Sputtering target, oxide semiconductor film and semiconductor device

• US 8,333,913 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2008
• Issued: 12/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Idemitsu Kosan Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Idemitsu Kosan Company Limited
• Inventors: Inoue, Kazuyoshi, Yano, Koki, Kasami, Masashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kopec, Mark
• Application Number:
  US12/532,247
• Publication Number:
  US 20110315936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,755 Days
• Field of Search: 252/521.1, 20419215-19221
• US Class Current: 252/521.1
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3201 Alkali metal oxides or oxide-forming salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3203 Lithium oxide or oxide-forming salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3206 Magnesium oxides or oxide-forming salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3217 Aluminum oxide or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. bauxite, alpha-alumina
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3224 Rare earth oxide or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. scandium oxide
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3225 Yttrium oxide or oxide-forming salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3229 Cerium oxides or oxide-forming salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3232 Titanium oxides or titanates, e.g. rutile or anatase
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3244 Zirconium oxides, zirconates, hafnium oxides, hafnates, or oxide-forming salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3251 Niobium oxides, niobates, tantalum oxides, tantalates, or oxide-forming salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3275 Cobalt oxides, cobaltates or cobaltites or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. bismuth cobaltate, zinc cobaltite
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3279 Nickel oxides, nickalates, or oxide-forming salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3281 Copper oxides, cuprates or oxide-forming salts thereof, e.g. CuO or Cu2O
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3284 Zinc oxides, zincates, cadmium oxides, cadmiates, mercury oxides, mercurates or oxide forming salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3286 Gallium oxides, gallates, indium oxides, indates, thallium oxides, thallates or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. zinc gallate
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3287 Germanium oxides, germanates or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. copper germanate
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3409 Boron oxide, borates, boric acids, or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. borax
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/72 Products characterised by the absence or the low content of specific components, e.g. alkali metal free alumina ceramics
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/77 Density
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/81 Materials characterised by the absence of phases other than the main phase, i.e. single phase materials
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/01 : based on oxide ceramics
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/086 : of zinc, germanium, cadmium, indium, tin, thallium or bismuth
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/3414 : Metallurgical or chemical aspects of target preparation, e.g. casting, powder metallurgy
• 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

A sputtering target including an oxide sintered body, the oxide sintered body containing indium (In) and at least one element selected from gadolinium (Gd), dysprosium (Dy), holmium (Ho), erbium (Er) and ytterbium (Yb), and the oxide sintered body substantially being of a bixbyite structure.

Claims

1. A sputtering target formed of an oxide sintered body,

the oxide sintered body comprising indium (In) and at least one element selected from gadolinium (Gd), dysprosium (Dy), holmium (Ho), erbium (Er) and ytterbium (Yb), and

the oxide sintered body substantially being of a bixbyite structure.

2. The sputtering target according to claim 1, wherein an atomic ratio represented by M/(In+M) is 0.01 to 0.25, wherein M is the content of gadolinium (Gd), dysprosium (Dy), holmium (Ho), erbium (Er) and ytterbium (Yb).

3. The sputtering target according to claim 1, wherein the sputtering target further comprises a positive divalent metal element and the content of the positive divalent metal element to the total amount of metal elements contained in the sputtering target is 1 to 10 at %.

4. The sputtering target according to claim 3, wherein the positive divalent metal element is zinc (Zn) and/or magnesium (Mg).

5. The sputtering target according to claim 1, wherein the sputtering target further comprises a metal element with an atomic valency of positive tetravalency or higher, wherein the content of the metal element with an atomic valency of positive tetravalency or higher to the total metal elements contained in the sputtering target is 100 ppm to 2000 ppm in atomic ratio.

6. The sputtering target according to claim 5, wherein the metal element with an atomic valency of positive tetravalency or higher metal element is at least one element selected from germanium (Ge), titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), niobium (Nb) and cerium (Ce).

7. An oxide semiconductor film comprising indium (In) and at least one element selected from gadolinium (Gd), dysprosium (Dy), holmium (Ho), erbium (Er) and ytterbium (Yb), and

the oxide semiconductor film substantially being of a bixbyite structure.

8. The oxide semiconductor film according to claim 7, wherein an atomic ratio represented by M/(In+M) is 0.01 to 0.25, wherein M is the content of gadolinium (Gd), dysprosium (Dy), holmium (Ho), erbium (Er) and ytterbium (Yb).

9. The oxide semiconductor film according to claim 7, wherein the oxide semiconductor film further comprises a positive divalent metal element, wherein the content of the positive divalent metal element to the total metal elements contained in the oxide semiconductor film is 1 to 10 at %.

10. The oxide semiconductor film according to claim 9, wherein the positive divalent metal element is zinc (Zn) and/or magnesium (Mg).

11. The oxide semiconductor film according to claim 7, wherein the oxide semiconductor film further comprises a metal element with an atomic valency of positive tetravalency or higher, and the content of the metal element with an atomic valency of tetravalency or higher to the total metal elements contained in the oxide semiconductor film is 100 ppm to 2000 ppm in atomic ratio.

12. The oxide semiconductor film according to claim 11, wherein the metal element with an atomic valency of positive tetravalency or higher is at least one element selected from germanium (Ge), titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), niobium (Nb) and cerium (Ce).