Thin film transistor, method of fabricating the same, and organic light emitting diode display device including the same

• US 20080157116A1
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lee, Ki-Yong, Yang, Tae-Hoon, Park, Byoung-Keon, Seo, Jin-Wook
• Application Number:
  US12/003,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20080157116A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/101
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02532 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02672 using crystallisation enhancing elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1277 using a crystallisation promoting species, e.g. local introduction of Ni catalyst
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1281 by using structural features to control crystal growth, e.g. placement of grain filters

Abstract

Provided are a thin film transistor capable of enhancing electrical and leakage current characteristics by reducing an amount of crystallization inducing metal remaining in a semiconductor layer, a method of fabricating the same, and an organic light emitting diode display device including the same. The method of the thin film transistor of the present invention includes forming a first amorphous silicon layer on a substrate, crystallizing the first amorphous silicon layer into a first polycrystalline silicon layer by using a crystallization inducing metal, forming a second amorphous silicon layer on the first polycrystalline silicon layer, implanting an impurity into the second amorphous silicon layer, and annealing the first polycrystalline silicon layer and the second amorphous silicon layer. The crystallization inducing metal in the first polycrystalline silicon layer is transferred into the second amorphous silicon layer, and the second amorphous silicon layer is crystallized into a second polycrystalline silicon layer.

Claims

1. A thin film transistor, comprising:

a substrate;

a first semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate;

a second semiconductor layer disposed on the first semiconductor layer, the second semiconductor layer having an opening to expose a predetermined portion of the first semiconductor layer;

a source electrode and a drain electrode connected to the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer;

a gate insulating layer disposed to cover the source electrode, the drain electrode, and the exposed portion of the first semiconductor layer; and

a gate electrode disposed on the gate insulating layer above the exposed portion of the first semiconductor layer through the opening.

2. The thin film transistor according to claim 1, wherein the second semiconductor layer includes a source semiconductor layer and a drain semiconductor layer, the opening being between the source semiconductor layer and the drain semiconductor layer.

3. The thin film transistor according to claim 1, wherein the second semiconductor layer is implanted with an impurity.

4. The thin film transistor according to claim 3, wherein the impurity comprises phosphor (P) or boron (B).

5. The thin film transistor according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second semiconductor layers includes a crystallization inducing metal.

6. The thin film transistor according to claim 5, wherein the crystallization inducing metal includes a material selected from the group consisting of Ni, Pd, Ti, Ag, Au, Al, Sn, Sb, Cu, Co, Mo, Tr, Ru, Rh, Cd, and Pt.

7. The thin film transistor according to claim 5, wherein the crystallization inducing metal included in the first semiconductor layer has a concentration less than 1×

10¹⁵/cm³.

8. The thin film transistor according to claim 1, wherein the non-exposed portion of the first semiconductor layer forms a source or a drain region.

9. The thin film transistor according to claim 1, wherein the exposed portion of the first semiconductor layer forms a channel region.

10. A method of fabricating a thin film transistor, comprising:

preparing a substrate;

forming a first amorphous silicon layer on the substrate;

crystallizing the first amorphous silicon layer into a first polycrystalline silicon layer by using a crystallization inducing metal;

forming a second amorphous silicon layer on the first polycrystalline silicon layer;

implanting an impurity into the second amorphous silicon layer;

annealing the first polycrystalline silicon layer and the second amorphous silicon layer, the crystallization inducing metal in the first polycrystalline silicon layer being transferred into the second amorphous silicon layer, the second amorphous silicon layer being crystallized into a second polycrystalline silicon layer;

patterning the first polycrystalline silicon layer to form a first semiconductor layer;

patterning the second polycrystalline silicon layer to form a second semiconductor layer, the second semiconductor layer having an opening to expose a predetermined portion of the first semiconductor layer;

forming a source electrode and a drain electrode to be connected to the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer;

forming a gate insulating layer to cover the source electrode, the drain electrode, and the exposed portion of the first semiconductor layer; and

forming a gate electrode on the gate insulating layer above the exposed portion of the first semiconductor layer through the opening.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the second semiconductor layer includes a source semiconductor layer and a drain semiconductor layer, the opening being between the source semiconductor layer and the drain semiconductor layer.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of crystallizing the first amorphous silicon layer includes using a method selected from the group consisting of metal induced crystallization (MIC), metal induced lateral crystallization (MILC), and super grained silicon (SGS).

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the method of the SGS includes:

forming a capping layer on the first amorphous silicon layer;

forming a crystallization inducing metal layer on the capping layer, the crystallization inducing metal being included in the crystallization inducing metal layer; and

annealing the crystallization inducing metal layer, the capping layer, and the first amorphous silicon layer.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the crystallization inducing metal includes a metal selected from the group consisting of Ni, Pd, Ti, Ag, Au, Al, Sn, Sb, Cu, Co, Mo, Tr, Ru, Rh, Cd, and Pt.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the impurity comprises phosphor (P) or boron (B).

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of annealing the first polycrystalline silicon layer and the second amorphous silicon layer includes:

heating the first polycrystalline silicon layer and the second amorphous silicon layer at temperature about 500°

C. to 993°

C.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of the annealing the first polycrystalline silicon layer and the second amorphous silicon layer is performed for about 30 seconds to 10 hours.

18. An organic light emitting diode display device (OLED display device), comprising:

a substrate;

a first semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate;

a second semiconductor layer disposed on the first semiconductor layer, the second semiconductor layer having an opening to expose a predetermined portion of the first semiconductor;

a source electrode and a drain electrode connected to the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer;

a gate insulating layer disposed to cover the source electrode, the drain electrode, and the exposed portion of the first semiconductor layer; and

a gate electrode disposed on the gate insulating layer above the exposed portion of the first semiconductor layer through the opening

a first electrode connected to the source or drain electrode;

a second electrode; and

an organic layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, the organic layer emitting light.

19. The OLED display device according to claim 18, wherein the second semiconductor layer includes a source semiconductor layer and a drain semiconductor layer, the opening being between the source semiconductor layer and the drain semiconductor layer.

20. The OLED display device according to claim 18, wherein the second semiconductor layer is implanted with an impurity.

21. The OLED display device according to claim 20, wherein the impurity comprises phosphor (P) or boron (B).

22. The OLED display device according to claim 18, wherein each of the first and second semiconductor layers includes a crystallization inducing metal.

23. The OLED display device according to claim 22, wherein the crystallization inducing metal includes a material selected from the group consisting of Ni, Pd, Ti, Ag, Au, Al, Sn, Sb, Cu, Co, Mo, Tr, Ru, Rh, Cd, and Pt.

24. The OLED display device according to claim 22, wherein the crystallization inducing metal included in the first semiconductor layer has a concentration less than 1×

10¹⁵/cm³.

25. The OLED display device according to claim 18, wherein the non-exposed portion of the first semiconductor layer forms a source or a drain region.

26. The OLED display device according to claim 18, wherein the exposed portion of the first semiconductor layer forms a channel region.