IP Library Granted Patent US 11,552,111
Granted Patent B2
US 11,552,111 · App. 17/043,232 · Granted Jan 10, 2023

Semiconductor device

Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki (Setagaya, JP); Kenichi Okazaki (Tochigi, JP); Masami Jintyou (Shimotsuga, JP); Yukinori Shima (Tatebayashi, JP)
Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
H01L27/1251H01L27/127H01L27/1225H01L27/1237H01L21/426
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,552,111
App. No.
17/043,232
Granted
Jan 10, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor device having favorable and stable electrical characteristics is provided. The semiconductor device includes a first and a second transistor over an insulating surface. The first and the second transistors each include a first insulating layer, a semiconductor layer over the first insulating layer, a second insulating layer over the semiconductor layer, and a first conductive layer overlapping with the semiconductor layer with the second insulating layer interposed therebetween. The first insulating layer includes a convex first region that overlaps with the semiconductor layer and a second region that does not and is thinner than the first region. The first conductive layer includes a part over the second region where a lower surface of the first conductive layer is positioned below a lower surface of the semiconductor layer. The second transistor further includes a third conductive layer overlapping with the semiconductor layer with the first insulating layer interposed therebetween.

Claims (94)

1. A semiconductor device comprising a first transistor and a second transistor over an insulating surface,

the first transistor, comprising:

a first insulating layer;

a first semiconductor layer over the first insulating layer;

a second insulating layer over the first semiconductor layer; and

a first conductive layer overlapping with the first semiconductor layer with the second insulating layer interposed therebetween,

wherein a part of the first insulating layer overlaps with the first semiconductor layer and protrudes in a thickness direction,

wherein the first insulating layer comprises a first region that overlaps with the first semiconductor layer and a second region that does not overlap with the first semiconductor layer and has a thickness smaller than the first region,

wherein a part of the first conductive layer is positioned over the second region and a lower surface of the part is positioned below a lower surface of the first semiconductor layer,

the second transistor, comprising:

a second semiconductor layer over the first insulating layer;

the second insulating layer over the second semiconductor layer;

a second conductive layer overlapping with the second semiconductor layer with the second insulating layer interposed therebetween; and

a third conductive layer overlapping with the second semiconductor layer with the first insulating layer interposed therebetween,

wherein a part of the first insulating layer overlaps with the second semiconductor layer and protrudes in the thickness direction,

wherein the first insulating layer comprises a third region that overlaps with the second semiconductor layer and a fourth region that does not overlap with the second semiconductor layer and has a thickness smaller than the third region,

wherein a part of the second conductive layer is positioned over the fourth region and a lower surface of the part is positioned below a lower surface of the second semiconductor layer,

wherein an upper surface of part of the first conductive layer is positioned below the lower surface of the first semiconductor layer, and

wherein an upper surface of part of the second conductive layer is positioned below the lower surface of the second semiconductor layer.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein a thickness of the first region is greater than or equal to 1.2 times and less than or equal to 10 times a thickness of the second region.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein a gradient of a side surface of the first region is continuously changed from a portion in contact with a bottom end of the first semiconductor layer to the second region, and

wherein a gradient of a side surface of the third region is continuously changed from a portion in contact with a bottom end of the second semiconductor layer to the fourth region.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first semiconductor layer comprises a stacked-layer structure in which a first metal oxide film and a second metal oxide film are stacked in this order,

wherein the second semiconductor layer comprises a stacked-layer structure in which a third metal oxide film and a fourth metal oxide film are stacked in this order, and

wherein the second metal oxide film and the fourth metal oxide film have higher crystallinity than the first metal oxide film and the third metal oxide film.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

comprising a pixel portion and a driver circuit portion,

wherein the pixel portion comprises the first transistor, and

wherein the driver circuit portion comprises the second transistor.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first semiconductor layer comprises a fifth region that does not overlap with the first conductive layer,

wherein the second semiconductor layer comprises a sixth region that does not overlap with the second conductive layer,

wherein the fifth region and the sixth region comprise a first element, and

wherein the first element is any one or more of phosphorus, boron, magnesium, aluminum, and silicon.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 6 ,

wherein the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer comprise a metal oxide, and

wherein the fifth region and the sixth region comprise a bond between the first element and oxygen.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

further comprising a fourth insulating layer,

wherein the first semiconductor layer comprises a fifth region that does not overlap with the first conductive layer,

wherein the second semiconductor layer comprises a sixth region that does not overlap with the second conductive layer,

wherein the fourth insulating layer is in contact with the fifth region and the sixth region,

wherein the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer comprise a metal oxide, and

wherein the fourth insulating layer comprises a nitride.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 ,

wherein the fourth insulating layer comprises one or more elements selected from aluminum, titanium, tantalum, tungsten, chromium, and ruthenium and nitrogen, and

wherein indium in a metal state is present in the fifth region and the sixth region.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 ,

wherein the fourth insulating layer comprises silicon, nitrogen, and hydrogen.

11. A semiconductor device comprising a first transistor and a second transistor over an insulating surface,

the first transistor, comprising:

a first insulating layer;

a first semiconductor layer over the first insulating layer;

a second insulating layer over the first semiconductor layer; and

a first conductive layer overlapping with the first semiconductor layer with the second insulating layer interposed therebetween,

wherein a part of the first insulating layer overlaps with the first semiconductor layer and protrudes in a thickness direction,

wherein the first insulating layer comprises a first region that overlaps with the first semiconductor layer and a second region that does not overlap with the first semiconductor layer and has a thickness smaller than the first region,

wherein a part of the first conductive layer is positioned over the second region and a lower surface of the part is positioned below a lower surface of the first semiconductor layer,

wherein the second insulating layer is in contact with a side surface of the first region, an upper surface of the second region, and an upper surface and a side surface of the first semiconductor layer,

the second transistor, comprising:

a second semiconductor layer over the first insulating layer;

the second insulating layer over the second semiconductor layer;

a second conductive layer overlapping with the second semiconductor layer with the second insulating layer interposed therebetween; and

a third conductive layer overlapping with the second semiconductor layer with the first insulating layer interposed therebetween,

wherein a part of the first insulating layer overlaps with the second semiconductor layer and protrudes in the thickness direction,

wherein the first insulating layer comprises a third region that overlaps with the second semiconductor layer and a fourth region that does not overlap with the second semiconductor layer and has a thickness smaller than the third region,

wherein a part of the second conductive layer is positioned over the fourth region and a lower surface of the part is positioned below a lower surface of the second semiconductor layer,

wherein the second insulating layer is in contact with a side surface of the third region, an upper surface of the fourth region, and an upper surface and a side surface of the second semiconductor layer,

wherein an upper surface of part of the first conductive layer is positioned below the lower surface of the first semiconductor layer, and

wherein an upper surface of part of the second conductive layer is positioned below the lower surface of the second semiconductor layer.

12. A semiconductor device comprising a first transistor and a second transistor over an insulating surface,

the first transistor, comprising:

a first insulating layer;

a first semiconductor layer over the first insulating layer;

a second insulating layer over the first semiconductor layer; and

a first conductive layer overlapping with the first semiconductor layer with the second insulating layer interposed therebetween,

wherein a part of the first insulating layer overlaps with the first semiconductor layer and protrudes in a thickness direction,

wherein the first insulating layer comprises a first region that overlaps with the first semiconductor layer and a second region that does not overlap with the first semiconductor layer and has a thickness smaller than the first region,

wherein a part of the first conductive layer is positioned over the second region and a lower surface of the part is positioned below a lower surface of the first semiconductor layer,

wherein an upper surface shape of the second insulating layer is substantially equal to an upper surface shape of the first conductive layer,

the second transistor, comprising:

a second semiconductor layer over the first insulating layer;

a third insulating layer over the second semiconductor layer;

a second conductive layer overlapping with the second semiconductor layer with the third insulating layer interposed therebetween; and

a third conductive layer overlapping with the second semiconductor layer with the first insulating layer interposed therebetween,

wherein a part of the first insulating layer overlaps with the second semiconductor layer and protrudes in the thickness direction,

wherein the first insulating layer comprises a third region that overlaps with the second semiconductor layer and a fourth region that does not overlap with the second semiconductor layer and has a thickness smaller than the third region,

wherein a part of the second conductive layer is positioned over the fourth region and a lower surface of the part is positioned below a lower surface of the second semiconductor layer,

wherein an upper surface shape of the third insulating layer is substantially equal to an upper surface shape of the second conductive layer,

wherein an upper surface of part of the first conductive layer is positioned below the lower surface of the first semiconductor layer, and

wherein an upper surface of part of the second conductive layer is positioned below the lower surface of the second semiconductor layer.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 29, 2020
From: YAMAZAKI, SHUNPEI; OKAZAKI, KENICHI; JINTYOU, MASAMI; SHIMA, YUKINORI
To: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 053918/0291 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2018-081381 · Apr 20, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210020665A1 · Jan 21, 2021