A thin film transistor includes an active layer, a gate electrode spaced apart from and partially overlapped with the active layer, and a gate insulating film between the active layer and the gate electrode, wherein the active layer includes a channel portion overlapped with the gate electrode, a conductorization portion which is not overlapped with the gate electrode, and a gradient portion between the channel portion and the conductorization portion and not overlapped with the gate electrode, the conductorization portion and the gradient portion of the active layer are doped with a dopant, the gate insulating film covers an upper surface of the active layer facing the gate electrode during doping of the active layer, and in the gradient portion, a concentration of the dopant increases along a direction from the channel portion toward the conductorization portion. A display device may also include the thin film transistor.

A semiconductor device includes: a first semiconductor layer having an N conductive type and made of a gallium oxide-based semiconductor; and a second semiconductor layer made of a gallium oxide-based semiconductor, in contact with the first semiconductor layer, and having the N conductive type with an electrically active donor concentration higher than an electrically active donor concentration of the first semiconductor layer. A difference between a donor concentration of the first semiconductor layer and a donor concentration of the second semiconductor layer is smaller than a difference between the electrically active donor concentration of the first semiconductor layer and the electrically active donor concentration of the second semiconductor layer.

A semiconductor device includes: a first semiconductor layer having an N conductive type and made of a gallium oxide-based semiconductor; and a second semiconductor layer made of a gallium oxide-based semiconductor, in contact with the first semiconductor layer, and having the N conductive type with an electrically active donor concentration higher than an electrically active donor concentration of the first semiconductor layer. A difference between a donor concentration of the first semiconductor layer and a donor concentration of the second semiconductor layer is smaller than a difference between the electrically active donor concentration of the first semiconductor layer and the electrically active donor concentration of the second semiconductor layer.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a trench in a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type; filling a first insulating film into the trench; etching the first insulating film to cause an upper surface of the first insulating film to recede lower than an opening of the trench and to expose a sidewall of an upper portion of the trench from under the first insulating film; forming a second-conductivity-type semiconductor region in a region of the first semiconductor layer next to the upper portion of the trench by implanting a second-conductivity-type impurity through the sidewall of the upper portion of the trench into the first semiconductor layer and by diffusing the second-conductivity-type impurity; and forming a gate electrode on the first insulating film in the upper portion of the trench after the forming of the second-conductivity-type semiconductor region.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a trench in a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type; filling a first insulating film into the trench; etching the first insulating film to cause an upper surface of the first insulating film to recede lower than an opening of the trench and to expose a sidewall of an upper portion of the trench from under the first insulating film; forming a second-conductivity-type semiconductor region in a region of the first semiconductor layer next to the upper portion of the trench by implanting a second-conductivity-type impurity through the sidewall of the upper portion of the trench into the first semiconductor layer and by diffusing the second-conductivity-type impurity; and forming a gate electrode on the first insulating film in the upper portion of the trench after the forming of the second-conductivity-type semiconductor region.

A planar insulating spacer layer is formed over a substrate, and a vertical stack of a gate electrode, a gate dielectric layer, and a first semiconducting metal oxide layer may be formed thereabove. The first semiconducting metal oxide layer includes atoms of a first n-type dopant at a first average dopant concentration. A second semiconducting metal oxide layer is formed over the first semiconducting metal oxide layer. Portions of the second semiconducting metal oxide layer are doped with the second n-type dopant to provide a source-side n-doped region and a drain-side n-doped region that include atoms of the second n-type dopant at a second average dopant concentration that is greater than the first average dopant concentration. Various dopants may be introduced to enhance performance of the thin film transistor.

A planar insulating spacer layer is formed over a substrate, and a vertical stack of a gate electrode, a gate dielectric layer, and a first semiconducting metal oxide layer may be formed thereabove. The first semiconducting metal oxide layer includes atoms of a first n-type dopant at a first average dopant concentration. A second semiconducting metal oxide layer is formed over the first semiconducting metal oxide layer. Portions of the second semiconducting metal oxide layer are doped with the second n-type dopant to provide a source-side n-doped region and a drain-side n-doped region that include atoms of the second n-type dopant at a second average dopant concentration that is greater than the first average dopant concentration. Various dopants may be introduced to enhance performance of the thin film transistor.

A change in electrical characteristics in a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor film is inhibited, and the reliability is improved. The semiconductor device includes a gate electrode, a first insulating film over the gate electrode, an oxide semiconductor film over the first insulating film, a source electrode electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor film, a drain electrode electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor film, a second insulating film over the oxide semiconductor film, the source electrode, and the drain electrode, a first metal oxide film over the second insulating film, and a second metal oxide film over the first metal oxide film. The first metal oxide film contains at least one metal element that is the same as a metal element contained in the oxide semiconductor film. The second metal oxide film includes a region where the second metal oxide film and the first metal oxide film are mixed.

A change in electrical characteristics in a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor film is inhibited, and the reliability is improved. The semiconductor device includes a gate electrode, a first insulating film over the gate electrode, an oxide semiconductor film over the first insulating film, a source electrode electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor film, a drain electrode electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor film, a second insulating film over the oxide semiconductor film, the source electrode, and the drain electrode, a first metal oxide film over the second insulating film, and a second metal oxide film over the first metal oxide film. The first metal oxide film contains at least one metal element that is the same as a metal element contained in the oxide semiconductor film. The second metal oxide film includes a region where the second metal oxide film and the first metal oxide film are mixed.

The present disclosure provides a method for producing a semiconductor element that can lower the potential risk of malfunction. The production method of the disclosure is a method for producing a semiconductor element which includes providing a semiconductor element precursor, the precursor having a metal electrode layer formed on the surface of a gallium oxide-based single crystal semiconductor layer and a dopant doped in at least part of an exposed portion on the surface of the gallium oxide-based single crystal semiconductor layer where the metal electrode layer is not layered, and annealing treatment of the semiconductor element precursor whereby the dopant is diffused to a portion of the gallium oxide-based single crystal semiconductor layer that are overlapping with the metal electrode layer in the layering direction, to form a Schottky junction between the gallium oxide-based single crystal semiconductor layer and the metal electrode layer.