U.S. patent application number 09/900007 was filed with the patent office on 2002-06-13 for method of manufacturing thin film transistor.
Invention is credited to Okumura, Hiroshi, Sato, Yoshinobu, Tanabe, Hiroshi, Yuda, Katsuhisa.
Application Number | 20020072158 09/900007 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26388082 |
Filed Date | 2002-06-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020072158 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tanabe, Hiroshi ; et
al. |
June 13, 2002 |
Method of manufacturing thin film transistor
Abstract
In a thin film transistor, a first insulating film on a silicon
layer formed in an island on a substrate is smaller in thickness
than the silicon layer so that the stepped island edges is gentle
in slope to facilitate covering the island with a second insulating
film. This reduces occurrence of gate leak considerably. Since the
peripheral region of the stepped island is smaller in thickness
than the central region above the channel, it is possible to
minimize occurrence of gate electrode breakage. The silicon layer
contains two or more inert gas atoms, and the atoms smaller in mass
number (e.g., He) are contained in and near an interface with a
silicon active layer while the atoms larger in mass number (e.g.,
Ar) than those smaller in mass number are contained in and near a
second interface with a gate electrode.
Inventors: |
Tanabe, Hiroshi; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Yuda, Katsuhisa; (Tokyo, JP) ; Okumura,
Hiroshi; (Tokyo, JP) ; Sato, Yoshinobu;
(Tokyo, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Phillip J. Articola
FOLEY & LARDNER
Washington Harbour
3000 K Street, N.W., Suite 500
Washington
DC
20007-5109
US
|
Family ID: |
26388082 |
Appl. No.: |
09/900007 |
Filed: |
July 9, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09900007 |
Jul 9, 2001 |
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09451867 |
Dec 1, 1999 |
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09451867 |
Dec 1, 1999 |
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09033609 |
Mar 3, 1998 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
438/164 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 27/14665 20130101;
H01L 29/78609 20130101; H01L 29/42384 20130101; H01L 29/66757
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
438/164 |
International
Class: |
H01L 021/84 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 3, 1997 |
JP |
9-047874 |
Mar 13, 1997 |
JP |
9-059152 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A thin film transistor comprising: an insulator substrate; a
semiconductor layer formed on said insulator substrate in an island
shape; a gate insulating film covering said semiconductor layer;
and a gate electrode disposed over said gate insulating film; said
gate insulating film at least beneath said gate electrode being
larger in thickness at a central region of said semiconductor layer
than at opposite end regions of said semiconductor layer.
2. A thin film transistor comprising: an insulator substrate; a
semiconductor layer formed on said insulator substrate in an island
shape; a gate insulating film covering said semiconductor layer;
and a gate electrode disposed over said gate insulating film; said
gate insulating film being composed of a first gate insulating film
layer, which is formed on the island of said semiconductor layer in
an island shape analogous to the first-named island shape in such a
manner that said first insulating film layer and said semiconductor
layer jointly form a composite stepped island, and a second gate
insulating film layer covering said composite stepped island, said
first and second insulating film layers having different
thicknesses d.sub.1, d.sub.2 which satisfy the following
relationd.sub.1<d.sub.2.
3. A thin film transistor according to claim 2, wherein said
thicknesses d.sub.1, d.sub.2 of said first and second insulating
film layers and a thickness d.sub.Si of said semiconductor layer
satisfy the following relationd.sub.Si+d.sub.1<d.sub.2.
4. A thin film transistor according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein
said gate insulating film is a laminate composed of two or more
kinds of layers of different materials, and said material of one
layer of said laminate defining an interface with said
semiconductor layer is lower in permittivity than said material of
the remaining at least one layer of said laminate.
5. A thin film transistor according to claim 4, wherein said
material of said first insulating film layer is silicone oxide, and
at least one of said materials of the remaining layers of said
laminate is silicone nitride.
6. A method for manufacturing a thin film transistor, comprising
the steps of: forming a thin semiconductor film on an insulator
substrate whose at least one surface is of an insulator; forming a
first gate insulating film on said thin semiconductor film; etching
said first gate insulating film at least one direction along a
prospective gate electrode of the thin film transistor transverse
of said first gate insulating film, with leaving unetched through a
width smaller than the width of a prospective channel, source or
drain of the thin film transistor; forming a second gate insulating
film covering said first gate insulating film and said thin
semiconductor film; and forming said gate electrode on said second
gate insulating film.
7. A method for manufacturing a thin film transistor, comprising
the steps of: forming a thin semiconductor film on an insulator
substrate whose at least one surface is of an insulator; forming a
first gate insulating film on said thin semiconductor film; etching
said first gate insulating film and said thin semiconductor film
with leaving unetched regions as prospective channel, source and
drain regions of the thin film transistor; forming a second gate
insulating film covering said first gate insulating film and said
thin semiconductor film; and forming a gate electrode on said
second insulating film; the rate of said etching of said first gate
insulating film being higher than that of said thin semiconductor
film.
8. A method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein laser illumination
takes place after at least one of said first and second gate
insulating film layers has been formed on said thin semiconductor
film.
9. A thin film transistor comprising: an insulator substrate; a
silicon active layer formed on said insulator substrate in an
island shape; a gate insulating film covering said silicon active
layer; and a gate electrode disposed over said gate insulating
film; said gate insulating film being a silicon dioxide film
containing at least two kinds of inert gas atoms different in mass
number, said inert gas atoms smaller in mass number being contained
in and near a first interface between said silicon dioxide silicon
film and said silicon active layer, said inert gas atoms larger in
mass number being contained in and near a second interface between
said silicon dioxide film and said gate electrode.
10. A thin film transistor according to claim 9, wherein said
silicon dioxide film is a laminate composed of two or more layers,
at least one of said layers contiguous to said silicon active layer
containing said active gas atoms smallest in mass number, at least
one of the remaining layers contiguous to said gate electrode
containing said inert gas atoms larger in mass number than said
inert gas atoms smallest in mass number.
11. A thin film transistor according to claim 9, wherein said inert
gas atoms smallest in mass number are contained in and near said
first interface between said silicon dioxide film and said silicon
active layer, and said active gas atoms larger in mass number than
those smallest in mass number are contained in said silicon dioxide
film in varying concentration continuously increasing from said
first interface with said silicon active layer toward said second
interface with said gate electrode.
12. A thin film transistor according to claim 10 or 11, wherein
said inert gas atoms smallest in mass number are helium, and said
inert gas atoms larger in mass number than helium are argon.
13. A method for manufacturing a gate insulating film of a thin
film transistor, in which the gate insulating film is a silicon
dioxide film and is formed on a silicon active layer of an
insulator substrate by CVD, using a mixed gas containing a silicon
compound, oxygen and a carrier gas, wherein said carrier gas
comprises two or more kinds of inert gases, and said inert gas
smallest in mass number is used at a starting stage of the silicon
dioxide film formation while said inert gas larger than that
smallest in mass number at a final stage of the silicon dioxide
film formation.
14. A method according to claim 13, wherein an amount of supply of
said inert gas larger in mass number than those smallest in mass
number is progressively increased.
15. A method according to claim 13 or 14, wherein said inert gas
atoms smallest in mass number are helium, and said inert gas atoms
larger in mass number than helium are argon.
16. A method for manufacturing a thin film transistor, comprising
the steps of: forming a silicon active layer on a substrate whose
at least top surface is an insulator; forming a first silicon
dioxide layer on a top surface of said silicon active layer by CVD
using a mixed gas containing a silicon compound, oxygen and a first
inert gas as a carrier gas; etching said silicon active layer and
said first silicon dioxide layer simultaneously in such a manner
that regions of said silicon active layer, which are adapted to be
prospective channel, source and drain regions of the thin film
transistor, are left unetched and that said first silicon dioxide
layer becomes smaller than each of said channel, source and drain
regions; and forming a second silicon dioxide layer, which covers
said first silicon dioxide layer and said silicon active layer, by
CVD using a mixed gas containing a silicon compound, oxygen and a
second active gas, which is larger in mass number than said first
active gas, as carrier gas.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention:
[0002] The present invention relates to a thin film transistor for
use in an active matrix liquid crystal display panel, an
input/output device as of a contact-type image sensor, a portable
electronic instrument, etc., and also to a method for manufacturing
such thin film transistor.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art:
[0004] In forming a thin film transistor (hereinafter also called
TFT) on a substrate of glass, the hydrogenated amorphous silicon
semiconductor TFT technology and the polysilicon TFT technology are
currently available as typical technologies. According to the
former, the maximum temperature of the fabrication process is about
300.degree. C., and a carrier mobility of approximately 1
cm.sup.2/Vsec is obtained. According to the latter, using a
high-temperature process analogous to the LSI process of about
1000.degree. C. using a substrate as of quartz, a carrier mobility
of 30 to 100 cm.sup.2/Vsec can easily be obtained. In case of the
high carrier mobility, when the thin film transistor is applied to,
for example, a liquid crystal display, it is possible to
simultaneously form on the same glass substrate a pixel TFT driving
each pixel and even a peripheral driving circuit section as well.
The resulting thin film transistor is inexpensive and
small-sized.
[0005] However, in the polysilicon TFT technology, inexpensive
low-melting-point glass, which is originally suitable to the former
process, cannot be employed in the above-mentioned high-temperature
process. For decreasing the temperature of the polysilicon TFT
process, the laser crystallization technology, the low temperature
film (gate insulating film) formation technology and the low
temperature interface (of insulating film and silicon) formation
technology are sought after. Studies and developments have been
made to solve the foregoing problems. To this end, IEEE ELECTRON
DEVICE LETTERS, Vol. 15, No. 2, page 69, "High Performance
Polycrystalline Silicon Thin Film Transistor Fabricated Using
Remote Plasma CVD of SiO.sub.2," (M. Sekiya, et al.) discloses a
hybrid fabricating apparatus and method composed of two different
fabrication processes: the laser crystallization for forming a good
interface between an insulating film and a silicon layer at low
temperature, and the remote plasma CVD for forming a silicon
dioxide film. This hybrid concept aims to maintain a good
insulating-film-and-silicon interface at low temperature by forming
a gate insulating film on a high-quality polysilicon film, which is
formed by the excimer laser crystallization without exposure to
atmosphere, and by keeping the interface well clean. In this
technological paper, as a polysilicon TFT fabrication process, the
following process flow was proposed. After a source-and-drain layer
(20 nm thick) has been formed in an island shape, a silicon layer
(20 nm thick) is formed. Then, laser crystallization, hydrogen
treatment (which comes immediately after laser crystallization) and
fabrication of a first insulating film (SiO.sub.2, 100 nm thick)
take place in succession. As a result, a good
insulating-film-and-silicon interface is obtained at low
temperature. After that, the silicon layer is patterned in an
island shape. In addition, a second insulating film (100 nm thick)
is formed to secure silicon-electrode isolation.
[0006] In the meantime, as reduction of the power output and the
driving voltage of a liquid display, an image sensor or the like
has been practical, it is increasingly becoming necessary not only
to improve the performance of TFT by cleaning the interface but
also to reduce the operating threshold voltage of TFT. And it has
turned out from recent studies that thinning the gate insulating
film is effective for reduction of the operating threshold voltage;
such thinning method applied to a planar thin film transistor will
now be described with reference to FIGS. 9(a) to 9(c) of the
accompanying drawings. FIG. 9(a) is a top plan view of the planar
thin film transistor, FIG. 9(b) is a cross-sectional view taken
alone line A-A' of FIG. 9(a), and FIG. 9(c) is a cross-sectional
view taken along line B-B' of FIG. 9(a). A first insulating film 5
patterned in an island shape is located on and formed continuously
with a semiconductor layer, which is adapted to be formed into a
source-and-drain region 3, 4 and a channel region 2, and then a
second insulating film 6 and a gate electrode (hereinafter also
called simply the gate) 7 are located over the first insulating
film 2 so as to cover the semiconductor layer and the island of the
first insulating film 5. Now for reducing the threshold voltage as
mentioned above, it becomes necessary to reduce the total thickness
of the two-layer gate insulating film 5, 6. This is because
reduction of the two layers increases the capacitance so that an
adequate electric field effect can be obtained even at low voltage.
Whereas the semiconductor layer, unlike the gate insulating film,
cannot be thinned, partly because it should be doped with an
impurity as by ion implantation and partly because an adequate
process margin during laser crystallization should be secured.
Consequently, if the gate insulating film is thinned in order to
lower the threshold voltage as mentioned above, then the thickness
of the second gate insulating film becomes smaller than the
difference between the semiconductor layer and the first gate
insulating film so that gate-leak-free covering is difficult to
achieve. Thus short circuit (gate leak) would tend to occur between
the gate and the source-and-drain region.
[0007] As a solution for these problems, the following method was
proposed by Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei6-85258.
As shown in FIG. 10 of the accompanying drawings of the present
specification, a semiconductor film 12 is formed in an island shape
on an insulator substrate 11 and then a first insulating film 13 is
formed on the island-shape semiconductor film 12, whereupon a
second insulating film 21 is formed so as to cover the stepped
peripheral edges of such composite island of the semiconductor film
12 and first insulating film 13. And a gate electrode 14 is formed
over the first insulating film 13 surrounded by the second
insulating film 21, so the semiconductor film 12 and the gate 14
are perfectly isolated from each other, preventing occurrence of
short circuit (gate leak) between the semiconductor film 12 and the
gate 14, i.e., between the gate and the source-and-drain. To
realize such structure, the second insulating film 21 has to be
etched selectively, namely, at only the region directly above the
island after having been formed along its entire surface over the
first insulating film 13. As a consequence, the second insulating
film 21 requires a material such that it can be selectively etched
with respect to the first insulating film 13 or the second
insulating film 21 requires a selective etching process. Especially
when the first insulating film 13 is thinned further in an effort
to improve the throughput and performance, a much higher selective
ratio is needed, and a dry etching method free of plasma damage to
either the gate insulating film or the
insulating-film-and-semiconductor interface would be
necessitated.
[0008] As an alternative method that ensures inter-electrode
isolation using a two-layer insulating film, Japanese Patent
Laid-Open Publication No. Hei6-61490 discloses a conventional
two-layer technology which optimizes the thickness and
cross-sectional shape of each layer and employs two highly
dielectric thin films for securing high performance of a thin film
transistor. As shown in FIG. 11, this conventional method aims to
provide a well-insulating, highly reliable isolation structure by
optimizing the shape of a second insulating film 1014b rather than
the shape of a first insulating film 1014a, which covers gates
103a, 1013b. Further, the gate metal as a prospective lower
electrode is covered with tungsten oxide and then a silicon nitride
film for forming a good MIS interface with hydrogenated amorphous
silicon, whereupon a hydrogenated amorphous silicon film and a
source-and-drain layer are formed. This conventional covering
method using the two-layer insulating film is effective in covering
the stepped regions defined by only the gate electrode and
semiconductor layer. However, this publication is totally silent
about and even does not anticipate any second insulating film that
covers the stepped edges of the island constituted by the
semiconductor layer and the first gate insulating film.
[0009] As the low temperature formation technology for a gate
insulating film in particular, developments of means for forming a
silicon dioxide film by plasma CVD, sputtering or low pressure CVD
have increasingly become popular. The silicon dioxide film, which
is formed at such a low temperature of less than about
600.degree.C. as to enable the use of the above-described glass
substrate, would be encountered with the following problems as
compared to the thermally oxidized film to be used in the
conventional LSI process.
[0010] For the bulk performance of the gate insulating film
designated by (a) in FIG. 18 of the accompanying drawings of the
present specification, it is required to reduce the defect level
derived from residual stress, dangling bond, impurity or other
cause and to improve the insulating strength.
[0011] For the high performance of interface with the silicon
active layer constituting the channel designated by (b) in FIG. 18,
it is required to reduce the interface level derived from
incomplete cleaning, plasma damage, etc.
[0012] For covering the island's stepped edges designated by (c) in
FIG. 18, the island-shaped semiconductor layer has to be covered
precisely.
[0013] In order to solve these problems, a method of minimizing
plasma damage with improving the insulating strength by sputtering
using a mixed gas of oxygen and argon as a discharge gas has been
proposed by Japanese Laid-Open Publications Nos. Hei3-120871 and
Hei3-241873. However, in sputtering, since the film-forming
precursor strikes on the substrate at about right angles, precise
covering over the stepped edges of the island is difficult to
achieve.
[0014] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei3-19340
discloses a method for increasing the film-forming rate gradually
as the film formation progresses away from the
semiconductor-and-insulating-film interface, by lowering the
concentration of helium with time during plasma CVD.
[0015] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei3-108319
disclosed a method for forming a good
semiconductor-and-insulating-film interface by carrying out the
formation of a semiconductor thin film and the formation of an
insulating film in a common reaction vessel.
[0016] The above-mentioned scientific paper, i.e., IEEE ELECTRON
DEVICE LETTERS, Vol. 15, No. 2, page 69, "High Performance
Polycrystalline Silicon Thin Film Transistor Fabricated Using
Remote Plasma CVD of SiO.sub.2," by M. Sekiya, et al. Additionally
discloses remote plasma CVD of silicon dioxide film formation for
obtaining a good insulating-film-and-silicon interface. For forming
a good semiconductor-and-insulating-film interface, plasma impact
on the surface of a semiconductor, which constitutes a gate
insulating film, is restricted by bringing a plasma forming region,
which serves to assist film-forming reaction of the precursor and
dissolution of gas, away from the substrate position.
[0017] In this conventional method, however, although a good
interface can be formed, the insulating strength is yet low so that
thinning of the gate insulating film in an effort to secure the
necessary reliability of the device and to lower the threshold
voltage would be difficult to achieve.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0018] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide a thin film transistor structure which increases the degree
of freedom in designing the structure and in selecting the thin
film materials in the manufacturing process and a method for
manufacturing such thin film transistor structure and does not need
a dry etching step, which requires high uniformity and
reproductivity, thus realizing a thin film transistor that takes on
a good MOS interface characteristic in a low-temperature
process.
[0019] Another object of the invention is to provide a highly
dielectric MOS structure without increasing the number of process
steps and to provide, by a practical process, a thin film
transistor which is operable by a low threshold voltage.
[0020] Still another object of the invention is to provide a thin
film transistor which guarantees: using the chemical vapor
deposition (CVD), which enables good step-coverage precision, and
particularly plasma CVD rather than the physical vapor deposition,
which is represented by sputtering high in directivity and not
suitable in covering the stepped edges of the island, (1) lowering
the defect level derived from residual stress, dangling bond,
impurity, etc. and improving the insulating strength, (2) lowering
the interface level derived from incomplete cleaning, plasma
damage, etc., and (3) covering stepped edges of the island of
semiconductor layers precisely.
[0021] A further object of the invention is to provide a method for
manufacturing the thin film transistor described in the previous
paragraph.
[0022] According to a first aspect of the present invention, in a
thin film transistor comprising an insulator substrate, a
semiconductor layer, which is formed on the insulator substrate in
an island shape and is composed of channel, source and drain
regions, a gate insulating film, and a gate electrode, after the
gate insulating film has been formed, the gate insulating film is
covered with the gate electrode from the upper side, as shown in
FIGS. 1(a) to 1(c) and 2(a) to 2(c). The width of the gate
insulating film at least in the B-B' direction transverse of the
gate electrode is smaller than the width of the channel region. And
the gate insulating film at least beneath the gate electrode is
larger in thickness at the central region of the semiconductor
layer than at the end regions of the semiconductor layer.
[0023] With this first transistor structure, it is possible to form
a good interface between the insulating film and the silicon layer,
as disclosed in IEEE ELECTRON DEVICE LETTERS, Vol. 15, No. 2, page
69, "High Performance Polycrystalline Silicon Thin Film Transistor
Fabricated Using Remote Plasma CVD of SiO.sub.2, " by M. Sekiya, et
al., and also to prevent gate leak in a simple manner without
employing the step covering method disclosed in Japanese Patent
Laid-Open Publication No. Hei6-85258. Namely, the stepped edges of
the island-shape semiconductor layer are gentle in slope so that
gate leak can be prevented there.
[0024] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is
provided a thin film transistor comprising: an insulator substrate;
a semiconductor layer formed on the insulator substrate in an
island shape; a gate insulating film covering the semiconductor
layer; and a gate electrode disposed over the gate insulating film;
the gate insulating film being composed of a first gate insulating
film layer, which is formed on the island of the semiconductor
layer in an island shape analogous to the first-named island shape
in such a manner that the first gate insulating film layer and the
semiconductor layer jointly form a composite stepped island, and a
second gate insulating film layer covering the composite stepped
island, the first and second gate insulating film layers having
different thicknesses d.sub.1, d.sub.2 which satisfy the following
relation
d.sub.1<d.sub.2.
[0025] With this second transistor structure, it is possible to
prevent gate leak with good reproductivity.
[0026] According to a third aspect of the invention, the
thicknesses d.sub.1, d.sub.2 of the first and second gate
insulating film layers and a thickness d.sub.Si of the
semiconductor layer satisfy the following relation
d.sub.Si+d.sub.1<d.sub.2.
[0027] Also with this third transistor structure, it is possible to
prevent gate leak with good reproductivity.
[0028] According to a fourth aspect of the invention, the gate
insulating film is a laminate composed of two or more kinds of
layers of different materials, and the material of one layer of the
laminate defining an interface with the semiconductor layer is
lower in permittivity than the material of the remaining at least
one layer of the laminate. With this fourth transistor structure,
it is possible to obtain the same drain current as conventional
without increasing voltage applied to the gate even if the second
insulating film is increased in thickness. Particularly in a
preferable transistor structure in which the material of the first
gate insulating film layer is silicone oxide and at least one of
the materials of the remaining layers of the laminate is silicone
nitride, it is possible to increase the thickness of the second
insulating film without lowering the performance as compared to the
case when the second insulating film is silicon dioxide, thus
preventing gate leak.
[0029] According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is
provided a method for manufacturing a thin film transistor,
comprising the steps of: forming a thin semiconductor film on an
insulator substrate whose at least one surface is of an insulator;
forming a first gate insulating film on the thin semiconductor
film; etching the first gate insulating film at least one direction
along a prospective gate electrode of the thin film transistor
transverse of the first gate insulating film, with leaving unetched
through a width smaller than the width of a prospective channel,
source or drain of the thin film transistor; forming a second gate
insulating film covering the first gate insulating film and the
thin semiconductor film; and forming the gate on the second gate
insulating film. Using this method, it is possible to obtain the
first-named thin film transistor.
[0030] According to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is
provided a method for manufacturing a thin film transistor,
comprising the steps of: forming a thin semiconductor film on an
insulator substrate whose at least one surface is of an insulator;
forming a first gate insulating film on the thin semiconductor
film; etching the first gate insulating film and the thin
semiconductor film with leaving unetched regions as prospective
channel, source and drain regions of the thin film transistor;
forming a second gate insulating film covering the first gate
insulating film and the thin semiconductor film; and forming a gate
electrode on the second insulating film; the rate of the etching of
the first gate insulating film being higher than that of the thin
semiconductor film.
[0031] According to a seventh aspect of the invention, laser
illumination takes place after at least one of the first and second
gate insulating film layers has been formed on the thin
semiconductor film. Since the thin semiconductor film and part of
the gate insulating film formed on it are simultaneously exposed to
laser, it is possible to treat the interface between the
semiconductor and the insulating film with the heat generated due
to laser absorption into the interface, thus forming the interface
in a proper shape.
[0032] According to an eighth aspect of the invention, there is
provided a thin film transistor comprising: an insulator substrate;
a silicon active layer formed on the insulator substrate in an
island shape; a gate insulating film covering the silicon active
layer; and a gate electrode disposed over the gate insulating film;
the gate insulating film being a silicon dioxide film containing at
least two kinds of inert gas atoms different in mass number, the
inert gas atoms smaller in mass number being contained in and near
a first interface between the silicon dioxide silicon film and the
silicon active layer, the inert gas atoms larger in mass number
being contained in and near a second interface between the silicon
dioxide film and the gate electrode.
[0033] In the present invention, the silicon active layer is a
crystalline silicon layer from which prospective channel, source
and drain regions of the thin film transistor are to be formed.
[0034] According to a ninth aspect of the invention, the gate
insulating film of the thin film transistor can be obtained by a
method for forming a silicon dioxide film on a silicon active layer
of an insulator substrate by CVD, using a mixed gas containing a
silicon compound, oxygen and a carrier gas, wherein the carrier gas
comprises two or more kinds of inert gases, and the inert gas
smaller (preferably smallest) in mass number is used at a starting
stage of the silicon dioxide film formation while the inert gas
larger than that smallest (or smaller) in mass number at a final
stage of the silicon dioxide film formation. As CVD, particularly
plasma CVD is preferable.
[0035] In this method, the stepped edges of the island can be
covered with the insulating film precisely using CVD. Even assuming
that plasma CVD is employed, since the impact is limited to light
atoms or ions during formation of the insulating film near the
interface with the silicon active layer, occurrence of plasma
damage is reduced to a minimum, thus obtaining a high-performance
of the interface. By supplying atoms or ions, which are larger in
mass and hence have energy, to the surface of the growth during
formation of the insulating film near the interface with the gate
electrode, it is possible to increase the density of the insulating
film by the particle impact, thus securing an excellent insulating
strength. Accordingly the state of the interface with the silicon
active layer is good and the resulting thin film transistor can
take on the superb insulating strength.
[0036] According to a tenth aspect of the invention, the silicon
dioxide film is a laminate composed of two or more layers, at least
one of the layers contiguous to the silicon active layer containing
the active gas atoms smallest in mass number, at least one of the
remaining layers contiguous to the gate electrode containing the
inert gas atoms larger in mass number than the inert gas atoms
smallest in mass number. During formation of this silicon dioxide
film, the kind of inert gas to be supplied may be changed with
another, or the inert gas larger in mass number may be supplied in
addition to the previous inert gas being supplied.
[0037] According to a eleventh aspect of the invention, the inert
gas atoms smallest in mass number are contained in and near the
first interface between the silicon dioxide film and the silicon
active layer, and the active gas atoms larger in mass number than
those smallest in mass number are contained in the silicon dioxide
film in varying concentration continuously increasing from the
first interface with the silicon active layer toward the second
interface with the gate electrode. During formation of this silicon
dioxide film, the amount of supply of the inert gas larger in mass
number than those smallest in mass number may be progressively
increased.
[0038] Most preferably, the inert gas atoms smallest in mass number
are helium, and the inert gas atoms larger in mass number than
helium are argon.
[0039] According to a twelfth aspect of the invention, there is
provided a method for manufacturing a thin film transistor,
comprising the steps of: forming a silicon active layer on a
substrate whose at least top surface is an insulator; forming a
first silicon dioxide layer on a top surface of the silicon active
layer by CVD using a mixed gas containing a silicon compound,
oxygen and a first inert gas as a carrier gas; etching the silicon
active layer and the first silicon dioxide layer simultaneously in
such a manner that regions of the silicon active layer, which are
adapted to be prospective channel, source and drain regions of the
thin film transistor, are left unetched and that the first silicon
dioxide layer becomes smaller than each of the channel, source and
drain regions; and forming a second silicon dioxide layer, which
covers the first silicon dioxide layer and the silicon active
layer, by CVD using a mixed gas containing a silicon compound,
oxygen and a second active gas, which is larger in mass number than
the first active gas, as a carrier gas.
[0040] According to this method, it is possible to secure a good
interface performance with the silicon active layer by the first
silicon dioxide film and to improve the insulation strength by the
precisely formed second silicon dioxide layer, so that the
peripheral edge of the island of the first silicon dioxide layer
and silicon active layer can be covered with the second silicon
dioxide layer very simply.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0041] The above and other objects, advantages and features of the
present invention will be more apparent from the following
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in
which:
[0042] FIGS. 1(a) to 1(c) are diagrams showing a thin film
transistor according to a first embodiment of the present
invention;
[0043] FIGS. 2(a) to 2(c) are diagrams showing another thin film
transistor according to a second embodiment of the invention;
[0044] FIGS. 3(a) to 3(c) are diagrams showing still another thin
film transistor according to a third embodiment of the
invention;
[0045] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a further thin film transistor
according to a fourth embodiment of the invention;
[0046] FIGS. 5(a) to 5(j) are diagrams showing another thin film
transistor manufacturing method according to the first
embodiment;
[0047] FIGS. 6(a) to 6(j) are diagrams showing a thin film
transistor manufacturing method according to the second
embodiment;
[0048] FIG. 7 is a V-I characteristic graph showing the
characteristic of gate voltage vs. drain current of the thin film
transistor of the second embodiment;
[0049] FIG. 8 is a V-I characteristic graph showing the
characteristic of gate voltage vs. drain current of a conventional
thin film transistor;
[0050] FIGS. 9(a) to 9(c) are diagrams showing a conventional
example; and
[0051] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another conventional example;
and
[0052] FIGS. 11(a) to 11(c) are diagrams showing still another
conventional example.
[0053] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a thin film transistor
according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;
[0054] FIG. 13 is a graph showing concentrations of silicon dioxide
film layers of the thin film transistor of the fifth
embodiment;
[0055] FIG. 14 shows a cross-sectional structure of a thin film
transistor according to a sixth embodiment of the invention;
[0056] FIG. 15 is a graph showing concentrations of silicon dioxide
film layers of the thin film transistor of the sixth
embodiment;
[0057] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an apparatus to be used for
forming a gate insulating film according to the fifth and sixth
embodiments;
[0058] FIGS. 17(a) to 17(j) are diagrams showing a thin film
transistor manufacturing method according to the invention; and
[0059] FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a conventional thin film
transistor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0060] The principles of the present invention are particularly
useful when applied to a thin film transistor and its fabrication
process, various embodiments and examples of which will now be
described in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
[0061] [Embodiment 1]
[0062] FIG. 1(a) is a top plan view of a thin film transistor
according to a first embodiment of the invention, FIG. 1(b) is a
cross-sectional view taken alone line A-A' of FIG. 1(a), and FIG.
1(c) is a cross-sectional view taken alone line B-B' of FIG. 1(a).
The thin film transistor of FIGS. 1(a) to 1(c) comprises a glass
substrate 1 as an insulator, and a silicon layer composed of a
source-and-drain region 4, 3, and a channel region 2 and formed on
the glass substrate 1 in an island shape. A first gate insulating
film 5, which is formed on the island of the silicon layer, has a
first width equal to the width of the silicon layer in the
source-drain direction, i.e., the B-B' direction and a second width
smaller than the width of the silicon layer in the gate electrode
direction, i.e., in the B-B' direction. In the gate electrode
direction, a below-described gate electrode extends across the
first-gate insulating film 5. These regions of the silicon layer
and the first gate insulating film 5 are covered by a second gate
insulating film 6, on which a gate electrode (hereinafter also
called simply the gate) 7 is formed. In the resulting structure, as
shown in FIG. 1(c), a first thickness dc of the silicon layer at
its central region is larger than a second thickness de of the
silicon layer at its either end region, and the island of the
silicon layer gently slopes down to its opposite ends so that the
silicon layer island can be covered with the second gate insulating
film 6 without any leak current between the gate 7 and the silicon
layer.
[0063] The material for the first and second gate insulating films
is exemplified by silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide
and tantalum oxide. Preferably, silicon dioxide is used for the
first gate insulating film and silicon nitride is used for the
second gate insulating film. Because it is a common knowledge that
for the interface between the silicon layer and the gate insulating
film, the silicon dioxide is superior to the other materials and
that silicon nitride is higher in permittivity than silicon dioxide
and can hence gain a desired MOS capacitance without thinning the
gate insulating film down to a minimum and, as a result, the
threshold value in operating the thin film transistor can be
reduced.
[0064] In the thin film transistor of the present invention, the
side surfaces, in cross-sectional shape, of the silicon channel
region or of the first gate insulating film may be at an angle
smaller than 90 degrees with respect to the substrate surface; this
is, the silicon channel region or the first gate insulating film
may be tapered.
[0065] The fabrication process of this thin film transistor will
now be described with reference to FIGS. 5(a) to 5(j).
[0066] FIGS. 5(a) to 5(g) are process diagrams as cross-sectional
views taken along line A-A' of FIG. 1(a), and FIGS. 5(h) to 5(j)
are process diagrams as cross-sectional views taken along line B-B'
of FIG. 1(a). An amorphous silicon film 502 is deposited by a
thickness of 50 nm on the glass substrate 1 (preferably coated with
a silicon oxide film or silicon nitride film formed by CVD or
sputtering) by low pressure CVD, whereupon a silicon dioxide film
503 is deposited by a thickness of 20 nm over the amorphous silicon
film 502. Then a polysilicon film is formed by illuminating KrF
excimer laser through the silicon dioxide film 503. Alternatively
the polysilicon film may be formed by illuminating XeCl or XeF
excimer laser or YAG laser. Then a structure shown in FIGS. 5(d)
and 5(h) is formed by photolithography and etching twice.
Specifically, a resist pattern for obtaining a desired shape of
silicon dioxide film is formed and the silicon dioxide pattern is
patterned. At that time, etching is performed by flowing etching
gases CF.sub.4 and CHF.sub.3 by 10 sccm (standard cubic centimeter
per minute) and 40 sccm, respectively, under a condition that a
making electricity is 400 W and a gas pressure is 6 Pa, using a
parallel-plate-type RF plasma etching apparatus. Under this
condition, the etching rate of the silicon dioxide film is more
than twenty times that of the polysilicon, so only the silicon
dioxide film can be selectively etched. Then a resist pattern for
obtaining a desired shape of polysilicon film is formed, whereupon
dry etching takes place again. As a result, the structure of FIGS.
5(d) and 5(h) is obtained. During the etching of the polysilicon
film, etching is performed by flowing CF.sub.4 and oxygen by 142
sccm and 7 sccm, respectively, under a condition that a gas
pressure is 20 Pa and a making electricity is 300 W. Under this
condition, a selective ratio of 10 or higher for the silicon
dioxide film as the upper element and the glass substrate as the
lower element can be realized.
[0067] Again an 80-nm-thick silicon dioxide film 504 is obtained
and an Al/n.sup.+Si film (505) as a prospective gate electrode are
formed. Until this stage, the structure of FIGS. 1(a) to 1(c) is
obtained. After that, accompanying the patterning of the gate
electrode, the gate insulating film is removed to expose the
silicon layer, and ions of a desired impurity such as phosphorus or
boron are implanted in self-alignment. As means of impurity
implantation, the ion doping method may be used in which hydrogen
is implanted simultaneously with the implanting of the impurity,
without causing mass separation. Activation of impurity may be
performed by illuminating laser again or by heat treatment at about
600.degree. C. Further, an interlayer insulating film 506 and
contact holes are formed and a gate electrode 507 is formed of
Al.
[0068] During pulse laser illumination, as a thin silicon film is
encountered with melting and recrystallization, the same attention
as the ordinary semiconductor fabrication process must be taken to
the impurity. By performing the laser crystallization after an
interface of the silicon film and insulating film has been formed,
crystallization is possible with keeping the interface clean.
Alternatively, laser crystallization may be performed after a
silicon dioxide layer has been formed in an upper part of the
silicon film, so that a uniform thin polycrystalline film in which
particles are uniform in size can be obtained as both the substrate
interface and silicon dioxide interface act as a nucleus forming
site during crystallization. This effect is useful in obtaining a
thin polysilicon film in which change of particle size is small
with respect to the change of laser illumination intensity.
[0069] [Embodiment 2]
[0070] FIG. 2(a) is a top plan view of a thin film transistor
according to a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG.
2(b) is a cross-sectional view taken alone line A-A' of FIG. 2(a),
and FIG. 2(c) is a cross-sectional view taken alone line B-B' of
FIG. 2 (a). The thin film transistor of FIGS. 2(a) to 2(c)
comprises a glass substrate 1 as an insulator, a silicon layer,
which is composed of a source-and-drain region 4, 3 and a channel
region 2 and formed on the glass substrate 1 in an island shape, a
first gate insulating film 5, a second gate insulating film 6, and
a gate electrode (hereinafter also called the gate) 7. Because the
channel region 2, the gate insulating films 5, 6 and the gate 7
constitute the so-called metal-insulator-semiconductor structure,
it is possible control a drain current by controlling a voltage
applied to the gate 7. The material for the first and second gate
insulating films 5, 6 is exemplified by silicon dioxide, silicon
nitride, aluminum oxide and tantalum oxide. As shown in FIGS. 2(b)
and 2(c), by reducing the first gate insulating film 5 in width and
length as compared to the silicon channel region 2 and forming the
second gate insulating film 6 over the first gate insulating film
5, it is possible to obtain a thin film transistor in which a first
thickness de of the gate insulating film above and near the end
regions of the island of the silicon layer and a second thickness
dc of the gate insulating film above and near the central region of
the island of the silicon layer, i.e., the channel of the thin film
transistor satisfy the following relation
d.sub.e<d.sub.c.
[0071] The structure of FIGS. 2(b) and 2(c) in which the first gate
insulating film is smaller in width and length than the silicon
channel region may be obtained by an alternative method as follows.
On the glass substrate 1 as the insulator, the silicon layer, which
is composed of the source, drain and channel regions 4, 3, 2, and
the first gate insulating film 5 are deposited; in order to obtain
a desired size of silicon layer, a resist pattern is formed by
photolithography. Then the island-shape laminate of the silicon
layer and the insulating film reflected from the resist pattern is
obtained by etching. At that time, by selecting the following
condition
(etching rate of silicon layer)<(etching rate of gate insulating
film)
[0072] a structure in which the first gate insulating film is
smaller in width and length than the silicon channel region can be
realized.
[0073] The fabrication process of this thin film transistor will
now be described with reference to FIGS. 6(a) to 6(j). FIGS. 6(a)
to 6(g) are process diagrams as cross-sectional views taken along
line A-A' of FIG. 2(a), and FIGS. 6(h) to 6(j) are process diagrams
as cross-sectional views taken along line B-B' of FIG. 2(a). An
amorphous silicon film is deposited by a thickness of 75 nm on the
glass substrate 1 (preferably coated with a silicon oxide film or
silicon nitride film formed by CVD or sputtering) by low pressure
CVD, whereupon a polysilicon film 502 is formed by illuminating KrF
excimer laser through the amorphous silicon film. Alternatively the
polysilicon film may be formed by illuminating XeCl or XeF excimer
laser or by solid phase epitaxy. It is a common knowledge in the
art that as the polysilicon thin film is formed by a laser
crystallization process, its surface becomes much bumpy depending
on the laser illumination intensity condition during laser
crystallization. In order to prove advantageous results of the
present invention with reference to those of the conventional art,
laser crystallization took place by the laser illumination
intensity ranging from 150 to 350 mJ/cm.sup.2 under a low
illumination intensity condition, namely, a condition such that the
polysilicon thin film surface would become less bumpy and no gate
leak from that surface would occur. Then a silicon dioxide film 503
is deposited on the polysilicon film 502 by a thickness of 10 nm.
Then a structure shown in FIG. 17(d) is formed by photolithography
and etching. At that time, etching is performed by flowing by
flowing etching gases CF.sub.4 and CHF.sub.3 individually by 25
sccm under a condition that a making electricity is 400 W and a gas
pressure is 6 Pa, using a parallel-plate-type RF plasma etching
apparatus. Under this condition, the etching rate of the silicon
dioxide film varies with respect to that of the silicon layer due
to the partial pressure of CF4. In this embodiment, the etching
rate ratio is SiO.sub.2/Si=5/1. Again a silicon dioxide film 504 is
formed by a thickness of 30 nm and an Al/n.sup.+Si film (505) is
formed over the silicon dioxide film 504 as the gate electrode.
Until this stage, the structure shown in FIGS. 2(a) to 2(c) is
obtained. After that, accompanying the patterning of the gate
electrode, the gate insulating film is removed to expose the
silicon layer, and ions of a desired impurity such as phosphorus or
boron are implanted in self-alignment. As means of impurity
implantation, the ion doping method may be used in which hydrogen
is implanted simultaneously with the implanting of the impurity,
without causing mass separation. Activation of impurity may be
performed by illuminating laser again or by heat treatment at about
600.degree. C. Further, an interlayer insulating film 506 and
contact holes are formed and gate interconnection 507 is formed of
Al.
[0074] By this fabrication process, a thin film transistor which
satisfies the relation the channel length/width=10/10 .mu.m was
manufactured. The thickness of the silicone layer is 75 nm; the
channel width, 10 .mu.m; the thickness and width of the silicon
dioxide film as the first insulating film, 10 nm and 8 .mu.m,
respectively; the thickness of the silicon dioxide film as the
second insulating film, 30 nm. Accordingly, in this thin film
transistor, the first thickness of the gate insulating film above
and near the end regions of the island of the silicon layer, which
include the channel region disposed in a direction from the source
region to the drain region, is 30 nm (=d.sub.S) and the second
thickness of the gate insulating film above and near the central
region of the island of the silicon layer is 40 nm (=d.sub.C). The
V-I characteristic of gate voltage vs. drain current at that time
is shown in FIG. 7. Whereas in a thin film transistor manufactured
by the conventional method (channel length/width=10/10 .mu.m; the
silicon layer thickness is 75 nm; the channel width, 10 .mu.m; the
thickness and width of the silicon dioxide layer as the first
insulating film, 10 .mu.m and 10 .mu.m, respectively; the thickness
of the silicon dioxide film as the second insulating film, 30
.mu.m), a V-I characteristic of gate voltage vs. drain current was
obtained as shown in FIG. 8. In FIGS. 7 and 8, solid lines
represent the V-I characteristic of gate voltage vs. drain current
of n-channel TFT and p-channel TFT; dotted lines, the gate leak
current of n-channel TFT; dashed lines, the gate leak current of
p-channel TFT. As is apparent from FIGS. 7 and 8, in the structure
of the present invention the gate leak current is controlled, so
the structure takes on an excellent transistor characteristic.
Furthermore, as is already described, in order to prove the
advantageous results of the present invention with reference to
those of the conventional art, laser illumination took place by the
laser illumination intensity ranging from 150 to 350 mJ/cm.sup.2
under a low illumination intensity condition, namely, a condition
such that the polysilicon thin film surface would become less bumpy
and no gate leak current from that surface would occur. The
illustrated TFT characteristic fluctuates in accordance with the
laser illumination intensity. In FIGS. 7 and 8, the difference in
leak current is remarkable not due to the laser illumination
intensity, and so the advantageous results of the present invention
were proved.
[0075] In this embodiment, etching is performed by a
parallel-plate-type RF plasma etching apparatus under a condition
that the etching rate ratio is SiO.sub.2/Si=5/1. Alternatively, any
other etching process may be used as long as the relation (the
etching rate of the first gate insulating)>(the etching rate of
the semiconductor thin film) is satisfied.
[0076] [Embodiment 3]
[0077] FIGS. 3(a) is a top plan view of a thin film transistor
according to a third embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3(b)
is a cross-sectional view taken alone line A-A' of FIG. 3(a), and
FIG. 3(c) is a cross-sectional view taken alone line B-B' of FIG.
3(a). The thin film transistor of FIGS. 3(a) to 3(c) comprises a
glass substrate 1 as an insulator, a silicon layer, which is
composed of a source-and-drain region 4, 3 and a channel region 2
and formed on the glass substrate 1 in an island shape, a first
gate insulating film 5, a second gate insulating film 6, and a gate
electrode 7. Because the channel region 2, the gate insulating
films 5, 6 and the gate 7 constitute the so-called
metal-insulator-semiconductor structure, it is possible control a
drain current by controlling a voltage applied to the gate 7. The
material for the first and second gate insulating films 5, 6 is
exemplified by silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide and
tantalum oxide. As shown in FIG. 3(c), the thickness d.sub.1 of the
first the first gate insulating film 5 is larger than the thickness
d.sub.2 of the second gate insulating film 6. With this structure,
a stepped island edge of the silicon layer, which forms the channel
region, and the first gate insulating film can be covered with high
reliability. According to this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3(b),
in the fabrication process of the thin film transistor, though the
insulating film layer existing at the region left uncovered with
the gate is eliminated, this is not away from the gist of the
present invention.
[0078] [Embodiment 4]
[0079] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a thin film
transistor according to a fourth embodiment of the invention. The
thin film transistor of FIG. 4 comprises a glass substrate 1 as an
insulator, a silicon layer, which is composed of a source-and-drain
region and a channel region 2 and formed on the glass substrate 1
in an island shape, a first gate insulating film 5, a second gate
insulating film 6, and a gate electrode 7. Because the thickness
dsi of the silicon layer, the thickness d.sub.1 of the first gate
insulating film 5 and the thickness d.sub.2 of the second gate
insulating film 6 satisfy the following relation
d.sub.Si+d.sub.1<d.sub.2,
[0080] it is possible to prevent any leak current, which might have
occur due to the stepped island edges of the silicon layer and the
gate insulating film. Further, this structure is particularly
useful if the laminate is composed of two or more materials having
different permittivities; in order to obtain the same MOS
capacitance using high-permittivity materials, it is necessary to
increase the thickness of the insulating film. Namely, using
high-permittivity materials, a desired MOS capacitance can be
obtained without thinning the gate insulating film to a minimum
and, as a result, the threshold value in operating the thin film
transistor can be reduced.
[0081] According to the present invention, since a good interface
between the silicon layer and the gate insulating film is formed at
a relative low temperature of about 300.degree. C., it is possible
to prevent any gate leak and any breakage of the gate, thus
guaranteeing a reliable high-performance thin film transistor.
[0082] Furthermore, according to the manufacturing method of the
present invention, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom
in material selection and fabrication process so that a
high-performance thin film transistor can be obtained simply.
[0083] [Embodiment 5]
[0084] FIG. 12 shows a cross-sectional structure of a thin film
transistor according to a fifth embodiment. This thin film
transistor comprises a glass substrate 116, and a silicon active
layer composed of a source-and-drain region 14 and a channel region
115 and formed on the glass substrate 116. As a gate insulating
film, a silicon dioxide film (I) 112 and a silicon dioxide film
(II) 113 are formed over the silicon active layer. Over the gate
insulating film a gate electrode 111 is disposed.
[0085] Inert gases contained in the gate insulating film are
different in concentration between the silicon dioxide film (I) 112
and the silicon dioxide film (II) 113 as shown in FIG. 13. In the
silicon dioxide film (I) 112 contiguous to the channel region 115
of the silicon active layer, concentration of He (helium) is high,
while in the silicon dioxide film (II) 113 disposed above the
channel region 115, the concentration of Ar (argon) larger in mass
number than He is high.
[0086] This thin film transistor structure can be manufactured in
the following fabrication process. Firstly an a-Si thin film is
formed on a well-cleaned glass substrate by a thickness of 100 nm
by low pressure CVD. Then the a-Si thin film is exposed to XeCl
excimer laser of 308 nm wavelength to form a polysilicon thin film
having a desired crystallalinity. Although the intensity and number
of times for such laser illumination may be chosen as desired, it
is preferable that laser of about 400 mJ/cm.sup.2 intensity, which
enables adequate crystallization without causing film abrasion, is
radiated by about 5 shots per cite.
[0087] After the polysilicon thin film has been formed on the glass
substrate, a mask is formed over the polysilicon thin film by
lithography using a photoresist, and the unmasked regions for
prospective source and drain regions of a thin film transistor are
doped with phosphorus or boron by ion implantation. Instead of ion
implantation, the ion doping method in which phosphorus or boron
hydride is doped without mass separation may be used. After dopant
ions have thus been implanted, the source and drain regions are
treated by heating at 600.degree. C. for about 10 hours to activate
the impurity, thus reducing the resistance of such regions.
[0088] Then the channel and source-and-drain regions of the thin
film transistor are patterned in an island shape by
photolithography and dry etching.
[0089] Subsequently the resulting transistor structure is well
cleaned to remove off the naturally oxidized film existing on its
surface, whereupon a silicon dioxide film (I) and a silicon dioxide
film (II) are formed continuously by plasma CVD.
[0090] In formation of the silicon dioxide film (I), silane
(SiH.sub.4) and oxygen (O.sub.2) were as a material gas and
additionally He (helium) was used as a carrier gas for silane and
oxygen. And in formation of the silicon dioxide film (II), silane
(SiH.sub.4) and oxygen (O.sub.2) were used as a material gas
likewise the silicon dioxide film (II) and additionally Ar (argon)
was used as a carrier gas for silane and oxygen.
[0091] A plasma CVD apparatus to be used in formation of the
silicon dioxide films (I), (II) is shown in FIG. 16. This plasma
CVD comprises an RF power source 51, an upper electrode 52, a mesh
electrode 53, a silane injector 54, a substrate holder 56, an
exhaust valve 57 and a gas line 58; with the substrate 55 supported
on the substrate holder 56, the film formation is carried out. From
a gas source 59, silane and oxygen are supplied as the material gas
and additionally He and Ar are supplied as the carrier gas. This
apparatus has a mechanism capable of depositing the silicon dioxide
film (I) using He as the carrier gas for silane and oxygen and of
subsequently changing the carrier gas from He to Ar.
[0092] Plasmatic discharge of oxygen is generated between the upper
electrode 52 and the mesh electrode 53 as active oxygen radical and
inert gas radical are supplied to the substrate surface through the
mesh electrode 53 to react with silane gas, thereby forming a
silicon dioxide film. At that time, by biasing the mesh electrode
53, it is possible to control the supply of charged ions in plasma
to the substrate. It is also possible to independently change the
carrier gas for oxygen and silane.
[0093] In this embodiment, the carrier gas is changed from He to
Ar. Alternatively, with the carrier gas for silane left unchanged
employing He, only the carrier gas for oxygen may be changed from
He to Ar with the same result.
[0094] [Embodiment 6]
[0095] FIG. 14 shows a cross-sectional structure of a thin film
transistor according to a sixth embodiment. This thin film
transistor comprises a glass substrate 136, and a silicon active
layer composed of a source-and-drain region 134 and a channel
region 135 and formed on the glass substrate 136. As a gate
insulating film, a silicon dioxide film (I) 132 and a silicon
dioxide film (II) 133 are formed over the silicon active layer.
Over the gate insulating film a gate electrode 131 is disposed.
[0096] The thin film transistor of this embodiment is characterized
in that, as shown in FIG. 15, the Ar concentration of the inert gas
contained in the silicon dioxide film of the gate insulating film
increases from the channel interface toward the gate interface.
[0097] This thin film transistor structure can be manufactured in
the following fabrication process. Firstly an a-Si:H film is formed
on a well-cleaned glass substrate by a thickness of 70 nm by low
pressure CVD. After it is dehydrated at 400.degree. C. for 20
minutes, the a-Si:H film is exposed to KrF excimer laser of 248 nm
to form a polysilicon thin film having a desired crystallalinity.
Although the intensity and number of times for such laser
illumination may be chosen as desired, it is preferable that laser
of about 400 mJ/cm.sup.2 intensity, which enables adequate
crystallization without causing film abrasion, is radiated by about
5 shots per cite. By carrying out this laser illumination after
solid phase epitaxial growth is carried out place at 600.degree. C.
simultaneously with the performed before laser crystallization, so
the activation step at 600.degree. C. can be omitted.
[0098] Then the channel and source-and-drain regions of the thin
film transistor are patterned in an island shape by
photolithography and dry etching.
[0099] Subsequently the resulting transistor structure is well
cleaned to remove off the naturally oxidized film existing on its
surface, whereupon a gate insulating film is formed by plasma CVD.
In formation of the gate insulating film, silane (SiH.sub.4) and
oxygen (O.sub.2) were as a material gas and additionally He
(helium) was used as a carrier gas for silane. With Ar used as a
carrier gas for oxygen, flow of Ar was continuously increased from
0 sccm at the starting stage of film formation to 200 sccm at the
final stage of film formation. A plasma CVD apparatus to be used in
formation of the gate insulating film is identical with the
apparatus used in the fifth embodiment and shown in FIG. 16.
[0100] [Embodiment 7]
[0101] A seventh embodiment of the present invention will now be
described with reference to FIGS. 17(a) to 17(j).
[0102] As shown in FIGS. 17(a) and 17(b), an amorphous silicon
layer is deposited on a glass substrate 61 (preferably coated with
a silicon oxide film and a silicon nitride film that are formed by
CVD or sputtering) by a thickness of 60 nm by low pressure CVD,
whereupon a polysilicon layer 62 is formed over the amorphous
silicon layer by KrF excimer laser illumination. Alternatively, the
polysilicon layer 62 may be formed by XeCl or XeF excimer laser
illustration or solid phase epitaxy instead of KrF excimer laser
illustration.
[0103] Then a first silicon dioxide film 63 is deposited over the
polysilicon film 62 by 20 nm as shown in FIG. 17(c). At that time,
a plasma CVD apparatus identical with that of FIG. 16 is used and
He (helium) is used as a dilution gas of silane and oxygen.
[0104] Then a structure shown in FIG. 17(d) is formed by
photolithography and etching; FIG. 17(h) is a side view of this
structure as seen in a transverse direction perpendicular to the
direction of FIG. 17(d). At that time, by performing the etching
step under a condition such that the etching rate of the upper
silicon dioxide layer is higher than that of the lower silicon
layer, the island shape of silicon dioxide becomes smaller than the
island shape of silicon. The resulting island is not steep at its
periphery and can therefore be covered by an insulating film in a
subsequent covering step with improved reliability.
[0105] Then a second silicon dioxide film 64 is formed by a
thickness of 80 nm. At that time, by using Ar as a dilution gas of
silane and oxygen, a high-insulating-strength precise film was
obtained. And an Al/n.sup.+Si layer 65 is formed as a gate
electrode to obtain a structure of FIG. 17(e). FIG. 17(i) is a side
view of this structure as seen in a transverse direction
perpendicular to the direction of FIG. 17(e).
[0106] Subsequently, the gate insulating film is removed in
conformity with the patterning shape of the gate, and the unexposed
silicon layer is doped with a desired impurity such as phosphorus
or boron by self-alignment ion implantation, thus forming a
structure of FIG. 17(f). FIG. 17(j) is a side view of this
structure as seen in a transverse direction perpendicular to the
direction of FIG. 17(f). As an alternative doping means, ion doping
may be used in which hydrogen also is put in simultaneously with
the impurity. Activation of impurity may be performed by exposing
to laser again or by heating at about 600.degree. C.
[0107] Finally, an interlayer insulating film 66 is formed and then
contact holes are formed, whereupon an electrode array 67 is formed
to complete a thin film transistor. In this thin film transistor
structure, the stepped edges of the island can be covered with the
insulating layer precisely.
[0108] In the foregoing embodiments, a combination of He and Ar is
used as inert gas. Ar may be substituted by neon, krypton, xenon,
radon or other inert gas with the similar result. As long as it
does not matter if the permittivity is increased, nitrogen or
N.sub.2O gas may be used for substitute for Ar.
[Examples]
[0109] Using the plasma CVD apparatus of FIG. 16, silicon dioxide
films were formed under the condition: a substrate temperature of
300.degree. C., a film-forming pressure of 133 Pa, an oxygen gas
flow of 25 sccm, a silane gas flow of 6 sccm, and an RF power of 50
W. At that time, the film formation conditions and the inert gas
concentration in the individual silicon dioxide film are as
follows.
Example 1
[0110] After a silicon dioxide film was formed by a thickness of 50
nm as both silane and oxygen were diluted with He of 200 sccm,
another silicon dioxide film was continuously formed by a thickness
of 50 nm as He substituted by Ar of 200 sccm. An analysis conducted
under the direction of the present inventor shows that the
concentration of He atoms contained in the first-named silicon
oxide layer contiguous with the substrate was
9.times.10.sup.19cm.sup.-3, while the concentration of Ar atoms
contained in the second-named silicon oxide layer remote from the
substrate was 9.times.10.sup.19cm.sup.-3.
Example 2
[0111] While silane was constantly diluted with He of 200 sccm and
oxygen was gradually diluted with Ar of 0 to 200 sccm (gradually
increasing), a 100-nm-thickness silicon dioxide film was formed. An
analysis of the inventor shows that the concentration of He atoms
contained in the entire silicon oxide film was less than
approximately 5.times.10.sup.19cm.sup.-3 and the concentration of
Ar atoms contained in the silicon oxide film from the substrate
side to the top surface side increased gradually from 0 to
approximately 7.times.10.sup.19cm.sup.-3.
Comparative Example 1
[0112] While both silane and oxygen were diluted with He of 200
sccm, a 100-nm-thickness silicon dioxide film was formed. An
analysis of the inventor shows that the concentration of He atoms
contained in the dioxide film was 9.times.10.sup.19cm.sup.-3.
[0113] The results of the analyses of the inventor are shown in
Table 1. The figures of insulating strength and interface level
density in Table 1 were obtained as the result of tests in which
the individual silicon dioxide film was formed on a silicon wafer.
The step-coverage preciseness was obtained as the result of
observation by SEM after the stepped edges of the island of silicon
dioxide film formed on a glass substrate was covered with an
insulating layer.
1TABLE 1 Insulating Interface Level Good step- Strength Density
coverage? Example 1 7 MV/cm 9.0 .times. 10.sup.11
cm.sup.-2eV.sup.-2 .largecircle. Example 2 8 MV/cm 9.0 .times.
10.sup.11 cm.sup.-2eV.sup.-2 .largecircle. Comparative Example 1 4
MV/cm 9.0 .times. 10.sup.11 cm.sup.-2eV.sup.-2 .largecircle.
Comparative Example 2 9 MV/cm 1.0 .times. 10.sup.11
cm.sup.-2eV.sup.-2 .largecircle. N.B.: .largecircle. stands for the
answer "positive".
[0114] According to the present invention, using the chemical vapor
deposition (CVD), which enables good step-coverage precision, and
particularly plasma CVD rather than the physical vapor deposition,
which is represented by sputtering high in directivity and not
suitable in covering the stepped edges of the island, it is
possible to provide a thin film transistor which simultaneously
enables (1) lowering the defect level derived from residual stress,
dangling bond, impurity, etc. and improving the insulating
strength, (2) lowering the interface level derived from incomplete
cleaning, plasma damage, etc., and (3) covering stepped edges of
the island of semiconductor layers precisely, and it is also
possible to provide a method for manufacturing such thin film
transistor. Further, since the gate insulating film can be formed
at low temperature, it is possible to use inexpensive
low-melting-point glass as a substrate, thus reducing the cost of
the substrate to a tenth the usual cost and increasing the
throughput of the fabrication process by three times. Furthermore
it is possible to guarantee a performance equivalent to the silicon
dioxide film that was formed at a high temperature of about
1000.degree. C.
[0115] It is thus apparent that the present invention is not
limited to the above embodiments but may be changed and modified
without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.
[0116] Finally, the present application claims the priorities of
Japanese Patent Applications Nos. Hei9-47874 and Hei9-59152 filed
respectively on Mar. 3 and 17, 1997, which are herein incorporated
by reference.
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