Oxide Semiconductor Channel Structure With Oxygen-Nitrogen Gradient
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Solution Overview
Problem
As semiconductor devices, particularly transistors, are miniaturized with shorter channel lengths, the electrical characteristics and reliability are significantly affected by carrier density and defect states in the channel region, leading to challenges in achieving favorable electrical characteristics, high reliability, low power consumption, and high productivity in manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device with a metal oxide layer containing indium and other metals, featuring a concentration gradient of oxygen and nitrogen, and a layered structure with varying crystallinity, is manufactured using a method that includes sequential deposition of the metal oxide layers in a vacuum environment to reduce oxygen vacancies and impurities, enhancing the electrical properties and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If transistor miniaturization with shorter channel length is implemented, then device integration and resolution are improved, but electrical characteristics and reliability deteriorate due to increased carrier density and defect states
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating distinct regions within the insulating layer with different oxygen and nitrogen concentrations. The first region has higher oxygen concentration to reduce carrier density at the interface, while the second region has higher nitrogen concentration to suppress defect states. This localized compositional variation allows the device to maintain good electrical characteristics despite miniaturization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the insulating layer by controlling oxygen and nitrogen concentrations in different regions. By adjusting these compositional parameters during formation, the patent optimizes the electrical characteristics of miniaturized transistors, addressing reliability issues while maintaining small device dimensions.
2Productivity
If miniaturization is pursued to increase integration, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision becomes more difficult to achieve due to sensitivity to carrier density and defect states
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by forming regions with different chemical compositions within the insulating layer. The first region contains more oxygen to control carrier density, while the second region contains more nitrogen to control defect states. This localized compositional control enables precise manufacturing of miniaturized devices with consistent electrical characteristics.
3Reliability
If oxide semiconductor layers are stacked to improve field-effect mobility, then electrical characteristics are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of stacking multiple oxide semiconductor layers, the patent uses local quality by creating regions with different oxygen and nitrogen concentrations within a single insulating layer. This approach achieves the desired electrical characteristics through compositional variation rather than structural multiplication, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining high field-effect mobility.
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 approach results in semiconductor devices with improved electrical characteristics, high reliability, low power consumption, and high productivity, effectively addressing the challenges of miniaturization by minimizing carrier density and defect states in the channel region.
Implementation Method 1
sequential deposition of the metal oxide layers in a vacuum environment to reduce oxygen vacancies and impurities
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device with favorable electrical characteristics is to be provided. A highly reliable semiconductor device is to be provided. A semiconductor device with lower power consumption is to be provided. The semiconductor device includes a gate electrode, a first insulating layer over the gate electrode, a metal oxide layer over the first insulating layer, a pair of electrodes over the metal oxide layer, and a second insulating layer over the pair of electrodes. The first insulating layer includes a first region and a second region. The first region has a region being in contact with the metal oxide layer and containing more oxygen than the second region. The second region has a region containing more nitrogen than the first region. The metal oxide layer has at least a concentration gradient of oxygen in a thickness direction, and the concentration gradient becomes high on a first region side and on a second region side.