Metal Oxide Film Structure for Low-Vacancy Crystallinity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor devices using metal oxide films lack stability and reliability due to the presence of amorphous structures and high oxygen vacancies, which affect the electric characteristics and crystallinity.
Innovation Solution
A metal oxide film with a unique structure featuring minute crystal parts and random surface orientations is formed using a sputtering method at room temperature in an oxygen-rich atmosphere, reducing oxygen vacancies and enhancing physical stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If an amorphous oxide semiconductor film is used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the device reliability and electric characteristics are poor due to high oxygen vacancies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the crystalline state parameter of the oxide semiconductor from amorphous to c-axis aligned crystalline structure. This parameter change reduces oxygen vacancies and improves electric characteristics while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through sputtering method with specific conditions (oxygen atmosphere, substrate temperature control).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure with a c-axis aligned crystalline oxide semiconductor film layer over an amorphous oxide semiconductor layer. This composite structure combines the manufacturing simplicity of amorphous materials with the superior electrical properties of crystalline materials, achieving both ease of manufacture and high reliability.
2Reliability
If a c-axis aligned crystalline oxide semiconductor film is formed, then the electric characteristics and reliability are improved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes sputtering parameters including oxygen atmosphere composition, substrate temperature, and power conditions to achieve c-axis alignment. By controlling these parameters, the patent forms the desired crystalline structure through a relatively simple single-step sputtering process, avoiding the need for complex multi-step manufacturing procedures.
3Stability of the object's composition
If oxygen vacancies are reduced in the metal oxide film, then the physical stability is enhanced, but additional processing steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary oxygen introduction during the sputtering deposition process itself, rather than requiring separate post-processing steps. By controlling the sputtering atmosphere to be oxygen-rich and adjusting deposition conditions, oxygen vacancies are prevented from forming in the first place, achieving both high physical stability and manufacturing efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The resulting metal oxide film provides highly stable physical properties and improves the reliability of semiconductor devices by minimizing oxygen vacancies and maintaining crystallinity, leading to improved electric characteristics.
Implementation Method 1
A metal oxide film with a unique structure featuring minute crystal parts and random surface orientations is formed using a sputtering method at room temperature in an oxygen-rich atmosphere
Data Source
AI summary
A metal oxide film including a crystal part and having highly stable physical properties is provided. The size of the crystal part is less than or equal to 10 nm, which allows the observation of circumferentially arranged spots in a nanobeam electron diffraction pattern of the cross section of the metal oxide film when the measurement area is greater than or equal to 5 nmφ and less than or equal to 10 nmφ.