IP Library Granted Patent US 8,952,377
Granted Patent B2
US 8,952,377 · App. 13/527,882 · Granted Feb 10, 2015

Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof

Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki (Setagaya, JP); Satoshi Shinohara (Atsugi, JP)
Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
H01L29/7869H01L29/78696
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,952,377
App. No.
13/527,882
Granted
Feb 10, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided are a transistor which has electrical characteristics requisite for its purpose and uses an oxide semiconductor layer and a semiconductor device including the transistor. In the bottom-gate transistor in which at least a gate electrode layer, a gate insulating film, and the semiconductor layer are stacked in this order, an oxide semiconductor stacked layer including at least two oxide semiconductor layers whose energy gaps are different from each other is used as the semiconductor layer. Oxygen and/or a dopant may be added to the oxide semiconductor stacked layer.

Claims (69)

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a gate electrode;

a gate insulating film over the gate electrode;

an oxide semiconductor stacked layer over the gate insulating film comprising:

a first oxide semiconductor layer; and

a second oxide semiconductor layer over the first oxide semiconductor layer; and

a source electrode and a drain electrode over the oxide semiconductor stacked layer,

wherein an energy gap of the first oxide semiconductor layer and an energy gap of the second oxide semiconductor layer are different from each other, and

wherein the oxide semiconductor stacked layer comprises a crystal including a c-axis alignment.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the second oxide semiconductor layer covers a top and side surfaces of the first oxide semiconductor layer.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the oxide semiconductor stacked layer includes a low-resistance region including a dopant.

4. The semiconductor device according claim 1 ,

wherein the oxide semiconductor stacked layer comprises a mixed region between the first oxide semiconductor layer and the second oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer comprises a first element,

wherein the second oxide semiconductor layer comprises a second element, and

wherein the mixed region comprises the first element and the second element.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the oxide semiconductor stacked layer comprises a third oxide semiconductor layer over the second oxide semiconductor layer; and

wherein the energy gap of the second oxide semiconductor layer is smaller than an energy gap of the third oxide semiconductor layer.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 5 ,

wherein the third oxide semiconductor layer covers a side surface of the first oxide semiconductor layer and a top and side surfaces of the second oxide semiconductor layer.

7. A semiconductor device comprising:

a gate electrode;

a gate insulating film over the gate electrode;

a source electrode and a drain electrode over the gate insulating film; and

an oxide semiconductor stacked layer over the source electrode and the drain electrode comprising:

a first oxide semiconductor layer; and

a second oxide semiconductor layer over the first oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein an energy gap of the first oxide semiconductor layer and an energy gap of the second oxide semiconductor layer are different from each other, and

wherein the oxide semiconductor stacked layer comprises a crystal including a c-axis alignment.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 7 ,

wherein the second oxide semiconductor layer covers a top and side surfaces of the first oxide semiconductor layer.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 7 , wherein the oxide semiconductor stacked layer includes a low-resistance region including a dopant.

10. The semiconductor device according claim 7 ,

wherein the oxide semiconductor stacked layer comprises a mixed region between the first oxide semiconductor layer and the second oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer comprises a first element,

wherein the second oxide semiconductor layer comprises a second element, and

wherein the mixed region comprises the first element and the second element.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 7 ,

wherein the oxide semiconductor stacked layer comprises a third oxide semiconductor layer over the second oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein the energy gap of the second oxide semiconductor layer is smaller than an energy gap of the third oxide semiconductor layer.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 11 ,

wherein the third oxide semiconductor layer covers a side surface of the first oxide semiconductor layer and a top and side surfaces of the second oxide semiconductor layer.

13. A semiconductor device, comprising:

a gate electrode;

a gate insulating film over the gate electrode;

an oxide semiconductor stacked layer comprising:

a first oxide semiconductor layer; and

a second oxide semiconductor layer over the first oxide semiconductor layer; and

a source electrode and a drain electrode,

wherein the oxide semiconductor stacked layer and the source and drain electrodes are positioned over the gate insulating film,

wherein the oxide semiconductor stacked layer and the source and drain electrodes overlap each other, and

wherein an energy gap of the first oxide semiconductor layer and an energy gap of the second oxide semiconductor layer are different from each other, and

wherein the oxide semiconductor stacked layer comprises a crystal including a c-axis alignment.

14. The semiconductor device, according to claim 13 ,

wherein the second oxide semiconductor layer covers a top and side surfaces of the first oxide semiconductor layer.

15. The semiconductor device, according to claim 13 ,

wherein the oxide semiconductor stacked layer includes a low-resistance region including a dopant.

16. The semiconductor device, according to claim 13 ,

wherein the oxide semiconductor stacked layer comprises a mixed region between the first oxide semiconductor layer and the second oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer comprises a first element,

wherein the second oxide semiconductor layer comprises a second element, and

wherein the mixed region comprises the first element and the second element.

17. The semiconductor device, according to claim 13 ,

wherein the oxide semiconductor stacked layer comprises a third oxide semiconductor layer, and

wherein the energy gap of the second oxide semiconductor layer is smaller than an energy gap of the third oxide semiconductor layer.

18. The semiconductor device, according to claim 17 ,

wherein the third oxide semiconductor layer covers a side surface of the first oxide semiconductor layer and a top and side surfaces of the second oxide semiconductor layer.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 20, 2012
From: YAMAZAKI, SHUNPEI; SHINOHARA, SATOSHI
To: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 028410/0974 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2011-152099 · Jul 8, 2011 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20130009219A1 · Jan 10, 2013