IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,635,144
Granted Patent B2
US 12,635,144 · App. 18/043,669 · Granted May 19, 2026

Metal oxide film and semiconductor device

Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki (Tokyo, JP); Yasuhiro Jinbo (Isehara, JP); Hitoshi Kunitake (Isehara, JP); Yuji Egi (Atsugi, JP); Masahiro Takahashi (Atsugi, JP); Shuntaro Kochi (Yokohama, JP)
Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
H10B53/30H10B53/10H10D30/0321H10D30/6755H10D30/6757
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,635,144
App. No.
18/043,669
Granted
May 19, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A material having favorable ferroelectricity is provided. An embodiment of the present invention is a metal oxide film including a first layer and a second layer. The first layer contains first oxygen and hafnium, and the second layer contains second oxygen and zirconium. The hafnium and the zirconium are bonded to each other with the first oxygen positioned therebetween, and the second oxygen is bonded to the zirconium.

Claims (38)

1 . A semiconductor device comprising:

a capacitor and a transistor electrically connected to the capacitor,

wherein the capacitor comprises a first conductor, a second conductor, and a metal oxide film between the first conductor and the second conductor,

wherein the metal oxide film has a layered crystal structure,

wherein the layered crystal structure has a structure in which a first layer and a second layer are alternately stacked,

wherein the first layer comprises first oxygen and hafnium,

wherein the second layer comprises second oxygen and zirconium,

wherein the first oxygen is bonded the hafnium,

wherein the first oxygen is bonded to the zirconium,

wherein the second oxygen is bonded to the zirconium,

wherein the metal oxide film has ferroelectricity, and

wherein the metal oxide film comprises hafnium oxide and zirconium oxide.

2 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the transistor comprises silicon in a channel formation region.

3 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region.

4 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein a concentration of at least one of hydrogen and carbon in the metal oxide film is less than or equal to 5×10 20 atoms/cm 3 .

5 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein a concentration of at least one of hydrogen and carbon in the metal oxide film is less than or equal to 1×10 20 atoms/cm 3 .

6 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide film comprises chlorine.

7 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the transistor comprises indium oxide in a channel formation region.

8 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein one of the first conductor and the second conductor comprises titanium nitride.

9 . A semiconductor device comprising:

a ferroelectric capacitor and a transistor electrically connected to the ferroelectric capacitor,

wherein the ferroelectric capacitor comprises a first conductor, a second conductor, and a metal oxide film between the first conductor and the second conductor,

wherein the metal oxide film has a layered crystal structure,

wherein the layered crystal structure has a structure in which a first layer and a second layer are alternately stacked,

wherein the first layer comprises first oxygen and hafnium,

wherein the second layer comprises second oxygen and zirconium,

wherein the first oxygen is bonded the hafnium,

wherein the first oxygen is bonded to the zirconium,

wherein the second oxygen is bonded to the zirconium,

wherein the metal oxide film comprises hafnium oxide and zirconium oxide, and

wherein the layered crystal structure comprises an orthorhombic crystal structure.

10 . The semiconductor device according to claim 9 , wherein the transistor comprises silicon in a channel formation region.

11 . The semiconductor device according to claim 9 , wherein the transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region.

12 . The semiconductor device according to claim 9 , wherein the transistor comprises indium oxide in a channel formation region.

13 . The semiconductor device according to claim 9 , wherein a concentration of at least one of hydrogen and carbon in the metal oxide film is less than or equal to 5×10 20 atoms/cm 3 .

14 . The semiconductor device according to claim 9 , wherein a concentration of at least one of hydrogen and carbon in the metal oxide film is less than or equal to 1×10 20 atoms/cm 3 .

15 . The semiconductor device according to claim 9 , wherein the metal oxide film comprises chlorine.

16 . The semiconductor device according to claim 9 , wherein one of the first conductor and the second conductor comprises titanium nitride.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2023
From: YAMAZAKI, SHUNPEI; JINBO, YASUHIRO; KUNITAKE, HITOSHI; EGI, YUJI; TAKAHASHI, MASAHIRO; KOCHI, SHUNTARO
To: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 062932/0631 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2020-150192 · Sep 7, 2020 · national
JP 2020-197135 · Nov 27, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230269949A1 · Aug 24, 2023
References Cited (73)
US 6780704B1 · Raaijmakers et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 6812510B2 · Horii et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 6831315B2 · Raaijmakers et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 7029971B2 · Borland · 2006 [cited by examiner]
US 8169013B2 · Iizuka et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8212299B2 · Iizuka et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8815678B2 · Iizuka et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 9418837B2 · Akiyama et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 10056497B2 · Tanaka et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10685983B2 · Ito et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10923600B2 · Tanaka et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11646378B2 · Tanaka et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 12191399B2 · Tanaka et al. · 2025 [cited by applicant]
US 20010024387A1 · Raaijmakers et al. · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 20020074584A1 · Yang · 2002 [cited by examiner]
US 20020190294A1 · Iizuka et al. · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 20030230773A1 · Horii et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 20040175586A1 · Raaijmakers et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20050051824A1 · Iizuka et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20110304017A1 · Iwaki · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20120146196A1 · Lee et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120261735A1 · Iizuka et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120276484A1 · Izumi et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20140225105A1 · Tanaka · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20140327064A1 · Iizuka et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20150017813A1 · Akiyama et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150380641A1 · Ino · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20160190290A1 · Nomura et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160284859A1 · Asami · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170040457A1 · Okazaki et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170148860A1 · Park et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180261798A1 · Choi et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180366174A1 · Liu · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190305045A1 · Sharma · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200028112A1 · Choi et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200091162A1 · Morris et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200212336A1 · Heo et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20210233769A1 · Yamazaki et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210265353A1 · Okamoto et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20250120126A1 · Tanaka et al. · 2025 [cited by applicant]
CN 001391283A · 2003 [cited by applicant]
CN 001855500A · 2006 [cited by applicant]
DE 10226381 · 2003 [cited by applicant]
DE 102005062964 · 2006 [cited by applicant]
JP 2001200363A · 2001 [cited by applicant]
JP 2002373945A · 2002 [cited by applicant]
JP 2006310754A · 2006 [cited by applicant]
JP 2019220516A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
JP 2020009960A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
KR 20010070264A · 2001 [cited by applicant]
KR 20020094933A · 2002 [cited by applicant]
KR 20060113249A · 2006 [cited by applicant]
KR 20120064966A · 2012 [cited by applicant]
KR 20140143763A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
TW 486771 · 2002 [cited by applicant]
TW 583727 · 2004 [cited by applicant]
TW 200638514 · 2006 [cited by applicant]
TW 201349343 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
TW 201707204 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
TW 201830708 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2013150920 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2019235092 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2022038450 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2022049449 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
Toriumi.A, “Ferroelectric properties of thin HfO2 films”, Oyobuturi , Sep. 10, 2019, vol. 88, No. 9, pp. 586-596, JSAP(The Japan Society of Applied Physics). [cited by applicant]
International Search Report (Application No. PCT/IB2021/057803) Dated Oct. 26, 2021. [cited by applicant]
Written Opinion (Application No. PCT/IB2021/057803) Dated Oct. 26, 2021. [cited by applicant]
Okuno.J et al., “SoC compatible 1T1C FeRAM memory array based on ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2”, 2020 Symposium on VLSI Technology : Digest of Technical Papers, Jun. 16, 2020, p. 2pages. [cited by applicant]
Ferroelectricity in hafnium oxide thin films, Appl. Phys. Lett. (Applied Physics Letters) , Sep. 8, 2011, vol. 99, No. 10, pp. 102903-1-102903-3. [cited by applicant]
Fan.Z et al., “Ferroelectric HfO2—based materials for next-generation ferroelectric memories”, Journal of Advanced Dielectrics, May 3, 2016, vol. 6, No. 2, pp. 1630003-1-1630003-11. [cited by applicant]
Toriumi.A, “Ferroelectricity of HfO2 thin film”, Oyobuturi , Sep. 10, 2019, vol. 88, No. 9, pp. 586-596, JSAP(The Japan Society of Applied Physics). [cited by applicant]
Taiwanese Office Action (Application No. 110130166) Dated May 6, 2025. [cited by applicant]
Taiwanese Office Action (Application No. 110130166) Dated Apr. 8, 2026. [cited by applicant]