# US 8,785,242 B2 · Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same

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- Number: US 8,785,242 B2
- Document ID: US8785242B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/230,905
- Filed: 2011-09-13
- Published: 2011-12-29
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2008-08-08
- Assignees: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Shunpei Yamazaki; Hidekazu Miyairi; Akiharu Miyanaga; Kengo Akimoto; Kojiro Shiraishi
- Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki; Hidekazu Miyairi; Akiharu Miyanaga; Kengo Akimoto; Kojiro Shiraishi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8785242B2

## CPC

- H10D 30/0323: {comprising monocrystalline silicon}
- H10D 30/0321: {comprising silicon, e.g. amorphous silicon or polysilicon}
- H10D 30/6713: {characterised by the properties of the source or drain regions, e.g. compositions or sectional shapes}
- H10D 30/6755: {Oxide semiconductors, e.g. zinc oxide, copper aluminium oxide or cadmium stannate}
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

## Abstract

An embodiment is to include a staggered (top gate structure) thin film transistor in which an oxide semiconductor film containing In, Ga, and Zn is used as a semiconductor layer and a buffer layer is provided between the semiconductor layer and a source and drain electrode layers. The buffer layer having higher carrier concentration than the semiconductor layer is provided intentionally between the source and drain electrode layers and the semiconductor layer, whereby an ohmic contact is formed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of:
forming a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer over a substrate;
forming a buffer layer having n-type conductivity over the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer;
forming a semiconductor layer over the buffer layer;
forming a gate insulating layer over the semiconductor layer; and
forming a gate electrode layer over the gate insulating layer,
wherein the semiconductor layer and the buffer layer are formed using oxide semiconductor layers,
wherein a carrier concentration of the semiconductor layer is lower than 1×1017 atoms/cm3, and a carrier concentration of the buffer layer is 1×1018 atoms/cm3 or higher, and
wherein each of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer is electrically connected to the semiconductor layer with the buffer layer interposed between the source electrode layer or the drain electrode layer and the semiconductor layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, according to claim 1, wherein the source electrode layer, the drain electrode layer, the buffer layer, the semiconductor layer, the gate insulating layer, and the gate electrode layer are formed by a sputtering method.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor layer and the gate insulating layer are formed in an oxygen atmosphere.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, according to claim 1, wherein the buffer layer is formed in a rare gas atmosphere.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, according to claim 1, wherein the buffer layer contains a metal selected from magnesium, aluminum, or titanium.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, according to claim 1, wherein the oxide semiconductor layers contain indium, gallium, and zinc.

### Claim 7

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of:
forming a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer over a substrate;
forming a buffer layer having n-type conductivity over the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer;
forming a semiconductor layer over the buffer layer;
forming a gate insulating layer over the semiconductor layer; and
forming a gate electrode layer over the gate insulating layer,
wherein the semiconductor layer and the buffer layer are formed using oxide semiconductor layers,
wherein a carrier concentration of the semiconductor layer is lower than 1×1017 atoms/cm3, and a carrier concentration of the buffer layer is 1×1018 atoms/cm3 or higher,
wherein each of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer is electrically connected to the semiconductor layer with the buffer layer interposed between the source electrode layer or the drain electrode layer and the semiconductor layer; and
wherein the semiconductor layer, the gate insulating layer, and the gate electrode layer are successively formed without exposure to air.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, according to claim 7, wherein the source electrode layer, the drain electrode layer, the buffer layer, the semiconductor layer, the gate insulating layer, and the gate electrode layer are formed by a sputtering method.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, according to claim 7, wherein the semiconductor layer and the gate insulating layer are formed in an oxygen atmosphere.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, according to claim 7, wherein the buffer layer is formed in a rare gas atmosphere.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, according to claim 7, wherein the buffer layer contains a metal selected from magnesium, aluminum, or titanium.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, according to claim 7, wherein the oxide semiconductor layers contain indium, gallium, and zinc.