IP Library Granted Patent US 9,917,206
Granted Patent B2
US 9,917,206 · App. 15/134,892 · Granted Mar 13, 2018

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 9,917,206
App. No.
15/134,892
Granted
Mar 13, 2018
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 (44)

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first oxide semiconductor film;

a second oxide semiconductor film in contact with the first oxide semiconductor film; and

a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer in contact with side surfaces of the first oxide semiconductor film and the second oxide semiconductor film,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor film comprises a two-component metal oxide which comprises In and Zn,

wherein the second oxide semiconductor film comprises a three-component metal oxide which comprises In, Ga, and Zn,

wherein each of the first oxide semiconductor film and the second oxide semiconductor film comprises a crystal portion having c-axis alignment, and

wherein a value of a band gap of the second oxide semiconductor film is larger than a value of a band gap of the first oxide semiconductor film.

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

a gate electrode over a substrate; and

a gate insulating layer between the second oxide semiconductor film and the gate electrode.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein a difference between the value of the band gap of the second oxide semiconductor film and the value of the band gap of the first oxide semiconductor film is 0.2 eV or more.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein a c-axis of the crystal portion of the first oxide semiconductor film is aligned in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the first oxide semiconductor film, and

wherein a c-axis of the crystal portion of the second oxide semiconductor film is aligned in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the second oxide semiconductor film.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the second oxide semiconductor film is formed using an oxide target,

wherein the oxide target comprises In, Zn, and Ga, and

wherein in the oxide target, an atomic ratio of Ga is lower than an atomic ratio of In and an atomic ratio of Zn.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein a difference between the value of the band gap of the second oxide semiconductor film and the value of the band gap of the first oxide semiconductor film is 0.4 eV or more.

7. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first oxide semiconductor film;

a second oxide semiconductor film in contact with the first oxide semiconductor film; and

a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer in contact with side surfaces of the first oxide semiconductor film and the second oxide semiconductor film,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor film comprises a two-component metal oxide which is an In—Zn-based oxide,

wherein the second oxide semiconductor film comprises an In—Ga—Zn-based oxide,

wherein each of the first oxide semiconductor film and the second oxide semiconductor film comprises a crystal portion having c-axis alignment, and

wherein a value of a band qap of the second oxide semiconductor film is larger than a value of a band gap of the first oxide semiconductor film.

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

a gate electrode over a substrate; and

a gate insulating layer between the second oxide semiconductor film and the gate electrode.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 7 ,

wherein a difference between the value of the band gap of the second oxide semiconductor film and the value of the band gap of the first oxide semiconductor film is 0.2 eV or more.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 7 ,

wherein a c-axis of the crystal portion of the first oxide semiconductor film is aligned in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the first oxide semiconductor film, and

wherein a c-axis of the crystal portion of the second oxide semiconductor film is aligned in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the second oxide semiconductor film.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 7 ,

wherein the second oxide semiconductor film is formed using an oxide target,

wherein the oxide target comprises In, Zn, and Ga, and

wherein in the oxide target, an atomic ratio of Ga is lower than an atomic ratio of In and an atomic ratio of Zn.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 7 ,

wherein a difference between the value of the band gap of the second oxide semiconductor film and the value of the band gap of the first oxide semiconductor film is 0.4 eV or more.

Priority Claims (1)
JP 2011-009745 · Jan 20, 2011 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 14575122 · Dec 18, 2014
Division 13353597 · Jan 19, 2012
Related Publication 20160233342A1 · Aug 11, 2016