Display device

Abstract

To improve visibility of a touch panel or improve detection sensitivity of the touch panel.SOLUTION: A touch panel has two conductive layers constituting capacity and also has a third conductive layer. The third conductive layer has a function as wiring electrically connected to a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer of a capacitive element, or another circuit or the like. The third conductive layer is also provided at a display element side rather than a light-shielding layer, and the third conductive layer and the light-shielding layer have a mutually overlapped region.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] One aspect of the present invention relates to a touch panel. Or, to a flexible touch panel. do.

[0002] Note that one embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above technical fields. One aspect of the present invention relates to a process, a machine, or a method of manufacture. , manufacture, or composition of matter. More specifically, the technical field of one embodiment of the present invention disclosed in this specification is a semiconductor device, Display device, light-emitting device, power storage device, storage device, electronic device, lighting device, input device, input / output device , their driving methods, or their manufacturing methods can be cited as examples.

[0003] In this specification and the like, a semiconductor device is a device that can function by utilizing semiconductor characteristics. Refers to devices in general. Semiconductor elements such as transistors, semiconductor circuits, computing devices, memory The device is one aspect of a semiconductor device. Optical devices, power generation devices (including thin-film solar cells, organic thin-film solar cells, etc.), and electronic devices The device may include a semiconductor device. [Background technology]

[0004] In recent years, display devices are expected to be used for a variety of purposes, and diversification is required. For example, the development of smartphones and tablet devices equipped with touch panels as mobile information terminals. is currently underway.

[0005] In addition, Patent Document 1 discloses a film substrate on which transistors and other semiconductor devices are mounted as switching elements. A flexible active matrix type light emitting device having an organic EL element is disclosed. . [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-174153 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The user interface on the display panel is to touch the screen with a finger or a stylus. There is a demand for touch panels that can accept input via touch.

[0008] For example, the touch panel may be configured so that a touch sensor is provided on the visible side of the display panel. It is desirable for the touch sensor provided in the touch panel to have high detection sensitivity. Since the touch sensor is provided overlapping the display panel, the display panel is The visibility may decrease.

[0009] In particular, when light-shielding materials are used for the wiring that constitutes the touch sensor, the wiring may become visible. This can cause the display quality of the touch panel to deteriorate. In the case of materials that reflect light, the wiring may become visible due to the reflection when exposed to strong external light. be.

[0010] An object of one embodiment of the present invention is to improve visibility of a touch panel. Another object of the present invention is to improve the detection sensitivity of a touch panel. One of the objectives is to provide a touch panel that can be bent. One of the objectives is to provide a lightweight touch panel. Another object of the present invention is to provide a highly reliable touch panel. One of the objectives is to provide a novel input device. One of the challenges we face is to

[0011] The description of these problems does not preclude the existence of other problems. It is not necessary for one embodiment to solve all of these problems. The subject matter will be self-evident from the description, drawings, claims, etc. Other issues can be extracted from the drawings, claims, etc. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] One embodiment of the present invention is a liquid crystal display device including a first substrate, a second substrate, a display element, a first layer, and a second layer. a touch panel having a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, a third conductive layer, and an insulating layer. The first substrate and the second substrate have an overlapping area. Between the substrates, a display element, a first layer, a second layer, a first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer, The display device includes a third conductive layer and an insulating layer. The first layer is located closer to the first substrate than the display element. The first layer and the display element have an overlapping area. The second layer is thicker than the display element. The insulating layer is located on the first substrate side. The insulating layer is located between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer. The first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, and the insulating layer are formed to be thicker than the first layer and the second layer. The third conductive layer is located closer to the first substrate than the display element, and the second conductive layer is located closer to the first substrate than the display element. The third conductive layer and the second layer have an overlapping region. The first conductive layer and the second conductive layer have a function of transmitting visible light. The first layer has a function of transmitting light of a specific wavelength band. The second layer has a function of blocking visible light. do.

[0013] In the above, the second layer has an opening, and the third conductive layer and the first conductive layer or the third conductive layer are It is preferable that the second conductive layer is electrically connected to the first conductive layer through the opening.

[0014] In the above, it is preferable to have a transistor. The transistor is located closer to the first substrate than the first layer and closer to the first substrate than the second layer. The third conductive layer is electrically connected to the gate, source, or drain of the transistor. It is preferable that the two circuits are connected to each other.

[0015] In the above, it is preferable to use a light-emitting element as the display element.

[0016] In the above, the first substrate and the second substrate are preferably flexible.

[0017] In addition, any of the above touch panels and FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) It is preferable that the touch panel module has a touch panel circuit. An electronic device having a housing incorporating the touch panel module is also one aspect of the present invention. Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to one aspect of the present invention, the visibility of a touch panel can be improved. It is possible to improve the detection sensitivity of the touch panel. It is also possible to provide a thinner touch panel. Alternatively, a lightweight touch panel can be provided. Alternatively, a highly reliable touch panel can be provided. Alternatively, a novel input device can be provided. Alternatively, a novel input / output device can be provided. Note that the description of these effects may be changed without regard to the existence of other effects. However, it is not necessary for one embodiment of the present invention to have all of these effects. It is not necessary to do so. Effects other than those mentioned above can be automatically understood from the description in the specification, drawings, claims, etc. It is obvious that there are other effects than these from the description in the specification, drawings, claims, etc. It is possible to extract [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 3 shows a configuration example of a touch panel module according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] 4 shows an example of a laminated structure of a touch panel module according to an embodiment. [Diagram 3] 4 shows an example of a laminated structure of a touch panel module according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] 3 shows a configuration example of a touch panel module according to an embodiment. [Diagram 5] 3 shows a configuration example of a touch panel module according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] 3 shows a configuration example of a touch panel module according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] 1A and 1B are a block diagram and a circuit diagram of a touch panel according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] 1A and 1B are a circuit diagram and a schematic diagram of a configuration of a touch panel according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] 1A and 1B are a block diagram and a circuit diagram of a configuration of a touch panel according to an embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a configuration of a touch panel according to an embodiment. [Figure 11] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating a method for driving a touch panel according to an embodiment. [Figure 12] 1 is an electronic device according to an embodiment. [Figure 13] 1 is an electronic device according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] The embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following description. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various changes and modifications may be made in the form and details without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It will be easily understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be realized by the following embodiments. The present disclosure should not be construed as being limited to the contents of the preceding paragraph.

[0021] In the configuration of the invention described below, the same parts or parts having similar functions are The same reference numerals are used in common between different drawings, and the repeated explanations are omitted. When referring to a function, the same hatch pattern may be used and no particular symbol may be added.

[0022] In each figure described in this specification, the size, layer thickness, or area of ​​each component is indicated by The figures may be exaggerated for clarity and are not necessarily limited to scale. stomach.

[0023] In this specification, ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" are used to avoid confusion of components. The numbers are added for the purpose of convenience and are not intended to be limiting.

[0024] A transistor is a type of semiconductor device that controls the amplification of current or voltage and the conduction or non-conduction of electricity. In this specification, the transistor can realize a switching operation that controls the , IGFET(Insulated Gate Field Effect Trans istor) and thin film transistor (TFT: Thin Film Transistor ).

[0025] The words "membrane" and "layer" may be interchangeable depending on the circumstances. For example, the term "conductive layer" may be replaced with "conductive Alternatively, for example, the term "insulating film" may be used. In some cases, the terminology may be changed to the term "insulating layer."

[0026] (Embodiment 1) In this embodiment, a touch sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention and a touch sensor including a touch sensor will be described. The configuration of the touch panel, touch panel, and touch panel module will be described. In the following, we will explain how to detect the contact of a finger, stylus, or other object by detecting the change in capacitance. A configuration example in which a touch sensor that detects contact or proximity is applied will be described.

[0027] In this specification, the substrate having the touch sensor may be, for example, an FPC or a TC. Connectors such as P (Tape Carrier Package) are attached. or the IC is mounted on the board using the COG (Chip On Glass) method, etc. A module that functions as a touch sensor and has the following functions: A device that has both functions of displaying images, etc. is sometimes called a touch panel (input / output device). Note that the touch panel must be equipped with the above connector or have an IC mounted. Such a device is sometimes called a touch panel module, or simply a touch panel.

[0028] A capacitive touch sensor that can be applied to one embodiment of the present invention includes a capacitive element. The capacitance element may be, for example, a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and an insulating layer sandwiched between them. In this case, the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer may have a laminated structure. Each layer functions as an electrode of the capacitive element, and the insulating layer functions as a dielectric.

[0029] Of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, the first conductive layer is provided on the touch surface (detection surface) side. The touch sensor according to one aspect of the present invention includes a detection object such as a finger or a stylus, and a first By detecting the capacitance formed between the conductive layer and the touch panel, the touch operation can be detected. Specifically, when a predetermined potential difference is applied between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, A change in potential of the first conductive layer caused by a capacitance formed by a touch operation is detected. This makes it possible to detect a touch action.

[0030] In addition, the touch sensor of one embodiment of the present invention may be used in a display panel having a pixel including a display element. The pixels can be stacked to form a touch panel. Here, a color filter (also called a colored layer) is placed on the display element. By providing a 3D filter, the color purity of the light from the pixel can be improved. By placing a light-shielding layer between the filters, the color mixing of the light emitted from two adjacent pixels is suppressed, The display quality can be improved.

[0031] Here, one aspect of the present invention is a semiconductor device having a third conductive layer in addition to the two conductive layers that constitute the capacitance. The third conductive layer is electrically connected to the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, or other circuits of the capacitance element. In this case, the third conductive layer is preferably a light-shielding layer. the third conductive layer and the light-shielding layer are provided on the display element side of the light-shielding layer, and have an area where the third conductive layer and the light-shielding layer overlap each other. This makes it possible to detect the presence of a touch panel from the detection surface side (i.e., the display surface side). When viewed from the outside, the third conductive layer is hidden by the light-shielding layer, preventing it from being visible. This makes it possible to provide a touch panel with extremely high visibility.

[0032] For the third conductive layer, it is preferable to use a material including, for example, a metal or an alloy. Materials containing this material have relatively high conductivity, so signal delays are suppressed when they are used for wiring or electrodes. The detection sensitivity of the touch sensor can be improved. However, the third conductive layer is hidden by the light-shielding layer, so the light is not visible from the pixels. This allows the aperture ratio of the touch panel to be increased without blocking the light from the outside. The layer does not necessarily have to be made of a material that blocks light. For example, a conductive oxide or a conductive organic compound may be used. Alternatively, a material that transmits part of visible light, such as a composite material, may be used.

[0033] The touch panel is made up of two substrates: one that supports the touch sensor and one that supports the display element. In this case, the touch sensor has a structure in which the substrates are arranged to face each other. The sensor elements include both a capacitive element and an active element such as a transistor. In this case, it is preferable to use an active matrix touch sensor. This makes the touch sensor less susceptible to the effects of noise that occurs when the display element is driven. Therefore, the touch sensor and the display element are sandwiched between two substrates. Even if these are arranged closely to each other, the decrease in detection sensitivity can be suppressed. By using a flexible material for the pair of substrates, a thin, lightweight and flexible substrate can be manufactured. A touch panel can be realized.

[0034] At this time, the transistors that form the sensor elements and circuits are mounted on the substrate that supports the touch sensor. A conductive layer that functions as wiring electrically connecting the transistor and the capacitor element is formed. It is preferable to apply the third conductive layer. By doing so, the detection surface side of the touch panel Even if a transistor or other element is provided on the sensing surface of the touch panel, The area of ​​electrodes and wiring visible from the outside can be minimized, thereby preventing deterioration of visibility. can be done.

[0035] Hereinafter, a more specific configuration example of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0036] [Configuration example] FIG. 1(A) is a schematic perspective view of a touch panel module 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1B is a perspective schematic view of the touch panel module 10 when it is unfolded. The panel module 10 is configured by stacking a touch sensor module 20 and a display panel 30. It has a structure as described above.

[0037] The touch sensor module 20 includes a sensor element (also called a detection element) on a first substrate 21. A touch sensor (also called a touch sensor panel) having a touch panel 22 is provided with an FPC 41. A plurality of sensor elements 22 are arranged in a matrix on the first substrate 21. In addition, on the first substrate 21, a circuit 23 electrically connected to the sensor element 22, Preferably, a circuit 24 is provided.

[0038] At least one of the circuits 23 and 24 has a function of selecting a plurality of sensor elements 22. In addition, at least one of the circuit 23 and the circuit 24 may be a A circuit having a function of outputting a signal from the sensor element 22 can be applied.

[0039] The FPC 41 is adapted to connect at least one of the sensor element 22, the circuit 23, and the circuit 24 to an external The FPC 41 has a function of supplying a signal. It has a function of outputting a signal from at least one of the lines 24 to the outside.

[0040] The display panel 30 has a display section 32 on a second substrate 31. The display section 32 has a matrix. The second substrate 31 has a plurality of pixels 33 arranged in a shape of a pixel. It is preferable to provide a circuit 34 electrically connected to the element 33. The circuit 34 may be, for example, a gate A circuit that functions as a driver circuit can be applied.

[0041] The FPC 42 supplies a signal from the outside to at least one of the display unit 32 and the circuit 34. In FIG. 1, the first substrate 31 has a terminal 43. For example, an FPC can be attached to the terminal 43, and an IC that functions as a source driver circuit can be attached to the terminal 43. Direct mounting using the COG or COF method, or FPC with IC mounted, It is possible to attach TAB, TCP, etc. to the display panel 30. A configuration in which a connector such as C is mounted can also be called a display panel module.

[0042] The touch panel module 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention detects touch signals by using a plurality of sensor elements 22. The display unit 3 can output position information based on the change in capacitance when an action is performed. 2, an image can be displayed. That is, the touch panel module 10 is an input / output It can also be called a device.

[0043] [About the layered structure of touch panels] FIG. 2(A) is an enlarged schematic diagram of the area indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 1(A).

[0044] FIG. 2A shows a capacitance element 110 and a pixel 33 included in the sensor element 22 shown in FIG. , a wiring 25, and a wiring 26 are provided.

[0045] A plurality of capacitance elements 110 are arranged in a matrix. The wiring 26 is disposed between the capacitance elements 110, and a plurality of wirings 26 are disposed in a direction intersecting the wiring 25. There are.

[0046] A plurality of pixels 33 are arranged in a matrix. is provided so as to overlap the capacitance element 110, and the other part is provided between two adjacent capacitance elements 110. It is provided so as to overlap with the area.

[0047] The pixel 33 includes at least a display element. The display element may be, for example, an organic electroluminescence (EL It is preferable to use a light-emitting element such as an ectroluminescence element. In addition, electrophoretic, electronic powder and electrowetting methods are used as display elements. Display elements using the stylus method (also called electronic ink), shutter-type MEMS displays Various display elements can be used, such as display elements, MEMS display elements using optical interference, and liquid crystal elements. can.

[0048] Also, transmissive LCDs, semi-transmissive LCDs, and reflective LCDs It can also be applied to semi-transmissive LCDs and reflective LCDs. In order to realize a liquid crystal display, a part or all of the pixel electrodes are made to be reflective electrodes. For example, a part or the whole of the pixel electrode may be made of aluminum. In this case, the reflective electrode may have a thickness of 100 nm or 100 nm. It is also possible to provide a memory circuit such as RAM, which further reduces power consumption. In addition, a suitable configuration for the display element to be applied can be selected from various pixel circuits. It can be used.

[0049] FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram showing the laminated structure in the area overlapping with the capacitor element 110. As shown in FIG. 2B, a first conductive layer is provided between the first substrate 21 and the second substrate 31. 111, insulating layer 112, second conductive layer 113, light shielding layer 115, colored layer 114r, colored layer 1 14g, a colored layer 114b, a third conductive layer 116, and a pixel 33 are arranged. The third conductive layer 116 corresponds to one of the wirings 26 shown in FIG.

[0050] In the following description, the colored layers 114r, 114g, and 114b will not be distinguished from each other. In the description of matters common to these layers, the term "colored layer 114" may be used. be.

[0051] An insulating layer 112 is sandwiched between a first conductive layer 111 and a second conductive layer 113. This constitutes a capacitive element 110 .

[0052] Each colored layer 114 has a function of transmitting light in a specific wavelength band. The colored layer 4r transmits red light, the colored layer 114g transmits green light, and the colored layer 114b transmits blue light. The pixel 33 and one of the colored layers 114 are arranged to overlap each other, Only light of a specific wavelength band from the pixels 33 can be transmitted to the first substrate 21 side. can.

[0053] The light-shielding layer 115 has a function of blocking visible light. The light-shielding layer 115 is disposed so as to overlap the area between the color layers 114. In FIG. The opening is arranged so as to overlap the pixel 33 and the colored layer 114. The following shows an example of how this is being done.

[0054] In FIG. 2B, the light-shielding layer 115 is disposed closer to the first substrate 21 than the colored layer 114. However, the colored layer 114 may be disposed closer to the first substrate 21 than the light-shielding layer 115. good.

[0055] The first conductive layer 111, the insulating layer 112, and the second conductive layer 113 form the pixel 33 and the color layer. Therefore, the first conductive layer 111, the insulating layer 112, and the insulating layer 114 overlap each other. The first conductive layer 113 and the second conductive layer 114 are preferably made of a material that transmits visible light. stomach.

[0056] The third conductive layer 116 is disposed so as to be located between the light shielding layer 115 and the pixels 33 . In other words, the third conductive layer 116 is located closer to the second substrate 31 than the light-shielding layer 115, In addition, it is located closer to the first substrate 21 than the pixel 33 .

[0057] The third conductive layer 116 and the light-shielding layer 115 are arranged so as to overlap each other. This is preferable. With this configuration, the pixel 33 and the third conductive layer 116 do not overlap each other. Therefore, even if the third conductive layer 116 is made of a material that blocks visible light, the aperture ratio of the pixel 33 is This can prevent a decline in the

[0058] FIG. 3 shows a case where an optical adjustment layer 119 is disposed between two adjacent first conductive layers 111. This indicates a match.

[0059] By providing the optical adjustment layer 119, when viewed from the first substrate 21 side, the first conductive layer The 111 pattern becomes less visible, and the display quality can be improved.

[0060] The optical adjustment layer 119 is preferably a layer having optical properties (transmittance, refractive index, reflectance, etc.) similar to those of the first conductive layer 111. For example, a material having a transmittance equal to that of the first conductive layer 111 can be used. A material having a transmittance within ±5% can be used. It is preferable that the first conductive layer 9 is made of the same material as the first conductive layer 111. By processing the film, the first conductive layer 111 and the optical adjustment layer 119 are simultaneously formed, This is preferable since the process can be simplified.

[0061] When a conductive material is used as the optical adjustment layer 119, a predetermined electric field is applied to the optical adjustment layer 119. For example, a fixed potential such as a common potential or a ground potential can be supplied. A constant potential may be supplied to the optical adjustment layer 119. Alternatively, the first conductive layer 112 may be electrically connected to either the first conductive layer 113 or the second conductive layer 114 .

[0062] FIG. 4 shows an example of the arrangement of the components when viewed from the first substrate 21 side. In this example, a transistor 251 having a bottom gate structure is provided on the first substrate 21 side. An example of the case is shown.

[0063] In FIG. 4, a transistor 251, a first conductive layer 111, a second conductive layer 113, a light-shielding layer 1 15, third conductive layers 116a to 116g, and fourth conductive layers 117a and 117b are shown. do.

[0064] The transistor 251 has a gate electrode 13 from the first substrate 21 side (i.e., the front side of the paper). 1, a semiconductor layer 132, an electrode 133a and an electrode 133b. The electrode 133a is a source or drain, and the electrode 133b functions as the other of the source or drain. do.

[0065] The light-shielding layer 115 has a plurality of openings arranged in a matrix. Each opening of the light-shielding layer 115 is provided so as to overlap with the pixel 33 and the colored layer 114. .

[0066] The third conductive layers 116a to 116g are arranged so as to overlap the light-shielding layer 115. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, it cannot be seen when viewed from the first substrate side. do not have.

[0067] In addition, the transistor 251 is provided so as to overlap the light-shielding layer 115 as shown in FIG. This configuration is preferable because it does not reduce the aperture ratio of the pixel.

[0068] The transistor 251 includes a gate electrode 131, a semiconductor layer 132, and an electrode 133. The electrodes 133a and 133b are formed in an island shape so that their areas are as small as possible. With this configuration, the detection surface side (i.e., the first substrate 21 side) This reduces the area that is visible from the outside, making it less noticeable, improving the visibility of the touch panel. can be improved.

[0069] In addition, in FIG. 4, the semiconductor layer 132 of the transistor 251 is In this example, the detection surface is provided with a 10 mm diameter hole and the 10 mm diameter hole is provided with a 10 mm diameter hole. Therefore, even if the transistor 251 is exposed to external light, the light does not reach the semiconductor layer 132. Therefore, the change in the electrical characteristics of the transistor due to irradiation with external light can be suppressed. It is possible to realize a highly reliable touch sensor by suppressing the influence of external light. Since there is no need to connect a compensation circuit to reduce noise, the configuration of the touch sensor circuit can be simplified. .

[0070] The first conductive layer 111 has an island shape. The second conductive layer 113 is a A region including a contact portion between the first conductive layer 111 and the third conductive layer 116a and its surrounding area An opening is provided in the overlapping portion and in the portion overlapping the region including the transistor 251 and its periphery. do.

[0071] The first conductive layer 111 is connected to the third conductive layer 116 through an opening provided in the light shielding layer 115 or the like. The third conductive layer 116a is electrically connected to the openings 115 and 116b provided in the light shielding layer 115. The electrode 133a is electrically connected to the electrode 133b via the light shielding layer 115. The third conductive layer 116 is electrically connected to the third conductive layer 116b through the opening. b and the third conductive layer 116d are electrically connected via the fourth conductive layer 117a. The third conductive layers 116e and 116f are respectively connected to the light shielding layer 115 through openings formed therein. The third conductive layer 116f and the third conductive layer 11 6g is electrically connected via the fourth conductive layer 117b. The third conductive layer 116c is , and are disposed so as to intersect with the fourth conductive layers 117a and 117b.

[0072] In this manner, two wirings on the same plane formed by the third conductive layer 116 cross each other. A fourth conductive layer 117 is disposed above or below the third conductive layer 116 at the position. By using this configuration, the two wirings can be arranged to cross each other without being electrically shorted. It can be placed.

[0073] At this time, the fourth conductive layer 117 is disposed in a position slightly larger than the light-shielding layer 115, similar to the third conductive layer 116. 2 on the substrate 31 side (i.e., the back side of the paper), so that it can be seen from the detection surface side. It can be suppressed.

[0074] [Cross-section example] An example of the cross-sectional configuration of the touch panel module 10 will be described below.

[0075] [Cross-sectional configuration example 1] FIG. 5(A) shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a touch panel module according to one embodiment of the present invention. The touch panel module shown in A) is an active matrix type touch panel between a pair of substrates. Since the display device has a switch sensor and a display element, it can be made thinner. The touch sensor, in which each of the plurality of sensor elements has an active element, is called an active matrix touch sensor. This type of touch sensor is called a touch sensor.

[0076] The touch panel module is configured such that the first substrate 21 and the second substrate 31 are bonded to each other by an adhesive layer 220. On the first substrate 21, a capacitance element 110, a transistor 251, transistor 252, contact portion 253, colored layer 114, light-shielding layer 115, third The second conductive layer 116a to 116d, the fourth conductive layer 117a, and the like are provided. On the substrate 31, the transistors 201 to 203, the light emitting element 204, the contact A connector portion 205 and the like are provided.

[0077] On the second substrate 31, an insulating layer 212, an insulating layer 213, and an insulating layer 214 are formed via an adhesive layer 211. 4, insulating layer 215, insulating layer 216, insulating layer 217, insulating layer 218, spacer 219, conductive layer 225, etc.

[0078] The light emitting element 204 is provided on the insulating layer 217. The light emitting element 204 has a first electrode 2 21, an EL layer 222, and a second electrode 223 (see FIG. 5(B)). An optical adjustment layer 224 is provided between the insulating layer 218 and the EL layer 222. It is provided to cover the ends of the first electrode 221 and the optical adjustment layer 224 .

[0079] In FIG. 5A, a pixel 33 includes a current control transistor 201 and a switching control transistor 202. The transistor 201 has a source or One of the drains is electrically connected to the first electrode 221 via a conductive layer 225 .

[0080] FIG. 5A shows an example in which a transistor 203 is provided in the circuit 34.

[0081] In FIG. 5A, a transistor 201 and a transistor 203 are formed with a channel. This shows an example in which a semiconductor layer formed by the above-mentioned method is sandwiched between two gate electrodes. Such a transistor can have a higher field effect mobility than other transistors. This increases the on-current, making it possible to fabricate circuits capable of high-speed operation. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the area occupied by the circuit section. By applying transistors, display panels or touch panels can be made larger or have higher resolution. Even if the number of wirings increases when the circuit is integrated, it is possible to reduce the signal delay in each wiring. Therefore, it is possible to suppress display unevenness.

[0082] Note that the transistors in the circuit 34 and the transistors in the pixel 33 have the same structure. In addition, the transistors in the circuit 34 may all have the same structure. Transistors of different structures may be used in combination. The transistors may be of the same structure or may be of different structures. In addition, the transistors (transistor 251, transistor The transistors (e.g., transistor 252) may have the same structure or may have different structures. The above data may be used in combination.

[0083] The light emitting element 204 is a light emitting element of a top emission structure, and the light emitting element 204 is disposed on the second electrode 223 side. The transistor 201 and the transistor 202 are arranged to overlap with the light-emitting region of the light-emitting element 204. In addition to the above, the aperture ratio of the pixel 33 can be increased by arranging a capacitance element and wiring. do.

[0084] On the second substrate 31 side of the first substrate 21, an insulating layer 262 and an insulating layer 263, insulating layer 264, insulating layer 265, first conductive layer 111, insulating layer 112, second conductive layer 113, insulating layer 266, insulating layer 267, insulating layer 268, colored layer 114, light-shielding layer 115, The third conductive layers 116a to 116d, the fourth conductive layer 117a, etc. are included. A part of A) shows a cross-sectional structure corresponding to the cutting line AB shown in FIG.

[0085] The first conductive layer 111 is connected to the insulating layer 112, the insulating layer 266, the light-shielding layer 115, and the insulating layer 267. The third conductive layer 116a is electrically connected to the third conductive layer 116a through the opening. 116a is an insulating layer 264, an insulating layer 265, an insulating layer 112, an insulating layer 266, and a light-shielding layer 115 A source or drain of the transistor 251 is connected to the insulating layer 267 through an opening. The NI 6111 is electrically connected to the

[0086] The third conductive layer 116b and the other of the source and drain of the transistor 251 are The fourth conductive layer 117a is electrically connected to the second conductive layer 117b through an opening provided in each insulating layer between the fourth conductive layer 117a and the second conductive layer 117b. The insulating layer 268 is electrically connected to the third conductive layers 116b and 116d through an opening formed therein. In addition, the third conductive layer 116c is disposed so as to overlap the fourth conductive layer 117a. is.

[0087] In FIG. 5A, the fourth conductive layer 117a is disposed on the second substrate rather than the third conductive layer 116a. Although the configuration in which the third insulating layer 31 is disposed on the plate 31 side is shown, the stacking order may be reversed. The conductive layer 116a and the like are disposed closer to the second substrate 31 than the insulating layer 268, and the fourth conductive layer 117 a etc. may be disposed between the insulating layer 267 and the insulating layer 268.

[0088] The light-emitting region of the light-emitting element 204 and the colored layer 114 are provided on top of each other. The light emitted from the first substrate 21 passes through the colored layer 114 and is emitted to the first substrate 21 side. As shown, the first conductive layer 111 and the second conductive layer 113 are disposed so as to overlap the light emitting element 204. When the insulating film is placed on the substrate, it is preferable to use a conductive material that is transparent to visible light. It is nice.

[0089] In addition, by using a flexible material for the first substrate 21 and the second substrate 31, This makes it possible to realize a highly flexible touch panel.

[0090] In addition, the touch panel of one embodiment of the present invention uses a color filter. Layer 114 is a three-color pixel to which any one of R (red), G (green), and B (blue) is applied. In addition, it is also possible to use a configuration in which only one color is expressed. The present invention may be applied to a configuration in which the above-mentioned elements are applied.

[0091] The combination of the colored layer 114 and the microcavity structure of the optical adjustment layer 224 In addition, light with high color purity can be extracted from the touch panel of one embodiment of the present invention. The thickness of the adjustment layer 224 may be different depending on the color of each pixel. Alternatively, the optical adjustment layer 224 may not be provided.

[0092] In addition, an EL layer that emits white light is applied as the EL layer 222 included in the light emitting element 204. By applying such a light-emitting element 204, the EL layer 222 is applied to each pixel. This reduces costs and makes it easier to achieve high pixel resolution. By changing the thickness of the optical adjustment layer 224 in the pixel, the wavelength suitable for each pixel can be adjusted. It is possible to extract light emitted from the EL layer and improve color purity. The optical adjustment layer 224 may be omitted in this case. It is also possible.

[0093] Each insulating layer located in an area overlapping the contact portion 205 provided on the second substrate 31 An opening is provided in the contact portion 205, and a connection layer 260 is disposed in the opening. and FPC 41 are electrically connected. An opening is provided in each insulating layer, and the contact is formed through a connection layer 210 disposed in the opening. The connector portion 253 and the FPC 42 are electrically connected.

[0094] In FIG. 5A, the contact portion 205 is connected to the source electrode and the drain electrode of the transistor. The structure shows a conductive layer formed by processing the same conductive film. 253 is a conductive layer formed by processing the same conductive film as the gate electrode of the transistor. A conductive layer formed by processing the same conductive film as the source electrode and drain electrode of the transistor, and the second conductive layer 113. In this way, the contact part is structured by stacking multiple conductive layers. This is preferable because it can not only reduce the electrical resistance but also increase the mechanical strength.

[0095] The connection layer 210 and the connection layer 260 are made of anisotropic conductive film (ACF). Anisotropic Conductive Film and Anisotropic Conductive Paste (ACP) sotropic conductive paste) can be used.

[0096] The insulating layer 212 and the insulating layer 262 are made of a material that is difficult for impurities such as water and hydrogen to diffuse. That is, the insulating layer 212 and the insulating layer 262 preferably function as a barrier film. With such a configuration, the first substrate 21 and the second substrate 31 can be Even if a material having moisture permeability is used, the light emitting element 204 and each transistor are It is possible to effectively prevent the diffusion of impurities from the touch panel, resulting in a highly reliable touch panel. This can be achieved.

[0097] [About each component] Each of the above components will be described below.

[0098] The transistor includes a conductive layer functioning as a gate electrode, a semiconductor layer, and a A conductive layer that functions as a drain electrode and a conductive layer that functions as a gate insulating layer. FIG. 5A shows a case where a bottom-gate transistor is applied. This shows that.

[0099] The structure of the transistor in the touch panel of the present invention is not particularly limited. For example, The transistors may be staggered or inverted staggered. In addition, the transistor may have either a top gate type or a bottom gate type structure. The semiconductor material used for the transistor is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, an oxide semiconductor, silicon, or gel. Manium and the like.

[0100] The crystallinity of the semiconductor material used in the transistor is not particularly limited. A semiconductor having crystallinity (a microcrystalline semiconductor, a polycrystalline semiconductor, a single crystal semiconductor, or a semiconductor having a partially crystalline region) If a semiconductor having crystallinity is used, the This is preferable because it is possible to suppress deterioration of the resistor characteristics.

[0101] In addition, the semiconductor materials used in transistors include, for example, group 4 elements and compound semiconductors. Alternatively, an oxide semiconductor can be used for the semiconductor layer. Typically, a semiconductor containing silicon A semiconductor containing gallium arsenide, an oxide semiconductor containing indium, or the like can be used.

[0102] In particular, an oxide semiconductor can be used as a semiconductor in which a channel of a transistor is formed. It is particularly preferable to use an oxide semiconductor having a larger band gap than silicon. A semiconductor material with a wider band gap and lower carrier density than silicon is preferable. The use of such a compound is preferable because it can reduce the current in the off state of the transistor.

[0103] For example, the oxide semiconductor may contain at least indium (In) or zinc (Zn It is preferable that the oxide contains In-M-Zn (wherein M is Al, Ti, Metals such as Ga, Ge, Y, Zr, Sn, La, Ce or Hf) nothing.

[0104] In particular, the semiconductor layer has a plurality of crystal parts, and the crystal parts have a c-axis aligned with a surface on which the semiconductor layer is formed. or oriented approximately perpendicular to the upper surface of the semiconductor layer and having no grain boundary between adjacent crystal portions. It is preferable to use an oxide semiconductor film having no insulating properties.

[0105] Such an oxide semiconductor does not have crystal grain boundaries, so that when the display panel is curved, The occurrence of cracks in the oxide semiconductor film due to stress is suppressed. Such oxide semiconductors are suitable for use in touch panels that are flexible and can be curved. It can be used.

[0106] In addition, by using such an oxide semiconductor as the semiconductor layer, the fluctuation of the electrical characteristics is suppressed. This makes it possible to realize a highly reliable transistor.

[0107] In addition, due to its low off-state current, the charge stored in the capacitance through the transistor can be released for a long period of time. By applying such a transistor to a pixel, It is also possible to stop the driving circuit while maintaining the gradation of the image displayed in the display area. As a result, a display device with extremely reduced power consumption can be realized.

[0108] Alternatively, silicon is preferably used as a semiconductor in which a channel of a transistor is formed. Although amorphous silicon may be used as silicon, silicon having crystallinity is particularly preferred. It is preferable to use silicon. For example, microcrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, single crystal silicon, etc. In particular, polycrystalline silicon has a lower temperature than single crystal silicon. It has high field effect mobility and high reliability compared to amorphous silicon. By applying such a polycrystalline semiconductor to the pixels, the aperture ratio of the pixels can be improved. Even when the pixels are extremely fine, the gate drive circuit and the source drive circuit can be This makes it possible to form the circuits and pixels on the same substrate, reducing the number of parts that make up electronic devices. It is possible.

[0109] In addition to the gate, source, and drain of the transistor, the various wiring that makes up the touch panel Materials that can be used for conductive layers such as wires and electrodes include aluminum, titanium, Chromium, nickel, copper, yttrium, zirconium, molybdenum, silver, tantalum, The metal is made of tungsten, or an alloy mainly made of tungsten, and is either a single layer or a multilayer structure. For example, a single layer structure of aluminum film containing silicon, or aluminum on titanium film Two-layer structure with aluminum film laminated on top of tungsten film. A two-layer structure with a copper film laminated on a copper-magnesium-aluminum alloy film, and a titanium film laminated on a titanium film Two-layer structure with copper film laminated, two-layer structure with copper film laminated on tungsten film, titanium film or A titanium nitride film and an aluminum film or a copper film overlaid on the titanium film or the titanium nitride film. A three-layer structure in which a titanium film or titanium nitride film is formed on top of the molybdenum A molybdenum film or molybdenum nitride film is laminated on the molybdenum film or molybdenum nitride film. A aluminum or copper film is laminated, and then a molybdenum or molybdenum nitride film is laminated on top of it. A three-layer structure is formed. Also, when copper containing manganese is used, the shape can be controlled by etching. This is preferable as it increases controllability.

[0110] Examples of the conductive material having a light-transmitting property include indium oxide, indium tin oxide, and indium tin oxide. Conductive oxides such as indium zinc oxide, zinc oxide, zinc oxide doped with gallium, or Graphene can be used. Alternatively, gold, silver, platinum, magnesium, nickel, tin, etc. such as tin, chromium, molybdenum, iron, cobalt, copper, palladium, or titanium. Metallic materials and alloy materials containing the metallic materials can be used. Alternatively, a metal material, an alloy material (or a combination thereof) may be used. In the case of using these nitrides, it is sufficient to make them thin enough to have light transmission. A laminated film of a material can be used as the conductive layer. For example, a silver-magnesium alloy and an insulator can be used. It is preferable to use a laminated film of dilute tin oxide or the like, since the electrical conductivity can be increased.

[0111] Examples of insulating materials that can be used for the various insulating layers, the spacer 219, etc. include acrylic. In addition to resins such as epoxy and siloxane bonds, silicon oxide and oxynitride are also available. Inorganic insulating materials such as silicon, silicon oxynitride, silicon nitride, and aluminum oxide are used. You can also be there.

[0112] As described above, the light emitting element is provided between a pair of insulating films having low water permeability. This makes it possible to prevent impurities such as water from entering the light emitting element, and thus the light emitting device This can suppress the deterioration of reliability.

[0113] Insulating films with low water permeability include silicon nitride films and silicon oxynitride films, which are made of nitrogen and silicon. and films containing nitrogen and aluminum, such as an aluminum nitride film. A silicon oxide film, a silicon oxynitride film, an aluminum oxide film, or the like may also be used.

[0114] For example, the water vapor permeability of a low-permeability insulating film is 1×10 -5 [g / m 2 ·day] Lower, preferably 1×10 -6 [g / m 2 ·day] or less, preferably 1×10 -7 [ g / m2 ·day] or less, and more preferably 1×10 -8 [g / m 2 ·day] or less do.

[0115] Each adhesive layer is made of a hardening resin such as a thermosetting resin, a photocurable resin, or a two-liquid mixed hardening resin. For example, acrylic, urethane, epoxy, or siloxane resins can be used. Resins having such a structure can be used.

[0116] The EL layer 222 has at least a light-emitting layer. The EL layer 222 has the following layers other than the light-emitting layer: Materials with high hole injection properties, materials with high hole transport properties, hole blocking materials, materials with high electron transport properties A material with high electron injection properties or a bipolar material (high electron transport and hole transport properties) The layer may further include a layer containing a material such as a metal.

[0117] The EL layer 222 can be made of either a low molecular weight compound or a high molecular weight compound. The layers constituting the EL layer 222 may each be formed by deposition (vacuum deposition). It can be formed by methods such as the transfer method, printing method, inkjet method, coating method, etc. Cut.

[0118] Materials that can be used for the light-shielding layer 115 include carbon black, metal oxides, and composites. and composite oxides including solid solutions of several metal oxides.

[0119] Materials that can be used for the colored layer 114 include metal materials, resin materials, pigments, and dyes. and resin materials containing

[0120] Instead of the light-shielding layer 115, a laminated structure in which a colored layer 114 of a different color is laminated is used as a light-shielding layer. For example, the layer 115 may be provided on each of the adjacent pixels 33. Alternatively, two colored layers 114 may be partially overlapped and used as a light-shielding layer 115. .

[0121] In addition, the light blocking layer 115 is not disposed between adjacent pixels of the same color, but between pixels of different colors. In that case, the pixel may be arranged only between two adjacent pixels of the same color. The region and the third conductive layer 116 (and / or the fourth conductive layer 117) are arranged to overlap each other. Alternatively, a light-transmitting material may be used as the fourth conductive layer 117 to block light. The light-shielding layer 11 is connected to the light-shielding layer 11 via the fourth conductive layer 117 disposed in the portion where the light-shielding layer 115 is not provided. Alternatively, two third conductive layers 116 provided to overlap with each other may be electrically connected.

[0122] [Example of manufacturing method] Here, a method for producing a flexible touch panel will be described.

[0123] For the sake of convenience, the term "component including pixels and circuits," "component including optical members such as color filters," and "component including optical members such as color filters" are used herein. A configuration including a touch sensor is referred to as an element layer. The element layer includes, for example, a display element. In addition to display elements, wiring electrically connecting to display elements, transistors used in pixels and circuits, etc. The device may include the following elements:

[0124] Here, a support (for example, a first substrate 21 or The first substrate 31 or the second substrate 32 will be referred to as a base material.

[0125] As a method for forming an element layer on a substrate having a flexible insulating surface, A method for forming a contact layer and forming an element layer on a support substrate having a different rigidity from the substrate Thereafter, the element layer is peeled off from the supporting base material and the element layer is transferred to the base material.

[0126] When the material constituting the base material has heat resistance against the heat applied in the process of forming the element layer, It is preferable to form the element layer directly on the substrate, since this simplifies the process. When the element layer is formed in a state where the substrate is fixed to a supporting substrate, the substrate can be easily transported within and between devices. This is preferable because it makes things easier.

[0127] In addition, when a method is used in which an element layer is formed on a supporting substrate and then transferred to the substrate, the supporting substrate is first A release layer and an insulating layer are laminated on the supporting substrate, and an element layer is formed on the insulating layer. The support substrate and the element layer are peeled off and transferred to the substrate. Materials may be selected such that release occurs at the edge layer interface or in the release layer.

[0128] For example, a layer containing a high melting point metal material such as tungsten as a peeling layer and an oxide layer of the metal material A layer including a substance is laminated, and a layer in which silicon nitride or silicon oxynitride is laminated on a peeling layer It is preferable to use a high melting point metal material. This is desirable.

[0129] Peeling can be achieved by applying mechanical force, etching the peeling layer, or by delaminating the peeling interface. The peeling may be performed by dropping a liquid on a portion of the surface and allowing it to penetrate into the entire peeling interface. Alternatively, the peeling may be performed by applying heat to the peeling interface, utilizing the difference in thermal expansion.

[0130] In addition, when peeling is possible at the interface between the support substrate and the insulating layer, it is not necessary to provide a peeling layer. For example, glass is used as the support substrate, and an organic resin such as polyimide is used as the insulating layer. A part of the organic resin is locally heated using a laser beam or the like to form a peeling starting point. The separation may be performed at the interface between the glass and the insulating layer. Providing a metal layer between the edge layers and heating the metal layer by passing an electric current through the metal layer. The metal layer and the insulating layer may be peeled off at the interface by using an organic resin. The insulating layer can be used as the substrate.

[0131] Examples of flexible substrates include polyethylene terephthalate (PET), poly Polyester resins such as ethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyacrylonitrile resins, Polyimide resin, polymethyl methacrylate resin, polycarbonate (PC) resin, polyethylene Polyethersulfone (PES) resin, polyamide resin, cycloolefin resin, polystyrene Resins, polyamide-imide resins, polyvinyl chloride resins, etc. are examples. In particular, It is preferable to use a material with a low thermal expansion coefficient, for example, 30×10 -6 / K or less Polyamide-imide resin, polyimide resin, PET, etc. can be suitably used. Substrates made of resin-impregnated fibers (also called prepregs) and inorganic fillers mixed with organic resins It is also possible to use a substrate having a reduced thermal expansion coefficient.

[0132] When the above-mentioned materials contain fibrous bodies, the fibrous bodies are made of high strength organic or inorganic compounds. High strength fibers are specifically fibers with high tensile modulus or Young's modulus. Representative examples are polyvinyl alcohol fibers, polyester fibers, and polyvinyl alcohol fibers. Mid fiber, polyethylene fiber, aramid fiber, polyparaphenylene benzobisoxy Examples of the fiberglass include Sasol fiber, glass fiber, and carbon fiber. Examples of glass fibers include those made of glass fiber such as sappan, S-glass, D-glass, and Q-glass. Alternatively, it is used in the form of a nonwoven fabric, and the structure in which the fiber body is impregnated with resin and the resin is hardened is made flexible. As a substrate having flexibility, a substrate made of a fiber body and a resin may be used. The use of a structure is preferable because it improves reliability against damage caused by bending or local pressure. stomach.

[0133] Alternatively, a thin glass or metal having flexibility may be used as the substrate. Alternatively, a composite material in which glass and a resin material are bonded together may be used.

[0134] For example, in the case of the configuration shown in FIG. 5(A), a first release layer and an insulating layer 26 are formed on a first support base material. 2 is formed in order, and then the upper layer structure is formed. After forming the second release layer and the insulating layer 212 in this order on the support substrate, the structure above them is Next, the first support substrate and the second support substrate are bonded together with an adhesive layer 220. Thereafter, the second release layer is peeled off at the interface between the second release layer and the insulating layer 212 to form the second support substrate and The release layer 2 is removed, and the insulating layer 212 and the second substrate 31 are bonded together with the adhesive layer 211. In addition, the first release layer is peeled off at the interface between the first release layer and the insulating layer 262, so that the first support base material and the first The release layer is removed, and the insulating layer 262 and the first substrate 21 are bonded together with the adhesive layer 261 . The peeling and bonding may be performed on either side first.

[0135] The above is a description of the method for producing a flexible touch panel.

[0136] [Cross-sectional configuration example 2] FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional configuration example that is partially different from that shown in FIG. 5. 1. The main difference from the previous configuration is that the configuration of the first conductive layer 111 is different.

[0137] In FIG. 6, a transistor 251 and a transistor A first conductive layer having a semiconductor layer formed by processing the same film as the semiconductor layer of the transistor 252. The first conductive layer 111a is connected to the insulating layer 265. It is set up as such.

[0138] Here, the first conductive layer 111a preferably contains an oxide semiconductor. The resistance can be controlled by adjusting the oxygen vacancies and / or the concentration of impurities such as hydrogen and water in the film. Therefore, the semiconductor layer applied to the first conductive layer 111a and the Even if the semiconductor layer applied to the transistor is formed by processing the same semiconductor film, For each semiconductor layer, a treatment that increases oxygen vacancies and / or impurity concentrations or an oxidation treatment By selectively applying treatments that reduce element deficiencies and / or impurity concentrations, these semiconductors can be The resistivity of the layer can be controlled.

[0139] Specifically, the acid contained in the first conductive layer 111a functioning as an electrode of the capacitor 110 is a plasma treatment is performed on the oxide semiconductor layer to increase oxygen vacancies in the oxide semiconductor layer; or and / or by increasing impurities such as hydrogen and water in the oxide semiconductor layer, the carrier density The first conductive layer 111a can be formed to include an oxide semiconductor having high conductivity and low resistance. An insulating film (insulating layer 265) containing hydrogen is formed in contact with the compound semiconductor layer, and the insulating film containing hydrogen is By diffusing hydrogen from the oxide semiconductor layer to the oxide semiconductor layer, an oxide semiconductor layer with high carrier density and low resistance is obtained. Such an oxide semiconductor layer can be used as the first conductive layer 111a. can be applied.

[0140] On the other hand, an oxide semiconductor layer is formed on the transistor 251 and the transistor 252. In order to prevent the insulating layer 264 from being exposed to the thermal treatment, the insulating layer 264 is provided. Therefore, a structure can be achieved in which the oxide semiconductor layer is not in contact with the insulating layer 265 containing hydrogen. By using an insulating film capable of releasing oxygen as the insulating layer 264, The oxide semiconductor layer to which oxygen is supplied can be Oxygen vacancies in the film or at the interface of the film are reduced, resulting in a high-resistance oxide semiconductor layer. Examples of insulating films capable of releasing oxygen include silicon oxide films and silicon oxynitride films. etc. can be used.

[0141] In addition, the plasma treatment performed on the oxide semiconductor layer is typically performed using a rare gas (He, Ne , Ar, Kr, Xe), phosphorus, boron, hydrogen, and nitrogen. More specifically, plasma treatment in an Ar atmosphere, Plasma treatment in a mixed gas atmosphere of Ar and hydrogen, and plasma treatment in an ammonia atmosphere Plasma treatment in a mixed gas atmosphere of Ar and ammonia, or plasma treatment in a nitrogen atmosphere Examples include processing.

[0142] By the above plasma treatment, the oxide semiconductor layer is formed into a lattice from which oxygen has been desorbed (or Oxygen vacancies are formed in the area where the oxide is removed. These oxygen vacancies are a cause of carrier generation. In addition, in the vicinity of the oxide semiconductor layer, more specifically, in the lower side of the oxide semiconductor layer, Alternatively, hydrogen is supplied from the insulating layer adjacent to the upper side, and when hydrogen enters the oxygen vacancy, the carrier Therefore, plasma treatment can increase oxygen vacancies. The oxide semiconductor layer applied to the first conductive layer 111a is the same as the oxide semiconductor layer applied to the transistor. The carrier density is higher than that of the solid semiconductor layer.

[0143] On the other hand, the oxide semiconductor applied to the transistor with reduced oxygen vacancies and reduced hydrogen concentration is The oxide semiconductor layer can be said to be a highly purified intrinsic or substantially highly purified intrinsic oxide semiconductor layer. The term "substantially intrinsic" means that the carrier density of the oxide semiconductor is less than 1×10 17 / cm 3 Less than Preferably, 1×10 15 / cm 3 More preferably, it is less than 1×10 1 3 / cm 3 Or, it means that the impurity concentration is low and the defect level density is low (oxygen High purity genuine or substantially high purity genuine is called high purity genuine or substantially high purity genuine. In principle, highly pure intrinsic oxide semiconductors have few carrier generation sources, and therefore the carrier density is low. Therefore, a transistor in which a channel region is formed in the oxide semiconductor film can be formed. The threshold voltage of the transistor is positive (also called normally-off characteristic). In addition, a highly-purified intrinsic or substantially highly-purified intrinsic oxide semiconductor layer has a low density of defect states. Since the degree of diffusion is low, the trap state density can be reduced.

[0144] In addition, a highly purified intrinsic or substantially highly purified intrinsic oxide semiconductor layer has a significantly reduced off-state current. Small, with a channel width of 1×10 6 Even if the element has a channel length L of 10 μm, When the voltage between the source electrode and the drain electrode (drain voltage) is in the range of 1V to 10V, The current is below the measurement limit of the semiconductor parameter analyzer, i.e., 1×10 -13 A and below Therefore, a channel region is formed in the oxide semiconductor layer. The transistors 251 and 252 have small fluctuations in electrical characteristics and are highly reliable. The transistor 201 provided on the second substrate 31 side is a transistor. It is preferable that the transistor 202, the transistor 203, and the like also use a similar oxide semiconductor layer. .

[0145] In FIG. 6, the insulating layer 264 is a first conductive layer that functions as an electrode of the capacitance element 110. The insulating layer 2 is provided so that the area overlapping the insulating layer 2 is selectively removed. 65 is formed in contact with the first conductive layer 111a and then removed from the first conductive layer 111a. The insulating layer 265 may be, for example, an insulating film containing hydrogen, in other words, a film that releases hydrogen. By using an insulating film capable of performing the above-mentioned process, typically a silicon nitride film, the first conductive layer 11 can be formed. The insulating film capable of releasing hydrogen is capable of supplying hydrogen to the insulating film 1a. Hydrogen concentration is 1×10 22 atoms / cm 3 It is preferable that the insulating film is more than 1000 μm. By forming the second conductive layer 111a in contact with the first conductive layer 111a, hydrogen can be effectively introduced into the first conductive layer 111a. In this way, in addition to the above-described plasma treatment, the oxide semiconductor The resistance of the oxide semiconductor layer can be adjusted as desired by changing the composition of the insulating film in contact with the layer. Note that a layer containing an oxide semiconductor with sufficiently low resistance is called an oxide conductor layer. It can also be replaced.

[0146] The hydrogen contained in the first conductive layer 111a reacts with the oxygen that bonds with the metal atoms to form water. At the same time, oxygen vacancies are formed in the lattice from which oxygen has been desorbed (or in the portion from which oxygen has been desorbed). When hydrogen enters an oxygen vacancy, electrons, which act as carriers, can be generated. When a part of the oxygen bonds with a metal atom, it generates electrons that act as carriers. Therefore, the oxide semiconductor contained in the first conductive layer 111a containing hydrogen is has a higher carrier density than an oxide semiconductor used in a transistor.

[0147] The amount of hydrogen in the oxide semiconductor layer in which the channel region of the transistor is formed is reduced as much as possible. Specifically, it is preferable that the oxide semiconductor layer is By SIMS (Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry) The resulting hydrogen concentration is 2×10 20 atoms / cm 3 Less than or equal to 5×10 19 a toms / cm 3 Less than or equal to 1×10 19 atoms / cm 3 Below, 5 x 10 18 atoms / cm 3 Less than 1 x 10 18 atoms / cm 3 The following is better Preferably 5 x 10 17 atoms / cm 3 Less than 1×10, more preferably 16 atom s / cm 3 The following applies.

[0148] On the other hand, the oxide semiconductor included in the first conductive layer 111a functioning as an electrode of the capacitor 110 The conductor has a lower hydrogen concentration and / or oxygen concentration than the oxide semiconductor used in the transistor. There are many defects and the resistance is low.

[0149] The first conductive layer 111a and the oxide semiconductor layer used in the transistor are typically I n-Ga oxide, In-Zn oxide, In-M-Zn oxide (M is Mg, Al, Ti, It is formed of a metal oxide such as Ga, Y, Zr, La, Ce, Nd, or Hf. The first conductive layer 111a and the oxide semiconductor layer used for the transistor have a light-transmitting property.

[0150] Note that the first conductive layer 111a and the oxide semiconductor layer used in the transistor are In-M- In the case of Zn oxide, when the sum of In and M is 100 atomic %, In is 25 atomic %. omic% or more, M is less than 75 atomic%, or In is 34 atomic% or more, M is less than 66 atomic%.

[0151] The first conductive layer 111a and the oxide semiconductor layer used in the transistor are The gap is preferably 2 eV or more, 2.5 eV or more, or 3 eV or more.

[0152] The thickness of the first conductive layer 111a and the oxide semiconductor layer applied to the transistor is 3 nm or more. 200nm or less, or 3nm to 100nm or 3nm to 60nm It is possible.

[0153] The first conductive layer 111a and the oxide semiconductor layer applied to the transistor are made of In-M-Zn oxide. In the case of In-M-Zn oxide, the sputtering target used to deposit the In-M-Zn oxide film is The atomic ratio of the metal elements preferably satisfies In≧M and Zn≧M. The atomic ratio of the metal elements in the deposition target was In:M:Zn=1:1:1, In: M:Zn=1:1:1.2, In:M:Zn=2:1:1.5, In:M:Zn=2:1 In:M:Zn=2:1:3, In:M:Zn=3:1:2, etc. are preferred. The first conductive layer 111a and the oxide semiconductor layer to be applied to the transistor are The atomic ratios are calculated based on the atomic ratio of the metal elements contained in the sputtering target. This includes a fluctuation of plus or minus 40% in numerical ratios.

[0154] In addition, when hydrogen is added to an oxide semiconductor in which oxygen vacancies are formed, hydrogen is added to the oxygen vacancy sites. As a result, the oxide semiconductor has high electrical conductivity. The oxide semiconductor that has become a conductor can be called an oxide conductor. In general, oxide semiconductors have a large energy gap and are therefore transparent to visible light. On the other hand, an oxide conductor is an oxide semiconductor that has a donor level near the conduction band. Therefore, the effect of absorption due to the donor level is small, and the absorption rate for visible light is about the same as that of an oxide semiconductor. The oxide conductor is a degenerate semiconductor, and the conduction band edge and the Fermi level are It can be said that the oxide conductor film is equal to or substantially equal to the capacitance element. It can be used for electrodes, etc.

[0155] By using the structure shown in FIG. 6, the first conductive layer 111a can be formed simultaneously in the manufacturing process of the transistor. Since the first step in FIG. Since a photomask is not required when forming the conductive layer 111a of the first embodiment, the manufacturing cost is reduced. It is also possible to do so.

[0156] The above is a description of the cross-sectional configuration example.

[0157] In this embodiment, the touch sensor is configured such that the sensor element is an active element such as a transistor. Although an active matrix touch sensor having an active element is illustrated, A passive matrix touch sensor may be used. The structure has two substrates: a first substrate supporting a sensor and a second substrate supporting a display element. For example, a display element may be sandwiched between two substrates and a touch panel may be used. A first substrate supporting a sensor may be attached to the display panel to form a three-substrate structure. The element and the touch sensor are sandwiched between two substrates, which are then bonded together to form four substrates. The configuration may include the following.

[0158] This embodiment may be combined, at least in part, with other embodiments described in this specification. It can be implemented in combination.

[0159] (Embodiment 2) In this embodiment, a configuration example of a touch sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention and an example of a driving method thereof will be described. The following description will be given with reference to the drawings.

[0160] [Configuration example] FIG. 7A illustrates a configuration of a touch panel (also referred to as an input / output device) of one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7B is a circuit diagram illustrating the configuration of the converter CONV. FIG. 7(C) is a circuit diagram for explaining the configuration of the sensor element 22. 7(D-2) is a timing chart for explaining a method of driving the sensor element 22. In FIG.

[0161] The touch sensor exemplified in this embodiment has a plurality of sensor elements arranged in a matrix. 22, a signal line DL to which a plurality of sensor elements 22 arranged in the row direction are electrically connected, and a flexible substrate 21 on which the sensor element 22, the scanning line G1, and the signal line DL are disposed. (See Figure 7(A)).

[0162] For example, the plurality of sensor elements 22 are arranged in a matrix of n rows and m columns (n ​​and m are each a natural number equal to or greater than 1). They can be arranged in a trix shape.

[0163] The sensor element 22 includes a capacitance element C that functions as a detection element. This corresponds to the capacitance element 110 in the first embodiment. For example, the first electrode of the capacitance element C is The first electrode corresponds to the first conductive layer 111 in the first embodiment, and the second electrode corresponds to the second conductive layer 113. do.

[0164] In addition, the third conductive layer 116 in the first embodiment is used for wiring such as the signal line DL and the scanning line G1. A fourth conductive layer 117 may be applied.

[0165] The second electrode of the capacitance element C is electrically connected to the wiring CS. The potential of the second electrode of C can be controlled by a control signal provided by line CS.

[0166] The sensor element 22 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes at least a transistor M1. Alternatively, the transistor M2 and / or the transistor M3 may be provided (see FIG. 7C). ).

[0167] The transistor M1 has a gate electrically connected to a first electrode of the capacitance element C and a first The electrode is electrically connected to the wiring VPI. The wiring VPI supplies, for example, a ground potential. It has functions.

[0168] The transistor M2 has a gate electrically connected to the scanning line G1 and a first electrode The second electrode is electrically connected to the second electrode of the first transistor M1, and the second electrode is electrically connected to the signal line DL. The scanning line G1 has a function of supplying a selection signal, for example. For example, it has a function of supplying a detection signal DATA.

[0169] The transistor M3 has a gate electrically connected to the wiring RES and a first electrode which functions as a capacitance element. C, and the second electrode is electrically connected to the wiring VRES. The line RES has a function of supplying a reset signal, for example. For example, it has a function of supplying a potential that can make the transistor M1 conductive.

[0170] The capacitance of the capacitance element C is, for example, increased by the proximity of an object to the first electrode or the second electrode, or Alternatively, the distance between the first electrode and the second electrode is changed. The sensor element 22 can supply a detection signal DATA based on a change in capacitance of the capacitance element C. Cut.

[0171] The wiring CS electrically connected to the second electrode of the capacitance element C is It has a function of supplying a control signal that controls the potential of the electrode.

[0172] The first electrode of the capacitance element C, the gate of the transistor M1, and the third A node formed by electrically connecting one electrode is called node A.

[0173] FIG. 8A shows a case where two sensor elements 22 are arranged in the row direction and two in the column direction. An example of a circuit diagram for this case is shown in FIG.

[0174] FIG. 8B shows a first conductive layer 111 (corresponding to a first electrode) of the sensor element 22. 1 shows an example of the positional relationship with each wiring. The first conductive layer 111 is a gate of the transistor M1. The first conductor and the second electrode of the transistor M3 are electrically connected to each other. The conductive layer 111 is disposed so as to overlap with a plurality of pixels 33 shown in FIG. 8(C). As shown in FIG. 8B, the transistors M1 to M3 are arranged so as to overlap the first conductive layer 111. It is preferable to place it in an area where there is no

[0175] As shown in FIGS. 9A to 9C, the sensor element 22 includes a transistor M2. In this case, in the sensor elements 22 arranged in the row direction, The second electrode of each capacitance element C is electrically connected to the scanning line G1 instead of the wiring CS. Just do that.

[0176] The wiring VPO and the wiring BR shown in FIG. 7B are connected to each other by, for example, turning on a transistor. The signal line DL has a function of supplying a high power supply potential so that the detection signal DAT The terminal OUT outputs a signal converted based on the detection signal DATA. It has the function of supplying

[0177] The converter CONV has a conversion circuit. It converts the detection signal DATA and supplies it to the terminal OUT. Various circuits capable of converting a voltage to a voltage of 100 V can be used for the converter CONV. For example, the converter C By electrically connecting the ONV to the sensor element 22, a source follower circuit or A circuit that functions as a center mirror circuit may also be applied.

[0178] Specifically, a converter CONV using a transistor M4 is used to form a source follower circuit. (See FIG. 7B). Note that the transistors M1 to M3 are fabricated in the same process. A transistor capable of performing this function may be used for transistor M4.

[0179] For example, the configuration of the transistor 251 or the transistor 252 illustrated in the first embodiment can be applied to each of the transistors M1 through M4.

[0180] The configuration of the converter CONV is not limited to that shown in FIG. 1 shows different configurations of CONV.

[0181] The converter CONV shown in FIG. 10(A) includes a transistor M5 in addition to a transistor M4. Specifically, the transistor M5 has a gate electrically connected to the signal line DL and a first The electrode is electrically connected to the terminal OUT, and the second electrode is electrically connected to the wiring GND. GND has a function of supplying, for example, a ground potential. Also, as shown in FIG. 10(B), Even if the transistor M4 and the transistor M5 each have a second gate, In this case, it is preferable that the second gate is electrically connected to the gate. .

[0182] The converter CONV shown in FIG. 10C includes a transistor M5 and a resistor R. Specifically, the gate of the transistor M4 is electrically connected to the wiring BR1. The gate of the transistor 5 is electrically connected to the wiring BR2, the first electrode of the transistor 5 is connected to the terminal OUT, and the second electrode of the transistor 5 is connected to the terminal OUT. The resistor R is electrically connected to the first electrode, and the second electrode is electrically connected to the wiring GND. The electrode of the first wiring BR1 is electrically connected to the wiring VDD. Each of them has a function of supplying a high power supply potential that can make a transistor conductive. The wiring VDD has a function of supplying, for example, a high power supply potential.

[0183] [Driving method example] Next, a method of driving the sensor element 22 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0184] [First step] In the first step, a relay is placed in a state where transistor M3 is turned on and then turned off. A set signal is supplied to the gate of the transistor M3, and the potential of the first electrode of the capacitance element C ( That is, the potential of the node A is set to a predetermined potential (see FIG. 7(D-1), period T1).

[0185] Specifically, a reset signal is supplied to the wiring RES. The transistor M3 can change the potential of the node A to, for example, make the transistor M1 conductive. Make it an electric potential.

[0186] [Second step] In a second step, a selection signal that causes transistor M2 to be conductive is applied to transistor M2 and electrically connects the second electrode of transistor M1 to signal line DL. (See Figure 7(D-1), period T2).

[0187] Specifically, a selection signal is supplied to the scanning line G1. 2 electrically connects the second electrode of the transistor M1 to the signal line DL.

[0188] [Third step] In a third step, a control signal is supplied to the second electrode of the capacitive element C, and the control signal and A potential that changes based on the capacitance of the capacitive element C is supplied to the gate of the transistor M1.

[0189] Specifically, a rectangular control signal is supplied to the wiring CS. When a voltage is applied to the electrode of node 2, the potential of node A changes based on the capacitance of the capacitance element C (FIG. 7( D-1), see the second half of period T2).

[0190] For example, if a capacitance element C is placed in the air, then something with a higher dielectric constant than the air will When the second electrode of element C is placed close to the first electrode, the capacitance of the capacitive element C appears to be large. .

[0191] As a result, the change in the potential of node A caused by the rectangular control signal is The distance between the object and the sensor is smaller than when the object is not placed close to the object (see Fig. 7(D-2), solid line). ).

[0192] Alternatively, the distance between the first electrode and the second electrode of the capacitance element C changes with the deformation of the touch panel. When the capacitance of the capacitance element C is changed, the potential of the node A changes. .

[0193] [Fourth step] In the fourth step, the signal resulting from the change in the potential of the gate of the transistor M1 is It will be supplied to Line DL.

[0194] For example, the change in the current caused by the change in the gate potential of transistor M1 is transmitted to signal line DL. Supply.

[0195] The converter CONV converts the change in current flowing through the signal line DL into a change in voltage and supplies do.

[0196] [5th ​​step] In the fifth step, a selection signal that makes the transistor M2 non-conductive is applied to the transistor M1. The output of this power supply is supplied to the gate of power supply M2.

[0197] This completes the operation of the multiple sensor elements 22 electrically connected to one scanning line G1. do.

[0198] In the case where there are n scanning lines G1, the following is true for the scanning lines G1(1) to G1(n): Simply repeat steps 1 to 5 for each one.

[0199] Alternatively, when the wiring RES and the wiring CS are common to each sensor element 22, That is, first, a reset signal is supplied to the wiring RES. Next, while a control signal is being supplied to the wiring CS, the scanning lines G1(1) to G1 By sequentially supplying a selection signal to (n), the signal caused by the change in the potential of node A is The signals are supplied to signal lines DL(1) through DL(m).

[0200] By using this method, the frequency of supplying the reset signal and the control signal can be reduced. This can be done.

[0201] The above is the explanation of the driving method.

[0202] This embodiment may be combined, at least in part, with other embodiments described in this specification. It can be implemented in combination.

[0203] (Embodiment 3) In this embodiment, electronic devices and lighting devices that can be manufactured by applying one embodiment of the present invention will be described. This will be described with reference to FIG. 12 and FIG.

[0204] The touch panel according to one embodiment of the present invention is flexible. In addition, by applying one embodiment of the present invention, This makes it possible to create electronic devices and lighting devices that are highly reliable and resistant to repeated bending.

[0205] Examples of electronic devices include television sets (also known as televisions or television receivers). (hereinafter referred to as "computer monitors"), digital cameras, digital video cameras, digital photo frames, mobile phones (also called mobile phones or mobile phone devices), portable game machines, Examples of the device include portable information terminals, audio playback devices, and large game machines such as pachinko machines.

[0206] In addition, since the touch panel of one embodiment of the present invention is flexible, it can be attached to the inner wall or the inner wall of a house or a building. It may also be incorporated along an exterior wall or curved surface of the interior or exterior of the vehicle.

[0207] The electronic device of one embodiment of the present invention may include a touch panel and a secondary battery. At this time, it is preferable that the secondary battery can be charged using non-contact power transmission.

[0208] As the secondary battery, for example, a lithium polymer battery (lithium ion battery) using a gel electrolyte is used. Lithium-ion secondary batteries such as lithium-ion polymer batteries, lithium-ion batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries battery, nickel-cadmium battery, organic radical battery, lead acid battery, secondary air battery, nickel-zinc battery, silver-zinc battery Examples include lead batteries.

[0209] The electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a touch panel and an antenna. By receiving a signal through the sensor, the display unit can display images and information. If the child device has a secondary battery, the antenna may be used for contactless power transmission.

[0210] FIG. 12A shows an example of a mobile phone. A mobile phone 7400 includes a housing 740. In addition to the display unit 7402 incorporated in the 1, the operation buttons 7403 and the external connection port 7404 , a speaker 7405, a microphone 7406, etc. The touch panel of one embodiment of the present invention is used for the display portion 7402. According to one aspect of the present invention, a highly reliable mobile phone having a curved display portion can be provided with a high yield. Can be provided.

[0211] In the mobile phone 7400 shown in FIG. 12A, when a display portion 7402 is touched by a finger or the like, You can also make calls, enter text, and perform any other functions. The operation can be performed by touching the display portion 7402 with a finger or the like.

[0212] In addition, the operation button 7403 can be used to turn the power on and off, and to display the display unit 7402. For example, from the email composition screen, you can change the type of image displayed on the You can then switch to the main menu screen.

[0213] FIG. 12B shows an example of a wristwatch-type portable information terminal. The housing 7101, the display unit 7102, the band 7103, the buckle 7104, the operation button 7 105, input / output terminal 7106, etc.

[0214] The portable information terminal 7100 is capable of carrying out mobile telephone calls, e-mails, viewing and creating documents, playing music, and internet connections. It can run various applications such as internet communication and computer games. Cut.

[0215] The display unit 7102 has a curved display surface, and displays information along the curved display surface. The display unit 7102 is equipped with a touch sensor, and the screen can be operated by touching it with a finger or a stylus. For example, the icon 7 displayed on the display unit 7102 can be operated by touching the You can launch the application by touching 107.

[0216] The operation button 7105 is used to set the time, turn the power on and off, and turn wireless communication on and off. It supports various functions such as auto-start, silent mode and power saving mode. For example, an operation system built into the portable information terminal 7100 can be The function of the operation button 7105 can also be freely set using the stem.

[0217] In addition, the mobile information terminal 7100 is capable of performing short-distance wireless communication according to a communication standard. For example, by communicating with a wireless headset, a hands-free You can also make calls.

[0218] The portable information terminal 7100 also includes an input / output terminal 7106, and is connected to other information terminals via a connector. Data can be exchanged directly through the input / output terminal 7106. The charging operation can be performed by wireless power supply without going through the input / output terminal 7106. You may go.

[0219] A touch panel according to one embodiment of the present invention is incorporated in a display portion 7102 of a portable information terminal 7100. According to one aspect of the present invention, a highly reliable portable information device having a curved display unit is provided. Terminals can be provided with a high yield.

[0220] 12C to 12E show an example of a lighting device. The lighting device 7210 and the lighting device 7220 are each provided with a base 72 01 and a light emitting part supported by a base part 7201.

[0221] The lighting device 7200 shown in FIG. 12C includes a light-emitting unit 7202 having a wavy light-emitting surface. This makes it a highly designed lighting device.

[0222] The light-emitting portion 7212 of the lighting device 7210 shown in FIG. 12D has two convexly curved Therefore, the light emitting units are arranged symmetrically around the lighting device 7210. It can illuminate in all directions.

[0223] The lighting device 7220 shown in FIG. 12(E) has a light-emitting portion 7222 that is curved in a concave shape. Therefore, the light emitted from the light emitting unit 7222 is focused on the front surface of the lighting device 7220. It is suitable for brightly illuminating a large area.

[0224] In addition, the light-emitting devices 7200, 7210, and 7220 each include Since the light-emitting part is flexible, it is possible to attach the light-emitting part to a plastic member or a movable frame. The light emitting surface of the light emitting portion may be freely curved depending on the application.

[0225] In this embodiment, the illumination device in which the light-emitting unit is supported by the base is illustrated. The housing may be fixed to the ceiling or hung from the ceiling. The light surface can be curved, so a specific area can be brightened by curving the light-emitting surface in a concave shape. The light can be curved convexly to illuminate an entire room.

[0226] Here, each light-emitting section incorporates a touch panel according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to one embodiment, a lighting device having a curved light-emitting portion and high reliability can be provided with a high yield. Cut.

[0227] FIG. 12(F) shows an example of a portable touch panel. Touch panel 7300 7301, a display unit 7302, an operation button 7303, a drawer member 7304, a control It has part 7305.

[0228] The touch panel 7300 is a flexible panel that is rolled up in a cylindrical housing 7301. It has a display unit 7102.

[0229] In addition, the touch panel 7300 can receive a video signal from the control unit 7305. The image can be displayed on the display unit 7302. The control unit 7305 is also In addition, the control unit 7305 is provided with a terminal for connecting a connector, and the control unit 7305 receives video signals and power. Alternatively, the power supply voltage may be supplied directly from an external source via a wire.

[0230] In addition, the operation button 7303 can be used to turn the power on and off and to switch the displayed image. It is possible to carry out such tasks.

[0231] FIG. 12G shows a tablet in a state where the display unit 7302 is pulled out by a pull-out member 7304. In this state, an image can be displayed on the display unit 7302. In addition, the operation button 7303 arranged on the surface of the housing 7301 allows easy operation with one hand. In addition, as shown in FIG. 12F, the operation button 7303 can be mounted inside the housing 7301. By placing it to one side rather than in the center, it can be easily operated with one hand.

[0232] When the display unit 7302 is pulled out, the display surface of the display unit 7302 is made flat. For fixing, a reinforcing frame may be provided on the side of the display portion 7302.

[0233] In addition to this configuration, a speaker is provided on the housing, and the audio signal received together with the video signal is output. The configuration may be such that sound is outputted.

[0234] The touch panel of one embodiment of the present invention is incorporated in the display portion 7302. According to this embodiment, a lightweight and highly reliable touch panel can be provided with a high yield.

[0235] 13(A) to (C) show a foldable mobile information terminal 310. FIG. 13(B) shows the portable information terminal 310 in an unfolded or folded state. 13(C) shows the mobile information terminal 310 in a state in which the state is changing from one of the two states. ) shows the portable information terminal 310 in a folded state. When folded, it is highly portable, and when unfolded, it has a seamless, large display area that allows you to see the entire display. Excellent visibility.

[0236] The display panel 316 is supported by three housings 315 connected by hinges 313. The two housings 315 are bent via the hinge 313, so that the portable information terminal 3 10 can be reversibly transformed from the unfolded state to the folded state. A touch panel according to one embodiment can be used for the display panel 316. For example, A touch panel that can be bent from 150 mm to 320 mm can be applied.

[0237] In one aspect of the present invention, when the touch panel is in a folded or unfolded state, The touch panel may be configured to include a sensor that detects the touch state and supplies detection information. The panel control device receives information indicating that the touch panel is in a folded state. The movement of the folded part (or the part that is folded and cannot be seen by the user) Specifically, the display may be stopped. In addition, the detection by the touch sensor may be stopped. The notification may be stopped.

[0238] Similarly, the touch panel control device indicates that the touch panel is in the deployed state. The information may be acquired and the display or detection by the touch sensor may be resumed.

[0239] 13(D) and (E) show a foldable mobile information terminal 320. The mobile information terminal 320 is shown in a folded state with the display unit 322 facing outward. FIG. 1E shows the portable information terminal 320 folded so that the display unit 322 faces inward. When the mobile information terminal 320 is not in use, the non-display section 325 is folded outward. The display unit 322 can be prevented from being soiled or scratched. It can be used for 2.

[0240] FIG. 13(F) is a perspective view illustrating the external shape of the mobile information terminal 330. FIG. FIG. 13(H) is a top view of the portable information terminal 330. FIG. 13(H) is a top view of the portable information terminal 340. FIG.

[0241] The portable information terminals 330 and 340 are selected from, for example, a telephone, a notebook, or an information viewing device. It has one or more functions. Specifically, it can be used as a smartphone. can.

[0242] The mobile information terminals 330 and 340 can display text and image information on multiple surfaces. For example, three operation buttons 339 can be displayed on one surface (FIG. 13(F) ( Also, information 337 shown in a dashed rectangle can be displayed on another surface (see FIG. 13( G)(H)). An example of information 337 is SNS (social networking Notifications of services, notifications of incoming e-mails and phone calls, etc., e-mails, etc. Subject, sender name of email, date, time, battery level, antenna reception strength, etc. Or, instead of the information 337, the operation button is displayed at the position where the information 337 is displayed. In addition, in FIG. 13(F)(G), the information is displayed on the upper side. However, one embodiment of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, It may be displayed on the side as in the mobile information terminal 340 shown in FIG. 13(H).

[0243] For example, the user of the mobile information terminal 330 may store the mobile information terminal 330 in a breast pocket of a suit. When the item is stored, the display (information 337 in this example) can be confirmed.

[0244] Specifically, the telephone number or name of the caller of the incoming call is displayed on the mobile information terminal 330. The user takes the mobile information terminal 330 out of his pocket and You can check the display and decide whether or not to answer the call without having to turn your phone back on.

[0245] The housing 335 of the portable information terminal 330 and the housing 336 of the portable information terminal 340 each have The touch panel according to one embodiment of the present invention can be used for the display portion 333. This allows us to provide highly reliable touch panels with curved displays with a high yield rate. Cut.

[0246] In addition, even if information is displayed on three or more screens, as in the case of a portable information terminal 345 shown in FIG. 13(I), Here, information 355, information 356, and information 357 are displayed on different sides. Here is an example.

[0247] The display unit 358 of the housing 354 of the portable information terminal 345 has a touch panel according to one embodiment of the present invention. According to one aspect of the present invention, a display device having a curved display portion and a reliable display panel can be used. This allows us to provide highly functional touch panels with a high yield. [Explanation of symbols]

[0248] 10 Touch Panel Module 20 Touch Sensor Module 21 Substrate 22 Sensor element 23 Circuit 24 circuits 25 Wiring 26 Wiring 30 Display Panel 31 Substrate 32 Display section 33 pixels 34 Circuit 41 FPC 42 FPC 43 Terminal 110 Capacitive element 111 Conductive layer 111a Conductive layer 112 Insulating layer 113 Conductive Layer 114 Colored layer 114b Colored layer 114g colored layer 114r colored layer 115 Light blocking layer 116 Conductive Layer 116a conductive layer 116b Conductive layer 116c conductive layer 116d conductive layer 116e conductive layer 116f conductive layer 116g conductive layer 117 Conductive Layer 117a Conductive layer 117b Conductive layer 119 Optical adjustment layer 131 Gate electrode 132 Semiconductor layer 133a electrode 133b Electrode 201 Transistor 202 Transistor 203 Transistor 204 Light emitting element 205 Contact part 210 Connection Layer 211 Adhesive layer 212 Insulating layer 213 Insulating Layer 214 Insulating layer 215 Insulating Layer 216 Insulating Layer 217 Insulating Layer 218 Insulating Layer 219 Spacer 220 Adhesive layer 221 Electrode 222 EL layer 223 Electrode 224 Optical adjustment layer 225 Conductive Layer 251 Transistor 252 Transistor 253 Contact part 260 Connection Layer 261 Adhesive layer 262 Insulating Layer 263 Insulating Layer 264 Insulating Layer 265 Insulating Layer 266 Insulating Layer 267 Insulating Layer 268 Insulating Layer 310 Mobile Information Terminals 313 Hinge 315 Case 316 Display Panel 320 Mobile Information Terminal 322 Display section 325 Hidden part 330 Mobile Information Terminal 333 Display section 335 Case 336 Case 337 Information 339 Operation Button 340 Mobile Information Terminal 345 Mobile Information Terminal 354 Case 355 Information 356 Information 357 Information 358 Display section 7100 Portable Information Terminal 7101 Case 7102 Display section 7103 Band 7104 Buckle 7105 Operation button 7106 Input / output terminal 7107 Icon 7200 Lighting Equipment 7201 Daibu 7202 Light emitting part 7203 Operation switch 7210 Lighting equipment 7212 Light emitting part 7220 Lighting Equipment 7222 Light emitting part 7300 Touch Panel 7301 Case 7302 Display section 7303 Operation button 7304 Materials 7305 Control Unit 7400 Mobile Phone 7401 Case 7402 Display section 7403 Operation button 7404 External connection port 7405 Speaker 7406 Mike

Claims

[Claim 1] A display device including a touch panel having a first substrate, a second substrate, a display element, a first layer, a second layer, a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, a third conductive layer, and an insulating layer, the first substrate and the second substrate have an overlapping region; the display element, the first layer, the second layer, the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, the third conductive layer, and the insulating layer are disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; the first layer is located closer to the first substrate than the display element; the first layer and the display element have an overlapping region; the second layer is located closer to the first substrate than the display element; the insulating layer has a region located between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer; the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, and the insulating layer are located closer to the first substrate than the first layer and the second layer; the third conductive layer is located closer to the first substrate than the display element and is located closer to the second substrate than the second layer; the third conductive layer and the second layer have an overlapping region; the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer have a function of transmitting visible light; the first layer has a function of transmitting light in a specific wavelength band, The second layer has a function of blocking visible light. Display device.

Images