US6693324B2 — Semiconductor device having a thin film transisto…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 143 words

A semiconductor device having a thin film transistor, comprising; first and second conductive layers provided to be isolated from each other; a semiconductor layer having one end placed on top of said first conductive layer and in contact with said first conductive layer, and another end placed on top of said second conductive layer and in contact with said second conductive layer; and a gate electrode layer covering an upper surface and opposing side surfaces of said semiconductor layer with a gate insulating layer interposed therebetween at a central portion sandwiched by said one end and said another end; wherein a line width defined by said opposing side surfaces of said semiconductor layer is smaller than a thickness of said semiconductor layer, and a line width of said first and second conductive layers is greater than said line width of said semiconductor layer.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 143 words

A semiconductor device having a thin film transistor, comprising; first and second conductive layers provided to be isolated from each other; a semiconductor layer having one end placed on top of said first conductive layer and in contact with said first conductive layer, and another end placed on top of said second conductive layer and in contact with said second conductive layer; and a gate electrode layer covering an upper surface and opposing side surfaces of said semiconductor layer with a gate insulating layer interposed therebetween at a central portion sandwiched by said one end and said another end; wherein a line width defined by said opposing side surfaces of said semiconductor layer is smaller than a thickness of said semiconductor layer, and a line width of said first and second conductive layers is greater than said line width of said semiconductor layer.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 78 words

The semiconductor device having a thin film transistor according to claim 1 , further comprising a semiconductor substrate having a main surface where an element is formed, and an insulating layer formed on the main surface to cover said element and having a hole, wherein said first and second conductive layers are formed on said insulating layer, and wherein at least one of said first and second conductive layers is electrically connected to said element through said hole.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 26 words

The semiconductor device having a thin film transistor according to claim 1 , wherein said gate electrode layer covers a lower surface of said semiconductor layer.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 43 words

The semiconductor device having a thin film transistor according to claim 1 , wherein said gate electrode layer covers said semiconductor layer from an upper end of said side surface to a lower end thereof at said central portion of said semiconductor layer.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 49 words

The semiconductor device having a thin film transistor according to claim 1 , wherein at least one kind of impurity selected from the group consisting of fluorine, oxygen and neon, and nitrogen are introduced at least to a portion of said semiconductor layer covered with said gate electrode layer.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 28 words

The semiconductor device having a thin film transistor according to claim 1 , wherein said gate insulating layer has a silicon oxynitride (SiO X N 1−X ) film.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 35 words

The semiconductor device having a thin film transistor according to claim 1 , wherein nitrogen is introduced to a surface of said gate electrode layer facing said semiconductor layer and to said gate insulating layer.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 59 words

The semiconductor device having a thin film transistor according to claim 1 , wherein the conductivity type of impurity introduced to said first and second conductive layers is different from the conductivity type of impurity introduced to said gate electrode, and concentration of said impurity introduced to said gate electrode layer is at most 4.23×10 19 cm −3 .

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 61 words

The semiconductor device having a thin film transistor according to claim 1 , wherein said semiconductor layer and said first and second conductive layers each include impurity of the same conductivity type and concentration of the impurity introduced to said one end and said another end is lower than concentration of the impurity introduced to said first and second conductive layers.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 161 words

A semiconductor device having a thin film transistor, comprising: a semiconductor layer having a surface and a pair of source/drain regions spaced apart from each other to define a channel region; and a gate electrode layer facing said channel region of said semiconductor layer with a gate insulating layer interposed therebetween; wherein the conductivity type of impurity introduced to said source/drain regions of said semiconductor layer is different from the conductivity type of impurity introduced to said gate electrode layer, and concentration of said impurity introduced to said gate electrode layer is at most 4.23×10 19 cm −3 ; wherein: the source/drdain regions have p type conductivity; the gate electrode layer has n type conductivity; gate electrode layer is formed only by a single layer region of different conductivity from said source/drain regions and, as a whole, has a uniform impurity concentration; and during off-operation, a depletion layer is formed from the side of the channel region in the gate electrode.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 161 words

A semiconductor device having a thin film transistor, comprising: a semiconductor layer having a surface and a pair of source/drain regions spaced apart from each other to define a channel region; and a gate electrode layer facing said channel region of said semiconductor layer with a gate insulating layer interposed therebetween; wherein the conductivity type of impurity introduced to said source/drain regions of said semiconductor layer is different from the conductivity type of impurity introduced to said gate electrode layer, and concentration of said impurity introduced to said gate electrode layer is at most 4.23×10 19 cm −3 ; wherein: the source/drdain regions have p type conductivity; the gate electrode layer has n type conductivity; gate electrode layer is formed only by a single layer region of different conductivity from said source/drain regions and, as a whole, has a uniform impurity concentration; and during off-operation, a depletion layer is formed from the side of the channel region in the gate electrode.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 122 words

A semiconductor device having a thin film transistor, comprising: first and second conductive layers provided to be isolated from each other; a semiconductor layer having one end placed on top of said first conductive layer and in contact with said first conductive layer, and another end placed on top of said second conductive layer and in contact with said second conductive layer; and a gate electrode layer covering an upper surface and opposing side surfaces of said semiconductor layer with a gate insulating layer interposed therebetween at a central portion sandwiched by said one end and said another end; wherein a line width defined by said opposing side surface of said semiconductor layer is smaller than a thickness of said semiconductor layer.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 122 words

A semiconductor device having a thin film transistor, comprising: first and second conductive layers provided to be isolated from each other; a semiconductor layer having one end placed on top of said first conductive layer and in contact with said first conductive layer, and another end placed on top of said second conductive layer and in contact with said second conductive layer; and a gate electrode layer covering an upper surface and opposing side surfaces of said semiconductor layer with a gate insulating layer interposed therebetween at a central portion sandwiched by said one end and said another end; wherein a line width defined by said opposing side surface of said semiconductor layer is smaller than a thickness of said semiconductor layer.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 78 words

The semiconductor device having a thin film transistor according to claim 11 , further comprising a semiconductor substrate having a main surface where an element is formed, and an insulating layer formed on the main surface to cover said element and having a hold, wherein said first and second conductive layers are formed on said insulating layer, and wherein at least one of said first and second conductive layers is electrically connected to said element through said hole.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 25 words

The semiconductor device having a thin film transistor according to claim 11 wherein said gate electrode layer covers a lower surface of said semiconductor layer.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 42 words

The semiconductor device having a thin film transistor according to claim 11 wherein said gate electrode layer covers said semiconductor layer from an upper end of said side surface to a lower end thereof at said central portion of said semiconductor layer.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 138 words

A semiconductor device having a thin film transistor, comprising: a semiconductor layer having a surface and a pair of source/drain regions spaced apart from each other to define a channel region; and a gate electrode layer facing said channel region of said semiconductor layer with a gate insulating layer interposed therebetween; wherein: said gate electrode layer is formed below said semiconductor layer; said pair of source/drain regions and said gate electrode constitute a thin film transistor; nitrogen is introduced to a surface of said gate electrode layer facing said channel region and to said gate insulating layer forming a nitrogen concentration distribution having a peak at an interface between the gate electrode layer and the gate insulating layer, and within the gate electrode layer, having a highest concentration at a portion in contact with said gate insulating layer.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 138 words

A semiconductor device having a thin film transistor, comprising: a semiconductor layer having a surface and a pair of source/drain regions spaced apart from each other to define a channel region; and a gate electrode layer facing said channel region of said semiconductor layer with a gate insulating layer interposed therebetween; wherein: said gate electrode layer is formed below said semiconductor layer; said pair of source/drain regions and said gate electrode constitute a thin film transistor; nitrogen is introduced to a surface of said gate electrode layer facing said channel region and to said gate insulating layer forming a nitrogen concentration distribution having a peak at an interface between the gate electrode layer and the gate insulating layer, and within the gate electrode layer, having a highest concentration at a portion in contact with said gate insulating layer.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2007-02-16	2007-08-18	2008-02-17	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2011-02-16	2011-08-18	2012-02-17	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2015-02-16	2015-08-18	2016-02-17	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Semiconductor device having a thin film transistor and manufacturing method thereof

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