Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same

• US 8,748,887 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kuwabara, Hideaki, Akimoto, Kengo, Sasaki, Toshinari
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Long
• Application Number:
  US13/613,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20130001545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 257/43, 257/40, 257/E29.273, 257/E29.296
• 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 29/04 characterised by their crystalline structure, e.g. polycrystalline, cubic or particular orientation of crystalline planes characterised by physical imperfections H01L29/30
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/24 including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only semiconductor materials not provided for in groups H01L29/16, H01L29/18, H01L29/20, H01L29/22 including organic materials H10K99/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/458 for thin film silicon, e.g. source or drain electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/4908 for thin film semiconductor, e.g. gate of TFT
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7869 having a semiconductor body comprising an oxide semiconductor material, e.g. zinc oxide, copper aluminium oxide, cadmium stannate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78696 characterised by the structure of the channel, e.g. multichannel, transverse or longitudinal shape, length or width, doping structure, or the overlap or alignment between the channel and the gate, the source or the drain, or the contacting structure of the channel H01L29/78612 takes precedence; transistors having a drain offset region or a lightly doped drain [LDD] H01L29/78621

Abstract

An object is to increase field effect mobility of a thin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor. Another object is to stabilize electrical characteristics of the thin film transistor. In a thin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer, a semiconductor layer or a conductive layer having higher electrical conductivity than the oxide semiconductor is formed over the oxide semiconductor layer, whereby field effect mobility of the thin film transistor can be increased. Further, by forming a semiconductor layer or a conductive layer having higher electrical conductivity than the oxide semiconductor between the oxide semiconductor layer and a protective insulating layer of the thin film transistor, change in composition or deterioration in film quality of the oxide semiconductor layer is prevented, so that electrical characteristics of the thin film transistor can be stabilized.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a gate electrode layer;

a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode layer;

a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer over the gate insulating layer;

an oxide semiconductor layer over the gate insulating layer; and

a semiconductor layer over the oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein the oxide semiconductor layer is in contact with the gate insulating layer and side face portions of the source and drain electrode layers,

wherein electrical conductivity of the semiconductor layer is higher than electrical conductivity of the oxide semiconductor layer, and

wherein the semiconductor layer includes a crystal.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the oxide semiconductor layer includes at least one of indium, gallium, and zinc.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the semiconductor layer is an oxide semiconductor layer including at least one of indium, gallium, and zinc, and

wherein the oxide semiconductor layer has a higher oxygen concentration than the semiconductor layer.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein a sodium concentration in the oxide semiconductor layer is equal to or lower than 5×

10¹⁹/cm³.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the oxide semiconductor layer is located over the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer.

20. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor device is one selected from the group consisting of an electronic paper, an electronic book reader, a television set, a digital photo frame, a portable game machine, a slot machine, and a mobile phone.

6. A semiconductor device comprising:

a gate electrode layer;

a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode layer;

a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer over the gate insulating layer;

a first oxide semiconductor layer over the gate insulating layer; and

a second oxide semiconductor layer over the first oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer is in contact with the gate insulating layer and side face portions of the source and drain electrode layers,

wherein electrical conductivity of the second oxide semiconductor layer is higher than electrical conductivity of the first oxide semiconductor layer, and

wherein the second oxide semiconductor layer includes a crystal.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer includes at least one of indium, gallium, and zinc.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 6,

wherein the second oxide semiconductor layer includes at least one of indium, gallium, and zinc, and

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer has a higher oxygen concentration than the second oxide semiconductor layer.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 6,

wherein a sodium concentration in the first oxide semiconductor layer is equal to or lower than 5×

10¹⁹/cm³.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer is located over the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer.

21. The semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein the semiconductor device is one selected from the group consisting of an electronic paper, an electronic book reader, a television set, a digital photo frame, a portable game machine, a slot machine, and a mobile phone.

11. A semiconductor device comprising:

a gate electrode layer;

a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode layer;

a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer over the gate insulating layer;

a first oxide semiconductor layer over the gate insulating layer;

a second oxide semiconductor layer over the first oxide semiconductor layer; and

a conductive layer over the second oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer is in contact with the gate insulating layer and side face portions of the source and drain electrode layers,

wherein electrical conductivity of the second oxide semiconductor layer is higher than electrical conductivity of the first oxide semiconductor layer, and

wherein the second oxide semiconductor layer includes a crystal.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer includes at least one of indium, gallium, and zinc.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 11,

wherein the second oxide semiconductor layer includes at least one of indium, gallium, and zinc, and

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer has a higher oxygen concentration than the second oxide semiconductor layer.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 11,

wherein a sodium concentration in the first oxide semiconductor layer is equal to or lower than 5×

10¹⁹/cm³.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer is located over the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 11,

wherein the second oxide semiconductor layer has a recessed portion provided over part of a region where the first oxide semiconductor layer is in contact with the gate insulating layer, and

wherein the conductive layer is formed only over the recessed portion.

17. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein the conductive layer is formed using a metal material such as indium, gallium, or zinc;

an alloy material containing any of the materials as a main component;

or an oxide or a nitride containing any of the metal materials.

18. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein the conductive layer is configured to shield the first oxide semiconductor layer from light.

19. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein the conductive layer is in direct contact with the second oxide semiconductor layer.

22. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein the semiconductor device is one selected from the group consisting of an electronic paper, an electronic book reader, a television set, a digital photo frame, a portable game machine, a slot machine, and a mobile phone.