Transistor and semiconductor device

• US 9,799,773 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2012
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Godo, Hiromichi, Kobayashi, Satoshi, Tsubuku, Masashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Pizarro, Marcos D
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIU, BENJAMIN T
• Application Number:
  US13/358,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20120193620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,098 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/42384 for thin film field effect transistors, e.g. characterised by the thickness or the shape of the insulator or the dimensions, the shape or the lay-out of the conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78648 arranged on opposing sides of the channel
• 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

A transistor which withstands a high voltage and controls large electric power can be provided. A transistor is provided which includes a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode, an oxide semiconductor layer which is over the gate insulating layer and overlaps with the gate electrode, and a source electrode and a drain electrode which are in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer and whose end portions overlap with the gate electrode. The gate insulating layer includes a first region overlapping with the end portion of the drain electrode and a second region adjacent to the first region. The first region has smaller capacitance than the second region.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a gate electrode;

a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode, wherein the gate insulating layer includes a first region, a second region, and a third region between the first region and the second region;

an oxide semiconductor layer over the gate insulating layer;

a first electrode over the gate insulating layer, wherein a part of the first electrode is over and in contact with one end portion of the oxide semiconductor layer; and

a second electrode over the gate insulating layer, wherein a part of the second electrode is over and in contact with the other end portion of the oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein in the first region, one end portion of the first electrode, the oxide semiconductor layer, and the gate electrode overlap each other,

wherein in the second region, one end portion of the second electrode, the oxide semiconductor layer, and the gate electrode overlap each other, and

wherein a thickness of the first region and a thickness of the second region are larger than a thickness of the third region.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the gate insulating layer in the first region and the second region is formed of stacked layers.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 2,

wherein the first region includes a first gate insulating layer and a second gate insulating layer,

wherein the second region includes the first gate insulating layer and a third gate insulating layer,

wherein the second gate insulating layer and the third gate insulating layer are over the first gate insulating layer, and

wherein a thickness of the second gate insulating layer and a thickness of the third gate insulating layer are larger than or equal to 100 nm.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 3,

wherein the first gate insulating layer protrudes from the first electrode in a direction orthogonal to a channel length direction when seen from the above.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 3,

wherein the second gate insulating layer protrudes from the second electrode in a direction orthogonal to a channel length direction when seen from the above.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the gate insulating layer in the first region and the second region is formed of a low-k material.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor device is incorporated in one selected from the group consisting of a laptop personal computer and a mobile phone.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the thickness of the first region and the thickness of the second region are larger than the thickness of the third region by 100 nm.

9. A semiconductor device comprising:

a gate electrode;

a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode;

an oxide semiconductor layer provided over the gate insulating layer and overlapping with the gate electrode;

a first electrode in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer; and

a second electrode provided in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer with a space between the first electrode and the second electrode,

wherein the gate insulating layer includes;

a first region;

a second region overlapping with one end portion of the second electrode, the oxide semiconductor layer, and the gate electrode;

a third region sandwiched between the first region and the second region and provided in contact with the first region with a space provided between the second region and the third region;

a fourth region sandwiched between the third region and the second region and provided in contact with the second region with a space between the third region and the fourth region; and

a fifth region sandwiched between the third region and the fourth region,

wherein each of a capacitance of the first region, a capacitance of the second region, a capacitance of the third region, and a capacitance of the fourth region is smaller than a capacitance of the fifth region, and

wherein in the first region, one end portion of the first electrode, the oxide semiconductor layer, and the gate electrode overlap each other.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein the first region, the second region, the third region, and the fourth region are formed of stacked layers.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein the first region, the second region, the third region, and the fourth region are formed of low-k materials.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein the semiconductor device is incorporated in one selected from the group consisting of a laptop personal computer and a mobile phone.