Transistor

• US 9,401,407 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Miyake, Hiroyuki, Kayama, Masayo
• Primary Examiner(s): Such, Matthew W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kalam, Abul
• Application Number:
  US13/076,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20110248266A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,944 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/41733 for thin film transistors with insulated gate
• 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 transistor having a novel electrode structure capable of substantially maintaining on-state current while parasitic capacitance generated in an overlap portion between a source electrode layer (a drain electrode layer) and a gate electrode layer is reduced. Parasitic capacitance is reduced by using a source electrode layer and a drain electrode in a comb shape in a transistor. Curved current flowing from side edges of electrode tooth portions can be generated by controlling the width of an end of a comb-shaped electrode layer or the interval between the electrode tooth portions. This curved current compensates for a decrease in linear current due to a comb electrode shape; thus, on-state current can be kept unchanged even when parasitic capacitance is reduced.

Claims

1. A transistor comprising:

a gate electrode layer;

a gate insulating layer in contact with the gate electrode layer;

a semiconductor layer overlapping with the gate electrode layer with the gate insulating layer interposed between the semiconductor layer and the gate electrode layer;

a source electrode layer in a comb shape, including electrode tooth portions arranged adjacently at a predetermined interval and a connection portion for connecting the electrode tooth portions; and

a drain electrode layer in a comb shape, including electrode tooth portions arranged adjacently at a predetermined interval and a connection portion for connecting the electrode tooth portions,

wherein the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer are disposed such that the electrode tooth portions of the source electrode layer and the electrode tooth portions of the drain electrode layer face each other without interdigitating with each other,

wherein a part of an end of a first electrode tooth portion of the electrode tooth portions of one of the source and drain electrode layers and a part of the connection portion adjacent to the first electrode tooth portion face an end of one of the electrode tooth portions of the other of the source and drain electrode layers,

wherein the end of the first electrode tooth portion overlaps the gate electrode layer, and

wherein the connection portion does not overlap the gate electrode layer.

2. The transistor according to claim 1,

wherein an edge of the source electrode layer is in contact with the semiconductor layer and overlaps with the gate electrode layer with the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor layer interposed therebetween, and

wherein an edge of the drain electrode layer is in contact with the semiconductor layer and overlaps with the gate electrode layer with the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor layer interposed therebetween.

3. The transistor according to claim 2, wherein the semiconductor layer comprises an oxide semiconductor.

4. The transistor according to claim 1, wherein the connection portion of the source electrode layer and the gate electrode layer do not overlap with each other, and wherein the connection portion of the drain electrode layer and the gate electrode layer do not overlap with each other.

5. The transistor according to claim 1, wherein a sum of widths of ends of the electrode tooth portions of the source electrode layer is 3/8 to 1/1 of a width of the source electrode layer and 3/8 to 8/3 of a width of the drain electrode layer.

6. The transistor according to claim 1, wherein a sum of widths of ends of the electrode tooth portions of the drain electrode layer is 3/8 to 1/1 of a width of the drain electrode layer and 3/8 to 8/3 of a width of the source electrode layer.

7. The transistor according to claim 1, wherein an interval between adjacent electrode tooth portions of at least one of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer is greater than 0 μ

m and less than or equal to 5 μ

m.

8. A transistor comprising:

a gate electrode layer;

a gate insulating layer in contact with the gate electrode layer;

a semiconductor layer overlapping with the gate electrode layer with the gate insulating layer interposed between the semiconductor layer and the gate electrode layer;

a source electrode layer in a comb shape, including electrode tooth portions arranged adjacently at a predetermined interval and a connection portion for connecting the electrode tooth portions; and

a drain electrode layer in a comb shape, including electrode tooth portions arranged adjacently at a predetermined interval and a connection portion for connecting the electrode tooth portions,

wherein the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer are disposed such that the electrode tooth portions of the source electrode layer and the electrode tooth portions of the drain electrode layer face each other,

wherein a part of an end of a first electrode tooth portion of the electrode tooth portions of one of the source and drain electrode layers and a part of the connection portion adjacent to the first electrode tooth portion face an end of one of the electrode tooth portions of the other of the source and drain electrode layers,

wherein the end of the first electrode tooth portion overlaps the gate electrode layer, and

wherein the semiconductor layer comprises an oxide semiconductor.

9. The transistor according to claim 8,

wherein an edge of the source electrode layer is in contact with the semiconductor layer and overlaps with the gate electrode layer with the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor layer interposed therebetween, and

wherein an edge of the drain electrode layer is in contact with the semiconductor layer and overlaps with the gate electrode layer with the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor layer interposed therebetween.

10. The transistor according to claim 8, wherein the oxide semiconductor comprises In and Zn.

11. The transistor according to claim 8, wherein the connection portion of the source electrode layer and the gate electrode layer do not overlap with each other.

12. The transistor according to claim 8, wherein a sum of widths of ends of the electrode tooth portions of the source electrode layer is 3/8 to 1/1 of a width of the source electrode layer and 3/8 to 8/3 of a width of the drain electrode layer.

13. The transistor according to claim 8, wherein an interval between adjacent electrode tooth portions of the source electrode layer is greater than 0 μ

m and less than or equal to 5 μ

m.

14. The transistor according to claim 10, wherein the oxide semiconductor comprises Ga.

15. A transistor comprising:

a gate electrode layer;

a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode layer;

a semiconductor layer over the gate insulating layer;

a source electrode layer in a comb shape over the semiconductor layer, including electrode tooth portions arranged adjacently at a predetermined interval and a connection portion for connecting the electrode tooth portions; and

a drain electrode layer in a comb shape over the semiconductor layer, including electrode tooth portions arranged adjacently at a predetermined interval and a connection portion for connecting the electrode tooth portions,

wherein the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer are disposed such that the electrode tooth portions of the source electrode layer and the electrode tooth portions of the drain electrode layer face each other,

wherein a part of an end of a first electrode tooth portion of the electrode tooth portions of one of the source and drain electrode layers and a part of the connection portion adjacent to the first electrode tooth portion face an end of one of the electrode tooth portions of the other of the source and drain electrode layers,

wherein the end of the first electrode tooth portion overlaps the gate electrode layer, and

wherein the semiconductor layer comprises an oxide semiconductor.

16. The transistor according to claim 15,

wherein an edge of the source electrode layer is in contact with the semiconductor layer and overlaps with the gate electrode layer with the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor layer interposed therebetween, and

wherein an edge of the drain electrode layer is in contact with the semiconductor layer and overlaps with the gate electrode layer with the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor layer interposed therebetween.

17. The transistor according to claim 15, wherein the oxide semiconductor comprises In and Zn.

18. The transistor according to claim 15, wherein the connection portion of the source electrode layer and the gate electrode layer do not overlap with each other.

19. The transistor according to claim 15 wherein a sum of widths of ends of the electrode tooth portions of the source electrode layer is 3/8 to 1/1 of a width of the source electrode layer and 3/8 to 8/3 of a width of the drain electrode layer.

20. The transistor according to claim 15, wherein an interval between adjacent electrode tooth portions of the source electrode layer is greater than 0 μ

m and less than or equal to 5 μ

m.

21. The transistor according to claim 17, wherein the oxide semiconductor comprises Ga.

22. A device comprising:

a transistor comprising;

a gate electrode layer;

a gate insulating layer in contact with the gate electrode layer;

a semiconductor layer overlapping with the gate electrode layer with the gate insulating layer interposed between the semiconductor layer and the gate electrode layer;

a source electrode layer in a comb shape, including electrode tooth portions arranged adjacently at a predetermined interval and a connection portion for connecting the electrode tooth portions; and

a drain electrode layer in a comb shape, including electrode tooth portions arranged adjacently at a predetermined interval and a connection portion for connecting the electrode tooth portions,

wherein the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer are disposed such that the electrode tooth portions of the source electrode layer and the electrode tooth portions of the drain electrode layer face each other,

wherein a part of an end of a first electrode tooth portion of the electrode tooth portions of one of the source and drain electrode layers and a part of the connection portion adjacent to the first electrode tooth portion face an end of one of the electrode tooth portions of the other of the source and drain electrode layers,

wherein the end of the first electrode tooth portion overlaps the gate electrode layer, and

wherein the connection portion does not overlap the gate electrode layer.

23. The device according to claim 22, wherein the device is a liquid crystal display device.

24. The device according to claim 22,

wherein an edge of the source electrode layer is in contact with the semiconductor layer and overlaps with the gate electrode layer with the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor layer interposed therebetween, and

wherein an edge of the drain electrode layer is in contact with the semiconductor layer and overlaps with the gate electrode layer with the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor layer interposed therebetween.

25. The transistor according to claim 22, wherein the connection portion of the source electrode layer and the gate electrode layer do not overlap with each other.

26. The transistor according to claim 22, wherein a sum of widths of ends of the electrode tooth portions of the source electrode layer is 3/8 to 1/1 of a width of the source electrode layer and 3/8 to 8/3 of a width of the drain electrode layer.

27. The transistor according to claim 22, wherein an interval between adjacent electrode tooth portions of the source electrode layer is greater than 0 μ

m and less than or equal to 5 μ

m.