Treatment of gate dielectric for making high performance metal oxide and metal oxynitride thin film transistors

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/493,699 filed Jun. 29, 2009, which application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/077,831 filed Jul. 2, 2008, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/117,744 filed Nov. 25, 2008, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/117,747 filed Nov. 25, 2008, all of which are herein incorporated by reference.

This invention was made with Government support under Agreement No. DAAD19-02-3-0001 awarded by ARL. The Government has certain rights in the Invention.

1. Field of the Invention

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a method of fabricating thin film transistors (TFTs).

2. Description of the Related Art

Current interest in TFT arrays is particularly high because these devices may be used in liquid crystal active matrix displays (LCDs) of the kind often employed for computer and television flat panels. The LCDs may also contain light emitting diodes (LEDs) for back lighting. Further, organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) have been used for active matrix displays, and these OLEDs require TFTs for addressing the activity of the displays.

TFTs made with amorphous silicon have become the key components of the flat panel display industry. Unfortunately amorphous silicon does have its limitations such as low mobility. The mobility required for OLEDs is at least 10 times higher than that achievable with amorphous silicon. In addition, OLED display is more sensitive to the V th shift since it is a current driven device. V th shift of amorphous silicon TFTs under either high current or high bias voltage is an issue to be addressed. Polysilicon, on the other hand, has a higher mobility than amorphous silicon. Polysilicon is crystalline, which leads to poor local non-uniformity. Due to the requirement of a complex annealing process to make the polysilicon film, it is more difficult or more costly to make large area displays using polysilicon as opposed to amorphous silicon. Due to the limitations of amorphous silicon, OLED advancement has been slow.

In recent years, transparent TFTs have been created in which zinc oxide has been used as the active channel layer. Zinc oxide is a compound semiconductor that can be grown as a crystalline material at relatively low deposition temperatures on various substrates such as glass and plastic.

Therefore, there is a need in the art for TFTs having amorphous active channels with high mobility.

The present invention generally includes TFTs and methods for their manufacture. The gate dielectric layer in the TFT may affect the threshold voltage of the TFT. By treating the gate dielectric layer prior to depositing the active channel material, the threshold voltage may be improved. One method of treating the gate dielectric involves exposing the gate dielectric layer to N 2 O gas. Another method of treating the gate dielectric involves exposing the gate dielectric layer to N 2 O plasma. Silicon oxide, while not practical as a gate dielectric for silicon based TFTs, may also improve the threshold voltage when used in metal oxide TFTs. By treating the gate dielectric and/or using silicon oxide, the sub threshold slope and threshold voltage of TFTs may be improved.

In one embodiment, a TFT fabrication method is disclosed. The method includes depositing a gate dielectric layer over a gate electrode and a substrate, exposing the gate dielectric layer to N 2 O plasma or other plasma for treatment, depositing a semiconductor layer over the gate dielectric layer, depositing a conductive layer over the semiconductor layer, and etching the conductive layer and the semiconductor layer to define source and drain electrodes and an active channel. The semiconductor layer includes oxygen and one or more elements selected from the group consisting of zinc, gallium, indium, cadmium, tin, and combinations thereof, or the semiconductor layer includes nitrogen, oxygen, and one or more elements selected from zinc, indium, tin, gallium, cadmium, and combinations thereof. The active channel is a portion of the semiconductor layer.

In another embodiment, a TFT fabrication method is disclosed. The method includes depositing a silicon nitride layer over a gate electrode and a substrate, depositing a silicon oxide layer over the silicon nitride layer, depositing a semiconductor layer over the silicon oxide layer, depositing a conductive layer over the semiconductor layer, and etching the conductive layer to define source and drain electrodes and an active channel. The semiconductor layer includes oxygen and one or more elements selected from the group consisting of zinc, gallium, indium, cadmium, tin, and combinations thereof, or the semiconductor layer includes nitrogen, oxygen, and one or more elements selected from zinc, indium, tin, gallium, cadmium, and combinations thereof. The active channel is a portion of the semiconductor layer.

In another embodiment, a TFT fabrication method is disclosed. The method includes depositing a silicon oxide layer over a gate electrode and a substrate, depositing a semiconductor layer over the silicon oxide layer, depositing a conductive layer over the semiconductor layer, and etching the conductive layer to define source and drain electrodes and an active channel. The semiconductor layer includes oxygen and one or more elements selected from the group consisting of zinc, gallium, indium, cadmium, tin, and combinations thereof, or the semiconductor layer includes nitrogen, oxygen, and one or more elements selected from zinc, indium, tin, gallium, cadmium, and combinations thereof. The active channel exposes a portion of the semiconductor layer.

In another embodiment, a TFT is disclosed. The TFT includes a silicon oxide layer disposed over a gate electrode and a substrate, a semiconductor layer disposed over the silicon oxide layer, and a source electrode and a drain electrode disposed over the semiconductor layer. The semiconductor layer includes oxygen and one or more elements selected from the group consisting of zinc, gallium, indium, cadmium, tin, and combinations thereof, or the semiconductor layer includes nitrogen, oxygen, and one or more elements selected from zinc, indium, tin, gallium, cadmium, and combinations thereof. The source and drain electrodes are spaced from each other to expose a portion of the semiconductor layer.

So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

FIGS. 1A-1F are schematic cross sectional views of a TFT 100 according to one embodiment of the invention at various stages of fabrication.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross sectional view of a TFT 200 according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing the effects of exposing the gate dielectric layer to a plasma treatment prior to deposition of the active layer material according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4A is a graph showing the effect of the deposition temperature of the gate dielectric layer according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4B is a graph showing the effect of plasma treating with NH 3 and annealing the gate dielectric layer prior to depositing the active layer material according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing the effect of N 2 O plasma treatment on the gate dielectric layer prior to depositing the active layer material according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are graphs showing the effect of N 2 O exposure and N 2 O plasma treatment of the gate dielectric layer prior to depositing the active layer material according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are graphs showing the effect of the temperature of N 2 O exposure and the temperature of N 2 O plasma treatment of the gate dielectric layer prior to depositing the active layer material according to one embodiment of the invention.

To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. It is contemplated that elements disclosed in one embodiment may be beneficially utilized on other embodiments without specific recitation.

The present invention generally includes TFTs and methods for their manufacture. The gate dielectric layer in the TFT may affect the threshold voltage of the TFT. By treating the gate dielectric layer prior to depositing the active channel material, the threshold voltage may be improved. One method of treating the gate dielectric involves exposing the gate dielectric layer to N 2 O gas at a temperature above 200 degrees Celsius. Another method of treating the gate dielectric involves exposing the gate dielectric layer to N 2 O plasma. Silicon oxide, while not practical as a gate dielectric for silicon based TFTs, may also improve the threshold voltage when used in metal oxide TFTs. By treating the gate dielectric and/or using silicon oxide, the threshold voltage of TFTs may be improved. Zinc oxide based semiconductors can be made as amorphous material though doping. Therefore, it will avoid a non-uniformity issue which is attributed to the grain structure. Amorphous semiconductors such as zinc oxide based semiconductor are easier to implement in current display manufacturing process using bottom gate TFT structures.

FIGS. 1A-1F are schematic cross sectional views of a TFT 100 according to one embodiment of the invention at various stages of fabrication. The TFT may comprise a substrate 102 . In one embodiment, the substrate 102 may comprise glass. In another embodiment, the substrate 102 may comprise a polymer. In another embodiment, the substrate 102 may comprise plastic. In still another embodiment, the substrate 102 may comprise metal.

Over the substrate, a gate electrode 104 may be formed. The gate electrode 104 may comprise an electrically conductive layer that controls the movement of charge carriers within the TFT. The gate electrode 104 may comprise a metal such as aluminum, tungsten, chromium, tantalum, or combinations thereof. The gate electrode 104 may be formed using conventional deposition techniques including sputtering, lithography, and etching. The gate electrode 104 may be formed by blanket depositing a conductive layer over the substrate 102 . The conductive layer may be deposited by sputtering. Thereafter, a photoresist layer may be deposited over the conductive layer. The photoresist layer may be patterned to form a mask. The gate electrode 104 may be formed by etching away the unmasked portions of the conductive layer to leave the gate electrode 104 on the substrate 102 .

Over the gate electrode 104 , a gate dielectric layer 106 may be deposited. The gate dielectric layer 106 affects the sub threshold swing or slope and the threshold voltage of the TFT. For silicon based TFTs (i.e., TFTs having a silicon based semiconductor layer such as amorphous silicon), the gate dielectric layer 106 cannot comprise silicon oxide because it may cause the TFT to have very positive V th and low mobility. However, for metal oxide TFTs, it has been discovered that silicon oxide may function as an effective gate dielectric layer 106 . The oxygen in the silicon oxide may not effectively alter the metal oxide layer or interface and thus, the TFT may not fail. In one embodiment, the gate dielectric layer 106 may comprise silicon nitride. In another embodiment, the gate dielectric layer 106 may comprise silicon oxide. In another embodiment, the gate dielectric layer 106 may comprise silicon dioxide. In another embodiment, the gate dielectric layer 106 may comprise silicon oxynitride. In another embodiment, the gate dielectric layer 106 may comprise Al 2 O 3 . The gate dielectric layer 106 may be deposited by well known deposition techniques including plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). In one embodiment, the gate dielectric layer 106 may be deposited by physical vapor deposition (PVD).

After the gate dielectric layer 106 has been deposited, the gate dielectric layer 106 may be treated. Various techniques for treating the gate dielectric layer 106 will be discussed in detail below. One of the techniques involves exposing the gate dielectric layer 106 to a plasma 108 to passivate the surface of the gate dielectric layer 106 .

After treating the gate dielectric layer 106 , the semiconductor layer 110 may be deposited thereover. The semiconductor layer 110 will be the material that comprises the active channel in the final TFT structure. The semiconductor layer 110 may comprise oxygen and one or more elements selected from the group consisting of zinc, gallium, cadmium, indium, tin, and combinations thereof, or nitrogen, oxygen, and one or more elements selected from zinc, indium, tin, gallium, cadmium, and combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the semiconductor layer 110 may comprise oxygen, nitrogen, and one or more elements having a filled s orbital and a filled d orbital. In another embodiment, the semiconductor layer 110 may comprise oxygen, nitrogen, and one or more elements having a filled f orbital. In another embodiment, the semiconductor layer 110 may comprise oxygen, nitrogen, and one or more divalent elements. In another embodiment, the semiconductor layer 110 may comprise oxygen, nitrogen, and one or more trivalent elements. In another embodiment, the semiconductor layer may comprise oxygen, nitrogen, and one or more tetravalent elements.

The semiconductor layer 110 may also comprise a dopant. Suitable dopants that may be used include Al, Sn, Ga, Ca, Si, Ti, Cu, Ge, In, Ni, Mn, Cr, V, Mg, Si x N y , Al x O y , and SiC. In one embodiment, the dopant comprises aluminum. In another embodiment, the dopant comprises tin.

Examples of semiconductor layer 110 include the following: ZnO x N y , SnO x N y , InO x N y , CdO x N y , GaO x N y , ZnSnO x N y , ZnInO x N y , ZnCdO x N y , ZnGaO x N y , SnInO x N y , SnCdO x N y , SnGaO x N y , InCdO x N y , InGaO x N y , CdGaO x N y , ZnSnInO x N y , ZnSnCdO x N y , ZnSnGaO x N y , ZnInCdO x N y , ZnInGaO x N y , ZnCdGaO x N y , SnInCdO x N y , SnInGaO x N y , SnCdGaO x N y , InCdGaO x N y , ZnSnInCdO x N y , ZnSnInGaO x N y , ZnInCdGaO x N y , and SnInCdGaO x N y . Examples of semiconductor layer 110 include the following doped materials: ZnO x N y :Al, ZnO x N y :Sn, SnO x N y :Al, InO x N y :Al, InO x N y :Sn, CdO x N y :Al, CdO x N y :Sn, GaO x N y :Al, GaO x N y :Sn, ZnSnO x N y :Al, ZnInO x N y :Al, ZnInO x N y :Sn, ZnCdO x N y :Al, ZnCdO x N y :Sn, ZnGaO x N y :Al, ZnGaO x N y :Sn, SnInO x N y :Al, SnCdO x N y :Al, SnGaO x N y :Al, InCdO x N y :Al, InCdO x N y :Sn, InGaO x N y :Al, InGaO x N y :Sn, CdGaO x N y :Al, CdGaO x N y :Sn, ZnSnInO x N y :Al, ZnSnCdO x N y :Al, ZnSnGaO x N y :Al, ZnInCdO x N y :Al, ZnInCdO x N y :Sn, ZnInGaO x N y :Al, ZnInGaO x N y :Sn, ZnCdGaO x N y :Al, ZnCdGaO x N y :Sn, SnInCdO x N y :Al, SnInGaO x N y :Al, SnCdGaO x N y :Al, InCdGaO x N y :Al, InCdGaO x N y :Sn, ZnSnInCdO x N y :Al, ZnSnInGaO x N y :Al, ZnInCdGaO x N y :Al, ZnInCdGaO x N y :Sn, and SnInCdGaO x N y :Al.

The semiconductor layer 110 may be deposited by sputtering. In one embodiment, the sputtering target comprises the metal such as zinc, gallium, tin, cadmium, indium, or combinations thereof. The sputtering target may additionally comprise a dopant. Oxygen containing gas and nitrogen containing gas are introduced into the chamber to deposit the semiconductor layer 110 by reactive sputtering. In one embodiment, the nitrogen containing gas comprises N 2 . In another embodiment, the nitrogen containing gas comprises N 2 O, NH 3 , or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the oxygen containing gas comprises O 2 . In another embodiment, the oxygen containing gas comprises N 2 O. The nitrogen of the nitrogen containing gas and the oxygen of the oxygen containing gas react with the metal from the sputtering target to form a semiconductor material comprising metal, oxygen, nitrogen, and optionally a dopant on the substrate. In one embodiment, the nitrogen containing gas and the oxygen containing gas are separate gases. In another embodiment, the nitrogen containing gas and the oxygen containing gas comprise the same gas. Additional additives such as B 2 H 6 , CO 2 , CO, CH 4 , and combinations thereof may also be provided to the chamber during the sputtering.

After the semiconductor layer 110 has been deposited, a conductive layer 112 may be deposited. In one embodiment, the conductive layer 112 may comprise a metal such as aluminum, tungsten, molybdenum, chromium, tantalum, and combinations thereof. The conductive layer 112 may be deposited by sputtering.

After the conductive layer 112 is deposited, the source electrode 114 , the drain electrode 116 , and the active channel 118 may be defined by etching away portions of the conductive layer 112 . Portions of the semiconductor layer 110 may also be removed by etching. Although not shown, an etch stop layer may be deposited over the semiconductor layer 110 prior to depositing the conductive layer. The etch stop layer functions to protect the active channel 118 from undue plasma exposure during etching.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross sectional view of a TFT 200 according to another embodiment of the invention. The TFT 200 includes a gate electrode 204 disposed over a substrate 202 . A source electrode 212 , a drain electrode 214 , an active channel 216 , and a semiconductor layer 210 are also present. A multi layer gate dielectric is present. The gate dielectric may have a first gate dielectric layer 206 and a second gate dielectric layer 208 . In one embodiment, the first gate dielectric layer 206 may comprise silicon nitride. In one embodiment, the second gate dielectric layer 208 may comprise silicon oxide. As noted above, silicon oxide, while not usable in silicon based TFTs, may be beneficial in metal oxide TFTs.

Table I shows a comparison of several TFTs that are substantially identical except for the treatment performed on the gate dielectric layer. For each Example, the gate dielectric layer is silicon nitride.