Semiconductor device having an oxide semiconductor and a metal oxide film

• US 9,147,768 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2011
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Shunpei
• Primary Examiner(s): PARENDO, KEVIN A
• Application Number:
  US13/074,683
• Publication Number:
  US 20110240995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,645 Days
• Field of Search: 257/43, 257/364, 257/410, 257/E29.273, 257/E29.275
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/4908 for thin film semiconductor, e.g. gate of TFT
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78606 with supplementary region or layer in the thin film or in the insulated bulk substrate supporting it for controlling or increasing the safety of the device H01L29/78642, H01L29/78645 take precedence
• 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

As a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, a transistor in which a metal oxide film containing a constituent similar to that of an oxide semiconductor film is provided between the oxide semiconductor film and a gate insulating film and a gate insulating film containing a constituent different from that of the metal oxide film and that of the oxide semiconductor film is provided to be in contact with the metal oxide film is provided. The oxide semiconductor film used for an active layer of the transistor is a highly purified and electrically i-type (intrinsic) film which is formed by heat treatment through which an impurity such as hydrogen, moisture, a hydroxyl group or a hydride is removed and oxygen which is a main component of the oxide semiconductor and reduced together with the impurity removal step is supplied.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first gate electrode;

a gate insulating film over the first gate electrode;

a metal oxide film over the gate insulating film;

an oxide semiconductor film over and in contact with the metal oxide film;

a source electrode and a drain electrode over the oxide semiconductor film;

an insulating film over and in direct contact with the oxide semiconductor film, the metal oxide film, the source electrode, and the drain electrode; and

a second gate electrode over the insulating film,

wherein the metal oxide film is thicker than the oxide semiconductor film.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of a top surface of the oxide semiconductor film is in contact with the source electrode and the drain electrode.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein at least a part of a top surface of the oxide semiconductor film is in contact with the source electrode and the drain electrode, and

wherein a side edge portion of the oxide semiconductor film and a side edge portion of the metal oxide film are aligned with each other in a channel length direction.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of a bottom surface of the source electrode and a part of a bottom surface of the drain electrode are in contact with the oxide semiconductor film.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the metal oxide film comprises an oxide of one or more of elements included in the oxide semiconductor film.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein an energy gap of the metal oxide film is larger than an energy gap of the oxide semiconductor film.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein an energy at a bottom of a conduction band of the metal oxide film is higher than an energy at a bottom of a conduction band of the oxide semiconductor film.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the metal oxide film comprises gallium oxide.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the gate insulating film comprises silicon oxide or hafnium oxide.

10. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first gate electrode;

a gate insulating film over the first gate electrode;

a metal oxide film over the gate insulating film;

an oxide semiconductor film in contact with the metal oxide film;

a source electrode and a drain electrode over the oxide semiconductor film;

an insulating film over and in direct contact with the oxide semiconductor film, the metal oxide film, the source electrode, and the drain electrode; and

a second gate electrode over the insulating film,

wherein the metal oxide film is thicker than the oxide semiconductor film.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the metal oxide film comprises an oxide of one or more of elements included in the oxide semiconductor film.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein an energy gap of the metal oxide film is larger than an energy gap of the oxide semiconductor film.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein an energy at a bottom of a conduction band of the metal oxide film is higher than an energy at a bottom of a conduction band of the oxide semiconductor film.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the metal oxide film comprises gallium oxide.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the gate insulating film comprises silicon oxide or hafnium oxide.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein a potential of the first gate electrode is the same as a potential of the second gate electrode.

17. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the second gate electrode is in direct contact with the insulating film.