Transparent double-injection field-effect transistor

• US 20040155270A1
• Filed: 02/07/2003
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Hoffman, Randy
• Granted Patent: US 6,998,656 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/288
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66969 of devices having semiconductor bodies not comprising group 14 or group 13/15 materials comprising selenium or tellurium in uncombined form other than as impurities in semiconductor bodies of other materials, comprising cuprous oxide or cuprous iodide H01L21/02365
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/786 Thin film transistors, i.e. transistors with a channel being at least partly a thin film transistors having only the source or the drain region on an insulator layer H01L29/0653; thin film FinFETs H01L29/785
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78645 with multiple gate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78648 arranged on opposing sides of the channel
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78681 having a semiconductor body comprising AIIIBV or AIIBVI or AIVBVI semiconductor materials, or Se or Te
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7869 having a semiconductor body comprising an oxide semiconductor material, e.g. zinc oxide, copper aluminium oxide, cadmium stannate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78696 characterised by the structure of the channel, e.g. multichannel, transverse or longitudinal shape, length or width, doping structure, or the overlap or alignment between the channel and the gate, the source or the drain, or the contacting structure of the channel H01L29/78612 takes precedence; transistors having a drain offset region or a lightly doped drain [LDD] H01L29/78621

Abstract

A double-injection field-effect transistor has an anode, a cathode, a substantially transparent channel, a substantially transparent gate insulator, and at least one substantially transparent gate electrode. The transistor may also have a substantially transparent anode and/or cathode. The transistor may also be formed on a substantially transparent substrate. Electrode contacts and electrical interconnection leads may also be substantially transparent. Methods for making and using such double-injection field-effect transistors are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A field-effect transistor, comprising:

a) an anode;

b) a cathode spaced apart from the anode;

c) a substantially transparent channel adapted to selectively conduct carriers between the anode and the cathode;

d) a substantially transparent gate electrode adapted for controlling current in the substantially transparent channel; and

e) a substantially transparent gate insulator,

the field-effect transistor being adapted to be operable by double injection.

2. A display comprising an array of pixel elements, each pixel element of the display comprising the field-effect transistor of claim 1.

3. An integrated circuit comprising the field-effect transistor of claim 1.

4. A substrate with microelectronics comprising the field-effect transistor of claim 1.

5. An electronic device comprising the field-effect transistor of claim 1.

6. The field-effect transistor of claim 1, further comprising a substrate.

7. The field-effect transistor of claim 6, wherein the substrate is substantially transparent.

8. The field-effect transistor of claim 6, wherein the channel is disposed in the substrate.

9. The field-effect transistor of claim 8, wherein the substrate has a surface and the channel is flush with the surface of the substrate.

10. The field-effect transistor of claim 1, wherein the anode is substantially transparent.

11. The field-effect transistor of claim 1, wherein the cathode is substantially transparent.

12. The field-effect transistor of claim 1, further comprising a substantially transparent interconnection lead electrically coupled to each of the anode, cathode, and gate electrode.

13. A double-injection field-effect transistor formed entirely of substantially transparent materials.

14. A transparent display comprising an array of pixel elements, each pixel element of the display comprising the double-injection field-effect transistor of claim 13.

15. A field-effect transistor, comprising:

a) a substantially transparent substrate;

b) a substantially transparent anode and anode contact;

c) a substantially transparent cathode and cathode contact, the cathode being spaced apart from the anode;

d) a substantially transparent channel adapted to selectively conduct carriers between the anode and the cathode;

e) a substantially transparent gate electrode adapted for controlling current in the channel;

f) a substantially transparent gate insulator; and

g) a substantially transparent interconnection lead electrically coupled to each of the anode, cathode, and gate,

the field-effect transistor being adapted to be operable by double injection.

16. A transparent display comprising an array of pixel elements, each pixel element of the display comprising a field-effect transistor as recited in claim 15.

17. An integrated circuit comprising the field-effect transistor of claim 15.

18. A substrate with microelectronics comprising the field-effect transistor of claim 15.

19. An electronic device comprising the field-effect transistor of claim 15.

20. A field-effect transistor, comprising:

a) an anode;

b) a cathode spaced apart from the anode;

c) a substantially transparent channel adapted to selectively conduct carriers between the anode and the cathode;

d) first and second gate electrodes adapted for controlling current in the channel; and

e) at least one substantially transparent gate insulator,

the field-effect transistor being adapted to be operable by double injection.

21. An integrated circuit comprising the field-effect transistor of claim 20.

22. A substrate with microelectronics comprising the field-effect transistor of claim 20.

23. An electronic device comprising the field-effect transistor of claim 20.

24. A display comprising an array of pixel elements, each pixel element of the display comprising the field-effect transistor of claim 20.

25. The field-effect transistor of claim 20, wherein the anode is substantially transparent.

26. The field-effect transistor of claim 20, wherein the cathode is substantially transparent.

27. The field-effect transistor of claim 20, further comprising a substrate.

28. The field-effect transistor of claim 27, wherein the substrate is substantially transparent.

29. The field-effect transistor of claim 27, wherein the channel is disposed in the substrate.

30. The field-effect transistor of claim 29, wherein the substrate has a surface and the channel is substantially flush with the surface of the substrate.

31. The field-effect transistor of claim 20, wherein at least one of the first and second gate electrodes is substantially transparent.

32. The field-effect transistor of claim 20, wherein both the first and second gate electrodes are substantially transparent.

33. The field-effect transistor of claim 20, further comprising a substantially transparent interconnection electrically coupled to each of the anode, cathode, first gate electrode, and second gate electrode.

34. The field-effect transistor of claim 20, including first and second gate insulators.

35. The field-effect transistor of claim 34, wherein only one of the first and second gate insulators is substantially transparent.

36. The field-effect transistor of claim 34, wherein both the first and second gate insulators are substantially transparent.

37. The field-effect transistor of claim 34, wherein the first and second gate insulators are disposed on the same side of the substantially transparent channel.

38. The field-effect transistor of claim 37, wherein the first and second gate electrodes are disposed in contact with the first and second gate insulators respectively.

39. The field-effect transistor of claim 34, wherein the first and second gate electrodes are disposed facing the same side of the substantially transparent channel.

40. The field-effect transistor of claim 34, wherein the first and second gate insulators are disposed on opposite sides of the substantially transparent channel.

41. The field-effect transistor of claim 40, wherein the first and second gate electrodes are disposed in contact with the first and second gate insulators respectively.

42. The field-effect transistor of claim 34, wherein the first and second gate electrodes are disposed facing opposite sides of the substantially transparent channel.

43. The field-effect transistor of claim 20, wherein at least one of the first and second gate electrodes overlaps at least a portion of the substantially transparent channel adjacent to the anode.

44. The field-effect transistor of claim 20, wherein at least one of the first and second gate electrodes overlaps at least a portion of the substantially transparent channel adjacent to the cathode.

45. The field-effect transistor of claim 20, wherein the first gate electrode overlaps at least a portion of the substantially transparent channel adjacent to the anode and the second gate electrode overlaps at least a portion of the substantially transparent channel adjacent to the cathode.

46. The field-effect transistor of claim 20, wherein the at least one substantially transparent gate insulator is a wide-bandgap insulator.

47. The field-effect transistor of claim 20, wherein the channel has an effective length defined by the separation between the anode and the cathode.

48. The field-effect transistor of claim 20, wherein the anode is adapted to inject positive carriers into the channel.

49. The field-effect transistor of claim 20, wherein the cathode is adapted to inject negative carriers into the channel.

50. The field-effect transistor of claim 20, wherein only one of the anode and cathode is adapted to inject carriers into the channel.

51. A field-effect transistor, comprising:

a) an anode;

b) a cathode spaced apart from the anode;

c) a substantially transparent channel adapted to selectively conduct carriers between the anode and the cathode;

d) at least one substantially transparent gate electrode adapted for controlling current in the channel; and

e) at least one substantially transparent gate insulator,

only one of the anode and cathode being adapted to inject carriers into the channel.

52. An integrated circuit comprising the field-effect transistor of claim 51.

53. A substrate with microelectronics comprising the field-effect transistor of claim 51.

54. An electronic device comprising the field-effect transistor of claim 51.

55. A display comprising an array of pixel elements, each pixel element of the display comprising the field-effect transistor of claim 51.

56. A field-effect transistor, comprising:

a) substantially transparent anode means for injecting positive carriers and extracting negative carriers;

b) substantially transparent cathode means for injecting negative carriers and extracting positive carriers;

c) substantially transparent means adapted to selectively conduct carriers between the anode means and the cathode means;

d) first and second means for controlling current, at least one of the first and second means for controlling current being substantially transparent; and

e) at least one substantially transparent means for insulating the first and second means for controlling current from the substantially transparent means adapted to selectively conduct carriers,

the field-effect transistor being adapted to be operable by double injection.

57. A display comprising an array of pixel elements, each pixel element of the display comprising the field-effect transistor of claim 56.

58. A method for fabricating a double-injection field-effect transistor, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a substrate;

b) depositing and patterning a first conductive layer to form an anode;

c) depositing and patterning a second conductive layer to form a cathode spaced apart from the anode;

d) forming a transparent channel extending at least between the anode and cathode;

e) depositing and optionally patterning at least one transparent insulating layer to form at least one gate insulator; and

f) depositing and patterning at least one transparent conductive layer to form at least one gate electrode overlapping at least a portion of the transparent channel and at least partially aligned with the at least one gate insulator.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the steps are performed in the order recited.

60. The method of claim 58, wherein the step of depositing and patterning a first conductive layer to form an anode is performed by depositing and patterning a substantially transparent conductive layer.

61. The method of claim 58, wherein the step of depositing and patterning a second conductive layer to form a cathode is performed by depositing and patterning a substantially transparent conductive layer.

62. The method of claim 58, wherein the step of providing a substrate is performed by providing a substantially transparent substrate.

63. The method of claim 58, wherein the step of providing a substrate is performed by providing a substrate including a pixel element and the step of depositing and patterning a first transparent conductive layer to form anode and cathode conductors includes at least partially aligning the anode and cathode conductors with the pixel element.

64. A substantially transparent double-injection field-effect transistor, made by the method of claim 58.

65. An integrated circuit comprising the double-injection field-effect transistor of claim 64.

66. A substrate with microelectronics comprising the double-injection field-effect transistor of claim 64.

67. An electronic device comprising the double-injection field-effect transistor of claim 64.

68. A display comprising an array of pixel elements, each pixel element of the display comprising the substantially transparent double-injection field-effect transistor of claim 64.

69. A method of using a substantially transparent double-injection field-effect transistor in an array of pixel elements of a display, comprising forming an array of substantially transparent double-injection field-effect transistor by the method of claim 58.

70. A method of using a substantially transparent double-injection field-effect transistor, comprising the steps of:

a) forming an array of pixel elements for a display;

b) forming at least one substantially transparent double-injection field-effect transistor in at least partial alignment with and electrically coupled with each pixel element of the array; and

c) controlling each pixel element of the array with the at least one substantially transparent double-injection field-effect transistor corresponding to the pixel element.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein the step of forming at least one substantially transparent double-injection field-effect transistor is performed by the substeps of:

a) providing a substrate;

b) depositing and patterning a first conductive layer to form an anode;

c) depositing and patterning a second conductive layer to form a cathode spaced apart from the anode;

d) forming a transparent channel extending at least between the anode and cathode;

e) depositing and optionally patterning at least one transparent insulating layer to form at least one gate insulator; and

f) depositing and patterning at least one transparent conductive layer to form at least one gate electrode overlapping at least a portion of the transparent channel and at least partially aligned with the at least one gate insulator.