Transistor and semiconductor device

• US 20050127380A1
• Filed: 01/29/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Science & Technology Trading Co. Limited
• Original Assignee: Japan Science & Technology Trading Co. Limited
• Inventors: Kawasaki, Masashi, Ohno, Hideo
• Granted Patent: US 7,064,346 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/84
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/15 including semiconductor components having potential barriers, specially adapted for light emission
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/22 including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only AIIBVI compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/45 Ohmic electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/4908 for thin film semiconductor, e.g. gate of TFT
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/517 the insulating material comprising a metallic compound, e.g. metal oxide, metal silicate H01L29/518 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7317 Bipolar thin film transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78 with field effect produced by an insulated gate H01L29/7725, H01L29/775, H01L29/778 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78618 characterised by the drain or the source properties, e.g. the doping structure, the composition, the sectional shape or the contact structure silicide contacts, electrodes in general H01L29/458
• 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 33/28 containing only elements of Group II and Group VI of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0261 Non-optical elements, e.g. laser driver components, heaters H01S5/0265 takes precedence

Abstract

A transistor is provided, which is entirely and partially transparent by the use of a transparent channel layer made of zinc oxide or the like. A channel layer 11 formed of a transparent semiconductor such as zinc oxide ZnO. A transparent electrode is used for all of a source 12, a drain 13 and a gate 14, or a part of them. As the transparent electrode, a transparent conductive material such as conductive ZnO doped with, for example, group III elements is used. As a gate insulating layer 15, a transparent insulative material such as insulative ZnO doped with elements capable of taking a valence of one as a valence number or group V elements is used. If a substrate 16 must be transparent, for example, glass, sapphire, plastic or the like can be used as a transparent material.

Claims

1-6. -6. (canceled)

7. A transistor, comprising:

an emitter and a collector, or a base made of a transparent n-type semiconductor comprising any one of zinc oxide ZnO, zinc magnesium oxide MgxZn1-xO, zinc cadmium oxide CdxZn1-xO and cadmium oxide CdO doped with group III elements or group VII elements;

a base, or an emitter and a collector made of a transparent p-type semiconductor comprising any one of zinc oxide ZnO, zinc magnesium oxide MgxZn1-xO, zinc cadmium oxide CdxZn1-xO and cadmium oxide CdO doped with group I elements or group V elements; and

a base electrode, an emitter electrode and a collector electrode, in which

(1) a transparent conductive material such as conductive ZnO doped or undoped with any one of group III elements, group VII elements and group I elements,

(2) a transparent conductor such as In2O3, SnO2 and (In—

Sn)Ox, or

(3) an untransparent electrode material

are used partially or entirely, the base electrode, the emitter electrode and the collector electrode being respectively formed on said base, said emitter and said collector.

8. A semiconductor device, comprising:

the transistor according to claim 7;

and

a light emission portion formed of a region continuous to said collector or said emitter of said transistor or a region of another semiconductor connected to said collector or said emitter, and a semiconductor layer joined to said region.

9. A semiconductor device, comprising:

the transistor according to claim 7, and a capacitor formed of a region continuous to said collector and said emitter of said transistor or a region of another semiconductor or a conductor connected to said collector or said emitter, an insulating layer on said region, and a semiconductor layer or a conductive layer on said insulating layer.

13. A semiconductor device, comprising a plurality of transistors according to claim 7, and an insulating layer, said insulating layer is between transistors of said plurality of transistors;

wherein said insulating layer comprises a transparent insulating material including at least one of insulative ZnO doped with elements capable of taking a valence of one as a valence number or group V elements, a transparent insulating oxide, and a transparent insulator.

14. A semiconductor device, comprising:

a plurality of transistors according to claim 7;

and

wiring between said plurality of transistors,

wherein said wiring comprises a transparent conductive material including at least one of conductive ZnO doped or undoped with group III elements, group VII elements, group I elements and group V elements, a transparent conductor comprising at least one of In₂O₃, SnO₂, and (In—

Sn)O_x, or a un-transparent electrode material.

15. A semiconductor device, comprising:

the transistor according to claim 7;

and

an inductor comprising a transparent conductive material, said transparent conductive material comprising at least one of conductive ZnO doped or undoped with group III elements, group VII elements, group I elements and group V elements, and a transparent conductor comprising at least one of In₂O₃, SnO₂ and (In—

Sn)O_x.

16. A semiconductor device, wherein a plurality of the semiconductor devices according to claim 8 are arranged in a matrix shape, and a capacitor or a light emission portion is driven by each transistor.

17. A semiconductor device, wherein a plurality of the semiconductor devices according to claim 9 are arranged in a matrix shape, and a capacitor or a light emission portion is driven by each transistor.

19. The transistor of claim 7, wherein said transparent n-type semiconductor includes at least conductive ZnO doped with group III elements or group VII elements.

20. The transistor of claim 7, wherein said transparent p-type semiconductor includes at least conductive ZnO doped with group I elements or group V elements.

21. The transistor of claim 7, wherein said transparent conductive material includes at least one conductive ZnO undoped and conductive ZnO doped with at least one of group III elements, group VII elements, and group I elements.

22. The transistor of claim 7, wherein said transparent conductive material includes at least one of In₂O₃, SnO₂, and (In—

Sn)O_x.

23. The transistor of claim 7, wherein said base is made of a transparent n-type semiconductor.

24. The transistor of claim 7, wherein said base is made of a transparent p-type semiconductor.

10-12. -12. (canceled)

18. A method of making a transistor, comprising:

depositing an emitter and a collector, or a base, wherein said emitter and said collector, or said base are made of a transparent n-type semiconductor comprising any one of ZnO, zinc magnesium oxide MgxZn1-xO, zinc cadmium oxide CdxZn1-xO, and cadmium oxide CdO, and said n-type semiconductor is doped with group III elements or group VII elements;

depositing a base, or an emitter and a collector, wherein said base, or said emitter and said collector are made of a transparent p-type semiconductor comprising at least one of ZnO, zinc magnesium oxide MgxZn1-xO, zinc cadmium oxide CdxZn1-xO, and cadmium oxide CdO, said p-type semiconductor doped with group I elements or group V elements; and

depositing a base electrode, an emitter electrode and a collector electrode, wherein said base electrode, said emitter electrode and said collector electrode comprise a transparent conductive material comprising conductive ZnO doped or undoped with any one of group III elements, group VII elements and group I elements, or a transparent conductive material comprising at least one of In₂O₃, SnO₂ and (In—

Sn)O_x, or an un-transparent electrode material and

wherein said base electrode, said emitter electrode and said collector electrode are respectively formed on said base, said emitter, and said collector.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein said transparent n-type semiconductor includes at least conductive ZnO doped with group III elements or group VII elements.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein said transparent p-type semiconductor includes at least conductive ZnO doped with group I elements or group V elements.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein said transparent conductive material includes at least one of conductive ZnO undoped and conductive ZnO doped with any one of group III elements, group VII elements and group I elements.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein said transparent conductive material includes at least one of In₂O₃, SnO₂, and (In—

Sn)O_x.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein said base is made of a transparent n-type semiconductor.

30. The method of claim 18, wherein said base is made of a transparent p-type semiconductor.

31. A method of making a transistor, comprising:

providing an emitter and a collector, or a base, wherein said emitter and said collector, or said base are made of a transparent n-type semiconductor comprising at least one of zinc oxide ZnO, zinc magnesium oxide MgxZn1-xO, zinc cadmium oxide CdxZn1-xO, and cadmium oxide CdO, and said n-type semiconductor is doped with at least one of group III elements and group VII elements;

providing a base, or an emitter and a collector, wherein said base, or said emitter and said collector are made of a transparent p-type semiconductor comprising at least one of zinc oxide ZnO, zinc magnesium oxide MgxZn1-xO, zinc cadmium oxide CdxZn1-xO, and cadmium oxide CdO, and said p-type semiconductor is doped at least one of with group I elements and group V elements; and

providing a base electrode, an emitter electrode, and a collector electrode;

wherein said base electrode, said emitter electrode, and said collector electrode respectively are formed on said base, said emitter, and said collector;

wherein said base electrode, said emitter electrode, and said collector electrode comprise;

(1) a transparent conductive material comprising conductive ZnO that is undoped and conductive ZnO that is doped with at least one of group III elements, group VII elements, and group I elements;

or

(2) a transparent conductor comprising at least one of In2O3, SnO2, and (In—

Sn)Ox;

or

(3) an un-transparent electrode material.

32. A method of using a transistor, said transistor comprising:

an emitter and a collector, or a base, wherein said emitter and said collector, or said base are made of a transparent n-type semiconductor comprising any one of zinc oxide ZnO, zinc magnesium oxide MgxZn1-xO, zinc cadmium oxide CdxZn1-xO, and cadmium oxide CdO, and said n-type semiconductor is doped with at least one of group III elements and group VII elements;

or

a base, or an emitter and a collector, wherein said base, or said emitter and said collector are made of a transparent p-type semiconductor comprising any one of zinc oxide ZnO, zinc magnesium oxide MgxZn1-xO, zinc cadmium oxide CdxZn1-xO, and cadmium oxide CdO, and said p-type semiconductor is doped with at least one of group I elements and group V elements;

a base electrode, an emitter electrode, and a collector electrode;

wherein said base electrode, said emitter electrode, and the collector electrode are respectively formed on said base, said emitter, and said collector;

wherein said base electrode, said emitter electrode, and said collector electrode comprise;

(1) a transparent conductive material comprising one of conductive ZnO that is undoped and conductive ZnO that is doped with at least one of group III elements, group VII elements, and group I elements;

or

(2) a transparent conductor comprising at least one of In2O3, SnO2, and (In—

Sn)Ox, or

(3) an un-transparent electrode material; and

said method comprising applying a voltage across at least one electrode of said transistor.

33. A transistor, comprising:

an emitter and a collector, or a base made of a transparent n-type semiconductor, said transparent n-type semiconductor comprising at least one of zinc oxide ZnO, zinc magnesium oxide MgxZn1-xO, zinc cadmium oxide CdxZn1-xO, and cadmium oxide CdO, and said transparent n-type semiconductor is doped with at least one of group III elements and group VII elements;

a base, or an emitter and a collector made of a transparent p-type semiconductor, said transparent p-type semiconductor comprising any one of zinc oxide ZnO, zinc magnesium oxide MgxZn1-xO, zinc cadmium oxide CdxZn1-xO, and cadmium oxide CdO, and said transparent p-type semiconductor is doped with at least one of group I elements and group V elements; and

a base electrode, an emitter electrode, and a collector electrode;

wherein said base electrode, said emitter electrode, and said collector electrode are respectively formed on said base, said emitter, and said collector; and

wherein said base electrode, said emitter electrode, and said collector electrode comprise;

(1) a transparent conductive material comprising one of conductive ZnO that is un-doped and conductive ZnO that is doped with at least one of group III elements, group VII elements, and group I elements;

or

(2) a transparent conductor comprising at least one of In2O3, SnO2, and (In—

Sn)Ox;

or

(3) an un-transparent electrode material.