Resistor, display device, and electronic device

• US 10,229,934 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2013
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Shunpei
• Primary Examiner(s): Fan, Bo
• Application Number:
  US14/137,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20140175436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,908 Days
• Field of Search: 257 43, 257 57, 257369, 257 77, 257538, 257410
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1225 with semiconductor materials not belonging to the group IV of the periodic table, e.g. InGaZnO
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1255 integrated with passive devices, e.g. auxiliary capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

To provide a novel resistor. To provide a display device having a novel structure that can improve its reliability. To provide a display device having a novel structure that can reduce electrostatic discharge damages. The resistor includes a semiconductor layer and an insulating layer formed over the semiconductor layer, and the semiconductor layer is an oxide represented by an In-M-Zn oxide that contains at least indium (In), zinc (Zn), and M (M is a metal such as Al, Ga, Ge, Y, Zr, Sn, La, Ce, or Hf) and the insulating layer contains at least hydrogen.

Claims

1. A resistor comprising:

a first insulating layer over a substrate;

a second insulating layer over the first insulating layer;

a semiconductor layer over the second insulating layer;

a first electrode over the semiconductor layer;

a second electrode over the semiconductor layer;

a third insulating layer over the the first electrode and the second electrode; and

a fourth insulating layer over the third insulating layer,

wherein the semiconductor layer is an oxide comprising indium, zinc, and a metal selected from the group consisting of Al, Ga, Ge, Y, Zr, Sn, La, Ce, and Hf,

wherein the third insulating layer comprises an opening,

wherein the third insulating layer is in contact with a top surface of the first electrode and a top surface of the second electrode,

wherein the fourth insulating layer comprises hydrogen, and

wherein the fourth insulating layer is in contact with the semiconductor layer through the opening.

2. The resistor according to claim 1,

wherein the semiconductor layer comprises a microcrystalline region,

wherein a plurality of spots of an electron diffraction pattern are circumferentially observed from the microcrystalline region by a transmission electron microscope when a beam diameter is set larger than or equal to 5 nmφ

and smaller than or equal to 10 nmφ

, and

wherein no spots of an electron diffraction pattern are observed from the microcrystalline region by the transmission electron microscope when a beam diameter is set larger than or equal to 300 nmφ

.

3. The resistor according to claim 1, wherein the fourth insulating layer is a silicon nitride film.

4. The resistor according to claim 1, wherein a resistivity of the semiconductor layer is higher than or equal to 1×

10<sup>−

3</sup> Ω

cm and lower than 1×

10⁴ Ω

cm.

19. The resistor according to claim 1, wherein a concentration of hydrogen contained in the insulating layer is 1×

10²² atoms/cm³ or higher.

20. The resistor according to claim 1, wherein the insulating layer is a silicon nitride film.

21. The resistor according to claim 1, wherein a resistivity of the semiconductor layer is higher than or equal to 1×

10<sup>−

3</sup> Ω

cm and lower than 1×

10⁴ Ω

cm.

5. A display device comprising:

a pixel portion;

a driver circuit portion outside the pixel portion; and

a protection circuit portion electrically connected to one or both of the pixel portion and the driver circuit portion,

wherein the pixel portion comprises a pixel electrode and a first transistor electrically connected to the pixel electrode,

wherein the driver circuit portion comprises a second transistor configured to control on state or off state of the first transistor,

wherein each of the first transistor and the second transistor comprises a first oxide semiconductor layer in a channel formation region,

wherein the protection circuit portion comprises an insulating layer and a second oxide semiconductor layer formed in the same process where the first oxide semiconductor layer is formed,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer and the second oxide semiconductor layer are each an oxide comprising indium, zinc, and a metal selected from the group consisting of Al, Ga, Ge, Y, Zr, Sn, La, Ce, and Hf,

wherein a concentration of hydrogen in the first oxide semiconductor layer is different from a concentration of hydrogen in the second oxide semiconductor layer, and

wherein the insulating layer comprises hydrogen.

6. The display device according to claim 5,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer and the second oxide semiconductor layer each comprise a microcrystalline region,

wherein a plurality of spots of an electron diffraction pattern is circumferentially observed from the microcrystalline region by a transmission electron microscope when a beam diameter is set larger than or equal to 5 nmφ

and smaller than or equal to 10 nmφ

, and

wherein no spots of an electron diffraction pattern are observed from the microcrystalline region by the transmission electron microscope when a beam diameter is set larger than or equal to 300 nmφ

.

7. The display device according to claim 5, wherein the concentration of hydrogen contained in the second oxide semiconductor layer is higher than the concentration of hydrogen contained in the first oxide semiconductor layer.

8. The display device according to claim 5, wherein a resistivity of the second oxide semiconductor layer is lower than a resistivity of the first oxide semiconductor layer.

9. The display device according to claim 5, wherein a concentration of hydrogen contained in the insulating layer is 1×

10²² atoms/cm³ or higher.

10. The display device according to claim 5,

wherein the insulating layer is in contact with the second oxide semiconductor layer, and

wherein the insulating layer is not in contact with the first oxide semiconductor layer.

11. An electronic device including the display device according to claim 5.

12. A display device comprising:

a pixel portion; and

a protection circuit portion electrically connected to the pixel portion,

wherein the pixel portion comprises a pixel electrode and a first transistor electrically connected to the pixel electrode,

wherein the first transistor comprises a first oxide semiconductor layer in a channel formation region,

wherein the protection circuit portion comprises an insulating layer and a second oxide semiconductor layer formed in the same process where the first oxide semiconductor layer is formed,

wherein the insulating layer is in contact with the second oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein the insulating layer is not in contact with the first oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer and the second oxide semiconductor layer are each an oxide comprising indium, zinc, and a metal selected from the group consisting of Al, Ga, Ge, Y, Zr, Sn, La, Ce, and Hf, and

wherein the insulating layer comprises hydrogen.

13. The display device according to claim 12,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer and the second oxide semiconductor layer each comprise a microcrystalline region,

wherein a plurality of spots of an electron diffraction pattern is circumferentially observed from the microcrystalline region by a transmission electron microscope when a beam diameter is set larger than or equal to 5 nmφ

and smaller than or equal to 10 nmφ

, and

wherein no spots of an electron diffraction pattern are observed from the microcrystalline region by the transmission electron microscope when a beam diameter is set larger than or equal to 300 nmφ

.

14. The display device according to claim 12, wherein a concentration of hydrogen contained in the second oxide semiconductor layer is higher than a concentration of hydrogen contained in the first oxide semiconductor layer.

15. The display device according to claim 12, wherein a resistivity of the second oxide semiconductor layer is lower than a resistivity of the first oxide semiconductor layer.

16. The display device according to claim 12, wherein a concentration of hydrogen contained in the insulating layer is 1×

10²² atoms/cm³ or higher.

17. The display device according to claim 12, wherein the insulating layer is a silicon nitride film.

18. An electronic device including the display device according to claim 12.