gate electrode.

1 . A semiconductor device comprising: 
 at least one transistor having a gate insulating film formed on a element region in a semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film, and a diffused layer in element regions on both sides of the gate electrode; and    a barrier insulating film formed so as to cover the transistor and the diffused layer, wherein a height from a surface of the semiconductor    substrate to the barrier insulating film is greater than a height from the surface of the semiconductor substrate, of an interface between the gate insulating film and the gate electrode.    
   
   
       2 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 1  further comprising an inter-film between the diffused layer and the barrier insulating film.  
   
   
       3 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 2 , wherein the inter-film is thicker than the gate insulating film.  
   
   
       4 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 2 , wherein the inter-film is made of a material different from that of the barrier insulating film.  
   
   
       5 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor substrate is made of silicon and the barrier insulating film is made of silicon nitride.  
   
   
       6 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 4 , wherein the inter-film is made of silicon oxide.  
   
   
       7 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 2 , wherein the inter-film is made of a conductive material.  
   
   
       8 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 7 , wherein the semiconductor substrate is made of silicon and the barrier insulating film is made of silicon nitride.  
   
   
       9 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 7 , wherein the inter-film includes silicon doped impurities of the same conductive type as that of the diffused layer.  
   
   
       10 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 7 , wherein the inter-film includes a silicide.  
   
   
       11 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 2  further comprising an inter-film formed between a side face of the gate electrode and the barrier insulating film.  
   
   
       12 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the gate electrode is composed of a first and a second gate electrode, a first insulating film being formed between the first and second gate electrodes.  
   
   
       13 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 12 , wherein the first insulating film does not directly contact with the barrier insulating film.  
   
   
       14 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 12 , wherein a distance between a side face of the first insulating film and the barrier insulating film is 3 nm or more.  
   
   
       15 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 12 , wherein the first insulating film is a stacked film of an oxide film, a nitride film and another oxide film.  
   
   
       16 . A semiconductor device comprising: 
 at least one transistor having a gate insulating film formed on a element region in a semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film, and a diffused layer in element regions on both sides of the gate electrode; and    a barrier insulating film formed so as to cover the transistor and the diffused layer, wherein a distance between a side face of the gate electrode    and the barrier insulating film is larger than a thickness of the gate insulating film.    
   
   
       17 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 16  further comprising an inter-film between the diffused layer and the barrier insulating film.  
   
   
       18 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 17 , wherein the semiconductor substrate is made of silicon, the barrier insulating film is made of silicon nitride and the inter-film includes silicon.  
   
   
       19 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 17 , wherein the inter-film is made of silicon oxide.  
   
   
       20 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 16  further comprising a conductive film between the diffused layer and the barrier insulating film.  
   
   
       21 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the transistor is a transistor constituting a memory cell of an EEPROM.  
   
   
       22 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 16 , wherein the transistor is a transistor constituting a memory cell of an EEPROM.