Semiconductor device

• US 9,559,213 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2015
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Shunpei
• Primary Examiner(s): Blum, David S
• Application Number:
  US14/854,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20160005878A1
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: 257/43
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/045 by their particular orientation of crystalline planes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78693 the semiconducting oxide being amorphous
• 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

Provided is a transistor which includes an oxide semiconductor film and has stable electrical characteristics. In the transistor, over an oxide film which can release oxygen by being heated, a first oxide semiconductor film which can suppress oxygen release at least from the oxide film is formed. Over the first oxide semiconductor film, a second oxide semiconductor film is formed. With such a structure in which the oxide semiconductor films are stacked, the oxygen release from the oxide film can be suppressed at the time of the formation of the second oxide semiconductor film, and oxygen can be released from the oxide film in later-performed heat treatment. Thus, oxygen can pass through the first oxide semiconductor film to be favorably supplied to the second oxide semiconductor film. Oxygen supplied to the second oxide semiconductor film can suppress the generation of oxygen deficiency, resulting in stable electrical characteristics.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first oxide semiconductor film;

a second oxide semiconductor film over the first oxide semiconductor film, and

an insulating film over the second oxide semiconductor film, wherein a hydrogen concentration in the insulating film is less than 7.2×

10²⁰ atoms/cm³,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor film and the second oxide semiconductor film each comprises indium, gallium, and zinc, and

wherein the first oxide semiconductor film has a lower content percentage of indium and a higher content percentage of gallium than the second oxide semiconductor film.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the first oxide semiconductor film comprises a low-resistance region and a high-resistance region, the high-resistance region being located outside the second oxide semiconductor film.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the second oxide semiconductor film comprises a channel region and a pair of low-resistance regions in contact with the channel region.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein either end of the second oxide semiconductor film in a channel width direction comprises a high-resistance region.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a content percentage of gallium is higher than or equal to a content percentage of indium in the first oxide semiconductor film.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a content percentage of indium is higher than a content percentage of gallium in the second oxide semiconductor film.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the second oxide semiconductor film comprises a crystal portion.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a carrier concentration in the second oxide semiconductor film is less than 1×

10¹⁴ /cm³.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a copper concentration in the second oxide semiconductor film is less than or equal to 1×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm³.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein an aluminum concentration in the second oxide semiconductor film is less than or equal to 1×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm³.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a chlorine concentration in the second oxide semiconductor film is less than or equal to 2×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm³.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a hydrogen concentration in the second oxide semiconductor film is less than or equal to 5×

10¹⁹ atoms/cm³.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the insulating film contains oxygen at a ratio exceeding a ratio of oxygen in a stoichiometric composition of the insulating film.

14. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first transistor, wherein a channel formation region of the first transistor comprises a semiconductor material;

an insulating film over the first transistor; and

a second transistor over the insulating film, the second transistor comprising;

a first oxide semiconductor film;

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

a gate insulating film over the second oxide semiconductor film; and

a gate electrode over the second oxide semiconductor film with the gate insulating film interposed therebetween,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor film and the second oxide semiconductor film each comprises indium, gallium, and zinc, and

wherein the first oxide semiconductor film has a lower content percentage of indium and a higher content percentage of gallium than the second oxide semiconductor film.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 14, wherein the first oxide semiconductor film comprises a low-resistance region and a high-resistance region, the high-resistance region being located outside the second oxide semiconductor film.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 14, wherein the second oxide semiconductor film comprises a channel region and a pair of low-resistance regions in contact with the channel region.

17. The semiconductor device according to claim 14, wherein either end of the second oxide semiconductor film in a channel width direction comprises a high-resistance region.

18. The semiconductor device according to claim 14, wherein a content percentage of gallium is higher than or equal to a content percentage of indium in the first oxide semiconductor film.

19. The semiconductor device according to claim 14, wherein a content percentage of indium is higher than a content percentage of gallium in the second oxide semiconductor film.

20. The semiconductor device according to claim 14, further comprising a source electrode and a drain electrode which are provided over the gate insulating film,

wherein the gate insulating film has a first opening and a second opening,

wherein the source electrode and the drain electrode are electrically connected to the second oxide semiconductor film through the first opening and the second opening, respectively, and

wherein a distance between the gate electrode and the first opening and a distance between the gate electrode and the second opening are different.

21. The semiconductor device according to claim 14, wherein the second oxide semiconductor film comprises a crystal portion.

22. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first oxide semiconductor film;

a second oxide semiconductor film, wherein the first oxide semiconductor film and the second oxide semiconductor film overlap each other; and

an insulating film adjacent to the second oxide semiconductor film, wherein a hydrogen concentration in the insulating film is less than 7.2×

10²⁰ atoms/cm³,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor film and the second oxide semiconductor film each comprises indium, gallium, and zinc, and

wherein the first oxide semiconductor film has a lower content percentage of indium and a higher content percentage of gallium than the second oxide semiconductor film.

23. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, wherein the first oxide semiconductor film comprises a low-resistance region and a high-resistance region, the high-resistance region being located outside the second oxide semiconductor film.

24. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, wherein the second oxide semiconductor film comprises a channel region and a pair of low-resistance regions in contact with the channel region.

25. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, wherein either end of the second oxide semiconductor film in a channel width direction comprises a high-resistance region.

26. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, wherein a content percentage of gallium is higher than or equal to a content percentage of indium in the first oxide semiconductor film.

27. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, wherein a content percentage of indium is higher than a content percentage of gallium in the second oxide semiconductor film.

28. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, wherein the second oxide semiconductor film comprises a crystal portion.

29. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, wherein a carrier concentration in the second oxide semiconductor film is less than 1×

10¹⁴ /cm³.

30. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, wherein a copper concentration in the second oxide semiconductor film is less than or equal to 1×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm³.

31. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, wherein an aluminum concentration in the second oxide semiconductor film is less than or equal to 1×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm³.

32. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, wherein a chlorine concentration in the second oxide semiconductor film is less than or equal to 2×

10¹⁸ atoms/cm³.

33. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, wherein a hydrogen concentration in the second oxide semiconductor film is less than or equal to 5×

10¹⁹ atoms/cm³.

34. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, wherein the insulating film contains oxygen at a ratio exceeding a ration of oxygen in a stoichiometric composition of the insulating film.