Semiconductor device having an oxide semiconductor layer

• US 8,492,840 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2011
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Shunpei, Godo, Hiromichi, Suzawa, Hideomi, Sasagawa, Shinya, Kurata, Motomu, Mikami, Mayumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, Howard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rao, Steven
• Application Number:
  US13/008,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20110180796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 257/347, 257/E29.14
• US Class Current: 257/347
• 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

An object is to provide a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor, which maintains favorable characteristics and achieves miniaturization. The semiconductor device includes an oxide semiconductor layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer, a gate electrode overlapping with the oxide semiconductor layer, and a gate insulating layer provided between the oxide semiconductor layer and the gate electrode, in which the source electrode and the drain electrode each include a first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer having a region which extends in a channel length direction from an end portion of the first conductive layer.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

an oxide semiconductor layer;

a source electrode in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer comprising;

a first conductive layer; and

a second conductive layer;

a drain electrode in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer comprising;

a third conductive layer; and

a fourth conductive layer;

a gate electrode overlapping with the oxide semiconductor layer; and

a gate insulating layer provided between the oxide semiconductor layer and the gate electrode,

wherein the second conductive layer extends beyond an end portion of the first conductive layer,

wherein the fourth conductive layer extends beyond an end portion of the third conductive layer, and

wherein the end portion of the first conductive layer and the end portion of the third conductive layer are opposed to each other.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, the third conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer each has a tapered shape.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first sidewall insulating layer over the second conductive layer and in contact with the end portion of the first conductive layer; and

a second side wall insulating layer over the fourth conductive layer and in contact with the end portion of the third conductive layer.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a material of the second conductive layer and a material of the fourth conductive layer are a nitride of a metal.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the second conductive layer and a thickness of the fourth conductive layer are from 5 nm to 15 nm.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first insulating layer provided between the oxide semiconductor layer and the source electrode; and

a second insulating layer provided between the oxide semiconductor layer and the drain electrode,

wherein the source electrode and the drain electrode are in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer at end portions of the source electrode and the drain electrode.

7. A semiconductor device comprising:

an oxide semiconductor layer;

a source electrode comprising;

a first conductive layer; and

a second conductive layer in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer;

a drain electrode comprising;

a third conductive layer; and

a fourth conductive layer in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer;

a gate electrode overlapping with the oxide semiconductor layer; and

a gate insulating layer provided between the oxide semiconductor layer and the gate electrode,

wherein the second conductive layer is over the first conductive layer, and the second conductive layer has a higher resistance than the first conductive layer, and

wherein the fourth conductive layer is over the third conductive layer, and the fourth conductive layer has a higher resistance than the third conductive layer.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein the first conductive layer and the third conductive layer are in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 7,

wherein the second conductive layer extends beyond an end portion of the first conductive layer,

wherein the fourth conductive layer extends beyond an end portion of the third conductive layer, and

wherein the end portion of the first conductive layer and the end portion of the third conductive layer are opposed to each other.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, the third conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer each has a tapered shape.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein a material of the second conductive layer and a material of the fourth conductive layer are a nitride of a metal.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein a thickness of the second conductive layer and a thickness of the fourth conductive layer are from 5 nm to 15 nm.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a first insulating layer provided between the oxide semiconductor layer and the source electrode; and

a second insulating layer provided between the oxide semiconductor layer and the drain electrode,

wherein the source electrode and the drain electrode are in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer at end portions of the source electrode and the drain electrode.

14. A semiconductor device comprising:

an oxide semiconductor layer;

a source electrode comprising;

a first conductive layer; and

a second conductive layer in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer;

a drain electrode comprising;

a third conductive layer; and

a fourth conductive layer in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer;

a gate electrode overlapping with the oxide semiconductor layer; and

a gate insulating layer provided between the oxide semiconductor layer and the gate electrode,

wherein the first conductive layer is over the second conductive layer, and the second conductive layer has a higher resistance than the first conductive layer, and

wherein the third conductive layer is over the fourth conductive layer, and the fourth conductive layer has a higher resistance than the third conductive layer.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 14, wherein the first conductive layer and the third conductive layer are in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 14,

wherein the second conductive layer extends beyond an end portion of the first conductive layer,

wherein the fourth conductive layer extends beyond an end portion of the third conductive layer, and

wherein the end portion of the first conductive layer and the end portion of the third conductive layer are opposed to each other.

17. The semiconductor device according to claim 14, wherein the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, the third conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer each has a tapered shape.

18. The semiconductor device according to claim 16, further comprising:

a first sidewall insulating layer over the second conductive layer and in contact with the end portion of the first conductive layer; and

a second side wall insulating layer over the fourth conductive layer and in contact with the end portion of the third conductive layer.

19. The semiconductor device according to claim 14, wherein a material of the second conductive layer and a material of the fourth conductive layer are a nitride of a metal.

20. The semiconductor device according to claim 14, wherein a thickness of the second conductive layer and a thickness of the fourth conductive layer are from 5 nm to 15 nm.

21. The semiconductor device according to claim 14, further comprising:

a first insulating layer provided between the oxide semiconductor layer and the source electrode; and

a second insulating layer provided between the oxide semiconductor layer and the drain electrode,

wherein the source electrode and the drain electrode are in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer at end portions of the source electrode and the drain electrode.

22. A semiconductor device comprising:

an oxide semiconductor layer including a channel formation region;

a source electrode including a region in contact with the channel formation region;

a drain electrode including a region in contact with the channel formation region;

a gate electrode overlapping with the channel formation region; and

a gate insulating layer provided between the oxide semiconductor layer and the gate electrode,

wherein the region of the source electrode has a higher resistance than other regions of the source electrode, and

wherein the region of the drain electrode has a higher resistance than other regions of the drain electrode.

23. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, further comprising:

a first insulating layer provided between the oxide semiconductor layer and the source electrode; and

a second insulating layer provided between the oxide semiconductor layer and the drain electrode,

wherein the source electrode and the drain electrode are in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer at end portions of the source electrode and the drain electrode.