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US5728610A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method for producing a thin film transistor having improved carrier mobility characteristics and leakage current characteristics

Assignee: Sony Corp
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Filing: 1996-06-28
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Granted: 1998-03-17
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Expires: 2016-06-28
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Abstract

Abstract A polycrystalline silicon film formed of an active layer of a thin film transistor is entirely hydrogenated by a low-temperature process, thereby lowering the resistance and relaxing the electric field in the vicinity of the drain to reduce the leakage current. A gate and an insulating film that covers it are formed on a substrate having an insulating surface. A hydrogenated polycrystalline silicon film is formed over the substrate, including the gate, with the insulating film interposed therebetween. A silicon oxide film pattern is formed on the polycrystalline silicon film directly above the gate. Source/drain regions are formed on the polycrystalline silicon film substantially at two external sides of the silicon oxide film pattern. The source/drain regions are formed from a hydrogen-containing amorphous silicon film, a conductive silicon film and a metal film, which are successively stacked on the polycrystalline silicon film. Accordingly, the hydrogen-containing amorphous silicon film functions as an offset region.

Inventors

  • 👤 Dharam Pal Gosain
  • 👤 Jonathan Westwater
  • 👤 Setsuo Usui

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 10:38
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D30/00; H10D30/60; H10D30/67; H10D30/01; H10D30/021; H10D30/031; H10D30/0312; H10D30/0316; H10D30/0321; H10D30/6704; H10D30/6713; H10D30/6715; H10D30/6729; H10D30/673; H10D30/6732; H10D30/674; H10D30/6741; H10D30/6743; H10D30/6745; H10P; H10P10/00

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim 195 words
A method of producing a thin film transistor, comprising the steps of: providing a substrate having insulating properties and providing a gate on a surface of the substrate; forming an insulating film, including in sequence a silicon nitride film and a gate insulating film which is comprised of a silicon oxide film over the substrate and gate, and then forming a polycrystalline silicon film on an upper surface of said insulating film; depositing a silicon oxide film on said polycrystalline silicon film, and then patterning said silicon oxide film to form a silicon oxide film pattern on said polycrystalline silicon film directly above said gate; successively forming a hydrogen-containing amorphous silicon film, a conductive silicon film, and a metal film on said polycrystalline silicon film so as to cover said silicon oxide film pattern; introducing hydrogen from said amorphous silicon film into said polycrystalline silicon film, and also activating conductive impurities in said conductive silicon film by heat treatment; and patterning said metal film, said conductive silicon film, and said amorphous silicon film to form source/drain regions extending from over edges of said silicon oxide film pattern laterally outwardly from said silicon oxide film pattern.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 195 words
A method of producing a thin film transistor, comprising the steps of: providing a substrate having insulating properties and providing a gate on a surface of the substrate; forming an insulating film, including in sequence a silicon nitride film and a gate insulating film which is comprised of a silicon oxide film over the substrate and gate, and then forming a polycrystalline silicon film on an upper surface of said insulating film; depositing a silicon oxide film on said polycrystalline silicon film, and then patterning said silicon oxide film to form a silicon oxide film pattern on said polycrystalline silicon film directly above said gate; successively forming a hydrogen-containing amorphous silicon film, a conductive silicon film, and a metal film on said polycrystalline silicon film so as to cover said silicon oxide film pattern; introducing hydrogen from said amorphous silicon film into said polycrystalline silicon film, and also activating conductive impurities in said conductive silicon film by heat treatment; and patterning said metal film, said conductive silicon film, and said amorphous silicon film to form source/drain regions extending from over edges of said silicon oxide film pattern laterally outwardly from said silicon oxide film pattern.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 43 words
A method of producing a thin film transistor according to claim 1, including the step of providing an oxide film on a surface of the gate which lies beneath said silicon nitride film when said silicon nitride film is formed over the gate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 34 words
The method of producing a thin film transistor according to claim 2 including the step of providing said oxide film on the surface of the gate by anodizing a surface layer of the gate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of producing a thin film transistor according to claim 2 including the step of providing said oxide film on the surface of the gate by plasma oxidation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 35 words
The method of producing a thin film transistor according to claim 1, wherein said gate is composed of at least one element selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, tantalum, chromium, copper, titanium, and aluminum.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2001-03-16 2001-09-15 2002-03-17 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2005-03-16 2005-09-15 2006-03-17 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2009-03-16 2009-09-15 2010-03-17 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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