IP Library Granted Patent US 9,466,619
Granted Patent B2
US 9,466,619 · App. 14/137,484 · Granted Oct 11, 2016

Resistor, display device, and electronic device

Inventor: Shunpei Yamazaki (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
H01L27/1225H01L27/1255H01L2924/0002
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,466,619
App. No.
14/137,484
Granted
Oct 11, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

To provide a novel resistor. To provide a display device having a novel structure that can improve its reliability. To provide a display device having a novel structure that can reduce electrostatic discharge damages. The resistor includes a semiconductor layer and an insulating layer formed over the semiconductor layer, and the semiconductor layer is an oxide represented by an In-M-Zn oxide that contains at least indium (In), zinc (Zn), and M (M is a metal such as Al, Ga, Ge, Y, Zr, Sn, La, Ce, or Hf) and the insulating layer contains at least hydrogen.

Claims (58)

1. A resistor comprising:

a first insulating layer over a substrate;

a second insulating layer over the first insulating layer;

a semiconductor layer over the second insulating layer;

a pair of electrodes over the semiconductor layer;

a third insulating layer comprising an opening over the pair of electrodes; and

a fourth insulating layer over the third insulating layer,

wherein the semiconductor layer is an oxide comprising indium, zinc, and a metal selected from the group consisting of Al, Ga, Ge, Y, Zr, Sn, La, Ce, and Hf,

wherein the fourth insulating layer comprises hydrogen, and

wherein the fourth insulating layer is in contact with the semiconductor layer through the opening.

2. The resistor according to claim 1 ,

wherein the semiconductor layer comprises a microcrystalline region,

wherein a plurality of spots of an electron diffraction pattern are circumferentially observed from the microcrystalline region by a transmission electron microscope when a beam diameter is set larger than or equal to 5 nmφ and smaller than or equal to 10 nmφ, and

wherein no spots of an electron diffraction pattern are observed from the microcrystalline region by the transmission electron microscope when a beam diameter is set larger than or equal to 300 nmφ.

3. The resistor according to claim 1 , wherein the fourth insulating layer is a silicon nitride film.

4. The resistor according to claim 1 , wherein a resistivity of the semiconductor layer is higher than or equal to 1×10 −3 Ωcm and lower than 1×10 4 Ωcm.

5. The resistor according to claim 1 , wherein a concentration of hydrogen contained in the insulating layer is 1×10 22 atoms/cm 3 or higher.

6. A display device comprising:

a pixel portion;

a driver circuit portion outside the pixel portion; and

a protection circuit portion electrically connected to one or both of the pixel portion and the driver circuit portion,

wherein the pixel portion comprises a pixel electrode and a first transistor electrically connected to the pixel electrode,

wherein the driver circuit portion comprises a second transistor configured to control on state or off state of the first transistor,

wherein each of the first transistor and the second transistor comprises a first oxide semiconductor layer in a channel formation region,

wherein the protection circuit portion comprises an insulating layer and a second oxide semiconductor layer formed in the same process where the first oxide semiconductor layer is formed,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer and the second oxide semiconductor layer are each an oxide comprising indium, zinc, and a metal selected from the group consisting of Al, Ga, Ge, Y, Zr, Sn, La, Ce, and Hf,

wherein a concentration of hydrogen in the first oxide semiconductor layer is different from a concentration of hydrogen in the second oxide semiconductor layer, and

wherein the insulating layer comprises hydrogen.

7. The display device according to claim 6 ,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer and the second oxide semiconductor layer each comprise a microcrystalline region,

wherein a plurality of spots of an electron diffraction pattern is circumferentially observed from the microcrystalline region by a transmission electron microscope when a beam diameter is set larger than or equal to 5 nmφ and smaller than or equal to 10 nmφ, and

wherein no spots of an electron diffraction pattern are observed from the microcrystalline region by the transmission electron microscope when a beam diameter is set larger than or equal to 300 nmφ.

8. The display device according to claim 6 , wherein the concentration of hydrogen contained in the second oxide semiconductor layer is higher than the concentration of hydrogen contained in the first oxide semiconductor layer.

9. The display device according to claim 6 , wherein a resistivity of the second oxide semiconductor layer is lower than a resistivity of the first oxide semiconductor layer.

10. The display device according to claim 6 , wherein a concentration of hydrogen contained in the insulating layer is 1×10 22 atoms/cm 3 or higher.

11. The display device according to claim 6 ,

wherein the insulating layer is in contact with the second oxide semiconductor layer, and

wherein the insulating layer is not in contact with the first oxide semiconductor layer.

12. An electronic device including the display device according to claim 6 .

13. A display device comprising:

a pixel portion; and

a protection circuit portion electrically connected to the pixel portion,

wherein the pixel portion comprises a pixel electrode and a first transistor electrically connected to the pixel electrode,

wherein the first transistor comprises a first oxide semiconductor layer in a channel formation region,

wherein the protection circuit portion comprises an insulating layer and a second oxide semiconductor layer formed in the same process where the first oxide semiconductor layer is formed,

wherein the insulating layer is in contact with the second oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein the insulating layer is not in contact with the first oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer and the second oxide semiconductor layer are each an oxide comprising indium, zinc, and a metal selected from the group consisting of Al, Ga, Ge, Y, Zr, Sn, La, Ce, and Hf, and

wherein the insulating layer comprises hydrogen.

14. The display device according to claim 13 ,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer and the second oxide semiconductor layer each comprise a microcrystalline region,

wherein a plurality of spots of an electron diffraction pattern is circumferentially observed from the microcrystalline region by a transmission electron microscope when a beam diameter is set larger than or equal to 5 nmφ and smaller than or equal to 10 nmφ, and

wherein no spots of an electron diffraction pattern are observed from the microcrystalline region by the transmission electron microscope when a beam diameter is set larger than or equal to 300 nmφ.

15. The display device according to claim 13 , wherein a concentration of hydrogen contained in the second oxide semiconductor layer is higher than a concentration of hydrogen contained in the first oxide semiconductor layer.

16. The display device according to claim 13 , wherein a resistivity of the second oxide semiconductor layer is lower than a resistivity of the first oxide semiconductor layer.

17. The display device according to claim 13 , wherein a concentration of hydrogen contained in the insulating layer is 1×10 22 atoms/cm 3 or higher.

18. The display device according to claim 13 , wherein the insulating layer is a silicon nitride film.

19. An electronic device including the display device according to claim 13 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 2, 2014
From: YAMAZAKI, SHUNPEI
To: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 031880/0046 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2012-281873 · Dec 25, 2012 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20140175436A1 · Jun 26, 2014