Oxide Semiconductor Layer Defect Reduction via Excess Oxygen
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor devices with oxide semiconductor layers face issues such as high defect densities, leading to unstable electric characteristics and low field-effect mobility, which affect the performance and reliability of transistors.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced to reduce defect densities in oxide semiconductor layers by incorporating excess oxygen, which fills oxygen vacancies and stabilizes the layer, thereby improving the semiconductor device's performance and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If an oxide semiconductor layer is formed using conventional methods, then the layer can be created, but it contains a high density of defect states including oxygen vacancies and hydrogen impurities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing heat treatment in an oxygen atmosphere before the oxide semiconductor layer is fully formed. This pre-treatment introduces oxygen into the layer in advance, creating oxygen-excess regions that will later fill oxygen vacancies and reduce defect states during subsequent processing steps
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the oxygen concentration parameter by forming an oxygen-excess oxide semiconductor layer with higher oxygen content than stoichiometric composition. This parameter change from stoichiometric to oxygen-excess state enables the layer to self-correct defects through oxygen diffusion, reducing oxygen vacancies and improving electrical characteristics
2Reliability
If high-temperature heat treatment or laser light treatment is applied to form polycrystalline silicon layer, then field-effect mobility is improved, but the process complexity and equipment requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the oxygen concentration parameter to create an oxygen-excess state, which enables defect reduction at lower temperatures compared to conventional high-temperature treatments. This parameter change allows achieving improved field-effect mobility without requiring complex high-temperature or laser treatment equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes complex mechanical/thermal processing systems (high-temperature furnaces, laser equipment) with a simpler chemical approach using oxygen plasma or oxygen-containing atmosphere during sputtering. This replacement achieves similar defect reduction effects with less complex equipment
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 method effectively reduces defect states in the oxide semiconductor layer, resulting in transistors with stable electric characteristics, low off-state current, high field-effect mobility, and improved yield, enhancing the overall performance of semiconductor devices.
Implementation Method 1
incorporating excess oxygen, which fills oxygen vacancies and stabilizes the layer
Implementation Method 2
An oxide semiconductor layer can be formed by a sputtering method
Data Source
AI summary
A method for processing an oxide semiconductor containing indium, gallium, and zinc is provided. In the method, the oxide semiconductor layer comprises a plurality of excess oxygen, a first oxygen vacancy that is close to first indium and captures first hydrogen, and a second oxygen vacancy that is close to second indium and captures second hydrogen, the first hydrogen captured by the first oxygen vacancy is bonded to one of a plurality of excess oxygen to so that a hydroxyl is formed; the hydroxyl is bonded to the second hydrogen captured by the second oxygen vacancy to release as water; and then, the first oxygen vacancy captures one of excess oxygen and the second oxygen vacancy captures one of excess oxygen.