An oxide /ˈɒksaɪd/ is a chemical compound that contains at least one oxygen atom and one other element in its chemical formula. "Oxide" itself is the dianion of oxygen, an O²⁻ atom. Metal oxides thus typically contain an anion of oxygen in the oxidation state of −2. Most of the Earth's crust consists of solid oxides, the result of elements being oxidized by the oxygen in air or in water. Hydrocarbon combustion affords the two principal carbon oxides: carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Even materials considered pure elements often develop an oxide coating. For example, aluminium foil develops a thin skin of Al₂O₃ (called a passivation layer) that protects the foil from further corrosion. Individual elements can often form multiple oxides, each containing different amounts of the element and oxygen. In some cases these are distinguished by specifying the number of atoms as in carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, and in other cases by specifying the element's oxidation number, as in iron(II) oxide and iron(III) oxide. Certain elements can form many different oxides, such as those of nitrogen. other examples are silicon, iron, titanium, and aluminium oxides.
A transistor is provided, which is entirely and partially transparent by the use of a transparent channel layer made of zincoxide or the like. A channel layer 11 formed of a transparent semiconductor such as zincoxide ZnO. A transparent electrode is used for all of a source 12, a drain 13 and a gate 14, or a part of them. As the transparent electrode, a transparent conductive material such as conductive ZnO doped with, for example, group III elements is used. As a gate insulating layer 15, a transparent insulative material such as insulative ZnO doped with elements capable of taking a valence of one as a valence number or group V elements is used. If a substrate 16 must be transparent, for example, glass, sapphire, plastic or the like can be used as a transparent material.
The present invention relates to a process of making a zinc-oxide-based thin film semiconductor, for use in a transistor, comprising thin film deposition onto a substrate comprising providing a plurality of gaseous materials comprising at least first, second, and third gaseous materials, wherein the first gaseous material is a zinc-containing volatile material and the second gaseous material is reactive therewith such that when one of the first or second gaseous materials are on the surface of the substrate the other of the first or second gaseous materials will react to deposit a layer of material on the substrate and wherein the third gaseous material is inert with respect to reacting with the first or second gaseous materials.
A semiconductor device includes an oxidesemiconductor thin film layer primarily including zincoxide having at least one orientation other than (002) orientation. The zincoxide may have a mixed orientation including (002) orientation and (101) orientation. Alternatively, the zinc oxide may have a mixed orientation including (100) orientation and (101) orientation.
A zincoxide (ZnO) field effecttransistor exhibits large input amplitude by using a gate insulating layer. A channel layer and the gate insulating layer are sequentially laminated on a substrate. A gate electrode is formed on the gate insulating layer. A source contact and a drain contact are disposed at the both sides of the gate contact and are electrically connected to the channel layer via openings. The channel layer is formed from n-type ZnO. The gate insulating layer is made from aluminum nitride / aluminum gallium nitride (AlN / AlGaN) or magnesiumzincoxide (MgZnO), which exhibits excellent insulation characteristics, thus increasing the Schottky barrier and achieving large input amplitude. If the FET is operated in the enhancement mode, it is operable in a manner similar to a siliconmetaloxidesemiconductorfield effecttransistor (Si-MOS-type FET), resulting in the formation of an inversion layer.
A zincoxide (ZnO) thin film transistor (TFT) and method of forming the same are provided. The ZnO may include a ZnO semiconductor channel, a conductive ZnO gate forming an electric field around the ZnO semiconductor channel, an ZnO gate insulator interposed between the conductive ZnO gate and the ZnO semiconductor channel and an insulating ZnO passivation layer on the ZnO semiconductor channel, the conductive ZnO gate and the ZnO gate insulator to protect the ZnO semiconductor channel, the conductive ZnO gate, and the ZnO gate insulator. A thin film transistor (TFT) may be formed by forming a semiconductor channel, forming a conductive gate having an electric field around the semiconductor channel, forming a gate insulator between the conductive gate and the semiconductor channel, and forming an insulating passivation layer on the semiconductor channel, the conductive gate and the gate insulator.