Oxide-Semiconductor Backend Transistor Structure for Low Leakage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Transistors formed in the interconnect layer of semiconductor devices using oxide-semiconductor materials face challenges with low charge carrier mobility, high channel resistance, and high threshold voltage due to low electron concentration, leading to high off current leakage and low on current.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an oxide-semiconductor channel layer with high electron concentration and an oxide-semiconductor barrier layer with low electron concentration to achieve low threshold voltage, low channel resistance, and low off current leakage, while maintaining high on current.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If oxide-semiconductor materials with low electron concentration are used in the channel layer, then off current leakage is reduced, but channel resistance increases and on current decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating distinct regions within the channel layer with different electron concentrations. The first channel layer region has high electron concentration to reduce channel resistance and enable high on current, while the second channel layer region has low electron concentration to reduce off current leakage. This spatial differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between reducing leakage and maintaining conductivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The channel layer is segmented into multiple regions with different electron concentrations rather than using a uniform material composition. This segmentation allows each region to perform its specialized function: the high electron concentration region handles current conduction while the low electron concentration region provides leakage control, thereby resolving the technical contradiction.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If oxide-semiconductor materials with low electron concentration are used, then off current leakage is reduced, but threshold voltage increases
Solution Approach 1:
By localizing the low electron concentration region to specific areas of the channel layer rather than using it uniformly, the patent achieves leakage control without excessively increasing threshold voltage. The high electron concentration regions maintain easier switching characteristics while the localized low electron concentration regions provide leakage suppression.
3Reliability
If high electron concentration oxide-semiconductor material is used in the channel layer, then channel resistance is reduced and on current is increased, but off current leakage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent confines high electron concentration material to specific channel layer regions that are optimized for current conduction, while other regions use low electron concentration material for leakage control. This localized application allows the high electron concentration regions to reduce channel resistance without causing device-wide increase in off current leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The channel layer is divided into functional segments where high electron concentration regions handle conduction and low electron concentration regions handle leakage suppression, resolving the contradiction between improving conductivity and controlling leakage through spatial segmentation.
Data Source
AI summary
A transistor structure (e.g., a backend transistor structure in an interconnect layer of a semiconductor device) is formed to include an oxide-semiconductor channel layer having a high electron concentration oxide-semiconductor material. The high electron concentration oxide-semiconductor material enables a low threshold voltage and a low channel resistance to be achieved for the oxide-semiconductor channel layer, which enables a high on current to be achieved for the transistor structure. To provide channel control over the oxide-semiconductor channel layer, an oxide-semiconductor barrier layer is included between the source/drain electrodes of the transistor structure and the oxide-semiconductor channel layer. The oxide-semiconductor barrier layer includes a low electron concentration oxide-semiconductor material, which enables increased control over the conductivity of the oxide-semiconductor channel layer to be achieved, which enables a low off current leakage to be achieved for the transistor structure.