IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,729,432
Granted Patent B2
US 12,729,432 · App. 17/882,617 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof

Inventor: Shang-Lin Wu (Hsinchu, TW)
Assignee: AUO Corporation
C23C16/345C23C16/40H10D30/6713H10D30/6758
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,729,432
App. No.
17/882,617
Granted
Sep 8, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor device and a manufacturing method of the semiconductor device are provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first silicon nitride (SiN) layer, a second SiN layer, an oxide insulation layer, and a first metal oxide layer. The first SiN layer is located on or above the substrate. The second SiN layer is located above the first SiN layer. Both the first SiN layer and the second SiN layer include a hydrogen element. The second SiN layer has a hydrogen concentration lower than that of the first SiN layer and a thickness less than that of the first SiN layer. The oxide insulation layer is located on the second SiN layer. The first metal oxide layer is located on the oxide insulation layer. The second SiN layer is located between the first metal oxide layer and the substrate.

Claims (42)

1 . A semiconductor device, comprising:

a substrate;

a first silicon nitride layer, located on or above the substrate;

a passivation layer, located above the substrate;

a second silicon nitride layer, located above the first silicon nitride layer, wherein the first silicon nitride layer and the second silicon nitride layer both comprise a hydrogen element, a hydrogen concentration of the second silicon nitride layer is lower than a hydrogen concentration of the first silicon nitride layer, and a thickness of the second silicon nitride layer is less than a thickness of the first silicon nitride layer;

a third silicon nitride layer, wherein a lower surface of the third silicon nitride layer and a lower surface of the second silicon nitride layer are in direct contact with an upper surface of the passivation layer, wherein the third silicon nitride layer comprises a hydrogen element, the hydrogen concentration of the second silicon nitride layer is lower than a hydrogen concentration of the third silicon nitride layer, and the thickness of the second silicon nitride layer is less than a thickness of the third silicon nitride layer;

an oxide insulation layer, located on the second silicon nitride layer; and

a first metal oxide layer, located on the oxide insulation layer, wherein the second silicon nitride layer is located between the first metal oxide layer and the substrate.

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

a second metal oxide layer, located on the oxide insulation layer, wherein the third silicon nitride layer is located between the second metal oxide layer and the substrate, and the third silicon nitride layer is not overlapped with the first metal oxide layer in a normal direction of an upper surface of the substrate.

3 . The semiconductor device according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a gate dielectric layer, located on the first metal oxide layer and the second metal oxide layer;

a first gate and a second gate, located on the gate dielectric layer and respectively overlapped with the first metal oxide layer and the second metal oxide layer in the normal direction of the upper surface of the substrate;

a first source and a first drain, electrically connected to the first metal oxide layer; and

a second source and a second drain, electrically connected to the second metal oxide layer.

4 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrogen concentration of the third silicon nitride layer is higher than or equal to 20 at % and lower than or equal to 35 at %, and the hydrogen concentration of the second silicon nitride layer is higher than or equal to 5 at % and lower than 20 at %.

5 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the third silicon nitride layer and the thickness of the second silicon nitride layer are 100 angstroms to 3000 angstroms.

6 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein a density of the second silicon nitride layer is greater than or equal to 2.75 g/cm 3 .

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

a thin film transistor, located between the oxide insulation layer and the substrate.

8 . The semiconductor device according to claim 7 , wherein the thin film transistor is located between the oxide insulation layer and the first silicon nitride layer.

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

a second metal oxide layer, located on the oxide insulation layer, wherein a hydrogen concentration of a first channel region of the first metal oxide layer is lower than a hydrogen concentration of a second channel region of the second metal oxide layer.

10 . A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, comprising:

forming a first silicon nitride layer on or above a substrate;

forming a passivation layer above the substrate;

forming a first silicon nitride material layer above the passivation layer;

etching the first silicon nitride material layer to obtain a third silicon nitride layer;

forming a second silicon nitride layer above the first silicon nitride layer, wherein the first silicon nitride layer and the second silicon nitride layer both comprise a hydrogen element, a hydrogen concentration of the second silicon nitride layer is lower than a hydrogen concentration of the first silicon nitride layer, and a thickness of the second silicon nitride layer is less than a thickness of the first silicon nitride layer, wherein a lower surface of the third silicon nitride layer and a lower surface of the second silicon nitride layer are in direct contact with an upper surface of the passivation layer, wherein the third silicon nitride layer comprises a hydrogen element, the hydrogen concentration of the second silicon nitride layer is lower than a hydrogen concentration of the third silicon nitride layer, and the thickness of the second silicon nitride layer is less than a thickness of the third silicon nitride layer;

forming an oxide insulation layer on the second silicon nitride layer; and

forming a first metal oxide layer on the oxide insulation layer, wherein the second silicon nitride layer is located between the first metal oxide layer and the substrate.

11 . The manufacturing method according to claim 10 , further comprising:

forming an oxide layer on the first silicon nitride layer, wherein the step of forming the second silicon nitride layer comprises:

forming a second silicon nitride material layer on the oxide layer; and

etching the second silicon nitride material layer by applying hydrofluoric acid with a concentration of 0.5 wt % at a temperature higher than or equal to 20° C. and lower than or equal to 25° C. to obtain the second silicon nitride layer, wherein an etching rate of the second silicon nitride layer is less than or equal to 2 nanometers/minutes.

12 . The manufacturing method according to claim 10 , further comprising:

forming a second metal oxide layer on the oxide insulation layer;

forming a gate dielectric layer on the first metal oxide layer and the second metal oxide layer;

forming a first gate and a second gate on the gate dielectric layer, wherein the first gate and the second gate are respectively overlapped with the first metal oxide layer and the second metal oxide layer in a normal direction of an upper surface of the substrate;

performing a doping process on the first metal oxide layer and the second metal oxide layer with use of the first gate and the second gate as masks;

forming a first source and a first drain, wherein the first source and the first drain are electrically connected to the first metal oxide layer; and

forming a second source and a second drain, wherein the second source and the second drain are electrically connected to the second metal oxide layer.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 15, 2022
From: WU, SHANG-LIN
To: AUO CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 060802/0501 →
Priority Claims (1)
TW 111118368 · May 17, 2022 · national
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63287695 · Dec 9, 2021
Related Publication 20230183858A1 · Jun 15, 2023
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