Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the semiconductor device

• US 8,319,216 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2009
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Akimoto, Kengo, Tsubuku, Masashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Picardat, Kevin M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patton, Paul
• Application Number:
  US12/612,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20100117076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: 257/43, 257/57, 257/E29.291, 257/E29.068, 438/161
• US Class Current: 257/43
• 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 29/42384 for thin film field effect transistors, e.g. characterised by the thickness or the shape of the insulator or the dimensions, the shape or the lay-out of the conductor
• 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 29/7869 having a semiconductor body comprising an oxide semiconductor material, e.g. zinc oxide, copper aluminium oxide, cadmium stannate

Abstract

It is disclosed that a semiconductor device includes an oxide semiconductor layer provided over a gate insulating layer, a source electrode layer, and a drain electrode layer, in which a thickness of the gate insulating layer located in a region between the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer is smaller than a thickness of the gate insulating layer provided between the gate electrode layer and at least one of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a gate electrode layer over a substrate;

a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode layer;

a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer which overlap with part of the gate electrode layer with the gate insulating layer interposed therebetween; and

an oxide semiconductor layer over the gate electrode layer and in contact with the gate insulating layer located in a region between the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer, wherein the oxide semiconductor layer is provided over the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer and,

wherein a thickness of the gate insulating layer which is over the gate electrode layer and is located in the region between the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer is smaller than a thickness of the gate insulating layer provided between the gate electrode layer and at least one of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the oxide semiconductor layer is provided over the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer with a buffer layer interposed therebetween.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein end portions of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer have tapered shapes.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 8, wherein a taper angle of each end portion of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer is greater than or equal to 20°

and less than 90°

.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein upper end portions of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer have curved surface shapes.

17. The semiconductor device according to claim 14, wherein a radius of curvature of each upper end portion of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer is 1/100 or more and ½

or less of a thickness of the one of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer.

20. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the oxide semiconductor layer includes at least one selected from group consisting of indium, gallium, and zinc.

2. A semiconductor device comprising:

a gate electrode layer over a substrate;

a first insulating layer over the gate electrode layer;

a second insulating layer over the first insulating layer, wherein the second insulating layer overlaps with part of the gate electrode layer;

a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer which overlap with the part of the gate electrode layer with the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer interposed therebetween; and

an oxide semiconductor layer over the gate electrode layer and in contact with the first insulating layer located in a region between the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer, wherein the oxide semiconductor layer is provided over the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein a thickness of the first insulating layer which is over the gate electrode layer and is located in the region between the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer is smaller than a thickness of the first insulating layer provided between the gate electrode layer and at least one of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the oxide semiconductor layer is provided over the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer with a buffer layer interposed therebetween.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein end portions of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer have tapered shapes.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein a taper angle of each end portion of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer is greater than or equal to 20°

and less than 90°

.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein upper end portions of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer have curved surface shapes.

18. The semiconductor device according to claim 15, wherein a radius of curvature of each upper end portion of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer is 1/100 or more and ½

or less of a thickness of the one of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer.

21. The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the oxide semiconductor layer includes at least one selected from group consisting of indium, gallium, and zinc.

4. A semiconductor device comprising:

a gate electrode layer over a substrate;

a first insulating layer and a second insulating layer which are sequentially stacked over the gate electrode layer;

a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer which overlap with part of the gate electrode layer, with the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer interposed therebetween; and

an oxide semiconductor layer over the gate electrode layer and in contact with the second insulating layer located in a region between the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer, wherein the oxide semiconductor layer is provided over the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer,

wherein a thickness of the second insulating layer which is over the gate electrode layer and is located in the region between the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer is smaller than a thickness of the second insulating layer provided between the gate electrode layer and at least one of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein the oxide semiconductor layer is provided over the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer with a buffer layer interposed therebetween.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein end portions of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer have tapered shapes.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein a taper angle of each end portion of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer is greater than or equal to 20°

and less than 90°

.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein upper end portions of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer have curved surface shapes.

19. The semiconductor device according to claim 16, wherein a radius of curvature of each upper end portion of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer is 1/100 or more and ½

or less of a thickness of the one of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer.

22. The semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein the oxide semiconductor layer includes at least one selected from group consisting of indium, gallium, and zinc.