A memory cell comprises a nanowire structure comprising a channel region and source/drain regions of a transistor. The nanowire structure also comprises as first conductor of a capacitive device as a vertical extension of the nanowire structure.

A transistor, integrated semiconductor device and methods of making are provided. The transistor includes a dielectric layer having a plurality of dielectric protrusions, a channel layer conformally covering the protrusions of the dielectric layer to form a plurality of trenches between two adjacent dielectric protrusion, a gate layer disposed on the channel layer. The gate layer 106 has a plurality of gate protrusions fitted into the trenches. The transistor also includes active regions aside the gate layer. The active regions are electrically connected to the channel layer.

An active matrix substrate includes a first TFT and a second TFT, in which the first TFT includes a first oxide semiconductor layer and a first gate electrode arranged on a part of the first oxide semiconductor layer with a first gate insulating layer interposed therebetween, the first gate insulating layer has a layered structure including a first insulating film and a second insulating film arranged on the first insulating film, the second TFT includes a second oxide semiconductor layer having a higher mobility than the first oxide semiconductor layer and a second gate electrode arranged on a part of the second oxide semiconductor layer with a second gate insulating layer interposed therebetween, and the second gate insulating layer includes the second insulating film and does not include the first insulating film, and the second TFT further includes a lower insulating layer including the first insulating film arranged between the second oxide semiconductor layer and a substrate.

It is an object to provide a highly reliable semiconductor device including a thin film transistor with stable electric characteristics. In a semiconductor device including an inverted staggered thin film transistor whose semiconductor layer is an oxide semiconductor layer, a buffer layer is provided over the oxide semiconductor layer. The buffer layer is in contact with a channel formation region of the semiconductor layer and source and drain electrode layers. A film of the buffer layer has resistance distribution. A region provided over the channel formation region of the semiconductor layer has lower electrical conductivity than the channel formation region of the semiconductor layer, and a region in contact with the source and drain electrode layers has higher electrical conductivity than the channel formation region of the semiconductor layer.

A semiconductor device that enables lower power consumption and data storage imitating a human brain is provided. The semiconductor device includes a control unit, a memory unit, and a sensor unit. The memory unit includes a memory circuit and a switching circuit. The memory circuit includes a first transistor and a capacitor. The switching circuit includes a second transistor and a third transistor. The first transistor and the second transistor include a semiconductor layer including a channel formation region with an oxide semiconductor, and a back gate electrode. The control unit has a function of switching a signal supplied to the back gate electrode, in accordance with a signal obtained at the sensor unit.

A semiconductor device with a small variation in characteristics is provided. A semiconductor device includes an oxide, a first conductor and a second conductor over the oxide, a first insulator over the first conductor, a second insulator over the second conductor, a third insulator over the first insulator and the second insulator, a fourth insulator over the third insulator, a fifth insulator that is over the oxide and placed between the first conductor and the second conductor, a sixth insulator over the fifth insulator, and a third conductor over the sixth insulator. The third conductor includes a region overlapping the oxide. The fifth insulator includes a region in contact with the oxide, the first conductor, the second conductor, and each of the first insulator to the fourth insulator. The fifth insulator contains nitrogen, oxygen, and silicon.

A semiconductor device with a small variation in characteristics is provided. The semiconductor device includes a first insulator; a second insulator having an opening over the first insulator; a third insulator that has a first depressed portion and is provided inside the opening; a first oxide that has a second depressed portion and is provided inside the first depressed portion; a second oxide provided inside the second depressed portion; a first conductor and a second conductor that are electrically connected to the second oxide and are apart from each other; a fourth insulator over the second oxide; and a third conductor including a region overlapping with the second oxide with the fourth insulator therebetween. The second oxide includes a first region, a second region, and a third region sandwiched between the first region and the second region in a top view. The first conductor includes a region overlapping with the first region and the second insulator. The second conductor includes a region overlapping with the second region and the second insulator. The third conductor includes a region overlapping with the third region.

The light-emitting device includes a thin film transistor having a channel layer made of a first n-type semiconductor; a cathode electrically connected to a drain of the thin film transistor and made of a second n-type semiconductor; an anode facing the cathode; and a light-emitting layer provided between the cathode and the anode.

A disclosed transistor structure includes a gate electrode, an active layer, a source electrode, a drain electrode, an insulating layer separating the gate electrode from the active layer, and a carrier modification device that reduces short channel effects by reducing carrier concentration variations in the active layer. The carrier modification device may include a capping layer in contact with the active layer that acts to increase a carrier concentration in the active layer. Alternatively, the carrier modification device may include a first injection layer in contact with the source electrode and the active layer separating the source electrode from the active layer, and a second injection layer in contact with the drain electrode and the active layer separating the drain electrode from the active layer. The first and second injection layers may act to reduce a carrier concentration within the active layer near the source electrode and the drain electrode.

A plurality of vertical stacks may be formed over a substrate. Each of the vertical stacks includes, from bottom to top, a bottom electrode, a dielectric pillar, and a top electrode. A continuous active layer may be formed over the plurality of vertical stacks. A gate dielectric layer may be formed over the continuous active layer. The continuous active layer and the gate dielectric layer may be patterned into a plurality of active layers and a plurality of gate dielectrics. Each of the plurality of active layers laterally surrounds a respective one of the vertical stacks that are arranged along a first horizontal direction, and each of the plurality of gate dielectrics laterally surrounds a respective one of the active layers. Gate electrodes may be formed over the plurality of gate dielectrics.