In—Ga—Zn type oxide sputtering target

• US 8,641,930 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2010
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Idemitsu Kosan Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Idemitsu Kosan Company Limited
• Inventors: Yano, Koki, Itose, Masayuki, Nishimura, Mami
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khanh Tuan
• Application Number:
  US13/264,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20120093712A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 252/518.1, 204/298.12, 428/432
• US Class Current: 252/518.1
• 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 2235/5409 expressed by specific surface values
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/604 Pressing at temperatures other than sintering temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/76 Crystal structural characteristics, e.g. symmetry
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/77 Density
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/80 Phases present in the sintered or melt-cast ceramic products other than the main phase
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/453 based on zinc, tin, or bismuth oxides or solid solutions thereof with other oxides, e.g. zincates, stannates or bismuthates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/6455 Hot isostatic pressing
• 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

Abstract

A sputtering target including oxide A shown below and indium oxide (In₂O₃) having a bixbyite crystal structure:

Oxide A: an oxide which includes an indium element (In), a gallium element (Ga) and a zinc element (Zn) in which diffraction peaks are observed at positions corresponding to incident angles (2θ) of 7.0° to 8.4°, 30.6° to 32.0°, 33.8° to 35.8°, 53.5° to 56.5° and 56.5° to 59.5° in an X-ray diffraction measurement (CuKα rays).

Claims

1. A sputtering target comprising oxide A shown below and indium oxide (In₂O₃) having a bixbyite crystal structure:

Oxide A;

an oxide which comprises an indium element (In), a gallium element (Ga) and a zinc element (Zn) in which diffraction peaks are observed at positions corresponding to incident angles (2θ

) of 7.0°

to 8.4°

, 30.6°

to 32.0°

, 33.8°

to 35.8°

, 53.5°

to 56.5° and

56.5°

to 59.5°

in an X-ray diffraction measurement (CuKα

rays).

2. The sputtering target according to claim 1, wherein the atomic ratio of an indium element (In), a gallium element (Ga) and a zinc element (Zn) satisfies the following formulas (1) and (2):

0.10≦

Zn/(In+Ga+Zn)≦

0.45 

 

(1)

0.05<

Ga/(In+Ga+Zn)<

0.18 

 

(2).

3. The sputtering target according to claim 2, wherein the atomic ratio of an indium element (In) and a gallium element (Ga) satisfies the following formula (3):

0.14≦

Ga/(In+Ga) 

 

(3).

4. The sputtering target according to claim 3, wherein all mental elements contained consist essentially of In, Ga and Zn.

5. An oxide thin film produced by using the sputtering target according claim 3.

6. The sputtering target according to claim 2, wherein all mental elements contained consist essentially of In, Ga and Zn.

7. An oxide thin film produced by using the sputtering target according claim 6.

8. The sputtering target according to claim 2 which has a resistance of 10 mΩ

cm or less and a relative density of 95% or more.

9. An oxide thin film produced by using the sputtering target according claim 2.

10. The sputtering target according to claim 1, wherein the atomic ratio of an indium element (In) and a gallium element (Ga) satisfies the following formula (3):

0.14≦

Ga/(In+Ga) 

 

(3).

11. The sputtering target according to claim 10, wherein all mental elements contained consist essentially of In, Ga and Zn.

12. An oxide thin film produced by using the sputtering target according claim 11.

13. The sputtering target according to claim 10 which has a resistance of 10 mΩ

cm or less and a relative density of 95% or more.

14. An oxide thin film produced by using the sputtering target according claim 10.

15. The sputtering target according to claim 1, wherein all mental elements contained consist essentially of In, Ga and Zn.

16. The sputtering target according to claim 15 which has a resistance of 10 mΩ

cm or less and a relative density of 95% or more.

17. An oxide thin film produced by using the sputtering target according claim 15.

18. The sputtering target according to claim 1 which has a resistance of 10 mΩ

cm or less and a relative density of 95% or more.

19. An oxide thin film produced by using the sputtering target according claim 18.

20. An oxide thin film produced by using the sputtering target according to claim 1.