Oxide Semiconductor Oxygen Vacancy Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor devices using oxide semiconductors face challenges in maintaining stable electrical characteristics and reliability due to oxygen vacancies, leading to variations in power consumption and performance.
Innovation Solution
A method for manufacturing semiconductor devices involves forming a first insulating layer, depositing and removing oxide layers multiple times, and creating a conductive layer, with specific regions in the insulating layers having varying rare gas and oxygen content to efficiently supply oxygen to the oxide semiconductor layer, reducing oxygen vacancies through heat treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If oxide semiconductor layer is formed directly on substrate, then manufacturing process is simple, but oxygen vacancies cause unstable electrical characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
An insulating layer is formed over the substrate before forming the oxide semiconductor layer. This preliminary action prepares an oxygen-supplying structure in advance, which will later release oxygen to fill vacancies in the oxide semiconductor layer during heat treatment, ensuring stable electrical characteristics without complicating the overall manufacturing process
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating layer acts as an intermediary between the substrate and the oxide semiconductor layer. It serves as an oxygen reservoir that mediates the oxygen supply to the oxide semiconductor layer, preventing direct contact between the substrate and oxide semiconductor while providing controlled oxygen release to eliminate vacancies
2Reliability
If heat treatment is performed to remove oxygen vacancies, then electrical characteristics stability improves, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating layer is pre-formed with oxygen-rich composition before the oxide semiconductor layer is created. This preliminary oxygen reservoir eliminates the need for high-temperature or prolonged heat treatment later, as oxygen is already available for vacancy filling, thereby reducing energy consumption during subsequent processing
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating layer is designed with specific compositional parameters (oxygen-rich composition) that enable it to release oxygen at lower temperatures or for shorter durations than conventional methods. This parameter optimization reduces the thermal energy required for vacancy elimination while maintaining electrical stability
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
This approach inhibits changes in electrical characteristics, improves reliability, and reduces power consumption by effectively managing oxygen vacancies in the oxide semiconductor layer, resulting in a more stable and efficient semiconductor device.
Implementation Method 1
specific regions in the insulating layers having varying rare gas and oxygen content to efficiently supply oxygen to the oxide semiconductor layer, reducing oxygen vacancies through heat treatment
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor layer with high and stable electrical characteristics, the semiconductor device is manufactured by forming a first insulating layer, forming oxide over the first insulating layer and then removing the oxide n times (n is a natural number), forming an oxide semiconductor layer over the first insulating layer, forming a second insulating layer over the oxide semiconductor layer, and forming a conductive layer over the second insulating layer. Alternatively, the semiconductor device is manufactured by forming the oxide semiconductor layer over the first insulating layer, forming the second insulating layer over the oxide semiconductor layer, forming the oxide over the second insulating layer and then removing the oxide n times (n is a natural number), and forming the conductive layer over the second insulating layer.