IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,615,804
Granted Patent B1
US 12,615,804 · App. 19/363,197 · Granted Apr 28, 2026

Thin-film transistors with metal oxide channel interfaces

Inventors: Ken Cadien (Edmonton, CA); Joel Fleck (Edmonton, CA); Kwanghyun Kim (Edmonton, CA)
Assignee: Zinite Corporation
H10D30/6755H10D30/0314H10D30/6706H10D30/6731H10D30/6736H10D30/6757H10D62/60
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,615,804
App. No.
19/363,197
Granted
Apr 28, 2026
Kind
B1
Abstract

An example thin-film transistor includes a source, a drain, a gate, and a body of channel material disposed within the influence of the gate between the source and the drain. The body of channel material includes a metal oxide. The body of channel material forms a carrier channel between the source and the drain when sufficient voltage is applied to the gate. The source includes a body of source material that includes ruthenium and an oxide-stabilizing metal that has an oxide that has greater hydrogen stability than ruthenium oxide.

Claims (36)

1 . A thin-film transistor comprising:

a source;

a drain;

a gate; and

a body of channel material disposed within the influence of the gate between the source and the drain, the body of channel material including a metal oxide, the body of channel material to form a carrier channel between the source and the drain when sufficient voltage is applied to the gate;

wherein the source includes a body of source material that includes ruthenium and an oxide-stabilizing metal that has an oxide that has greater hydrogen stability than ruthenium oxide, and

wherein the body of source material contains a majority of ruthenium with a minority of the oxide-stabilizing metal.

2 . The thin-film transistor of claim 1 , wherein the oxide-stabilizing metal is selected from the group consisting of chromium, cobalt, and molybdenum.

3 . The thin-film transistor of claim 1 , wherein the oxide-stabilizing metal is chromium.

4 . The thin-film transistor of claim 1 , further comprising a source-channel interface at the body of source material adjacent the body of channel material, wherein the source-channel interface includes ruthenium oxide and the oxide of the oxide-stabilizing metal.

5 . The thin-film transistor of claim 1 , wherein the body of source material consists essentially of ruthenium and the oxide-stabilizing metal.

6 . The thin-film transistor of claim 1 , wherein the body of source material is ruthenium with about 15 atomic % oxide-stabilizing metal or less.

7 . The thin-film transistor of claim 1 , wherein the body of source material is ruthenium with about 10 atomic % oxide-stabilizing metal or less.

8 . The thin-film transistor of claim 1 , wherein the body of source material is ruthenium with about 5 atomic % oxide-stabilizing metal or less.

9 . The thin-film transistor of claim 1 , wherein the drain includes a body of drain material that includes ruthenium and the oxide-stabilizing metal.

10 . The thin-film transistor of claim 9 , further comprising a drain-channel interface at the body of drain material adjacent the body of channel material, wherein the drain-channel interface includes ruthenium oxide and the oxide of the oxide-stabilizing metal.

11 . A method of manufacturing a thin-film transistor comprising:

forming a body of source material;

forming a body of drain material;

forming a body of channel material; and

forming a body of gate material;

wherein the body of channel material is formed within the influence of the body of gate material between the bodies of source and drain material, wherein the body of channel material includes a metal oxide;

wherein the body of source material includes ruthenium and an oxide-stabilizing metal that has an oxide that has greater hydrogen stability than ruthenium oxide, and

wherein the body of source material is formed to contain a majority of ruthenium with a minority of the oxide-stabilizing metal.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the oxide-stabilizing metal is selected from the group consisting of chromium, cobalt, and molybdenum.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the oxide-stabilizing metal is chromium.

14 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising forming a source-channel interface at the body of source material, wherein the source-channel interface includes ruthenium oxide and the oxide of the oxide-stabilizing metal.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein forming the source-channel interface comprises applying oxygen plasma to the body of source material.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the body of source material is formed to consist essentially of ruthenium and the oxide-stabilizing metal.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the body of source material is formed of ruthenium with about 15 atomic % oxide-stabilizing metal or less.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the body of source material is formed of ruthenium with about 10 atomic % oxide-stabilizing metal or less.

19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the body of source material is formed of ruthenium with about 5 atomic % oxide-stabilizing metal or less.

20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the body of drain material includes ruthenium and the oxide-stabilizing metal.

21 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising forming a drain-channel interface at the body of drain material, wherein the drain-channel interface includes ruthenium oxide and the oxide of the oxide-stabilizing metal.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein forming the drain-channel interface comprises applying oxygen plasma to the body of drain material.

23 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the body of source material is formed by sputtering.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 20, 2025
From: CADIEN, KEN; FLECK, JOEL; KIM, KWANGHYUN
To: ZINITE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 072608/0227 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 63714396 · Oct 31, 2024
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