IP Library Granted Patent US 9,337,347
Granted Patent B2
US 9,337,347 · App. 14/575,122 · Granted May 10, 2016

Oxide semiconductor element and semiconductor device

Inventor: Junichi Koezuka (Tochigi, JP)
Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
H01L29/7869H01L29/66742H01L29/66969H01L29/78693H01L29/78696
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,337,347
App. No.
14/575,122
Granted
May 10, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor element having high mobility, which includes an oxide semiconductor layer having crystallinity, is provided. The oxide semiconductor layer includes a stacked-layer structure of a first oxide semiconductor film and a second oxide semiconductor film having a wider band gap than the first oxide semiconductor film, which is in contact with the first oxide semiconductor film. Thus, a channel region is formed in part of the first oxide semiconductor film (that is, in an oxide semiconductor film having a smaller band gap) which is in the vicinity of an interface with the second oxide semiconductor film. Further, dangling bonds in the first oxide semiconductor film and the second oxide semiconductor film are bonded to each other at the interface therebetween. Accordingly, a decrease in mobility resulting from an electron trap or the like due to dangling bonds can be reduced in the channel region.

Claims (43)

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a gate electrode on an insulating surface;

a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode; and

an oxide semiconductor layer over the gate insulating layer,

wherein the gate electrode and the oxide semiconductor layer overlap with each other with the gate insulating layer between the gate electrode and the oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein the oxide semiconductor layer has a stacked-layer structure comprising a first oxide semiconductor film and a second oxide semiconductor film,

wherein the second oxide semiconductor film is between the gate insulating layer and the first oxide semiconductor film,

wherein a value of a band gap of the first oxide semiconductor film is smaller than a value of a band gap of the second oxide semiconductor film, and

wherein the value of a band gap of the second oxide semiconductor film is larger by 0.2 eV or more than the value of a band gap of the first oxide semiconductor film.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor film is crystallized in the thickness direction 3 nm or more from an interface between the first oxide semiconductor film and the second oxide semiconductor film, and

wherein the second oxide semiconductor film is crystallized in the thickness direction 3 nm or more from the interface.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the first oxide semiconductor film contains at least nitrogen or phosphorus.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the second oxide semiconductor film contains at least boron or aluminum.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein a conduction band level of the first oxide semiconductor film is lower than a conduction band level of the second oxide semiconductor film.

6. An electronic device comprising the semiconductor device according to claim 1 .

7. A semiconductor device comprising:

a gate electrode on an insulating surface;

a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode; and

an oxide semiconductor layer over the gate insulating layer,

wherein the gate electrode and the oxide semiconductor layer overlap with each other with the gate insulating layer between the gate electrode and the oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein the oxide semiconductor layer has a stacked-layer structure comprising a first oxide semiconductor film and a second oxide semiconductor film,

wherein the second oxide semiconductor film is between the gate insulating layer and the first oxide semiconductor film, and

wherein a value of a band gap of the first oxide semiconductor film is smaller than a value of a band gap of the second oxide semiconductor film,

wherein a conduction band level of the first oxide semiconductor film is lower than a conduction band level of the second oxide semiconductor film.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 7 , wherein the oxide semiconductor layer comprises Ga.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 7 , wherein the first oxide semiconductor film contains at least nitrogen or phosphorus.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 7 , wherein the second oxide semiconductor film contains at least boron or aluminum.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 7 , wherein the oxide semiconductor layer comprises In and Zn.

12. An electronic device comprising the semiconductor device according to claim 7 .

13. A semiconductor device comprising:

a gate electrode on an insulating surface;

a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode; and

an oxide semiconductor layer over the gate insulating layer,

wherein the gate electrode and the oxide semiconductor layer overlap with each other with the gate insulating layer between the gate electrode and the oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein the oxide semiconductor layer has a stacked-layer structure comprising a first oxide semiconductor film and a second oxide semiconductor film,

wherein the second oxide semiconductor film is between the gate insulating layer and the first oxide semiconductor film, and

wherein a value of a band gap of the first oxide semiconductor film is smaller than a value of a band gap of the second oxide semiconductor film,

wherein each of the first oxide semiconductor film and the second oxide semiconductor film comprises In, Ga, and Zn, and

wherein a ratio of In:Ga:Zn of the first oxide semiconductor film is different from a ratio of In:Ga:Zn of the second oxide semiconductor film.

14. An electronic device comprising the semiconductor device according to claim 13 .

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 13 , wherein the first oxide semiconductor film contains at least nitrogen or phosphorus.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 13 , wherein the second oxide semiconductor film contains at least boron or aluminum.

Priority Claims (1)
JP 2011-009745 · Jan 20, 2011 · national
Continuity (2)
Division 13353597 · Jan 19, 2012
Related Publication 20150102347A1 · Apr 16, 2015