ZnO-based thin film transistor and method of manufacturing the same

• US 7,638,360 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2007
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Son, Kyung-seok, Ryu, Myung-kwan, Lee, Sang-yoon, Jung, Ji-sim, Hwang, Euk-che, Kim, Tae-sang, Park, Kyung-bae, Kwon, Jang-yeon, Kim, Jun-seong
• Primary Examiner(s): EVERHART, CARIDAD
• Application Number:
  US11/960,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20080283831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 438/104, 257/43, 257/E27.014, 257/E31.003, 257/E31.034, 257/E31.037, 257/E21.113, 257/E21.37, 257/E21.4
• US Class Current: 438/104
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7869 having a semiconductor body comprising an oxide semiconductor material, e.g. zinc oxide, copper aluminium oxide, cadmium stannate

Abstract

A ZnO-based thin film transistor (TFT) is provided herein, as is a method of manufacturing the TFT. The ZnO-based TFT has a channel layer that comprises ZnO and ZnCl, wherein the ZnCl has a higher bonding energy than ZnO with respect to plasma. The ZnCl is formed through the entire channel layer, and specifically is formed in a region near THE surface of the channel layer. Since the ZnCl is strong enough not to be decomposed when exposed to plasma etching gas, an increase in the carrier concentration can be prevented. The distribution of ZnCl in the channel layer, may result from the inclusion of chlorine (Cl) in the plasma gas during the patterning of the channel layer.

Claims

1. A thin film transistor comprising:

a substrate;

a channel layer comprising ZnO disposed on the substrate;

a gate disposed between the substrate and the channel layer;

a gate insulating layer disposed between the channel layer and the gate;

a source electrode and a drain electrode disposed on both sides of the channel layer; and

a passivation layer covering the channel layer, the source electrode, and the drain electrode,

wherein the channel layer comprises a chloride;

wherein the chloride is distributed through the entire channel layer.

2. The thin film transistor of claim 1, wherein the gate insulating layer comprises SiN_x.

3. The thin film transistor of claim 1, wherein the channel layer comprises gallium-indium-zinc-oxide.

4. The thin film transistor of claim 1, wherein the chloride is gallium-indium-zinc-chloride.

5. The thin film transistor of claim 1, wherein the chloride is selected from the group consisting of GaCl₃, InCl₃, ZnCl₂, and a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing chlorides.

6. The thin film transistor of claim 5, wherein the channel layer comprises gallium-indium-zinc-oxide.

7. A method of manufacturing a thin film transistor, the method comprising:

forming a gate on a substrate;

forming a gate insulating layer disposed on the gate;

forming a channel layer comprising zinc oxide on the gate insulating layer in a position corresponding to the gate;

forming a conductive material layer on the channel layer;

patterning the conductive material layer to form a source electrode and a drain electrode;

the source electrode and the drain electrode being disposed on both sides of the channel layer;

forming a passivation layer on the channel layer, the source electrode, and the drain electrode; and

annealing the channel layer;

wherein the patterning of the conductive material layer comprises dry etching using a chlorine etching gas or chlorine-based etching gas, wherein a bond is formed between chlorine of the etching gas and the channel layer to form a chloride in a region near a surface of the channel layer exposed to the etching gas.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the gate insulating layer is formed of SiN_x.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the channel layer comprises gallium-indium-zinc-oxide.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the chloride is selected from the group consisting of GaCl₃, InCl₃, ZnCl₂, and a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing chlorides.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the chlorine etching gas or the chlorine-based gas is mixed with a gas selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur hexafluoride, fluorine-based gas, iodine-based gas, bromine-based gas, argon, xenon, krypton, and a combination comprising a least one of the foregoing gases.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a partial pressure ratio of chlorine-based gas to oxygen or a partial pressure ratio of chlorine-based gas to fluorine-based gas is in an amount of about 0.001 to about 0.99.

13. A method of manufacturing a thin film transistor, the method comprising:

forming a gate on a substrate;

forming a gate insulating layer disposed on the gate;

forming a channel layer comprising zinc oxide on the gate insulating layer in a position corresponding to the gate;

wherein the channel layer is formed by sputtering an oxide selected from the group consisting of In₂O₃, Ga₂O₃, ZnO and a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing oxides together with a chloride selected from the group consisting of GaCl₃, InCl₃, ZnCl₂ and a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing chlorides;

forming a conductive material layer on the channel layer;

patterning the conductive material layer to form a source electrode and a drain electrode;

the source electrode and the drain electrode disposed on both sides of the channel layer;

forming a passivation layer on the channel layer, the source electrode, and the drain electrode; and

annealing the channel layer;

wherein the channel layer comprises a chloride.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the gate insulating layer is formed of SiN_x.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein a partial pressure ratio of chlorine gas to oxygen or a partial pressure ratio of chlorine-based gas to fluorine-based gas is in an amount of about 0.001 to about 0.99.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the channel layer is formed of gallium-indium-zinc-oxide.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the chloride is selected from the group consisting of GaCl₃, InCl₃, ZnCl₂, and a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing chlorides.