Thin film transistor and method for fabricating the same
A thin film transistor that has improved characteristics and uniformity is developed by uniformly controlling low concentration of crystallization catalyst and controlling crystallization position so that no seed exists and no grain boundary exists, or one grain boundary exists in a channel layer of the thin film transistor. The thin film transistor includes a substrate; a semiconductor layer pattern which is formed on the substrate, the semiconductor layer pattern having a channel layer of which no seed exists and no grain boundary exists; a gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor layer pattern; and a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film. A method for fabricating the thin film transistor includes forming an amorphous silicon layer on a substrate; forming a semiconductor layer pattern having a channel layer in which no seed exists and no grain boundary exists by crystallizing and patterning the amorphous silicon layer; forming a gate insulating film on the semiconductor layer pattern; and forming a gate electrode on the gate insulating film.
This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2004-0050915, filed on Jun. 30, 2004, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin film transistor and a method for fabricating the same, more particularly, to a thin film transistor having a channel layer of which no seed exists and no grain boundary exists, or one grain boundary exists, and a method for fabricating the thin film transistor.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, a polycrystalline silicon layer is used for various purposes as a semiconductor layer for a thin film transistor. For example, since the polycrystalline silicon layer has a high electric field effect and mobility, it can be applied to circuits operated at high speed, and it enables Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) circuit to be constructed. A thin film transistor using the polycrystalline silicon layer can also be used in an active element of an active matrix liquid crystal display (AMLCD) and a switching element and a driving element of an organic light emitting diode (OLED).
The polycrystalline silicon layer used in the thin film transistor is fabricated by direct deposition, high temperature thermal annealing or laser annealing. In case of the laser annealing, while it can be performed at low temperature, and can result in high electric field effect and mobility, many alternative technologies are being studied because of the requirement for expensive laser equipment.
At present, a method for crystallizing amorphous silicon using metal is mostly being studied since the method has merits that the amorphous silicon is promptly crystallized at a lower temperature compared with solid phase crystallization. The crystallization method using metal can be categorized into a metal induced crystallization method and a metal induced lateral crystallization method. Regardless of its category, however, the crystallization method using metal has the problem that characteristics of elements for thin film transistors are deteriorated by metal contamination.
As such, a technology of forming a good polycrystalline silicon layer by controlling concentration of ions of metal through an ion injector has been developed. The technology performs high temperature annealing, rapid thermal annealing or laser irradiation and a method for crystallizing the thin film by thermal annealing after depositing a thin film by spin coating a mixture of organic film having viscous property and liquid phase metal on the polycrystalline silicon layer to flatten the surface of polycrystalline silicon layer as metal induced crystallization are developed to reduce quantity of metal and form a polycrystalline silicon layer of good quality. However, even in this case, there are problems in aspects of scale-up of grain size and uniformity of grain in the polycrystalline silicon layer.
In order to solve the foregoing problems, a method for manufacturing polycrystalline silicon layer as a crystallization method using a capping (or cover) layer has been developed as disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-open Publication No. 10-2003-0060403. The disclosed method uses an amorphous silicon layer that is formed on a substrate, and a capping layer is formed on the amorphous silicon layer. Subsequently, a seed is formed by depositing a metal catalyst layer on the capping layer and diffusing metal catalyst into the amorphous silicon layer through the capping layer by thermal annealing or laser annealing. A polycrystalline silicon layer is obtained using the formed seed. This method has merits in reducing metal contamination because the metal catalyst is diffused through the capping (or cover) layer.
However, the foregoing method has problems in that it is difficult to uniformly control low concentration of crystallization catalyst and control crystallization position and grain size. Particularly, the foregoing method has problems in that it is difficult to control the number of boundaries between the seeds and the grains since characteristics and uniformity of elements for thin film transistors are greatly influenced by the number of boundaries between seeds and grains formed in a channel of the thin film transistor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is an aspect of the present invention to provide a thin film transistor for uniformly controlling a concentration of a crystallization catalyst and a crystallization position so that no seed exists and no grain boundary exists in a channel layer of the thin film transistor or for controlling the number of seeds or grain boundaries so that characteristics and uniformity of the thin film transistor are improved, and a method for fabricating the thin film transistor.
One exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a thin film transistor. The thin film transistor includes a substrate; a semiconductor layer pattern formed on the substrate, the semiconductor layer pattern having a channel layer, the channel layer having no seed and no grain boundary; a gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor layer pattern; and a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film.
A seed may be formed in a source region or a drain region of the semiconductor layer pattern, and a width and a length of the semiconductor layer pattern may each be shorter than a radius of a grain formed by the seed.
A seed may be formed on an outer part of the channel layer between a source region and a drain region of the semiconductor layer pattern, and a width and a length of the semiconductor layer pattern may each be shorter than a diameter of a grain formed by the seed.
The channel layer may have a crystallinity or a crystallization ratio of about 0.7 to 0.9.
One exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a thin film transistor. The thin film transistor includes a substrate; a semiconductor layer pattern formed on the substrate, the semiconductor layer pattern has a channel layer, the channel layer having a single grain boundary; a gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor layer pattern; and a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film.
A seed may be formed in a source region or a drain region of the semiconductor layer pattern, and a length of the semiconductor layer pattern may be about 1.1 to 1.3 times a radius of a grain formed by the seed.
The thin film transistor may further include a buffer layer formed between the substrate and the semiconductor layer pattern. The buffer layer may be formed of a silicon nitride film or a silicon oxide film.
The thin film transistor may be used in a liquid crystal layer (LCD) device or an organic electroluminescence device.
One exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a method for fabricating a thin film transistor. The method includes forming an amorphous silicon layer on a substrate; forming a semiconductor layer pattern having a channel layer in which no seed exists and no grain boundary exists by crystallizing and patterning the amorphous silicon layer; forming a gate insulating film on the semiconductor layer pattern; and forming a gate electrode on the gate insulating film.
The forming the semiconductor layer pattern may include forming a capping layer on the amorphous silicon layer; forming a grooved part on the capping layer so that a seed is formed in a source region or a drain region of the semiconductor layer pattern; forming a metal catalyst layer on the capping layer; diffusing a metal catalyst of the metal catalyst layer into the amorphous silicon layer; and forming a polycrystalline silicon layer by crystallizing the amorphous silicon layer using the diffused metal catalyst.
The forming the semiconductor layer pattern may include forming a first capping layer on the amorphous silicon layer; patterning the first capping layer so that a seed is formed in a source region or a drain region of the semiconductor layer pattern; forming a second capping layer on the patterned first capping layer; forming a metal catalyst layer on the second capping layer; diffusing a metal catalyst of the metal catalyst layer into the amorphous silicon layer; and forming a polycrystalline silicon layer by crystallizing the amorphous silicon layer using the diffused metal catalyst.
The semiconductor layer pattern may be formed in such a manner that a width and a length of the semiconductor layer pattern are each shorter than a radius of a grain formed by the seed.
The forming the semiconductor layer pattern may include forming a capping layer on the amorphous silicon layer; forming a grooved part on the capping layer so that a seed is formed on an outer part of a channel layer between a source region and a drain region of the semiconductor layer pattern; forming a metal catalyst layer on the capping layer; diffusing a metal catalyst of the metal catalyst layer into the amorphous silicon layer; and forming a polycrystalline silicon layer by crystallizing the amorphous silicon layer using the diffused metal catalyst.
The forming the semiconductor layer pattern may include forming a first capping layer on the amorphous silicon layer; patterning the first capping layer so that a seed is formed on an outer part of a channel layer between a source region and a drain region of the semiconductor layer pattern; forming a second capping layer on the patterned first capping layer; forming a metal catalyst layer on the second capping layer; diffusing a metal catalyst of the metal catalyst layer into the amorphous silicon layer; and forming a polycrystalline silicon layer by crystallizing the amorphous silicon layer using the diffused metal catalyst.
The semiconductor layer pattern may be formed in such a manner that a width and a length of the semiconductor layer pattern are each shorter than a diameter of a grain formed by the seed.
One exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a method for fabricating a thin film transistor. The method includes forming an amorphous silicon layer on a substrate; forming a semiconductor layer pattern having a channel layer in which one grain boundary exists by crystallizing and patterning the amorphous silicon layer; forming a gate insulating film on the semiconductor layer pattern; and forming a gate electrode on the gate insulating film.
The semiconductor layer pattern may be formed in such a way that a length of the semiconductor layer pattern is about 1.1 to 1.3 times a radius of a grain.
The capping layer may be formed of a silicon nitride film or a silicon oxide film.
The first capping layer pattern and the second capping layer may each be formed of a silicon nitride film or a silicon oxide film.
A thickness of a part of the first capping layer pattern may be thicker than that of the second capping layer.
A density of a part of the first capping layer pattern may be higher than that of the second capping layer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe accompanying drawings, together with the specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention, and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present invention:
Explanation of marks for certain parts of drawings:
In the following detailed description, only certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown and described, simply by way of illustration. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not restrictive. There may be parts shown in the drawings, or parts not shown in the drawings, that are not discussed in the specification as they are not essential to a complete understanding of the invention. Like reference numbers designate like elements.
Referring to
As shown in
Referring to
Alternatively, the seeds 21 can be formed in the drain region 23.
Referring to
Referring to
Alternatively, the seed 41 can be formed in a drain region 43.
As described above, characteristics of thin film transistors can be displayed evenly or unevenly according to a formation position of the channel layer since crystallization ratio varies according to a position of the channel layer inside the grain even in one grain. In one embodiment of the present invention, a part having crystallinity of about 0.7 to 0.9 or about 0.74 is used as the channel layer. By controlling the channel layer in such a manner, no seed has to exist and no grain boundary has to exist in the channel layer, or one grain boundary exists in the channel layer.
Referring to
First capping layer is then formed on the amorphous silicon layer 71. The first capping layer can be formed of a silicon nitride film or a silicon oxide film by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). Subsequently, first capping layer pattern 72 having a hollow part 700 is formed by patterning the first capping layer. A seed to be mentioned later is formed in a source region or a drain region, and the first capping layer is patterned on a channel layer so that no seed exists and no grain boundary exists in the channel layer. Alternatively, the seed can be formed on an outer part of the channel layer between the source region and the drain region, and the first capping layer can be patterned on the channel layer so that no seed exists and no grain boundary exists in the channel layer. In addition, the seed can be formed in the source region or the drain region, and the first capping layer can be patterned on the channel layer so that one grain boundary exists in the channel layer although no seed exists in the channel layer.
The solid part of the first capping layer pattern 72 (i.e., not including the hollow part 700) can be formed by the silicon nitride film or the silicon oxide film having a certain control thickness or the capping layer pattern 72 have a certain control density of the silicon nitride film or the silicon oxide film so that it substantially prevents diffusion of a metal catalyst in the solid part of the first capping layer pattern 72. That is, the solid part of the first capping layer pattern 72 functions as a metal catalyst diffusion impossible or blocking layer.
Referring to
Subsequently, a layer of metal catalyst 74 is formed on the second capping layer 73. The metal catalyst 74 can be nickel, and the layer of metal catalyst 74 can be formed using a sputter. Alternatively, the metal catalyst 74 can be formed by an ion implantation process or a plasma process. In the plasma process, the metal catalyst 74 can be formed by arranging a metallic material on the second capping layer 73 and exposing the metallic material to plasma.
Referring to
Next, a polycrystalline silicon layer is formed by crystallizing the amorphous silicon layer 71. The crystallization can be performed through heat treatment, and the heat treatment can be carried out by heating the amorphous silicon layer 71 in a furnace for a long time, where a crystallization temperature of about 400 to 1,000° C. or of about 550 to 700° C. can be used. If the amorphous silicon layer 71 is heat treated in the above described temperature range, the amorphous silicon layer 71 grows to the side from the seed 75 and contacts neighboring grains to form a grain boundary and completely crystallize the amorphous silicon layer 71.
A crystallization method capable of controlling grain size and grain growing position and direction by forming a seed through selective diffusion of metal catalysts, thereby crystallizing the amorphous silicon layer as described in the above process can be referred to as a super grain silicon (SGS) method, and grains of a polycrystalline silicon layer formed by this crystallization method can be grown to a size of 3 to 400 μm.
Referring now to
A method for fabricating thin film transistors according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention is substantially the same as the method for fabricating thin film transistors according to first exemplary embodiment of the present invention with the exception of the above description.
Referring to
Referring to
Subsequently, source/drain regions 77a, 77b and channel layer 77c are formed by patterning the polycrystalline silicon layer and performing the ion implantation process. That is, a semiconductor layer pattern 76 is formed. The semiconductor layer pattern 76 can be formed in such a way that a width and a length of the semiconductor layer pattern 76 are shorter than a radius of a grain, the width and the length of the semiconductor layer pattern 76 are shorter than the diameter of the grain, and the length of the semiconductor layer pattern 76 is about 1.1 to 1.3 times the radius of the grain according to the first capping layer pattern 72 or position of crystallization as described above.
A metal layer and a photoresist layer are sequentially laid up on the gate insulating film 78 after forming a gate insulating film 78 on the semiconductor layer pattern 76. A gate electrode 79 is formed by patterning the photoresist layer and etching the metal layer using the patterned photoresist layer as a mask. A thin film transistor is completed using the resulting material.
In view of the foregoing, certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a thin film transistor that has good characteristics and uniformity. The embodiments control uniform low concentration and crystallization position of the crystallization catalyst so that no seed exists and no grain boundary exists in a channel layer of the thin film transistor, or one grain boundary exists in the channel layer of the thin film transistor.
While the invention has been described in connection with certain exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
Claims
1. A thin film transistor comprising:
- a substrate;
- a semiconductor layer pattern formed on the substrate, the semiconductor layer pattern having a channel layer, the channel layer having no seed and no grain boundary;
- a gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor layer pattern; and
- a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film.
2. The thin film transistor according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor layer pattern has a source region and a drain region, wherein a seed is formed in the source region or the drain region, and wherein a width and a length of the semiconductor layer pattern are each shorter than a radius of a grain formed by the seed.
3. The thin film transistor according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor layer pattern has a source region and a drain region, wherein a seed is formed on an outer part of the channel layer between the source region and the drain region, and wherein a width and a length of the semiconductor layer pattern are each shorter than a diameter of a grain formed by the seed.
4. The thin film transistor according to claim 1, wherein the channel layer has a crystallinity of about 0.7 to 0.9.
5. The thin film transistor according to claim 1, wherein the thin film transistor is used in a liquid crystal display (LCD) device or an organic electroluminescence device.
6. A thin film transistor comprising:
- a substrate;
- a semiconductor layer pattern formed on the substrate, the semiconductor layer pattern having a channel layer, the channel layer having a single grain boundary;
- a gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor layer pattern; and
- a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film.
7. The thin film transistor according to claim 6, wherein the semiconductor layer pattern has a source region and a drain region, wherein a seed is formed in the source region or the drain region, and a length of the semiconductor layer pattern is about 1.1 to 1.3 times the radius of a grain formed by the seed.
8. The thin film transistor according to claim 5, wherein the thin film transistor is used in a liquid crystal display (LCD) device or an organic electroluminescence device.
9. A method for fabricating a thin film transistor comprising:
- forming an amorphous silicon layer on a substrate;
- forming a semiconductor layer pattern having a channel layer in which no seed exists and no grain boundary exists by crystallizing and patterning the amorphous silicon layer;
- forming a gate insulating film on the semiconductor layer pattern; and
- forming a gate electrode on the gate insulating film.
10. The method for fabricating the thin film transistor according to claim 9, wherein the forming the semiconductor layer pattern comprises:
- forming a capping layer on the amorphous silicon layer;
- forming a grooved part on the capping layer so that a seed is formed in a source region or a drain region of the semiconductor layer pattern;
- forming a metal catalyst layer on the capping layer;
- diffusing a metal catalyst of the metal catalyst layer into the amorphous silicon layer; and
- forming a polycrystalline silicon layer by crystallizing the amorphous silicon layer using the diffused metal catalyst.
11. The method for fabricating the thin film transistor according to claim 9, wherein the forming the semiconductor layer pattern comprises:
- forming a first capping layer on the amorphous silicon layer;
- patterning the first capping layer so that a seed is formed in a source region or a drain region of the semiconductor layer pattern;
- forming a second capping layer on the patterned first capping layer;
- forming a metal catalyst layer on the second capping layer;
- diffusing a metal catalyst of the metal catalyst layer into the amorphous silicon layer; and
- forming a polycrystalline silicon layer by crystallizing the amorphous silicon layer using the diffused metal catalyst.
12. The method for fabricating the thin film transistor according to claim 10, wherein the semiconductor layer pattern is formed in such a manner that a width and a length of the semiconductor layer pattern are each shorter than a radius of a grain formed by the seed.
13. The method for fabricating the thin film transistor according to claim 11, wherein the semiconductor layer pattern is formed in such a manner that a width and a length of the semiconductor layer pattern are each shorter than a radius of a grain formed by the seed.
14. The method for fabricating the thin film transistor according to claim 9, wherein the forming the semiconductor layer pattern comprises:
- forming a capping layer on the amorphous silicon layer;
- forming a grooved part on the capping layer so that a seed is formed on an outer part of a channel layer between a source region and a drain region of the semiconductor layer pattern;
- forming a metal catalyst layer on the capping layer;
- diffusing a metal catalyst of the metal catalyst layer into the amorphous silicon layer; and
- forming a polycrystalline silicon layer by crystallizing the amorphous silicon layer using the diffused metal catalyst.
15. The method for fabricating the thin film transistor according to claim 9, wherein the forming the semiconductor layer pattern comprises:
- forming a first capping layer on the amorphous silicon layer;
- patterning the first capping layer so that a seed is formed on an outer part of a channel layer between a source region and a drain region of the semiconductor layer pattern;
- forming a second capping layer on the patterned first capping layer;
- forming a metal catalyst layer on the second capping layer;
- diffusing a metal catalyst of the metal catalyst layer into the amorphous silicon layer; and
- forming a polycrystalline silicon layer by crystallizing the amorphous silicon layer using the diffused metal catalyst.
16. The method for fabricating the thin film transistor according to claim 14, wherein the semiconductor layer pattern is formed in such a manner that a width and a length of the semiconductor layer pattern are each shorter than a diameter of a grain formed by the seed.
17. The method for fabricating the thin film transistor according to claim 15, wherein the semiconductor layer pattern is formed in such a manner that a width and a length of the semiconductor layer pattern are each shorter than a diameter of a grain formed by the seed.
18. The method for fabricating the thin film transistor according to claim 10, wherein the capping layer is formed of a silicon nitride film or a silicon oxide film.
19. The method for fabricating the thin film transistor according to claim 14, wherein the capping layer is formed of a silicon nitride film or a silicon oxide film.
20. The method for fabricating the thin film transistor according to claim 11, wherein the first capping layer pattern and the second capping layer are each formed of a silicon nitride film or a silicon oxide film.
21. The method for fabricating the thin film transistor according to claim 15, wherein the first capping layer pattern and the second capping layer are each formed of a silicon nitride film or a silicon oxide film.
22. The method for fabricating the thin film transistor according to claim 11, wherein a thickness of a part of the first capping layer pattern is thicker than that of the second capping layer.
23. The method for fabricating the thin film transistor according to claim 15, wherein a thickness of a part of the first capping layer pattern is thicker than that of the second capping layer.
24. The method for fabricating the thin film transistor according to claim 11, wherein a density of a part the first capping layer pattern is higher than that of the second capping layer.
25. The method for fabricating the thin film transistor according to claim 15, wherein a density of a part of the first capping layer pattern is higher than that of the second capping layer.
26. A method for fabricating a thin film transistor comprising:
- forming an amorphous silicon layer on a substrate;
- forming a semiconductor layer pattern having a channel layer in which one grain boundary exists by crystallizing and patterning the amorphous silicon layer;
- forming a gate insulating film on the semiconductor layer pattern; and
- forming a gate electrode on the gate insulating film.
27. The method for fabricating the thin film transistor according to claim 26, wherein the forming the semiconductor layer pattern comprises:
- forming a capping layer on the amorphous silicon layer;
- forming a grooved part on the capping layer so that a seed is formed in a source region or a drain region of the semiconductor layer pattern;
- forming a metal catalyst layer on the capping layer;
- diffusing a metal catalyst of the metal catalyst layer into the amorphous silicon layer; and
- forming a polycrystalline silicon layer by crystallizing the amorphous silicon layer using the diffused metal catalyst.
28. The method for fabricating the thin film transistor according to claim 26, wherein the forming the semiconductor layer pattern comprises:
- forming a first capping layer on the amorphous silicon layer;
- patterning the first capping layer so that a seed is formed in a source region or a drain region of the semiconductor layer pattern;
- forming a second capping layer on the patterned first capping layer;
- forming a metal catalyst layer on the second capping layer;
- diffusing a metal catalyst of the metal catalyst layer into the amorphous silicon layer; and
- forming a polycrystalline silicon layer by crystallizing the amorphous silicon layer using the diffused metal catalyst.
29. The method for fabricating the thin film transistor according to claim 27, wherein the semiconductor layer pattern is formed in such a way that a length of the semiconductor layer pattern is about 1.1 to 1.3 times a radius of a grain formed by the seed.
30. The method for fabricating the thin film transistor according to claim 28, wherein the semiconductor layer pattern is formed in such a way that a length of the semiconductor layer pattern is about 1.1 to 1.3 times a radius of a grain formed by the seed.
31. The method for fabricating the thin film transistor according to claim 27, wherein the capping layer is formed of a silicon nitride film or a silicon oxide film.
32. The method for fabricating the thin film transistor according to claim 28, wherein the first capping layer pattern and the second capping layer are each formed of a silicon nitride film or a silicon oxide film.
33. The method for fabricating the thin film transistor according to claim 28, wherein a thickness of a part of the first capping layer pattern is thicker than that of the second capping layer.
34. The method for fabricating the thin film transistor according to claim 28, wherein a density of a part of the first capping layer pattern is higher than that of the second capping layer.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 20, 2004
Publication Date: Jan 5, 2006
Inventors: Tae-Hoon Yang (Seongnam-si), Ki-Yong Lee (Yongin-si), Jin-Wook Seo (Suwon-si), Byoung-Keon Park (Incheon-si)
Application Number: 11/019,658
International Classification: H01L 21/00 (20060101);