IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,193,031
Granted Patent B2
US 8,193,031 · App. 12/948,222 · Granted Jun 5, 2012

Method for manufacturing semiconductor device

Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,193,031
App. No.
12/948,222
Granted
Jun 5, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

An object is to provide a semiconductor device having stable electric characteristics in which an oxide semiconductor is used. An oxide semiconductor layer is subjected to heat treatment for dehydration or dehydrogenation treatment in a nitrogen gas or an inert gas atmosphere such as a rare gas (e.g., argon or helium) or under reduced pressure and to a cooling step for treatment for supplying oxygen in an atmosphere of oxygen, an atmosphere of oxygen and nitrogen, or the air (having a dew point of preferably lower than or equal to −40° C., still preferably lower than or equal to −50° C.) atmosphere. The oxide semiconductor layer is thus highly purified, whereby an i-type oxide semiconductor layer is formed. A semiconductor device including a thin film transistor having the oxide semiconductor layer is manufactured.

Claims (54)

1. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of:

forming a first insulating layer over a substrate;

introducing the substrate having the first insulating layer into a treatment chamber kept under reduced pressure;

forming an oxide semiconductor layer over the first insulating layer using a metal oxide target attached to the treatment chamber by introduction of a sputtering gas, from which hydrogen and moisture are removed, concurrently with removal of residual moisture from the treatment chamber;

performing a dehydration treatment or a dehydrogenation treatment of the oxide semiconductor layer by heating treatment in a nitrogen atmosphere or a rare gas atmosphere, then, supplying oxygen to the oxide semiconductor layer by cooling treatment in an oxygen atmosphere;

forming a second insulating layer over the oxide semiconductor layer by a sputtering method.

2. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the step of performing the dehydration treatment or the dehydrogenation treatment of the oxide semiconductor layer by heating treatment is done under reduced pressure.

3. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the dehydration treatment or the dehydrogenation treatment is performed by heating treatment at 200° C. to 700° C.

4. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein, from the treatment chamber in which the oxide semiconductor layer is formed, residual moisture is removed by exhaustion using a cryopump.

5. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein, from the treatment chamber in which the second insulating layer is formed, residual moisture is removed by exhaustion using a cryopump.

6. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the metal oxide target is metal oxide including indium, gallium, or zinc.

7. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of:

forming a gate electrode layer over a substrate;

forming a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode layer;

introducing the substrate having the gate electrode layer and the gate insulating layer into a treatment chamber kept under reduced pressure;

forming an oxide semiconductor layer over the gate insulating layer using a metal oxide target attached to the treatment chamber by introduction of a sputtering gas, from which hydrogen and moisture are removed, concurrently with removal of residual moisture from the treatment chamber;

performing a dehydration treatment or a dehydrogenation treatment of the oxide semiconductor layer by heating treatment in a nitrogen atmosphere or a rare gas atmosphere, then, supplying oxygen to the oxide semiconductor layer by cooling treatment in an oxygen atmosphere;

forming a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer over the dehydrated or dehydrogenated oxide semiconductor layer to which oxygen has been supplied; and

forming an insulating layer over the gate insulating layer, the oxide semiconductor layer, the source electrode layer, and the drain electrode layer by a sputtering method.

8. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 7 , wherein the step of performing the dehydration treatment or the dehydrogenation treatment of the oxide semiconductor layer by heating treatment is done under reduced pressure.

9. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 7 ,

wherein the dehydration treatment or the dehydrogenation treatment is performed by heating treatment at 200° C. to 700° C.

10. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 7 ,

wherein, from the treatment chamber in which the oxide semiconductor layer is formed, residual moisture is removed by exhaustion using a cryopump.

11. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 7 ,

wherein, from the treatment chamber in which the insulating layer is formed, residual moisture is removed by exhaustion using a cryopump.

12. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 7 ,

wherein a protective insulating layer is formed over the insulating layer.

13. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 7 ,

wherein the metal oxide target is metal oxide including indium, gallium, or zinc.

14. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of:

forming a gate electrode layer over a substrate;

forming a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode layer;

introducing the substrate having the gate electrode layer and the gate insulating layer into a treatment chamber kept under reduced pressure;

forming an oxide semiconductor layer over the gate insulating layer using a metal oxide target attached to the treatment chamber by introduction of a sputtering gas, from which hydrogen and moisture are removed, concurrently with removal of residual moisture from the treatment chamber;

performing a dehydration treatment or a dehydrogenation treatment of the oxide semiconductor layer by heating treatment in a nitrogen atmosphere or a rare gas atmosphere, then, supplying oxygen to the oxide semiconductor layer by cooling treatment in an atmosphere of oxygen and nitrogen or an air atmosphere having a dew point of lower than or equal to −40° C.;

forming a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer over the dehydrated or dehydrogenated oxide semiconductor layer to which oxygen has been supplied; and

forming an insulating layer over the gate insulating layer, the oxide semiconductor layer, the source electrode layer, and the drain electrode layer by a sputtering method.

15. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 14 ,

wherein the step of performing the dehydration treatment or the dehydrogenation treatment of the oxide semiconductor layer by heating treatment is done under reduced pressure.

16. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 14 ,

wherein the dehydration treatment or the dehydrogenation treatment is performed by heating treatment at 200° C. to 700° C.

17. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 14 ,

wherein, from the treatment chamber in which the oxide semiconductor layer is formed, residual moisture is removed by exhaustion using a cryopump.

18. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 14 ,

wherein, from the treatment chamber in which the insulating layer is formed, residual moisture is removed by exhaustion using a cryopump.

19. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 14 ,

wherein a protective insulating layer is formed over the insulating layer.

20. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 14 ,

wherein the metal oxide target is metal oxide including indium, gallium, or zinc.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 17, 2010
From: HOSOBA, MIYUKI; SAKATA, JUNICHIRO; OHARA, HIROKI; YAMAZAKI, SHUNPEI
To: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 025385/0440 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2009-264768 · Nov 20, 2009 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110124153A1 · May 26, 2011