Oxide semiconductor film, film formation method thereof, and semiconductor device

• US 9,263,531 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2013
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Shunpei
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DUNG ANH
• Application Number:
  US14/089,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20140145183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 257/43, 257/59, 257/72, 257/347
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02472 Oxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02483 Oxide semiconducting materials not being Group 12/16 materials, e.g. ternary compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02554 Oxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02565 Oxide semiconducting materials not being Group 12/16 materials, e.g. ternary compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02595 polycrystalline
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02631 Physical deposition at reduced pressure, e.g. MBE, sputtering, evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/22 including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only AIIBVI compounds
• 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 29/7869 having a semiconductor body comprising an oxide semiconductor material, e.g. zinc oxide, copper aluminium oxide, cadmium stannate

Abstract

An oxide semiconductor film with high crystallinity is formed. An oxide semiconductor film having a single crystal region, which is formed by a sputtering method using a sputtering target including a polycrystalline oxide containing a plurality of crystal grains, is provided. The plurality of crystal grains contained in the sputtering target has a plane that is cleaved or is likely to be cleaved because of a weak crystal bond; therefore, the cleavage planes in the plurality of crystal grains are cleaved when an ion collides with the sputtering target, whereby flat plate-like sputtered particles can be obtained. The obtained flat plate-like sputtered particles are deposited on a deposition surface; accordingly, an oxide semiconductor film is formed. The flat plate-like sputtered particle is formed by separation of part of the crystal grain and therefore the oxide semiconductor film can have high crystallinity.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a gate electrode layer;

a first insulating layer over the gate electrode layer;

a first oxide semiconductor layer over the first insulating layer;

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

a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer on and in contact with the second oxide semiconductor layer;

a third oxide semiconductor layer on and in contact with the second oxide semiconductor layer, the source electrode layer, and the drain electrode layer,

wherein at least one of the first, second, and third oxide semiconductor layers comprises a single crystal region having a crystal structure including indium, gallium, and zinc, and

wherein the crystal structure of the single crystal region has bonds for forming a hexagonal lattice in an a-b plane of the crystal structure and includes a c-axis perpendicular to a surface of the first insulating layer.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the gate electrode layer is provided on a substrate.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the first insulating layer comprises one of a silicon oxide film, a silicon oxynitride film, or a silicon nitride oxide film.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the single crystal region has no crystal grain boundary therein.

5. A semiconductor device comprising:

a gate electrode layer;

a first insulating layer over the gate electrode layer;

a first oxide semiconductor layer having crystallinity including indium, gallium, and zinc over the first insulating layer;

a second oxide semiconductor layer including indium, gallium, and zinc on the first oxide semiconductor layer;

a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer on and in contact with the second oxide semiconductor layer;

a third oxide semiconductor layer on and in contact with the second oxide semiconductor layer, the source electrode layer, and the drain electrode layer, wherein the third oxide semiconductor layer covers side surfaces of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer;

a second insulating layer over the source electrode layer, the drain electrode layer, and the third oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein at least the second oxide semiconductor layer includes a single crystal region having a crystal structure including indium, gallium, and zinc and does not include a crystal grain boundary,

wherein the crystal structure of the single crystal region has bonds for forming a hexagonal lattice in an a-b plane of the crystal structure and includes a c-axis perpendicular to a surface of the first oxide semiconductor film, and

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer and the second oxide semiconductor layer have different compositions.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein the gate electrode layer is provided on a substrate.

7. A semiconductor device comprising:

a gate electrode layer;

a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode layer;

a first oxide semiconductor layer over the gate insulating layer;

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

a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer on and in contact with the second oxide semiconductor layer;

a third oxide semiconductor layer on and in contact with upper surfaces of the second oxide semiconductor layer, the source electrode layer, and the drain electrode layer, wherein the third oxide semiconductor layer covers side surfaces of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer;

a second insulating layer over the source electrode layer, the drain electrode layer, and the third oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein at least the second oxide semiconductor layer includes a single crystal region having a crystal structure including indium, gallium, and zinc and does not include a crystal grain boundary, and

wherein the crystal structure of the single crystal region has bonds for forming a hexagonal lattice in an a-b plane and includes a c-axis perpendicular to a surface of the gate insulating layer.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 7, further comprising a substrate on which the gate electrode layer is located.