IP Library Granted Patent US 12690219
Granted Patent B2
US 12690219 · App. 18/451,218 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same

Inventors: Yosuke Kajiwara (Yokohama, JP); Miyoko Shimada (Yokohama, JP); Kento Minamikawa (Yokohama, JP); Hiroshi Ono (Tokyo, JP); Daimotsu Kato (Kawasaki, JP); Masahiko Kuraguchi (Yokohama, JP)
Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA; TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION
H10D30/475H10D30/015H10D30/47H10D30/478H10D62/105H10D62/117H10D62/124H10D62/8503H10D64/512H10D64/513
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12690219
App. No.
18/451,218
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, a first semiconductor region, a second semiconductor region, a first nitride region, and a first insulating member. The first semiconductor region includes Al x1 Ga 1-x1 N (0≤x1<1). The second semiconductor region includes Al x2 Ga 1-x2 N (0<x2<1, x1<x2). A first nitride portion thickness along a second direction of the first nitride portion is thicker than a second nitride portion thickness along the first direction of the part of the second nitride portion. A first semiconductor portion thickness along the second direction of the first semiconductor portion is thicker than the first nitride portion thickness.

Claims (108)

1 . A semiconductor device, comprising:

a first electrode;

a second electrode, a direction from the first electrode to the second electrode being along a first direction;

a third electrode including a first electrode portion, a position of the third electrode in the first direction being between a position of the first electrode in the first direction and a position of the second electrode in the first direction;

a first semiconductor region including Al x1 Ga 1-x1 N (0≤x1<1), the first semiconductor region including a first partial region, a second partial region, a third partial region, a fourth partial region, and a fifth partial region, a second direction from the first partial region to the first electrode crossing the first direction, a direction from the second partial region to the second electrode being along the second direction, a direction from the third partial region to the first electrode portion being along the second direction, a position of the fourth partial region in the first direction being between a position of the first partial region in the first direction and a position of the third partial region in the first direction, a position of the fifth partial region in the first direction being between the position of the third partial region in the first direction and a position of the second partial region in the first direction;

a second semiconductor region including Al x2 Ga 1-x2 N (0<x2<1, x1<x2), the second semiconductor region including a first semiconductor portion, a direction from the fifth partial region to the first semiconductor portion being along the second direction;

a first nitride region including Al and N, the first nitride region including a first nitride portion and a second nitride portion, the first nitride portion being located between the third partial region and the first electrode portion in the second direction; and

a first insulating member including a first insulating portion and a second insulating portion, the first insulating portion being located between the first nitride portion and the first electrode portion, a part of the second nitride portion being located between the first insulating portion and the fifth partial region in the first direction, another part of the second nitride portion being located between the second insulating portion and the first semiconductor portion,

a first nitride portion thickness along the second direction of the first nitride portion being thicker than a second nitride portion thickness along the first direction of the part of the second nitride portion, and

a first semiconductor portion thickness along the second direction of the first semiconductor portion being thicker than the first nitride portion thickness,

wherein

the first semiconductor portion thickness is not less than 15 nm and not more than 40 nm,

the first nitride portion thickness is not less than 1 nm and not more than 10 nm, and

the second nitride portion thickness is not less than 0.5 nm and not more than 5 nm.

2 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the second semiconductor region further includes a second semiconductor portion,

a direction from the fourth partial region to the second semiconductor portion is along the second direction, and

the first electrode portion is located between the first semiconductor portion and the second semiconductor portion in the first direction.

3 . The semiconductor device according to claim 2 , wherein

the first nitride region further includes a fourth nitride portion,

a part of the fourth nitride portion is located between the fourth partial region and the first insulating portion in the first direction,

the first nitride portion thickness is thicker than a fourth nitride portion thickness along the first direction of the part of the fourth nitride portion,

a second semiconductor portion thickness along the second direction of the second semiconductor portion is thicker than the first nitride portion thickness,

the first insulating member further includes a third insulating portion, and

at least a part of the third insulating portion is located between the part of the fourth nitride portion and the first insulating portion.

4 . The semiconductor device according to claim 2 , wherein

the first nitride region further includes a third nitride portion and a fifth nitride portion,

the first semiconductor portion is located between the fifth partial region and the third nitride portion,

a third nitride portion thickness along the second direction of the third nitride portion is thicker than the second nitride portion thickness,

the second semiconductor portion is located between the fourth partial region and the fifth nitride portion, and

a fifth nitride portion thickness along the second direction of the fifth nitride portion is thicker than the second nitride portion thickness.

5 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the third partial region includes a first facing face,

the first facing face faces the first nitride portion,

the first semiconductor portion includes a first face and a second face,

the second face faces the fifth partial region,

the second face is located between the fifth partial region and the first face in the second direction, and

a distance along the second direction between a position of the first facing face in the second direction and a position of the first face in the second direction is not less than 100 nm and not more than 400 nm.

6 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a first compound region including Al and oxygen,

the first compound region including a first compound portion and a second compound portion,

the first compound portion being located between the first nitride portion and the first insulating portion, and

the second compound portion being located between the second insulating portion and the second nitride portion.

7 . The semiconductor device according to claim 6 , wherein

at least one of the first compound portion or the second compound portion includes an amorphous portion.

8 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first insulating member includes at least one selected from the group consisting of SiO 2 , SiON, AlSiON, AlON and Al 2 O 3 .

9 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a second insulating member including a first insulating region,

the first semiconductor portion being located between the fifth partial region and the first insulating region, and

the second insulating member including at least one selected from the group consisting of SiN, SiO 2 , SiON, AlSiON, AlON and Al 2 O 3 .

10 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first nitride region further includes a third nitride portion,

the first semiconductor portion is located between the fifth partial region and the third nitride portion, and

a third nitride portion thickness along the second direction of the third nitride portion is thicker than the second nitride portion thickness.

11 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first nitride region further includes a fifth nitride portion,

a direction from the fourth partial region to the fifth nitride portion is along the second direction, and

a direction from the fifth nitride portion to the first nitride portion is along the first direction.

12 . A semiconductor device, comprising:

a first electrode;

a second electrode, a direction from the first electrode to the second electrode being along a first direction;

a third electrode including a first electrode portion, a position of the third electrode in the first direction being between a position of the first electrode in the first direction and a position of the second electrode in the first direction;

a first semiconductor region including Al x1 Ga 1-x1 N (0≤x1<1), the first semiconductor region including a first partial region, a second partial region, a third partial region, a fourth partial region, and a fifth partial region, a second direction from the first partial region to the first electrode crossing the first direction, a direction from the second partial region to the second electrode being along the second direction, a direction from the third partial region to the first electrode portion being along the second direction, a position of the fourth partial region in the first direction being between a position of the first partial region in the first direction and a position of the third partial region in the first direction, a position of the fifth partial region in the first direction being between the position of the third partial region in the first direction and a position of the second partial region in the first direction;

a second semiconductor region including Al x2 Ga 1-x2 N (0<x2<1, x1<x2), the second semiconductor region including a first semiconductor portion, a direction from the fifth partial region to the first semiconductor portion being along the second direction;

a first nitride region including Al and N, the first nitride region including a first nitride portion and a second nitride portion, the first nitride portion being located between the third partial region and the first electrode portion in the second direction; and

a first insulating member including a first insulating portion and a second insulating portion, the first insulating portion being located between the first nitride portion and the first electrode portion, a part of the second nitride portion being located between the first insulating portion and the fifth partial region in the first direction, another part of the second nitride portion being located between the second insulating portion and the first semiconductor portion,

a first nitride portion thickness along the second direction of the first nitride portion being thicker than a second nitride portion thickness along the first direction of the part of the second nitride portion, and

a first semiconductor portion thickness along the second direction of the first semiconductor portion being thicker than the first nitride portion thickness,

wherein

the first nitride portion includes Al z1 Ga 1-z1 N (0<z1<1, x2<z1), and

the second nitride portion includes Al z2 Ga 1-z2 N (0<z2≤1, z1<z2).

13 . The semiconductor device according to claim 12 , wherein

the x2 is not less than 0.1 and not more than 0.35, and

the z1 is not less than 0.6 and less than 1.

14 . The semiconductor device according to claim 13 , wherein

the z1 is not less than 0.6 and not more than 0.98, and

the z2 is more than 0.98 and not more than 1.

15 . A semiconductor device, comprising:

a first electrode;

a second electrode, a direction from the first electrode to the second electrode being along a first direction;

a third electrode including a first electrode portion, a position of the third electrode in the first direction being between a position of the first electrode in the first direction and a position of the second electrode in the first direction;

a first semiconductor region including Alx1Ga1-x1N (0≤x1<1), the first semiconductor region including a first partial region, a second partial region, a third partial region, a fourth partial region, and a fifth partial region, a second direction from the first partial region to the first electrode crossing the first direction, a direction from the second partial region to the second electrode being along the second direction, a direction from the third partial region to the first electrode portion being along the second direction, a position of the fourth partial region in the first direction being between a position of the first partial region in the first direction and a position of the third partial region in the first direction, a position of the fifth partial region in the first direction being between the position of the third partial region in the first direction and a position of the second partial region in the first direction;

a second semiconductor region including Al x2 Ga 1-x2 N (0<x2<1, x1<x2), the second semiconductor region including a first semiconductor portion, a direction from the fifth partial region to the first semiconductor portion being along the second direction;

a first nitride region including Al and N, the first nitride region including a first nitride portion and a second nitride portion, the first nitride portion being located between the third partial region and the first electrode portion in the second direction;

a first insulating member including a first insulating portion and a second insulating portion, the first insulating portion being located between the first nitride portion and the first electrode portion, a part of the second nitride portion being located between the first insulating portion and the fifth partial region in the first direction, another part of the second nitride portion being located between the second insulating portion and the first semiconductor portion; and

a first compound region including Al and oxygen,

a first nitride portion thickness along the second direction of the first nitride portion being thicker than a second nitride portion thickness along the first direction of the part of the second nitride portion, and

a first semiconductor portion thickness along the second direction of the first semiconductor portion being thicker than the first nitride portion thickness,

the first compound region including a first compound portion and a second compound portion,

the first compound portion being located between the first nitride portion and the first insulating portion, and

the second compound portion being located between the second insulating portion and the second nitride portion,

wherein

a second compound portion thickness along the first direction of the second compound portion is thicker than a first compound portion thickness along the second direction of the first compound portion.

16 . The semiconductor device according to claim 15 , wherein

the second compound portion thickness is 3 nm or less.

17 . A semiconductor device, comprising:

a first electrode;

a second electrode, a direction from the first electrode to the second electrode being along a first direction;

a third electrode including a first electrode portion, a position of the third electrode in the first direction being between a position of the first electrode in the first direction and a position of the second electrode in the first direction;

a first semiconductor region including Al x1 Ga 1-x1 N (0≤x1<1), the first semiconductor region including a first partial region, a second partial region, a third partial region, a fourth partial region, and a fifth partial region, a second direction from the first partial region to the first electrode crossing the first direction, a direction from the second partial region to the second electrode being along the second direction, a direction from the third partial region to the first electrode portion being along the second direction, a position of the fourth partial region in the first direction being between a position of the first partial region in the first direction and a position of the third partial region in the first direction, a position of the fifth partial region in the first direction being between the position of the third partial region in the first direction and a position of the second partial region in the first direction;

a second semiconductor region including Al x2 Ga 1-x2 N (0<x2<1, x1<x2), the second semiconductor region including a first semiconductor portion, a direction from the fifth partial region to the first semiconductor portion being along the second direction;

a first nitride region including Al and N, the first nitride region including a first nitride portion, the first nitride portion being located between the third partial region and the first electrode portion in the second direction; and

a first insulating member including a first insulating portion and a second insulating portion, the first insulating portion being located between the first nitride portion and the first electrode portion, the second insulating portion contacting the fifth partial region,

wherein

the first nitride region includes Alz1Ga1-z1N (0<z1<1, x2<z1),

the x2 is not less than 0.1 and not more than 0.35, and

the z1 is not less than 0.6 and not more than 1.