Semiconductor device and display device including the semiconductor device

• US 9,590,111 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2014
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Shunpei
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thinh T
• Application Number:
  US14/532,220
• Publication Number:
  US 20150123120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 257/43, 257/59, 257/57, 257/71, 257/E29.273, 438/149, 438/85, 438/86, 438/104, 438/754
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/441 Deposition of conductive or insulating materials for electrodes
• 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 27/1255 integrated with passive devices, e.g. auxiliary capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/41733 for thin film transistors with insulated gate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/4175 for lateral devices where the connection to the source or drain region is done through at least one part of the semiconductor substrate thickness, e.g. with connecting sink or with via-hole
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78693 the semiconducting oxide being amorphous

Abstract

A highly reliable semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor is provided. The concentration of impurities contained in an oxide semiconductor of a semiconductor device including the oxide semiconductor is reduced. Electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor are improved. The semiconductor device includes an oxide semiconductor film; a gate electrode layer overlapping with the oxide semiconductor film; a gate insulating film between the oxide semiconductor film and the gate electrode layer; a metal oxide film overlapping with the gate insulating film with the oxide semiconductor film positioned therebetween; and a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor film. The metal oxide film covers at least a channel region and a side surface of the oxide semiconductor film.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

an oxide semiconductor film;

a gate electrode layer, the oxide semiconductor film overlapping the gate electrode layer;

a gate insulating film between the oxide semiconductor film and the gate electrode layer;

a metal oxide film overlapping the oxide semiconductor film, the oxide semiconductor film positioned between the metal oxide film and the gate insulating film; and

a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer over the metal oxide film,

wherein the metal oxide film comprises an In—

Metal—

Zn oxide in which an atomic ratio of Metal is higher than that of In,

wherein Metal is any one if Ti, Ga, Y, Zr, La, Ce, Nd, Sn, and Hf,

wherein the metal oxide film covers a channel region and a side surface of the oxide semiconductor film,

wherein the metal oxide film has a first opening and a second opening reaching the oxide semiconductor film, and

wherein the source electrode layer is electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor film through the first opening, and the drain electrode layer is electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor film through the second opening.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the oxide semiconductor film contains an In-M-Zn oxide, and

wherein M is Ti, Ga, Y, Zr, La, Ce, Nd, Sn, or Hf.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the metal oxide film contains an In-M-Zn oxide or an In-M oxide, and

wherein M is Ti, Ga, Y, Zr, La, Ce, Nd, Sn, or Hf.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the metal oxide film is in contact with the oxide semiconductor film.

5. A display device comprising the semiconductor device according to claim 1.

6. An electronic device comprising the display device according to claim 5.

7. A semiconductor device comprising:

an oxide semiconductor film;

a gate electrode layer, the oxide semiconductor film overlapping the gate electrode layer;

a gate insulating film between the oxide semiconductor film and the gate electrode layer;

a metal oxide film overlapping the oxide semiconductor film, the oxide semiconductor film positioned between the metal oxide film and the gate insulating film; and

a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer over the metal oxide film,

wherein the metal oxide film comprises an In—

Metal—

Zn oxide in which an atomic ration of Metal is higher than that of In,

wherein Metal is any one of Ti, Ga, Y, Zr, La, Ce, Nd, Sn, and Hf,

wherein a conduction band minimum of the metal oxide film is closer to a vacuum level than a conduction band minimum of the oxide semiconductor film is,

wherein the metal oxide film covers a channel region and a side surface of the oxide semiconductor film,

wherein the metal oxide film has a first opening and a second opening reaching the oxide semiconductor film, and

wherein the source electrode layer is electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor film through the first opening, and the drain electrode layer is electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor film through the second opening.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 7,

wherein the oxide semiconductor film contains an In-M-Zn oxide, and

wherein M is Ti, Ga, Y, Zr, La, Ce, Nd, Sn, or Hf.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 7,

wherein the metal oxide film contains an In-M-Zn oxide or an In-M oxide, and

wherein M is Ti, Ga, Y, Zr, La, Ce, Nd, Sn, or Hf.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 7,

wherein the metal oxide film is in contact with the oxide semiconductor film.

11. A display device comprising the semiconductor device according to claim 7.

12. An electronic device comprising the display device according to claim 11.

13. A semiconductor device comprising:

a gate electrode layer;

a gate insulating film over the gate electrode layer;

an oxide semiconductor film that is over the gate insulating film and overlaps the gate electrode layer;

a metal oxide film covering a channel region and a side surface of the oxide semiconductor film; and

a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer over the metal oxide film,

wherein the metal oxide film comprises an In—

Metal—

Zn oxide in which an atomic ratio of Metal is higher than that of In,

wherein Metal is any one of Ti, Ga, Y, Zr, La, Ce, Nd, Sn, and Hf,

wherein the metal oxide film is positioned between the source electrode layer and the oxide semiconductor film and between the drain electrode layer and the oxide semiconductor film,

wherein the metal oxide film has a first opening and a second opening reaching the oxide semiconductor film, and

wherein the source electrode layer is electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor film through the first opening, and the drain electrode layer is electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor film through the second opening.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 13,

wherein a conduction band minimum of the metal oxide film is closer to a vacuum level than a conduction band minimum of the oxide semiconductor film is.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 13,

wherein the oxide semiconductor film contains an In-M-Zn oxide, and

wherein M is Ti, Ga, Y, Zr, La, Ce, Nd, Sn, or Hf.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 13,

wherein the metal oxide film contains an In-M-Zn oxide or an In-M oxide, and wherein M is Ti, Ga, Y, Zr, La, Ce, Nd, Sn, or Hf.

17. A display device comprising the semiconductor device according to claim 13.

18. An electronic device comprising the display device according to claim 17.

19. The semiconductor device according to claim 13,

wherein an energy difference between the vacuum level and a conduction band minimum of the metal oxide film is smaller than an energy difference between a vacuum level and a conduction band minimum of the oxide semiconductor film, and

wherein a conduction band minimum of the oxide semiconductor film is different from a conduction band minimum of the metal oxide film.