A damascene method for manufacturing a thin film resistor (TFR) module is provided. A pair of heads are formed spaced apart from each other. A dielectric region is deposited over the pair of heads, and an opening extending over both heads is formed in the dielectric region. A TFR layer is deposited over the dielectric region and extending into the opening to define a cup-shaped TFR layer structure including (a) a laterally-extending TFR element base conductively connected to both heads and (b) vertical ridges extending upwardly from the laterally-extending TFR element base. A high density plasma (HDP) ridge removal process is performed to remove or shorten the vertical ridges from the cup-shaped TFR layer structure, thereby defining a TFR element having removed or shorted vertical ridges. The removal or shortening of the vertical ridges may improve the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) characteristic of the TFR element.

A damascene method for manufacturing a thin film resistor (TFR) module is provided. A pair of heads are formed spaced apart from each other. A dielectric region is deposited over the pair of heads, and an opening extending over both heads is formed in the dielectric region. A TFR layer is deposited over the dielectric region and extending into the opening to define a cup-shaped TFR layer structure including (a) a laterally-extending TFR element base conductively connected to both heads and (b) vertical ridges extending upwardly from the laterally-extending TFR element base. A high density plasma (HDP) ridge removal process is performed to remove or shorten the vertical ridges from the cup-shaped TFR layer structure, thereby defining a TFR element having removed or shorted vertical ridges. The removal or shortening of the vertical ridges may improve the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) characteristic of the TFR element.

Provided is a thermistor which has a smaller change in resistance value between before and after a heat resistance test and from which a high B constant is obtained, a method for manufacturing the same, and a thermistor sensor. The thermistor is a thermistor formed on a substrate and includes: an intermediate stacked portion formed on the substrate; and a main metal nitride film layer formed of a thermistor material of a metal nitride on the intermediate stacked portion, wherein the intermediate stacked portion includes a base thermistor layer formed of a thermistor material of a metal nitride and an intermediate oxynitride layer formed on the base thermistor layer, the main metal nitride film layer is formed on the intermediate oxynitride layer, and the intermediate oxynitride layer is a metal oxynitride layer formed through oxidation of the thermistor material of the base thermistor layer immediately below the intermediate oxynitride layer.

Provided is a thermistor which has a smaller change in resistance value between before and after a heat resistance test and from which a high B constant is obtained, a method for manufacturing the same, and a thermistor sensor. The thermistor is a thermistor formed on a substrate and includes: an intermediate stacked portion formed on the substrate; and a main metal nitride film layer formed of a thermistor material of a metal nitride on the intermediate stacked portion, wherein the intermediate stacked portion includes a base thermistor layer formed of a thermistor material of a metal nitride and an intermediate oxynitride layer formed on the base thermistor layer, the main metal nitride film layer is formed on the intermediate oxynitride layer, and the intermediate oxynitride layer is a metal oxynitride layer formed through oxidation of the thermistor material of the base thermistor layer immediately below the intermediate oxynitride layer.

A semiconductor device includes an insulating layer, a first conductive film, a second conductive film and a thin-film resistor. The insulating layer has a penetrating portion. The first conductive film is formed in the penetrating portion such that a recess is formed at an upper part of the penetration portion. The second conductive film is formed on an upper surface of the first conductive film and an inner surface of the penetrating portion. The thin-film resistor includes silicon and metal. The thin-film resistor is formed on the second conductive film and the insulating layer.

A semiconductor device includes an insulating layer, a first conductive film, a second conductive film and a thin-film resistor. The insulating layer has a penetrating portion. The first conductive film is formed in the penetrating portion such that a recess is formed at an upper part of the penetration portion. The second conductive film is formed on an upper surface of the first conductive film and an inner surface of the penetrating portion. The thin-film resistor includes silicon and metal. The thin-film resistor is formed on the second conductive film and the insulating layer.

An electrode with multiple metallic-layers structure formed by a magnetron sputtering technique for a semiconductor device and method for producing same is disclosed. The ceramic device includes at least one from selected group consisting of ZnO-MOV (metal oxide varistors), BaTiO3-PTC (positive temperature coefficient) thermistors, Mn3O4-NTC (negative temperature coefficient) thermistors, and capacitors. The multiple metallic-layers include a sputtered buffer layer and a sputtered electrical contact layer. The buffer layer includes at least one alloy selected form group consisting of NiCr (Ni from 50-90 wt %), TiNi (Ti from 40-60 wt %), and AlNi (Al from 40-70 wt %) and the thickness of this layer is from greater than zero to less than 100 nm. The electrical contact layer includes at least one of Cu, Ag, Pt, Au, or combination. More specifically, the electrode includes one of NiCr/Cu system, NiCr/Ag system, NiCr/Cu/Ag system, TiNi/Cu/Ag system, or AlNi/Cu/Ag system. The thickness ratio of the electrical contact layer to the intermetallic barrier layer is from 1 to 4.

The laminated alumina board for an electronic device includes an alumina board that is made of a sintered body of alumina particles and has an unevenness structure that is formed of the alumina particles on a surface and a flattening film that is provided on an upper surface of the alumina board and contains alumina as a main component.

Provided are a metal nitride material for a thermistor, which has a high heat resistance and a high reliability and can be directly deposited on a film or the like without firing, a method for producing the same, and a film type thermistor sensor. The metal nitride material for a thermistor consists of a metal nitride represented by the general formula: V.sub.xAl.sub.y(N.sub.1-wO.sub.w).sub.z (where 0.70≦y/(x+y)≦0.98, 0.45≦z≦0.55, 0<w≦0.35, and x+y+z=1), wherein the crystal structure thereof is a hexagonal wurtzite-type single phase. The method for producing the metal nitride material for a thermistor includes a deposition step of performing film deposition by reactive sputtering in a nitrogen and oxygen-containing atmosphere using a V—Al alloy sputtering target.

Provided are a metal nitride material for a thermistor, which has a high heat resistance and a high reliability and can be directly deposited on a film or the like without firing, a method for producing the same, and a film type thermistor sensor. The metal nitride material for a thermistor consists of a metal nitride represented by the general formula: V.sub.xAl.sub.y(N.sub.1-wO.sub.w).sub.z (where 0.70≦y/(x+y)≦0.98, 0.45≦z≦0.55, 0<w≦0.35, and x+y+z=1), wherein the crystal structure thereof is a hexagonal wurtzite-type single phase. The method for producing the metal nitride material for a thermistor includes a deposition step of performing film deposition by reactive sputtering in a nitrogen and oxygen-containing atmosphere using a V—Al alloy sputtering target.