Display device

Abstract

To provide a semiconductor device with high numerical aperture, or to provide a semiconductor device with low power consumption, or to provide a semiconductor device with low wiring resistance.SOLUTION: A semiconductor device comprises: a substrate having an insulation surface; a first electrode provided on the substrate and having light transmissivity; a second electrode provided on the substrate and having light transmissivity; a semiconductor layer that is provided so as to be electrically connected with the first electrode and the second electrode, and that has light transmissivity; first wiring electrically connected with the first electrode; an insulating layer provided so as to cover at least the semiconductor layer; a third electrode provided on the insulating layer in a region overlapped with the semiconductor layer and having light transmissivity; and second wiring electrically connected with the third electrode.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The technical field relates to semiconductor devices, display devices, light-emitting devices, and manufacturing methods thereof. In particular, semiconductor devices having thin film transistors (hereinafter referred to as TFTs) using oxide semiconductors are It relates to a conductor device. [Background technology]

[0002] Currently, amorphous silicon is used as a switching element in display devices, such as liquid crystal display devices. Thin film transistors (TFTs) that use silicon layers such as silicon as the channel layer are widely used. Thin film transistors using amorphous silicon have low field effect mobility. This has the advantage that it can accommodate the increase in the area of ​​the glass substrate.

[0003] Recently, thin film transistors have been fabricated using metal oxides that exhibit semiconducting properties, and electronic devices have been developed. For example, among metal oxides, the technology for applying it to electronic devices and optical devices is attracting attention. It is known that tungsten oxide, tin oxide, indium oxide, zinc oxide, etc. exhibit semiconductor properties. A thin film transistor in which a transparent semiconductor layer made of such a metal oxide is used as a channel forming region is used. A transistor is disclosed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] In addition, a channel layer of the transistor is formed using a light-transmitting oxide semiconductor layer, The gate electrode, source electrode, and drain electrode are also formed of a transparent conductive film having light-transmitting properties. Therefore, techniques for improving the aperture ratio have been studied (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0005] By improving the aperture ratio, the light utilization efficiency is improved, and the power consumption and size of the display device are reduced. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of increasing the size of display devices and application to mobile devices, Therefore, there is a demand for further reduction in power consumption along with an improvement in aperture ratio.

[0006] As a method for wiring metal auxiliary wiring to the transparent electrodes of the electro-optical element, In either case, the metal auxiliary wiring and the transparent electrode are wired so that they overlap to provide electrical continuity with the transparent electrode. It is known that such a method is used (see, for example, Patent Document 3).

[0007] The additional capacitance electrodes provided on the active matrix substrate are made of transparent material such as ITO or SnO2. The electrode is made of a conductive film, and in order to reduce the electrical resistance of the electrode for the additional capacitance, it is made of a metal film. A configuration in which an auxiliary wiring is provided in contact with an electrode for additional capacitance is known (see, for example, Patent Document 4). ).

[0008] In a field-effect transistor using an amorphous oxide semiconductor film, The materials used to form the source and drain electrodes are indium tin oxide (ITO), Transparent electrodes such as indium zinc oxide, ZnO, SnO2, and Al, Ag, Cr, Ni, Metal electrodes such as Mo, Au, Ti, Ta, etc., or alloy metal electrodes containing these materials are used. Two or more layers of these can be stacked to reduce contact resistance or improve interface strength. It is known that the above-mentioned method may be used (see, for example, Patent Document 5).

[0009] In addition, the source electrode, drain electrode and The materials for the gate electrode and auxiliary capacitance electrode are indium (In), aluminum (Al), and gold ( Metals such as Au, silver (Ag), indium oxide (In2O3), and tin oxide (SnO2) , zinc oxide (ZnO), cadmium oxide (CdO), cadmium indium oxide (CdI n2O4), cadmium tin oxide (Cd2SnO4), zinc tin oxide (Zn2SnO4) The gate electrode, source electrode, and drain electrode can be made of oxide materials such as It is known that all of the components may be the same or different (see, for example, Patent Documents 6 and 7). ). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-103957 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-81362 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2-82221 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2-310536 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-243928 [Patent Document 6] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-109918 [Patent Document 7] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-115807 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] Therefore, in this specification etc. (including at least the specification, claims, and drawings) An object of one embodiment of the disclosed invention is to provide a semiconductor device with a high aperture ratio. An object of one embodiment of the disclosed invention is to provide a semiconductor device with low power consumption. Another object of one embodiment of the disclosed invention is to provide a semiconductor device with low wiring resistance. Another embodiment of the disclosed invention provides a semiconductor device that reduces distortion of a signal waveform. Another object of one embodiment of the disclosed invention is to provide a wiring with high conductivity. Another object of one embodiment of the disclosed invention is to provide a semiconductor device with high transmittance. Another object of one embodiment of the disclosed invention is to provide a semiconductor device with a large screen. Another object of the present invention is to suppress an increase in the number of process steps. Another object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device having a Another object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device with improved cost. It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor device having a high degree of freedom in layout. One aspect of the present invention is a method for detecting a small S value (subthreshold swing value). The object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device having a high resistance to heat. Furthermore, it is not necessary for one embodiment of the disclosed invention to solve all of the above problems. It shall be deemed not to exist. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] In one embodiment of the invention disclosed in this specification, a transistor is formed using a light-transmitting material. More specifically, the process is as follows.

[0013] One embodiment of the invention disclosed in this specification and the like is a substrate having an insulating surface and a semiconductor device provided over the substrate. a first electrode (source electrode) having a light-transmitting property and a second electrode (source electrode) having a light-transmitting property provided on a substrate; The electrode (drain electrode) is electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode. a light-transmitting semiconductor layer (semiconductor layer) and a first electrode electrically connected to the first electrode; The wiring (source wiring) and the insulating layer (gate insulating layer) provided to cover at least the semiconductor layer a third electrode (gate electrode) having light-transmitting properties provided on the insulating layer in a region overlapping with the semiconductor layer; and a second wiring (gate wiring) electrically connected to the third electrode. The semiconductor device is characterized by the above.

[0014] Another embodiment of the invention disclosed in this specification and the like is a light-transmitting film formed on a substrate having an insulating surface. The first conductive layer having a property of being electrically conductive and the second conductive layer are laminated to form the first conductive layer on the second conductive layer. A mask is formed, and the first conductive layer is etched using the first mask to form a first electrode and A second electrode is formed, and the second conductive layer is etched to form a third conductive layer. The first mask is removed to form a second mask, and the third conductive layer is formed using the second mask. The first wiring is formed by etching, and a transparent wiring is formed to electrically connect the first electrode and the second electrode. A semiconductor layer having optical properties is formed, an insulating layer is formed so as to cover the semiconductor layer, and a transparent insulating layer is formed on the insulating layer. A fourth conductive layer and a fifth conductive layer having optical properties are laminated to form a third conductive layer on the fifth conductive layer. A third mask is formed on the fourth conductive layer, and the fourth conductive layer is etched using the third mask to form a third electrode. The fifth conductive layer is formed, and the sixth conductive layer is formed by etching the fifth conductive layer. The third mask is then removed. a fourth mask is formed, and the sixth conductive layer is etched using the fourth mask; The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is characterized by forming a second wiring.

[0015] In the above, a fourth electrode (pixel electrode) having a light-transmitting property and electrically connected to the second electrode Alternatively, a second electrode may be provided in an area overlapping a part of the second electrode via an insulating layer. and a fifth electrode (capacitive electrode) made of the same layer as the third electrode, and the fifth electrode is electrically connected to the fifth electrode. A third wiring (capacitive wiring) that is formed in the same layer as the second wiring may also be provided.

[0016] In the above, the semiconductor layer is an oxide semiconductor containing indium, gallium, and zinc. The first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode are preferably made of an insulator. Indium tin oxide, indium tin oxide with silicon oxide, organic indium, organic tin, zinc oxide Indium zinc oxide containing lead, titanium nitride, zinc oxide, zinc oxide doped with gallium Materials, tin oxide, indium oxide containing tungsten oxide, indium oxide containing tungsten oxide Indium zinc oxide, indium oxide with titanium oxide, indium with titanium oxide It is preferable that the material is made of either tin oxide or tin oxide.

[0017] In the above, the first wiring and the second wiring preferably have a light-shielding property. In addition, a layer made of the same material as the semiconductor layer is provided at the intersection of the first wiring and the second wiring. This makes it possible to reduce capacitance caused by crossing of wirings. This makes it possible to suppress distortion of the signal waveform. The effect is remarkable.

[0018] An example of an oxide semiconductor that can be used in the invention disclosed in this specification and the like is I nMO3(ZnO) m (m>0), where M is gallium (G a), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn) and cobalt (Co). For example, when Ga is selected as M, In addition to the case of Ga alone, there are also the above metal elements other than Ga, such as Ga and Ni, Ga and Fe, etc. In addition, in the oxide semiconductor, the metal element contained as M is In addition, impurity elements such as Fe, Ni, and other transition metal elements, or oxides of the transition metals In this specification and the like, among the above oxide semiconductors, those containing Those that contain at least gallium are called In-Ga-Zn-O oxide semiconductors, and these materials Thin films using this material are sometimes called In-Ga-Zn-O based non-single crystal films.

[0019] Furthermore, by using a multi-tone mask in the above, it is possible to achieve the following with a single mask (reticle): The light-transmitting region (high transmittance region) and the light-non-transmitting region (low transmittance region) are This makes it possible to suppress an increase in the number of masks.

[0020] In this specification and the like, a semiconductor device is a device that can function by utilizing semiconductor characteristics. This refers to devices in general, including semiconductor circuits, display devices, electro-optical devices, light-emitting display devices, and electronic equipment. The semiconductor device is thus included.

[0021] In this specification, a display device refers to an image display device, a light emitting device, or a light source. (including lighting devices). Here, connectors, such as FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) rinted circuit) and TAB (Tape Automated Bondi) ng) tape, TCP (Tape Carrier Package), etc. are attached modules with printed wiring boards attached to the ends of TAB tape or TCP The display element is mounted directly on an IC (integrated circuit) using the COG (Chip On Glass) method. All mounted modules are included in the display device.

[0022] The switch may take various forms, for example, an electrical switch. There are various types of switches, such as switches and mechanical switches. In other words, anything that can control the flow of current is sufficient. There is no particular limitation. For example, a transistor (e.g., a bipolar transistor) can be used as a switch. transistors, MOS transistors, etc.), diodes (e.g., PN diodes, P IN diode, Schottky diode, MIM (Metal Insulator Metal diode, MIS (Metal Insulator Semiconductor) diodes, diode-connected transistors, etc. Alternatively, a logic circuit that combines these can be used as a switch.

[0023] Examples of mechanical switches include digital micromirror devices (DMDs), There are switches that use MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) technology. The switch has an electrode that can be moved mechanically, and the movement of the electrode The transistor operates by controlling conduction and non-conduction.

[0024] When a transistor is used as a switch, the transistor acts as a simple switch. However, the polarity (conductivity type) of the transistor is not particularly limited. To suppress this, it is desirable to use a transistor with a polarity that reduces the off-state current. As a transistor with low current, a transistor with LDD region or a multi-gate structure There are transistors with a structure such as a switch. The potential of the source terminal operates at a value close to the potential of the low-potential power supply (Vss, GND, 0V, etc.). On the other hand, if the potential of the source terminal is However, when it operates at a potential close to the high-potential power supply (such as Vdd), it is a P-channel transistor. It is desirable to use an N-channel transistor because the source terminal is low. When operating at a potential close to that of the power supply, the source terminal of a P-channel transistor When operating at a potential close to that of the high-potential power supply, the absolute value of the voltage between the gate and source is large. This is because the switch can operate more accurately. , the transistor rarely operates as a source follower, so the output voltage This is because it is unlikely that

[0025] In addition, CMOS transistors are used to implement both N-channel and P-channel transistors. A CMOS switch can be used as the switch. Either the N-channel transistor or the N-channel transistor is conducting. If the input voltage to the switch is 0.05V, a current will flow, making it easier to function as a switch. Whether the signal voltage is high or low, the voltage can be output appropriately. Therefore, the voltage amplitude of the signal used to turn the switch on or off can be reduced. Therefore, power consumption can also be reduced.

[0026] When using a transistor as a switch, the switch must be connected to the input terminal (source terminal or the other of the source and drain terminals), the output terminal (the other of the source and drain terminals), and the The diode is used as a switch. In some cases, the switch may not have a terminal that controls conduction. Using diodes as switches rather than transistors reduces the amount of wiring required to control the terminals. It can be eliminated.

[0027] When it is explicitly stated that A and B are connected, it means that A and B are electrically connected. A and B are functionally connected, A and B are directly connected, Here, A and B are objects (e.g., devices, elements, circuits) , wiring, electrodes, terminals, conductive films, layers, etc.). Therefore, a predetermined connection relationship, For example, the present invention is not limited to the connection relationships shown in the drawings or text, but may be modified to include the connection relationships shown in the drawings or text. This also includes matters other than those in charge.

[0028] For example, if A and B are electrically connected, the electrical connection between A and B can be The elements to be considered (e.g., switches, transistors, capacitance elements, inductors, resistance elements, One or more electrodes (such as a diode) may be connected between A and B. Alternatively, A and B may In the case of functional connection, a circuit that allows the functional connection between A and B (e.g. , logic circuits (inverters, NAND circuits, NOR circuits, etc.), signal conversion circuits (DA conversion circuits circuits, AD conversion circuits, gamma correction circuits, etc.), potential level conversion circuits (power supply circuits (boosting circuits, voltage sources, current sources, Switching circuits, amplifier circuits (circuits that can increase signal amplitude or current, etc.), operational amplifiers, differential amplifier circuits, source follower circuits, buffer circuits, signal generation circuits, memory circuits, control One or more control circuits may be connected between A and B. For example, Even if there is another circuit between them, if the signal output from A is transmitted to B, then A and B are It is assumed that they are functionally connected.

[0029] In addition, when it is explicitly stated that A and B are electrically connected, it means that A and B are electrically When A and B are directly connected (i.e., when another element or circuit is placed between A and B), A and B are functionally connected (i.e., there is another When A and B are connected functionally across a circuit, and when A and B are connected directly ( (i.e., when A and B are connected without any other element or circuit between them) In other words, when explicitly stating that something is electrically connected, it simply means that it is connected. is the same as if it were expressly stated only that the

[0030] Note that the term "display element," "display device having a display element," "light-emitting element," and "device having a light-emitting element" may be used interchangeably. The light emitting device can have various forms and various elements. For example, the display element, display device, light-emitting element or light-emitting device may be an EL (electroluminescent EL elements (EL elements containing organic and inorganic materials, organic EL elements, inorganic EL elements), LE D (white LED, red LED, green LED, blue LED, etc.), transistor (responding to current transistors that emit light when exposed to light, electron-emitting devices, liquid crystal devices, electronic ink, electrophoretic devices, graphene Rating light bulb (GLV), plasma display panel (PDP), digital DMD (Digital Micromirror Device), Piezoelectric Ceramic Display, Carbon Nanotube The contrast, brightness, reflectance, transmittance, etc. change due to electromagnetic effects, such as The display device using the EL element may have a display medium. As a display device using electron emission elements, a field emission display is used. FED and SED flat panel displays (SED: Surface-conductive tion Electron-emitter Display) and other liquid crystal display devices. As a display device, a liquid crystal display (transmissive liquid crystal display, semi-transmissive liquid crystal display) (i) reflective LCD displays, direct-view LCD displays, projection LCD displays, etc. Display devices using electronic ink or electrophoretic elements include electronic paper.

[0031] The EL element is an element having an anode, a cathode, and an EL layer sandwiched between the anode and the cathode. The EL layer is made up of a number of types, including those that utilize light emission (fluorescence) from singlet excitons, Those that utilize light emission from doublet excitons (phosphorescence) and those that utilize light emission from singlet excitons (fluorescence). Some utilize light emission from triplet excitons (phosphorescence), while others utilize organic materials. formed by inorganic matter, formed by organic matter and formed by inorganic matter. Materials formed by organic materials, including polymeric materials, low molecular weight materials, and polymeric materials However, it is not limited to this, and E There can be a variety of L elements.

[0032] An electron-emitting device is an element that extracts electrons by concentrating a high electric field on a cathode. For example, As electron emitters, Spindt type, carbon nanotube (CNT) type, metal-insulator- MIM (Metal-Insulator-Metal) type with metal layers, metal-insulator MIS (Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor) Torr type, MOS type, silicon type, thin film diode type, diamond type, surface conduction emitter Thin film types such as SCD type, metal-insulator-semiconductor-metal type, HEED type, EL type, polar The semiconductor device may be of a silicon type, a surface conduction (SCE) type, etc. However, it is not limited to these. The electron-emitting device may have a variety of electron-emitting elements.

[0033] A liquid crystal element is a device that controls the transmission or non-transmission of light by the optical modulation action of liquid crystals. It is composed of a pair of electrodes and liquid crystal. Controlled by the electric field applied to the crystal (including the horizontal electric field, the vertical electric field, or the diagonal electric field) The liquid crystal elements include nematic liquid crystal, cholesteric liquid crystal, smectic Liquid crystal, discotic liquid crystal, thermotropic liquid crystal, lyotropic liquid crystal, low molecular weight liquid crystal, Polymer liquid crystal, polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC), ferroelectric liquid crystal, antiferroelectric liquid crystal, main chain liquid crystal, Examples include side-chain polymer liquid crystals, plasma-addressed liquid crystals (PALCs), and banana-shaped liquid crystals. The liquid crystal driving method is Twisted Nematic (TN). mode, STN (Super Twisted Nematic) mode, IPS (In- Plane-Switching mode, FFS (Fringe Field Switching) mode tching) mode, MVA (Multi-domain Vertical Alignment gnment) mode, PVA(Patterned Vertical Alignm) ent) mode, ASV (Advanced Super View) mode, ASM ( Axially Symmetrically aligned Micro-cell) mode , OCB (Optically Compensated Birefringence) ) mode, ECB (Electrically Controlled Birefringence ngence) mode, FLC (Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal tal) mode, AFLC(AntiFerroelectric Liquid Cr systal mode, PDLC (Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal Crystal mode, guest host mode, Blue Phase mode However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the liquid crystal element and its driving method can be used. A variety of different types can be used.

[0034] In addition, the display method of electronic paper is by molecules (optical anisotropy, dye molecular orientation, etc.), particle-based display (electrophoresis, particle migration, particle rotation, phase change, etc.) (e.g., those that are displayed by moving one edge of the film, those that are displayed by coloring / phase change of molecules) Some are displayed by molecular light absorption, and some are self-luminous due to the combination of electrons and holes. For example, electronic paper is made of microcapsules. Horizontally moving electrophoresis, vertically moving electrophoresis, spherical twist ball, magnetic twist Twist ball, cylindrical twist ball method, charged toner, electronic liquid powder, magnetophoretic type, magnetic heat sensitive formula, electrowetting, light scattering (transparent / opaque), cholesteric liquid crystal / light guide Layer, Cholesteric Liquid Crystal, Bistable Nematic Liquid Crystal, Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal, Dichroic Dye and Liquid Crystal Dispersion type, movable film, color development and fading by leuco dye, photochromic, electrochromic It can be made using materials such as adhesives, electrodeposition, and flexible organic light-emitting diodes. However, without being limited to this, various electronic paper and display methods can be used. Here, by using microcapsule electrophoresis, the defects of the electrophoresis method can be overcome. This solves the problem of aggregation and precipitation of electrophoretic particles. It has advantages such as low reflectivity, wide viewing angle, low power consumption, and memory properties.

[0035] The plasma display panel is made up of a substrate on which electrodes are formed, and a substrate on which electrodes and minute grooves are formed. A substrate having a surface on which a phosphor layer is formed and a groove in which a phosphor layer is formed is placed opposite to the substrate at a narrow interval, and a rare gas is introduced. Alternatively, the plasma display panel may have a plasma tube. It is also possible to sandwich the plasma between film electrodes from above and below. It is a glass tube that contains discharge gas, RGB phosphors, etc. By applying a voltage between the electrodes, ultraviolet light is generated, causing the phosphor to glow. The plasma display panel can be a DC type PD The plasma display panel may be a PDP or an AC PDP. AWS (Address While Sustain) drive, subframe reset ADS (Address Display Status) is divided into period, address period, and sustain period. Separated drive, CLEAR (HI-CONTRAST & LOW ENERGY) ADDRESS&REDUCTION OF FALSE CONTOUR SEQU ENCE) drive, ALIS (Alternate Lighting of Surfa ces) method, TERES (Technology of Reciprocal Su However, it is not limited to this, and plasma Various methods can be used to drive the display panel.

[0036] In addition, display devices that require a light source, such as liquid crystal displays (transmissive liquid crystal displays), , Transflective LCD, Reflective LCD, Direct-view LCD, Projection LCDs, display devices using grating light valves (GLVs), digital As a light source for a display device using a digital micromirror device (DMD), an electroluminescent Using luminescence, cold cathode tube, hot cathode tube, LED, laser light source, mercury lamp, etc. However, the light source is not limited to this, and various light sources can be used. .

[0037] Note that various types of transistors can be used as the transistor. There is no limitation on the type of transistor used. For example, amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, microcrystalline silicon, Crystalline (also called microcrystalline, nanocrystalline, or semi-amorphous) silicon, etc. It is possible to use thin film transistors (TFTs) having non-single crystal semiconductor films, such as There are various advantages to using TFTs. For example, it is This allows for lower manufacturing temperatures, reducing manufacturing costs and enabling the use of larger manufacturing equipment. Since the manufacturing equipment can be enlarged, it is possible to manufacture on a large substrate. Since a large number of display devices can be manufactured, manufacturing costs can be reduced. Therefore, a substrate having low heat resistance can be used. A transistor can be manufactured on a substrate having a light-transmitting property. The light transmission through the display element can be controlled by using the transistor. Because they are small, some of the films that make up the transistor can transmit light. Therefore, the aperture ratio can be improved.

[0038] When producing polycrystalline silicon, a catalyst (such as nickel) is used to This will further improve the crystallinity and make it possible to manufacture transistors with good electrical characteristics. As a result, gate driver circuits (scanning line driver circuits) and source driver circuits (signal line driver circuits) , signal processing circuits (signal generation circuit, gamma correction circuit, DA conversion circuit, etc.) are integrated on the board It can be achieved.

[0039] When manufacturing microcrystalline silicon, a catalyst (such as nickel) is used to This further improves the crystallinity, making it possible to manufacture transistors with good electrical characteristics. When using this method, it is possible to improve the crystallinity by simply applying heat without laser irradiation. As a result, part of the source driver circuit (such as an analog switch) and the gate driver The driver circuit (scanning line driving circuit) can be formed integrally on the substrate. Therefore, when laser irradiation is not performed, unevenness in the crystallinity of silicon can be suppressed. Therefore, a high quality display is possible.

[0040] However, polycrystalline silicon and microcrystalline silicon are produced without using a catalyst (such as nickel). It is possible.

[0041] In addition, improving the crystallinity of silicon to polycrystalline or microcrystalline allows the entire panel to be It is desirable to perform this in a partial area of ​​the panel, but it is not limited to this. The crystallinity of the crystalline silicon may be improved. For example, the peripheral circuit area, which is an area other than the pixel area, can be selectively irradiated. Alternatively, the laser light may be irradiated only on the gate driver circuit, the source driver circuit, and the Alternatively, the laser light may be irradiated only on a region such as a path. The laser light may be irradiated only on the area of ​​the semiconductor device (for example, an analog switch). The crystallinity of silicon can be improved only in areas where high-speed circuit operation is required. Since there is little need for high-speed operation in the pixel area, there is no problem even if the crystallinity is not improved. The pixel circuit can be operated without any problems. The manufacturing process can be shortened, throughput can be improved, and manufacturing costs can be reduced. The number of required manufacturing equipment is also reduced, which reduces manufacturing costs (increasing (This can prevent the problem from becoming too big.)

[0042] Alternatively, a transistor can be formed using a semiconductor substrate, an SOI substrate, or the like. This allows for less variation in characteristics, size, and shape, a high current supply capacity, and a small size. These transistors can be used to fabricate transistors with small capacitances. This allows for lower power consumption and higher circuit integration.

[0043] Or ZnO, a-InGaZnO, IZO, ITO, SnO, TiO, AlZnSn Transistors having compound semiconductors or oxide semiconductors such as O(AZTO), and further and thin film transistors made of these compound semiconductors or oxide semiconductors. This allows the manufacturing temperature to be lowered, for example, making it possible to manufacture transistors at room temperature. As a result, it is possible to use a substrate with low heat resistance, such as a plastic substrate or a film substrate. It is possible to form transistors directly on the silicon substrate. Oxide semiconductors are not only used in the channel portion of transistors, but also for other purposes. For example, these compound semiconductors or oxide semiconductors can be used as resistor elements, pixel elements, etc. Furthermore, they can be used as a transistor. Since the film can be formed simultaneously, costs can be reduced. The semiconductor may be used.

[0044] Alternatively, a transistor formed by inkjet or printing can be used. These allow fabrication at room temperature, in a low vacuum, or on a large substrate. Since it is possible to manufacture without using a mask (reticle), The layout can be easily changed. Furthermore, since there is no need to use resist, The cost of materials is reduced and the number of processes can be reduced. Furthermore, since the film is applied only to the necessary parts, This method is less wasteful and less costly than the method of forming a film on a surface and then etching it. can.

[0045] Alternatively, a transistor having an organic semiconductor or a carbon nanotube may be used. These features make it possible to form transistors on a flexible substrate. A semiconductor device using such a substrate can be made resistant to shocks.

[0046] Furthermore, transistors of various structures can be used. For example, MOS transistors The use of transistors such as junction transistors and bipolar transistors as transistors By using MOS transistors, the size of the transistors can be reduced. Therefore, a large number of transistors can be mounted. By using a transistor, a large current can be passed through, which allows the circuit to operate at high speed. It can be made to work.

[0047] In addition, MOS transistors, bipolar transistors, etc. can be mixed and formed on a single substrate. This allows for low power consumption, miniaturization, high-speed operation, etc. .

[0048] In addition, various other transistors can be used.

[0049] Note that the transistor can be formed using various substrates. The substrate is not limited to, for example, a single crystal substrate (e.g., silicon substrate), SOI substrate, glass substrate, quartz substrate, plastic substrate, metal substrate, stainless steel Stainless steel substrate, substrate with stainless steel foil, tungsten substrate, tungsten A substrate with stainless steel foil, a flexible substrate, etc. can be used. An example of a glass substrate Examples of such glass include barium borosilicate glass and aluminoborosilicate glass. Examples of boards include polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene naphthalate. (PEN), polyethersulfone (PES), or acrylic Other materials include flexible synthetic resins such as laminated films (polypropylene, etc.). (e.g., polyethylene, polyester, vinyl, polyvinyl fluoride, polyvinyl chloride), including fibrous materials Paper, base film (polyester, polyamide, polyimide, inorganic vapor deposition film, paper, etc.) ) or a transistor is formed on one substrate and then transferred to another substrate. The transistor may be transposed and placed on a different substrate. The substrates used are single crystal substrates, SOI substrates, glass substrates, quartz substrates, and plastic substrates. Board, paper substrate, cellophane substrate, stone substrate, wood substrate, cloth substrate (natural fiber (silk, cotton, linen), Synthetic fibers (nylon, polyurethane, polyester) or regenerated fibers (acetate, (including plaster, rayon, recycled polyester, etc.), leather substrate, rubber substrate, stainless steel A substrate with a stainless steel foil, a substrate with a stainless steel foil, etc. can be used. Alternatively, the skin (epidermis, dermis) or subcutaneous tissue of an animal such as a human may be used as the substrate. Alternatively, a transistor may be formed on a substrate, and the substrate may be polished to make it thinner. The substrates that can be polished include single crystal substrates, SOI substrates, glass substrates, quartz substrates, and plastic substrates. Substrates, stainless steel substrates, substrates with stainless steel foil, etc. are used. By using these substrates, it is possible to form transistors with good characteristics and consume Forming low-power transistors, producing durable devices, making them heat-resistant, lightweight, or It is possible to achieve a thinner design.

[0050] The structure of the transistor can take various forms and is not limited to a specific structure. For example, a multi-gate structure with two or more gate electrodes can be applied. In the gate structure, the channel regions are connected in series, so multiple transistors are connected in series. The multi-gate structure reduces the off-state current and increases the breakdown voltage of the transistor. Alternatively, the multi-gate structure can be used to reduce the saturation region. When operating in the low-voltage range, the drain-source current remains constant even if the drain-source voltage changes. The voltage-current characteristic slope is flat. By taking advantage of the flat slope, it is possible to create ideal current source circuits and circuits with very high resistance values. As a result, it is possible to realize an active load with good characteristics, such as a differential circuit or a current mirror circuit. The path can be realized.

[0051] As another example, a structure in which gate electrodes are arranged above and below the channel can be applied. By using a structure in which gate electrodes are arranged above and below the channel, The current value can be increased by increasing the number of gate electrodes above and below the channel. By using a structure in which the depletion layer is easily formed, the S value can be improved. In addition, by arranging gate electrodes above and below the channel, , a configuration in which a plurality of transistors are connected in parallel.

[0052] A structure in which a gate electrode is placed above a channel region, and a structure in which a gate electrode is placed below a channel region Structures in which the channel region is divided into multiple regions, such as a positive staggered structure, a reverse staggered structure, and a The structure may be a structure in which the channel regions are connected in parallel, or a structure in which the channel regions are connected in series. Furthermore, the source electrode and drain electrode are attached to the channel region (or a part of it). An overlapping structure can also be applied. By using a structure in which the gate electrodes overlap, charges accumulate in part of the channel region, This can prevent the operation from becoming unstable. Alternatively, a structure with an LDD region can be appropriately By providing an LDD region, it is possible to reduce the off-current or improve the breakdown voltage of the transistor. Alternatively, by providing an LDD region, it is possible to reduce saturation. When operating in the sum region, the drain-source current remains constant even if the drain-source voltage is changed. does not change much, and the slope of the voltage-current characteristic can be made flat.

[0053] Note that various types of transistors can be used and can be formed using various substrates. Therefore, all the circuits required to realize a given function can be implemented in the same For example, it is possible to form a circuit on a substrate that is necessary to realize a predetermined function. All of these can be mounted on various substrates such as glass, plastic, single crystal, or SOI. It is also possible to form the entire circuit necessary to realize a predetermined function using a substrate. Since all components are formed using the same substrate, the number of components is reduced, resulting in cost reduction. Alternatively, the reliability can be improved by reducing the number of connection points with the circuit components. A part of the circuit required to realize a certain function is formed on a certain substrate, and the It is also possible that another part of the circuitry required to realize the above may be formed on another substrate. In other words, all of the circuits required to realize a given function are formed using the same substrate. For example, some of the circuits required to realize a specific function may be mounted on a glass substrate. Another part of the circuit formed by transistors on the board and required to realize a specified function. The part is formed on a single crystal substrate and is composed of transistors formed using the single crystal substrate. The IC chip is connected to the glass substrate using COG (Chip On Glass). It is also possible to place the IC chip on the board. (Tape Automated Bonding) and printed circuit boards are used to bond glass substrates. In this way, it is possible to connect the two circuits together. This reduces costs by reducing the number of components, and improves signal quality by reducing the number of connections to circuit components. Alternatively, it is possible to improve reliability in areas where the driving voltage is high and the driving frequency is high. The power consumption of the circuitry for these parts is high, so the circuits for these parts are formed on the same board. Instead, for example, a circuit for that part is formed on a single crystal substrate, and the circuit is configured By using an IC chip fabricated in this way, it is possible to prevent an increase in power consumption.

[0054] Note that one pixel refers to one element whose brightness can be controlled. In this case, one pixel refers to one color element, and the brightness is expressed by one color element. Therefore, in the case of a color display device consisting of R (red), G (green), and B (blue) color elements, In this example, the smallest unit of an image is composed of three pixels: an R pixel, a G pixel, and a B pixel. The color elements are not limited to three colors, and more than three colors may be used. Colors can also be used. For example, adding white makes it possible to use RGBW (W is white). Or, for example, yellow, cyan, magenta, emerald green, vermilion, etc. It is also possible to add one or more colors. It is also possible to add similar colors to RGB, for example R, G, B1, B2. B1 and B2 are both blue, but they have slightly different wavelengths. , R1, R2, G, B. By using such color elements, By using such color elements, it is possible to display more realistic images. Another example is using multiple regions for one color element. When controlling the brightness by using the area, it is possible to use one pixel for each area. For example, when performing area gradation or when using sub-pixels, one color There are multiple areas for controlling brightness for each element, and the overall gradation is expressed, but the brightness It is also possible to use one pixel for one area to be controlled. An element is made up of multiple pixels. Or, the area that controls the brightness is one Even if there are multiple color elements, they may be grouped together and one color element may be considered as one pixel. In this case, one color element is composed of one pixel. When controlling the brightness of one color element using multiple regions, the display The contributing areas may be of different sizes, or there may be multiple areas per color element. In the brightness control area, the signals supplied to each are slightly different. In other words, for one color element, multiple regions may be arranged so that the viewing angle is widened. The potentials of the pixel electrodes may be different from each other. The voltage applied to each pixel electrode is different, which makes it possible to widen the viewing angle. .

[0055] When explicitly stating one pixel (three colors), the three pixels of R, G, and B are considered to be one pixel. When explicitly describing one pixel (one color), it refers to one color element. In this case, when there are multiple regions, they are considered as one pixel.

[0056] In some cases, pixels are arranged (distributed) in a matrix. The pixels are arranged in a straight line in either the vertical or horizontal direction. This includes cases where they are arranged side by side or in a jagged line. For example, when displaying full color using three color elements (e.g., RGB), the stripes are arranged This also includes cases where the dots of the three color elements are arranged in a delta arrangement. This also includes the case where the dots are arranged in a Bayer pattern. This can reduce power consumption or extend the life of the display element. can.

[0057] In addition, the active matrix type has active elements in the pixels, or the A passive matrix method can be used.

[0058] In the active matrix system, the active element (active element, nonlinear element) is a transistor. Use not only transistors but also various active elements (active elements, nonlinear elements) For example, MIM (Metal Insulator Metal) and TFD ( Thin Film Diodes) can also be used. Since the number of manufacturing steps is small, it is possible to reduce manufacturing costs and improve yields. In addition, the small size of the element allows for an improved aperture ratio, resulting in lower power consumption and higher brightness. It is possible to achieve this.

[0059] In addition to the active matrix method, there are also active elements (active elements, nonlinear It is also possible to use a passive matrix type that does not use active elements. Since it does not use any nonlinear elements, there are fewer manufacturing steps, which reduces manufacturing costs and improves yield. Since no active elements (active elements, non-linear elements) are used, This makes it possible to improve the aperture ratio, thereby achieving lower power consumption and higher brightness.

[0060] A transistor is a device having at least three terminals including a gate, a drain, and a source. The element has a channel region between the drain region and the source region, A current can flow through the in-region, the channel region, and the source region. The source and drain depend on the transistor structure and operating conditions, so it is difficult to know which is the source or drain. Therefore, it is difficult to define whether the source or drain is the In some cases, the region that functions as a source or drain is not called a source or drain. In this case, they may be referred to as the first terminal and the second terminal, respectively. They may be referred to as the first electrode and the second electrode, or as the first region and the second region. There is.

[0061] The transistor has at least three terminals including a base, an emitter, and a collector. In this case, the emitter and the collector may be connected to the first terminal and the second terminal. It may be referred to as a terminal.

[0062] The gate is a gate electrode and a gate wiring (gate line, gate signal line, scanning line, scanning signal line). The term refers to the whole or part of a gate electrode and The gate insulating film is a part that overlaps the semiconductor that forms the channel region. The gate electrode is partially doped with LDD (Lightly Doped Diode). ed Drain) region or source region (or drain region) and The gate wiring is the gate electrode of each transistor. a wiring for connecting between the gate electrodes of each pixel, or This refers to the wiring that connects the gate electrode to another wiring.

[0063] However, there are areas (regions, conductive layers) that function as both gate electrodes and gate wiring. Such parts (regions, conductive films, wiring, etc.) are also present. In other words, the gate electrode and the gate wiring However, there are also regions that cannot be clearly distinguished. For example, If a part of the line overlaps with the channel region, that part (region, conductive film, wiring ) functions as a gate wiring, but also functions as a gate electrode. Therefore, such a part (region, conductive film, wiring, etc.) may be called a gate electrode. , which may also be called gate wiring.

[0064] It is made of the same material as the gate electrode and forms the same island as the gate electrode. The connected part (region, conductive film, wiring, etc.) may also be called a gate electrode. The gate wiring is made of the same material as the gate wiring and is connected to the same island as the gate wiring. The part (region, conductive film, wiring, etc.) that is connected to the gate may also be called the gate wiring. In the strict sense, the part (region, conductive film, wiring, etc.) does not overlap with the channel region. However, there are cases where the gate electrode does not have a function to connect to another gate electrode. Due to manufacturing specifications, the gate electrode or gate wiring is made of the same material. The area (region, Therefore, such parts (regions, conductive films, wiring, etc.) are also included in the gate. They may also be called gate electrodes or gate wirings.

[0065] For example, in a multi-gate transistor, one gate electrode and another gate In many cases, the electrode is connected to the gate electrode through a conductive film made of the same material. The necessary parts (regions, conductive films, wiring, etc.) are parts for connecting gate electrodes. Since it is a component (region, conductive film, wiring, etc.), it can be called gate wiring, but multi-gate Since the transistors can be considered as one transistor, they can be called gate electrodes. In other words, it is formed of the same material as the gate electrode or gate wiring, and The part (area, conductive film, wiring, etc.) that forms the same island as the port wiring and is connected The gate electrodes and gate wirings may be called gate electrodes or gate wirings. A conductive film that is connected to wiring and is different from the gate electrode or gate wiring. The conductive film formed from the material may also be called a gate electrode or a gate wiring.

[0066] The gate terminal is the part of the gate electrode (region, conductive film, wiring, etc.) or Regarding the part (area, conductive film, wiring, etc.) that is electrically connected to the electrode, It is said that.

[0067] Note that a certain wiring may be called a gate wiring, gate line, gate signal line, scanning line, scanning signal line, etc. In some cases, the gate of the transistor may not be connected to the wiring. The gate wiring, gate lines, gate signal lines, scanning lines, and scanning signal lines are the same as the gates of transistors. wiring formed in the same layer as the gate of the transistor, wiring formed in the same material as the gate of the transistor, or It may refer to the wiring deposited at the same time as the gate of a transistor. These include measurement wiring, power supply wiring, and reference potential supply wiring.

[0068] The source includes the source region, the source electrode, and the source wiring (source line, source signal line, It refers to the whole or part of the data line (also called data line, data signal line, etc.). The source region is formed by doping P-type impurities (such as boron or gallium) or N-type impurities (such as phosphorus or arsenic). Therefore, it refers to a semiconductor region that contains a large amount of P-type impurities and N-type impurities. The region containing The source electrode is formed of a material different from the source region and is not included in the source region. The term "conductive layer" refers to the portion of the conductive layer that is electrically connected to the source region. The source electrode is sometimes called the source electrode, including the source region. wiring for connecting the source electrodes of the transistors, and wiring for connecting the source electrodes of each pixel. This refers to a wiring for connecting a source electrode to another wiring, or a wiring for connecting a source electrode to another wiring.

[0069] However, there is a part (area) that functions as both a source electrode and a source wiring. Such parts (areas, conductive films, wiring, etc.) are also present. It may be called a source electrode or a source wiring. There are also areas where it is difficult to clearly distinguish between lines and objects. When a part of the source wiring overlaps with the source region, the part (region, conductive film , wiring, etc.) functions as a source wiring, but also as a source electrode. Therefore, such a part (region, conductive film, wiring, etc.) can be called a source electrode. That's fine, you can call it source wiring.

[0070] It is made of the same material as the source electrode and forms the same island as the source electrode. Connected parts (regions, conductive films, wiring, etc.) and connecting source electrodes The part (region, conductive film, wiring, etc.) that is connected to the source electrode may also be called the source electrode. The overlapping portion of the source line may also be called the source electrode. There are also regions that are made of the same material and form the same island as the source wiring. Such a part (region, conductive film, wiring, etc.) may be called a source wiring. In some cases, the device may not have the ability to connect to a separate source electrode. Due to specifications, the source electrode or source wiring is made of the same material. There are parts (regions, conductive films, wiring, etc.) that are connected to the source wiring. Such a part (region, conductive film, wiring, etc.) may also be called a source electrode or source wiring.

[0071] For example, the conductive film in the portion connecting the source electrode and the source wiring is A conductive film formed of a material different from the source electrode or source wiring may also be called a source electrode. Alternatively, it may be called source wiring.

[0072] The source terminal may be a source region, a source electrode, or a terminal electrically connected to the source electrode. It refers to a part of a part (area, conductive film, wiring, etc.) that is being used.

[0073] A certain wiring may be referred to as a source wiring, a source line, a source signal line, a data line, a data signal line, etc. When a transistor is called a "transistor," the source (drain) of the transistor may not be connected to the wiring. In this case, the source wiring, source line, source signal line, data line, and data signal line are The wiring formed in the same layer as the source (drain) of the transistor, The wiring is made of the same material as the source (drain) of the transistor, or the wiring is made of the same material as the source (drain) of the transistor. Examples include storage capacitor wiring, power supply wiring, and reference voltage wiring. Power supply wiring, etc.

[0074] The drain is the same as the source.

[0075] Semiconductor devices include semiconductor elements (transistors, diodes, thyristors, etc.). It refers to a device that has a circuit. Furthermore, it refers to the entire device that can function by utilizing the characteristics of semiconductors. Generally, a device that has semiconductor material can be called a semiconductor device. say.

[0076] The display device refers to a device having a display element. The display device may include a plurality of pixels including a peripheral circuit for driving the plurality of pixels. The peripheral driving circuit for driving the plurality of pixels may include a driving circuit. The display device may be formed on the same substrate as the element. The peripheral drive circuits arranged on the board by the chip-on-glass (COG) It may include an IC chip connected to the board or an IC chip connected by a tab or the like. The display device may contain IC chips, resistors, capacitors, inductors, transistors, etc. The flexible printed circuit (FPC) may be attached. The display device is connected via a flexible printed circuit (FPC) or the like, and the IC chip Printed wiring with resistors, capacitors, inductors, transistors, etc. attached The display device may include an optical element such as a polarizing plate or a retardation plate. The display device may include a lighting device, a housing, an audio input / output device, a light source, and a display sheet. It may also include a sensor.

[0077] The lighting device includes a backlight unit, a light guide plate, a prism sheet, a diffusion sheet, a reflector, It has a sheet, a light source (LED, cold cathode fluorescent lamp, etc.), a cooling device (water-cooled, air-cooled), etc. is also good.

[0078] The light-emitting device refers to a device having a light-emitting element or the like. When the light-emitting device has an element, it is a specific example of a display device.

[0079] The reflecting device is a device that has a light reflecting element, a light diffracting element, a light reflecting electrode, etc. This refers to

[0080] The liquid crystal display device refers to a display device having a liquid crystal element. There are various types, including visual, projection, transmissive, reflective, and semi-transmissive.

[0081] The driving device refers to a device that has semiconductor elements, electric circuits, and electronic circuits. For example, a transistor (selection transistor) that controls the input of a signal from a source signal line to a pixel (sometimes called a phototransistor or switching transistor) that applies voltage or current to the pixel electrode The transistors that supply voltage or current to the light-emitting element are Furthermore, a circuit for supplying signals to the gate signal lines (gate driver, gate the source signal line driver circuit, and the circuit that supplies signals to the source signal line (source driver A pixel driver (sometimes called a pixel driver or a source line driver circuit) is an example of a driver.

[0082] In addition, display devices, semiconductor devices, lighting devices, cooling devices, light-emitting devices, reflecting devices, driving devices, etc. For example, a display device may have a semiconductor device and a light emitting device. Alternatively, the semiconductor device may have a display device and a driver. This may be the case.

[0083] Note that it is not possible to explicitly say that B is formed on A, or that B is formed on A. When describing, it is not limited to forming B on A in direct contact with it. This also includes cases where there is no object between A and B, i.e., there is another object between A and B. Here, A and B are objects (e.g., devices, elements, circuits, wiring, electrodes, terminals, conductive films, layers, etc.).

[0084] Therefore, for example, it is not possible to explicitly state that layer B is formed on top of layer A (or on top of layer A). When the layer is placed on top of the substrate, there are cases where layer B is formed directly on top of layer A, and cases where layer B is formed directly on top of layer A. Another layer (such as layer C or layer D) is formed adjacent to it, and layer B is formed directly on top of it. It should be noted that other layers (such as layer C and layer D) may be formed separately. It may be a single layer or multiple layers.

[0085] Furthermore, the same applies when it is explicitly stated that B is formed above A. This is not limited to B being directly on top of A, but also includes the presence of another object between A and B. For example, if layer B is formed above layer A, In this case, there are two cases: when layer B is formed directly on top of layer A, and when layer B is formed directly on top of layer A. Another layer (such as layer C or layer D) is formed, and layer B is formed directly on top of it. It should be noted that other layers (such as layers C and D) may be single layers. Alternatively, it may be multi-layered.

[0086] In addition, B is formed on A, B is formed on A, or B is formed above A. When explicitly stating that "B" is formed, this also includes the case where B is formed diagonally above. .

[0087] The same applies to the case where B is below A, or B is below A.

[0088] In addition, when something is explicitly stated as singular, it is preferable that it be singular. However, it is not limited to this, and plural numbers are also possible. It is preferable that the items listed are plural. However, this is not limited to this. , it is also possible that it is singular.

[0089] In the drawings, the size, thickness of layers, or areas may be exaggerated for clarity. Therefore, it is not necessarily limited to that scale.

[0090] The diagrams are merely diagrams showing ideal examples, and are not limited to the shapes or values ​​shown in the diagrams. For example, variations in shape due to manufacturing technology, variations in shape due to errors, and noise Variations in signals, voltages, or currents due to timing differences, or variations in signals, voltages, Alternatively, it is possible to include variations in current.

[0091] Note that technical terms may be used to describe specific embodiments or examples. Many, but not limited to:

[0092] In addition, undefined terms (including scientific and technical terms such as technical terms or academic terms) are generally It can be used as a meaning equivalent to the general meaning understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art. The terms defined herein shall be construed in a manner consistent with the background of the relevant art. is preferred.

[0093] It should be noted that the terms first, second, third, etc., refer to various elements, members, regions, layers, and sections as distinct from one another. Therefore, the words "first," "second," "third," etc. are used to distinguish between elements, parts, etc. It is not intended to limit the number of materials, regions, layers, areas, etc. It is possible to replace "second" or "third" etc.

[0094] In addition, "up," "upward," "down," "downward," "sideways," "right," "left," Spatial positioning terms such as "diagonally," "in the back," or "in front" may be used to indicate the position of an element or is sometimes used to simply illustrate the relationship of a feature to other elements or features. However, this is not limited to this, and the words and phrases that indicate these spatial arrangements are added to the direction drawn in the drawing. In addition, other orientations are possible. For example, if it is explicitly stated that B is above A, The device shown is not limited to B being above A. It can be flipped or rotated 180 degrees. Since it is possible for B to be under A, it is possible for B to be under A. The phrase "on" can include an orientation of "under" in addition to an orientation of "on." However, the device in the figure is not limited to this and can be rotated in various directions. The term "above" includes the directions "above" and "below," as well as "sideways," "to the right," and "to the left." It is possible to include other directions such as "towards," "diagonally," "behind," or "forward." . [Effects of the Invention]

[0095] In one embodiment of the invention disclosed in this specification and the like, at least one of a transistor and a storage capacitor A light-transmitting material is used for a part of the semiconductor device. This allows light to pass through even in areas where there is no light, thereby improving the aperture ratio. In addition, wiring that connects a transistor to another element (for example, another transistor) Alternatively, wiring that connects a capacitance element to another element (for example, another capacitance element) is made of a material with low resistivity ( When using a material with high conductivity, the distortion of the signal waveform is reduced and the wiring resistance is improved. This can reduce the voltage drop caused by the power supply voltage. Furthermore, it becomes easy to increase the size (screen size) of the semiconductor device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0096] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor device; [Figure 2] 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views illustrating a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. [Figure 3] 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views illustrating a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. [Figure 4] 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views illustrating a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. [Figure 5] 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views illustrating a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor device; [Figure 7] 1A and 1B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor device; [Figure 8] 1A and 1B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor device; [Figure 9] 1A and 1B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor device; [Figure 10] 1A and 1B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor device; [Figure 11] 1A and 1B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor device; [Figure 12] 1A and 1B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor device; [Figure 13] 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views illustrating a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. [Figure 14] 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views illustrating a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. [Figure 15] 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views illustrating a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. [Figure 16] 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views illustrating a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. [Figure 17] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a multi-tone mask. [Figure 18] 1A and 1B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor device; [Figure 19] 1A and 1B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor device; [Figure 20] 1A and 1B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor device; [Figure 21] 1A and 1B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor device; [Figure 22] 1A and 1B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view illustrating a semiconductor device. [Figure 23] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a semiconductor device. [Figure 24] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a semiconductor device. [Figure 25] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a semiconductor device. [Figure 26] 1A and 1B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view illustrating a semiconductor device. [Figure 27] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a semiconductor device. [Figure 28] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a semiconductor device. [Figure 29] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating examples of usage of electronic paper. [Figure 30] FIG. 1 is an external view showing an example of an electronic book. [Figure 31] FIG. 1 is an external view showing an example of a television device and a digital photo frame. [Figure 32] 1 is an external view showing an example of a gaming machine. [Figure 33] FIG. 1 is an external view showing an example of a mobile phone. [Figure 34] 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views illustrating a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. [Figure 35] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a semiconductor device. [Figure 36] 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views illustrating a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. [Figure 37] 1A and 1B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view illustrating a semiconductor device. [Figure 38]1A and 1B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view illustrating a semiconductor device. [Figure 39] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a semiconductor device. [Figure 40] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a semiconductor device. [Figure 41] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a semiconductor device. [Figure 42] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a semiconductor device. [Figure 43] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a semiconductor device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0097] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the description of the embodiments, and does not deviate from the spirit of the invention disclosed in this specification. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The configurations according to the embodiments can be implemented in appropriate combinations. In the configuration of the invention to be described, the same parts or parts having similar functions are designated by the same reference numerals. The repeated explanation will be omitted.

[0098] Note that the content (or even a part of the content) described in one embodiment may be used in conjunction with that embodiment. Other content (or even part of content) described in the above, and / or one or more other implementations The content (or part of the content) described in the form of You can do things like:

[0099] The contents described in the embodiments are explained in detail in each embodiment using various drawings. This refers to the content that is stated or the content that is stated using the text in the specification.

[0100] In addition, a drawing (or a part thereof) described in one embodiment may be different from another part of the drawing, Another figure (or a part thereof) described in the embodiment, and / or one or more By combining with the figure (or a part thereof) described in another embodiment of the present invention, , and many more diagrams can be constructed.

[0101] In addition, in a drawing or a sentence described in a certain embodiment, a part thereof may be extracted. Therefore, the drawings and drawings that illustrate certain parts of the invention may be omitted. If a part of a drawing or text is included in the invention, the part of the drawing or text may also be included in the invention. It is disclosed as an embodiment and may constitute an embodiment of the invention. Therefore, for example, active elements (transistors, diodes, etc.), wiring, passive elements (capacitive elements, resistive elements, etc.), conductive layers, insulating layers, semiconductor layers, organic materials, inorganic materials, components, Substrate, module, device, solid, liquid, gas, method of operation, method of manufacture, etc. The drawings (cross-section, plan view, circuit diagram, block diagram, flow chart, process chart, perspective view) , elevation, layout, timing chart, structural diagram, schematic diagram, graph, table, optical path diagram, vector A part of a graph (such as a graph, phase diagram, waveform diagram, photograph, or chemical formula) or text can be extracted. This can constitute one aspect of the invention.

[0102] (Embodiment 1) In this embodiment mode, a semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof will be described with reference to FIGS. do.

[0103] FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of a semiconductor device according to this embodiment. Although the present invention is described in particular as a liquid crystal display device, the present invention is not limited to this. Electroluminescence display devices (EL display devices) and electrophoretic devices are not It is of course possible to apply this technology to display devices (so-called electronic paper) that use a liquid crystal display. The present invention can also be applied to semiconductor devices other than the semiconductor device. 1(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AB in FIG. 1(A).

[0104] The semiconductor device shown in FIG. 1A includes a conductive layer 112 functioning as a source wiring and a conductive layer 11 2, and a conductive layer 132a functioning as a gate wiring and a conductive layer 132b functioning as a capacitance wiring are formed. a conductive layer 132b, a transistor 150 near the intersection of the conductive layer 132a and the conductive layer 112; The pixel portion has a storage capacitor 152 electrically connected to the conductive layer 132b. 1(A) and 1(B). In this specification, the pixel portion is a portion where the gate wiring and The conductive layer functions as a source wiring and the conductive layer functions as a source wiring. In addition, in FIG. 1A, the conductive layer 112, the conductive layer 132a, and the conductive layer 132b intersect at an angle of 90°, but the disclosed invention is not limited to this configuration. The conductive layer 112 intersects with the conductive layer 132a and the conductive layer 132b at an angle other than 90°. It's okay to be there.

[0105] The transistor 150 has a conductive layer 106a serving as a source electrode and a conductive layer 106b serving as a drain electrode. a conductive layer 106b that functions as a gate insulating layer; a semiconductor layer 118a; a gate insulating layer 120; and a gate electrode. and a conductive layer 126a that functions as a top-gate transistor. (See FIGS. 1A and 1B). The storage capacitor 152 includes a conductive layer 106b and It is composed of a gate insulating layer 120, a conductive layer 126b, and a conductive layer 140. Specifically, the conductive layer 106b and the conductive layer 126b, and the conductive layer 126b and the conductive layer 140 are A capacitance is formed between the source electrode and the drain electrode of the transistor. The functions of the source electrode and the carrier flow direction can be reversed. The names of the drain electrode and the gate electrode are merely for convenience. It is not to be construed as being limited to calls.

[0106] Here, the conductive layer 106a, the conductive layer 106b, and the semiconductor layer 11 that constitute the transistor 150 The conductive layer 126a, the conductive layer 126b constituting the storage capacitor 152, and the conductive layer 126b are transparent. This improves the aperture ratio of the pixels.

[0107] In addition, the conductive layer 112 electrically connected to the conductive layer 106a and the conductive layer 126a are electrically connected to the conductive layer 112. The conductive layer 132a, which is electrically connected to the wiring, is made of a low resistance material. In addition, the conductive layer 112 and the conductive layer 132a can be It is made of a material with light-shielding properties, which allows light to be shielded between pixels.

[0108] Note that the term "having a light-transmitting property" used herein means that at least the conductive layer 112 and the conductive layer 132a In comparison, it has a high transmittance of light in the visible range (approximately 400nm to 800nm). do.

[0109] Next, an example of a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device will be described.

[0110] First, a conductive layer 102 is formed on a substrate 100 having an insulating surface (FIG. 2(A1), FIG. 2 (See (A2)).

[0111] The substrate 100 having an insulating surface may be, for example, a visible light transmitting substrate used in a liquid crystal display device or the like. The glass substrate may be an alkali-free glass substrate. The alkali-free glass substrate is preferably an aluminosilicate glass substrate. Glass materials such as aluminoborosilicate glass and barium borosilicate glass are used. Other examples of the substrate 100 having an insulating surface include a ceramic substrate, a quartz substrate, and a sapphire substrate. The surface of an insulating substrate made of an insulator such as a silicon substrate, or a semiconductor substrate made of a semiconductor material such as silicon The surface of a substrate covered with an insulating material, or a conductive substrate made of a conductor such as metal or stainless steel A substrate coated with an insulating material, etc. can be used. PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyethersulfone (PES) A flexible synthetic resin such as the above may also be used.

[0112] Although not shown, it is preferable to provide a base film on the substrate 100 having an insulating surface. Alkali metals (Li, Cs, Na, etc.) and alkaline earth metals (Ca, Mg, etc.) from 100 In other words, by providing an underlayer, it is possible to prevent the diffusion of semiconductors. The problem of improving the reliability of semiconductor devices can be solved. Silicon oxide film, silicon nitride oxide film, silicon oxynitride film, aluminum oxide film, nitride An aluminum film, an aluminum oxynitride film, an aluminum nitride oxide film, etc. Alternatively, it can be formed of a plurality of insulating layers. For example, a silicon nitride film and a It is preferable to use a structure in which silicon oxide films are stacked in order. This is because of its high blocking effect. On the other hand, when the silicon nitride film comes into contact with the semiconductor, Since there is a possibility of defects occurring, it is recommended to form a silicon oxide film as the film that comes into contact with the semiconductor. It is best to do so.

[0113] In this specification, an oxynitride is a compound containing more oxygen than nitrogen in its composition. For example, silicon oxynitride is a material that contains more than 50 atomic percent oxygen. 70 atomic % or less, nitrogen 0.5 atomic % to 15 atomic % or less, silicon 25 atomic % or more 5 atomic % or less, and hydrogen in the range of 0.1 atomic % to 10 atomic %. Nitrided oxide is a material whose composition contains more nitrogen (atomic number) than oxygen. For example, silicon nitride oxide is a material containing 5 atomic % or more and 30 atomic % or less of oxygen and 2 atomic % or less of nitrogen. 0 atomic % to 55 atomic %; silicon is 25 atomic % to 35 atomic %; hydrogen is 10 atomic % The content of the element in the range of 25 atomic % or more is 25 atomic % or less. However, the above range is based on the Rutherford Rutherford Backscattering Spec (RBS) trastometry and Hydrogen Forward Scattering (HFS) The content ratio of the constituent elements is also The total does not exceed 100 atomic %.

[0114] The conductive layer 102 is made of indium tin oxide (ITO), Indium tin oxide with silicon oxide (ITSO), organoindium, organotin, zinc oxide It is preferable to form the insulating layer using a material having transparency (visible light transparency) such as ZnO or titanium nitride. In addition, indium zinc oxide (InZO) :IZO), zinc oxide with gallium (Ga) added, tin oxide (SnO2), oxide Tungsten-containing indium oxide, tungsten oxide-containing indium zinc oxide, Using indium oxide containing titanium oxide, indium tin oxide containing titanium oxide, etc. The conductive layer 102 may have a single layer structure or a stacked layer structure. In this case, it is desirable to form the conductive layer 102 so that the light transmittance is sufficiently high. Note that the conductive layer 102 is preferably formed by a sputtering method. It does not have to be limited to this.

[0115] Next, a resist mask 104a and a resist mask 104b are formed over the conductive layer 102. The conductive layer 102 is selected using the resist mask 104a and the resist mask 104b. Selective etching is performed to form the conductive layer 106a and the conductive layer 106b (FIG. 2(B1) (See FIG. 2(B2)). The above etching can be performed by wet etching or dry etching. After the etching, a resist mask 104a, The resist mask 104b is removed. The conductive layers 106a and 106b are formed later. The end is tapered to improve the coverage of the insulating layer to be attached and to prevent breakage. In this way, it is preferable to form the conductive layer so as to have a tapered shape. By forming the insulating film, it is possible to solve the problem of improving the yield of semiconductor devices.

[0116] The conductive layer 106a serves as the source electrode of the transistor, and the conductive layer 106b serves as the drain electrode of the transistor. It functions as a drain electrode and a storage capacitor electrode (capacitor electrode). is not to be construed as being limited to the designation of a source electrode or a drain electrode.

[0117] Next, the conductive layer 108 is formed so as to cover the conductive layer 106a and the conductive layer 106b (FIG. 2). 2(C1) and 2(C2). Note that, here, the conductive layer 106a and the conductive layer 106b However, the disclosed invention is not limited to this.

[0118] The conductive layer 108 may be made of aluminum (Al), tungsten (W), titanium (Ti), or tantalum. Ta (Ta), Molybdenum (Mo), Nickel (Ni), Platinum (Pt), Copper (Cu), Gold ( Au), silver (Ag), manganese (Mn), neodymium (Nd), niobium (Nb), chromium ( Metallic materials such as Cr, cerium (Ce), or alloys containing these metallic materials as the main components The materials, or nitrides containing these metal materials, are used to form single-layer or multilayer structures. For example, the conductive layer 108 can be formed of a material with low resistance, such as aluminum. It is desirable to form

[0119] When the conductive layer 108 is formed on the conductive layer 106a, these conductive layers may react. For example, ITO is used for the conductive layer 106a and aluminum is used for the conductive layer 108. In order to avoid such a reaction, the conductive layer 108 is made of a material with a high melting point. More specifically, for example, the conductive layer 108 may have a laminated structure of a conductive material and a low-resistance material. The area of ​​the conductive layer 108 that comes into contact with the conductive layer 106a is formed of a high melting point material. It is preferable to form the non-contact area with a low resistance material.

[0120] The high melting point materials include molybdenum, titanium, tungsten, tantalum, and chromium. Examples of low resistance materials include aluminum, copper, and silver.

[0121] Of course, the conductive layer 108 may have a laminated structure of three or more layers. In this case, for example, the first layer The first layer is molybdenum, the second layer is aluminum, and the third layer is molybdenum. The first layer is molybdenum, the second layer is aluminum containing a small amount of neodymium, and the third layer is molybdenum. By forming the conductive layer 108 in such a layered structure, This can prevent the occurrence of cracks, thereby solving the problem of improving the reliability of semiconductor devices. It can be decided.

[0122] Next, a resist mask 110 is formed over the conductive layer 108. The conductive layer 108 is selectively etched to form a conductive layer 112 (FIG. 2(D1), (See FIG. 2(D2)). Note that the conductive layer 112 functions as a source wiring. The resist layer 112 is formed using a material having a light-shielding property, and therefore has a light-shielding function. The stop mask 110 is removed after the conductive layer 112 is formed.

[0123] In this embodiment, after the conductive layer 106a and the conductive layer 106b are formed, Although the process of forming the conductive layer 112 has been described, the disclosed invention should not be construed as being limited thereto. For example, the order of forming the conductive layer 106a, the conductive layer 106b, and the conductive layer 112 is not specified. That is, after forming the conductive layer 112 which functions as a source wiring, It is also possible to form conductive layers 106a and 106b that function as source electrodes (see FIG. 6(A) and 6(B). In FIG. 6, the conductive layer 126a and the conductive layer 12 The order of forming the conductive layer 6b, the conductive layer 132a and the conductive layer 132b is not reversed, but the conductive layer The order of forming the conductive layers 126a and 126b and the conductive layers 132a and 132b is entered. You can replace it.

[0124] In addition, when the conductive layer 108 is etched to form the conductive layer 112, the contact hole 114 is formed later. A conductive layer 113 may be formed in the region where the hole is to be formed (see FIGS. 7A and 7B). By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to shield the area where the contact hole is formed from light. This prevents display defects caused by surface irregularities of the electrodes (pixel electrodes) in the contact area. This reduces the amount of light leakage, improving contrast and reducing light leakage. That is, the problem of improving display characteristics can be solved. It goes without saying that the present invention is particularly effective in semiconductor devices, but may also be applied to other semiconductor devices. In this case, the conductive layer 113 may be appropriately formed in the region where light blocking is required.

[0125] Next, a semiconductor layer 114 is formed so as to cover at least the conductive layer 106a and the conductive layer 106b. In this embodiment, the conductive layer 106a, the conductive A semiconductor layer 114 is formed on the substrate 100 to cover the layer 106 b and the conductive layer 112 .

[0126] The semiconductor layer 114 may be made of an oxide semiconductor material such as In-Ga-Zn-O, In-Sn-, Zn-O system, In-Al-Zn-O system, Sn-Ga-Zn-O system, Al-Ga-Zn-O system, Sn-Al-Zn-O system, In-Zn-O system, Sn-Zn-O system, Al-Zn-O system The insulating layer can be formed using various oxide semiconductor materials such as Zn—O-based materials. Other materials can also be used, such as In-Ga-Zn-O oxide semiconductor materials. The semiconductor layer 114 made of the material is formed by an oxide semiconductor target containing In, Ga, and Zn (In2O It can be formed by sputtering using a layer of ZnO (Ga2O3:ZnO=1:1:1). The sputtering conditions are, for example, a distance between the substrate 100 and the target of 30 mm to 500 mm, a pressure of 1000 mm, and a thickness of 1000 mm. The pressure is 0.1 Pa to 2.0 Pa, and the direct current (DC) power is 0.25 kW to 5.0 kW (diameter 8 in). When using a 1000-kJ target, the atmosphere can be changed to argon, oxygen, or argon and oxygen. The semiconductor layer 114 may be a ZnO-based non-single crystal. The thickness of the semiconductor layer 114 may be about 5 nm to 200 nm. stomach.

[0127] The sputtering method mentioned above includes RF sputtering, which uses a high frequency power supply for the sputtering power supply, and D C sputtering method, pulse DC sputtering method that applies a DC bias in a pulsed manner, etc. Furthermore, if a pulsed direct current (DC) power supply is used, dust can be reduced and the film thickness distribution can be made uniform. In this case, the problems of improving the yield and reliability of the semiconductor device can be solved. can be solved

[0128] Alternatively, a multi-target sputtering device capable of installing multiple targets of different materials may be used. In sputtering equipment, multiple different films can be formed in the same chamber, or multiple films can be formed in the same chamber. It is also possible to simultaneously sputter multiple types of materials to form a single film. A method using a magnetron sputtering device equipped with a magnetic field generating mechanism inside the bar (magnetron sputtering method) and ECR sputtering method using plasma generated by microwaves. Alternatively, a chemical reaction may be caused between the target material and the sputtering gas components during film formation. The reactive sputtering method for forming these compounds and the barrier method for applying voltage to the substrate during film formation are also used. Iron sputtering or the like may also be used.

[0129] Before forming the semiconductor layer 114, the surface on which the semiconductor layer 114 is to be formed (for example, the conductive layer 10 6a and the surface of the conductive layer 106b, and if an underlayer is formed, the surface of the underlayer is also included) Plasma treatment may be performed. By performing plasma treatment, the rubber adhering to the surface to be formed can be removed. Furthermore, after the above-mentioned plasma treatment, the surface is exposed to the atmosphere. By forming the semiconductor layer 114 without using the conductive layer 106a and the conductive layer 106b, This allows for good electrical connection with the conductor layer 114. In other words, the yield of the semiconductor device is improved. It is possible to solve problems such as improving the quality and reliability.

[0130] In this embodiment, when an oxide semiconductor material is used for the semiconductor layer 114, However, one embodiment of the disclosed invention is not limited thereto. Even if the material is a semiconductor material other than the above, a compound semiconductor material, etc., it can be made transparent by reducing the thickness. Therefore, other semiconductor materials are used instead of oxide semiconductor materials. Examples of the other semiconductor materials include silicon, gallium, and gallium arsenide. Any of various inorganic semiconductor materials, organic semiconductor materials such as carbon nanotubes, and mixtures thereof These materials can be classified into single crystal, polycrystal, microcrystal (microcrystal), etc. The semiconductor layer 114 may be formed in various forms, such as crystalline, nanocrystalline, amorphous, etc. That's good.

[0131] Next, a resist mask 116a and a resist mask 116b are formed on the semiconductor layer 114. The resist mask 116a and the resist mask 116b are used to form the semiconductor layer 114. is selectively etched to form semiconductor layers 118a and 118b (FIG. 3). (See FIG. 3B1 and FIG. 3B2). The semiconductor layer 118a and the semiconductor layer 118b are formed in an island shape. Here, the semiconductor layer 118a becomes the active layer of the transistor. 8b plays a role in reducing the parasitic capacitance occurring between the wirings. Although the description is given for the case where the semiconductor layer 118b is formed, the semiconductor layer 118b is not essential. is not a component of

[0132] The resist mask may be formed by a method such as spin coating. When a droplet discharge method or a screen printing method is used, a resist mask is selectively formed. In this case, it is possible to solve the problem of improving productivity.

[0133] The semiconductor layer 114 can be etched by wet etching or dry etching. Here, a wet etching method using a mixture of acetic acid, nitric acid, and phosphoric acid can be used. By etching, unnecessary portions of the semiconductor layer 114 are removed, and the semiconductor layer 118a and the semiconductor After the etching, the resist mask 116a and the layer 118b are formed. The resist mask 116b is removed. The etching solution may be any solution that can etch the semiconductor layer 114. This is not limited to those that have been

[0134] When dry etching is performed, for example, a gas containing chlorine or a gas containing chlorine is used. It is recommended to use a gas containing chlorine and oxygen. This is because the etching selectivity between the conductive layer or the base film and the semiconductor layer 114 can be easily achieved.

[0135] The etching equipment used for dry etching is reactive ion etching (RIE) Etching equipment using the ECR (Electron Cyclotron Resonance) method, sonance) and ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma) A dry etching apparatus using a high density plasma source such as I can be used. Compared with the CP etching equipment, the ECCP (Enhanced Ceramic Plasma Plasma) system provides uniform discharge over a wide area. (Unionized Capacitively Coupled Plasma) mode etching If the etching equipment is an ECCP mode etching equipment, the substrate may be a 10th It is easy to deal with cases where a later generation substrate is used.

[0136] As shown in this embodiment, a conductive film serving as a source electrode of a transistor A semiconductor layer is formed on the layer 106a and the conductive layer 106b which functions as the drain electrode of the transistor. When the conductor layer 118a is formed, the semiconductor layer 118a can be easily thinned. When 118a is present on conductive layer 106a and conductive layer 106b, it is different from the reverse case. This prevents the semiconductor layer 118a from disappearing due to over-etching when etching the conductive layer. This is because the problem does not occur. This facilitates depletion when a voltage is applied, and reduces the S value. In other words, it is possible to solve the problem of improving the performance of semiconductor devices. The semiconductor layer 118a can be formed by the conductive layer 112 which functions as a source wiring or the A conductive layer 106a serving as a source electrode, a conductive layer 132a serving as a gate wiring, It is preferable that the conductive layer 126a functioning as the gate electrode be formed thinner than the conductive layer 126b. do.

[0137] After that, it is advisable to carry out a heat treatment at 200 to 600°C, typically 300 to 500°C. Here, a heat treatment is performed in a nitrogen atmosphere at 350° C. for 1 hour. The semiconductor properties of the semiconductor layer 118a and the semiconductor layer 118b can be improved. The timing of the treatment is not particularly limited as long as it is after the formation of the semiconductor layer 118a and the semiconductor layer 118b. It will not be done.

[0138] In this embodiment, after the conductive layer 106a and the conductive layer 106b are formed, The process of forming the conductive layer 112 and then forming the semiconductor layer 118a has been described. The invention shown is not limited to this. For example, the conductive layer 106a and the conductive layer 10 After forming the semiconductor layer 118a, the conductive layer 112 is formed. In this case, the contact with the semiconductor layer 118a may be formed. This has the effect of reducing tact resistance.

[0139] The conductive layers 106a and 106b are formed thinner than the conductive layer 112. By forming the conductive layers 106a and 106b thin, the resistance becomes high. However, it is advantageous because the transmittance can be further improved. The embodiment does not need to be construed as being limited thereto.

[0140] Next, a gate insulating layer 120 is formed to cover the semiconductor layer 118a and the semiconductor layer 118b. (See Figure 3(C1) and Figure 3(C2)).

[0141] The gate insulating layer 120 may be a silicon oxide film, a silicon oxynitride film, a silicon nitride film, or a nitride oxide film. silicon oxide film, aluminum oxide film, aluminum nitride film, aluminum oxynitride film, nitride The film may have a single layer structure or a multilayer structure of an aluminum oxide film or a tantalum oxide film. For example, a film with a thickness of 50 nm to 250 nm can be formed by using a sputtering method or a CVD method. Here, the gate insulating layer 120 is formed by sputtering an oxide film. The silicon film is formed to a thickness of 100 nm. It is preferable that

[0142] Next, a conductive layer 122 is formed on the gate insulating layer 120 (FIG. 3(D1), FIG. 3(D2)). The conductive layer 122 can be formed using a material and a manufacturing method similar to those of the conductive layer 102. For details of the conductive layer 122, the description of the conductive layer 102 can be referred to. Therefore, the description thereof is omitted here. Note that the conductive layer 122 preferably has a light-transmitting property.

[0143] When the conductive layer 102 and the conductive layer 122 are formed using the same material, the material and It will be easier to share manufacturing equipment, which will contribute to lower costs and improved throughput. Of course, it is possible to form the conductive layer 102 and the conductive layer 122 using the same material. It is not a mandatory requirement.

[0144] Next, a resist mask 124a and a resist mask 124b are formed over the conductive layer 122. The conductive layer 122 is selected using the resist mask 124a and the resist mask 124b. Selective etching is performed to form the conductive layer 126a and the conductive layer 126b (FIG. 4(A1) (See FIG. 4(A2)). The above etching can be performed by wet etching or dry etching. After the etching, a resist mask 124a, The resist mask 124b is removed. The conductive layer 126a is used as a gate electrode of a transistor. The conductive layer 126b functions as an electrode of the storage capacitor (capacitor electrode).

[0145] The area of ​​the region where the conductive layer 106b and the conductive layer 126b overlap can be changed as appropriate. As shown in this embodiment, the conductive layer 106b and the conductive layer 126b have a light-transmitting property. Since it is made of a material with a high capacitance, the area of ​​the overlapping region is increased, thereby increasing the capacitance value. Even when the capacitance value is increased, the aperture ratio does not decrease. This can solve the problem of increasing the number of pixels without reducing the aperture ratio.

[0146] In this embodiment, the conductive layer 106a functioning as a source electrode and the conductive layer 106b functioning as a drain electrode are The conductive layer 106b functions as a gate electrode, and the conductive layer 126a functions as a gate electrode. The conductive layers 106a, 106b, and 126a are formed so that the portions overlap each other. In the case where the conductivity of a portion of the semiconductor layer 118a can be increased, the conductive layer 106a or Alternatively, the conductive layer 106b and the conductive layer 126a may not overlap each other (see FIG. 9A). In this case, at least the conductive layer 106a or the conductive layer 106b and the conductive layer 106b are This increases the conductivity of the region 160 where the layer 126a does not overlap. The region 160 is a region of the semiconductor layer 118a adjacent to the conductive layer 106a or adjacent to the conductive layer 106b. The region 160 may overlap the conductive layer 126a or may not overlap the conductive layer 126b. The region 160 does not necessarily overlap with the conductive layer 106a or the conductive layer 106b. It is preferable that the region is a region, but this is not a limitation.

[0147] When an oxide semiconductor material is used for the semiconductor layer 118a, the conductivity of the region 160 is increased. For example, hydrogen may be selectively added to the semiconductor layer. If no conductive material is used, a method for increasing conductivity can be selected according to the material. For example, when the semiconductor layer 118a is formed using a silicon-based material, phosphorus or boron It is sufficient to add an impurity element such as fluorine that provides a predetermined conductivity.

[0148] In this manner, the conductive layer 106a or the conductive layer 106b does not overlap with the conductive layer 126a. By using this structure, the conductive layer 106a (or the conductive layer 106b) and the conductive layer 126a It is possible to reduce the parasitic capacitance caused by the overlap. The problem can be solved.

[0149] The hydrogen addition is carried out after the semiconductor layer 114 is formed, after the semiconductor layer 118a is formed, and after the insulating layer 118b is formed. This can be performed after various processes, such as after forming the conductive layer 120 or after forming the conductive layer 126a. For example, when hydrogen is added after the semiconductor layer 118 is formed, A resist mask 170 is selectively formed (see FIG. 34(A)), and hydrogen 190 is added. By this (see FIG. 34(B)), the region 160 can be formed (see FIG. 34(C)). In this case, the semiconductor device may be configured as shown in FIG. 35(A) or FIG. 35(B). The conductivity of the region 160 is increased, and it is not necessary to provide a separate conductive layer 106b or the like. Here, FIG. 35(A) shows a structure in which the conductive layer 106b is not provided, 35B shows a structure in which the conductive layer 106a and the conductive layer 106b are not provided. When hydrogen is added after the conductive layer 126a is formed, the conductive layer 126a is used as a mask. This allows hydrogen to be added in a self-aligned manner.

[0150] Next, a conductive layer 128 is formed to cover the conductive layers 126a and 126b (see FIG. 4(B1) and 4(B2). The conductive layer 128 is made of the same material and by the same method as the conductive layer 108. The conductive layer 128 can be formed by a method similar to that described above with reference to the description of the conductive layer 108. In this case, the conductive layer 108 and the conductive By forming the layer 128 using the same material, it is possible to reduce costs and improve throughput. This is preferable because it realizes the following:

[0151] Next, a resist mask 130 is formed over the conductive layer 128. The conductive layer 128 is selectively etched to form the conductive layer 132a and the conductive layer 132b. (See FIG. 4(C1) and FIG. 4(C2), and for the conductive layer 132b, see FIG. 1(A)). The conductive layer 132a functions as a gate wiring, and the conductive layer 132b functions as a capacitor wiring. In addition, since the conductive layer 132a is formed using a material having a light-shielding property, the light-shielding function is The resist mask 130 is removed after the conductive layers 132a and 132b are formed. will be done.

[0152] In this embodiment, after the conductive layer 126a and the conductive layer 126b are formed, The process of forming the conductive layer 132a and the conductive layer 132b has been described. For example, the conductive layer 126a and the conductive layer 126b and the conductive layer 126c are not limited to this. The order of forming the layer 132a and the conductive layer 132b may be reversed. After forming the conductive layer 132a functioning as a capacitor wiring and the conductive layer 132b functioning as a capacitor wiring, The conductive layer 126a functions as a gate electrode and the conductive layer 126b functions as an electrode of the storage capacitor. A layer 126b can also be formed (see FIGS. 10A and 10B). In the example shown in FIG. 1, the order of forming the conductive layer 106a, the conductive layer 106b, and the conductive layer 112 is reversed. Although not shown, the order of forming the conductive layer 106a, the conductive layer 106b, and the conductive layer 112 is also shown. You can change it.

[0153] The conductive layers 126a and 126b are formed thinner than the conductive layer 132a. By forming the conductive layers 126a and 126b thin, the resistance can be increased. Although the thickness of the film increases, it is advantageous because the transmittance can be further improved. It is not necessary to construe one aspect of the invention as being limited to this.

[0154] Alternatively, the conductive layer 132b may be formed so as to remain on the conductive layer 126b (FIG. 11(A)). ), see FIG. 11(B). By forming the conductive layer 132b in this way, the capacitance wiring The wiring resistance of the conductive layer 132b on the conductive layer 126b can be reduced. The width is preferably made sufficiently smaller than that of the conductive layer 126b. By forming 32b, the problem of reducing the wiring resistance of the capacitance wiring can be substantially solved. This can be resolved without reducing the rate of communication.

[0155] Next, the gate insulating layer 120, the conductive layer 126a, the conductive layer 126b, the conductive layer 132a, and the conductive layer An insulating layer 134 is formed to cover 132b (see FIG. 4(D1) and FIG. 4(D2)). The surface of the edge layer 134 must be flat because it will later be the surface on which the electrode (pixel electrode) will be formed. In particular, in one embodiment of the disclosed invention, various types of light-transmitting materials are used. Since it is possible to form elements on the display panel, the area where these elements are formed is also referred to as the display area. Therefore, it can be used as an opening area to reduce the unevenness caused by elements and wiring. It is highly beneficial to form the insulating layer 134 so as to conform to the above.

[0156] The insulating layer 134 is made of silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, silicon nitride oxide, etc. DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) is an insulating film made of a material containing oxygen or nitrogen. ) and other carbon-containing films, epoxy, polyimide, polyamide, polyvinylphenol, benzophenone, etc. It is made of organic materials such as cyclobutene and acrylic, or siloxane materials such as siloxane resin. For example, a film having silicon nitride may have a single layer structure or a laminated structure. Such a film has a high effect of blocking impurities, and is therefore suitable for improving the reliability of the device. In addition, films containing organic materials have a high ability to reduce unevenness, making them suitable for improving the characteristics of devices. The insulating layer 134 has a stacked structure of a film containing silicon nitride and a film containing an organic material. In this case, a film having silicon nitride is placed on the lower side (closer to the element) in the figure, and a film having silicon nitride is placed on the upper side (closer to the pixel electrode). It is preferable to arrange a film containing an organic material on the surface of the insulating layer 134 (the surface on which the electrode is to be formed). It is preferable that the film has sufficient light transmittance.

[0157] When the insulating layer 134 has a two-layer structure of the insulating layer 134a and the insulating layer 134b (see FIG. 3), 6(A)), the region of the insulating layer 134b that overlaps with the conductive layer 126b is removed by etching. By removing the conductive layer 126b (see FIG. 36(B)), the conductive layer 126b and the conductive layer 140 to be formed later are It is possible to increase the capacitance value of the capacitance formed between them (see FIG. 36(C)). One embodiment of the disclosed invention is not limited to the above, and the insulating layer 134 may have a multilayer structure of three or more layers. That's fine.

[0158] The insulating layer 134 may be formed to function as a color filter. By forming a color filter on the substrate on which the element is formed, the opposing substrate and the like are bonded. Of course, if the insulating layer 134 has a function as a color filter, the alignment becomes easy. It is not limited to providing the function, and a layer functioning as a color filter may be provided on the substrate 100. Note that in one embodiment of the disclosed invention, a light-blocking material may be used to form a solenoid. This forms the black mask (black matrix) This allows light to be blocked between pixels without the need for a separate black mask. To provide a high-performance semiconductor device while simplifying the process compared to when a block is separately formed. Of course, it is not necessary to interpret one embodiment of the disclosed invention as being limited thereto. A black mask may be formed separately.

[0159] In addition, if no significant inconvenience occurs even if the insulating layer 134 is not provided, the insulating layer 134 may be formed. In this case, the advantage is that the process can be simplified. There is.

[0160] Thereafter, a contact hole 136 is formed in the insulating layer 134 to reach the conductive layer 106b. A part of the surface of the layer 106b is exposed (see FIGS. 5(A1) and 5(A2)).

[0161] Then, a conductive layer 138 is formed to cover the insulating layer 134 (FIG. 5(B1), FIG. 5(B 2). Since a contact hole is formed in the insulating layer 134, the conductive layer 106b and the conductive layer 138 are electrically connected.

[0162] The conductive layer 138 can be formed using a material and a manufacturing method similar to those of the conductive layer 102 and the conductive layer 122. For details of the conductive layer 138, see the explanations of the conductive layer 102 and the conductive layer 122. The conductive layer 138 is preferably light-transmitting. In this case, it is also desirable to use the same material for the conductive layer 102, the conductive layer 122, and the conductive layer 138. By forming the substrate using the above, it is possible to reduce costs and improve throughput, which is preferable. I wish.

[0163] Next, a resist mask is formed over the conductive layer 138, and the conductive layer 1 38 is selectively etched to form a conductive layer 140 (FIG. 5(C1), FIG. 5(C2) Here, the conductive layer 140 functions as a pixel electrode.

[0164] The conductive layer 140 is formed so that its end overlaps the conductive layer 112 or the conductive layer 132a. By forming the conductive layer 140 in this manner, the aperture ratio of the pixel can be maximized. This makes it possible to increase the contrast and suppress unnecessary light leakage. In other words, the problem of improving the characteristics of the display device can be solved. It is possible.

[0165] Although not shown in the drawing, a conductive layer formed from the conductive layer 138 is used to form a source wiring, a source The electrodes, gate wiring, gate electrodes, capacitance wiring, capacitance electrodes, etc. can be connected to each other. In other words, the conductive layer formed from the conductive layer 138 can function as various wirings. It is possible.

[0166] As a result of the above, the light-transmitting transistor 150 and the light-transmitting storage capacitor 152 A semiconductor device having such a structure can be manufactured (see FIG. 5C1 and FIG. 5C2).

[0167] In this way, the transistor 150 and the storage capacitor 152 are formed using a light-transmitting material. By forming the gate electrode, the source electrode, the drain electrode, the gate electrode, etc. Since light can be transmitted through the film even when the film is made of a thin film, the aperture ratio of the pixel can be improved. Conductive layers that function as source wiring, gate wiring, and capacitor wiring are formed using low-resistance materials. This reduces wiring resistance and power consumption. This reduces distortion and suppresses voltage drops caused by wiring resistance. By forming the source wiring and gate wiring using a material with this property, This allows light shielding between pixels without the need to separately form a black matrix. In other words, compared to forming a black mask separately, the process is simplified and high performance is achieved. A semiconductor device can be provided.

[0168] Furthermore, by forming the capacitor electrode using a light-transmitting material, the area of ​​the capacitor electrode can be increased sufficiently. In other words, the capacitance value of the storage capacitor can be increased sufficiently. This improves the potential retention characteristics of the pixel electrodes and improves the display quality. The feed-through potential can be reduced, and crosstalk can be reduced. In addition, flickering can be reduced.

[0169] In addition, since the transistor 150 is formed using a light-transmitting material, The degree of freedom in designing the channel length (L) and channel width (W) in 50 is extremely high (layer This is because the aperture ratio is not affected by the channel length or width. When the above element is used for an object that does not require light transmission, such as a driving circuit, In this case, the element used in the pixel portion and the It is possible to separately fabricate elements for use in areas other than the above (for example, driver circuits).

[0170] 37 and 38 show other examples of the configuration of a semiconductor device. The conductive layer 112 functions as a source electrode, and the conductive layer 113 functions as a gate wiring. The conductive layer 112 and the layer 132a function as a gate electrode. The drain and conductive layers 132a can be formed using a material with high conductivity. The conductive layer 106b functioning as an electrode is preferably formed using a light-transmitting material. The conductive layer 180 functioning as a capacitor wiring is preferably formed using a highly conductive material. 38 shows a gate electrode formed of a transparent material. This is an example in which the conductive layer 126a functions as one electrode of a storage capacitor. That is, a conductive layer (corresponding to conductive layer 132a) that functions as a gate wiring in the front or rear stage Here, the conductive layer 106a or the conductive layer The conductive layer 182 formed in the same process as 106b functions as the other electrode of the storage capacitor. The conductive layer 182 is formed in a region overlapping with the pixel portion, and therefore has light-transmitting properties. It is preferable that the insulating film is formed using a material.

[0171] The channel length (L) and channel width (W) of the transistor are determined by the conductive layer 132a, etc. This is because the semiconductor layer 118a has a light-transmitting property. Since the semiconductor layer 118a is made of a material having the above properties, the aperture ratio does not depend on the size of the semiconductor layer 118a. However, one embodiment of the disclosed invention should not be construed as being limited thereto. A plurality of transistors may be arranged in parallel or in series. It can be done.

[0172] This embodiment mode can be implemented in appropriate combination with other embodiment modes.

[0173] (Embodiment 2) In this embodiment mode, another example of a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device will be described with reference to FIGS. Note that the method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to this embodiment mode is similar to that of the embodiment mode in many respects. Therefore, in the following, overlapping configurations and overlapping Explanation of corresponding symbols etc. will be omitted.

[0174] 12 shows an example of the configuration of a semiconductor device according to this embodiment. In the configuration shown in FIG. A conductive layer having light-shielding properties (e.g., conductive layer 112, conductive layer 132a, conductive layer 132b, etc.) A conductive layer having light-transmitting properties (for example, the conductive layer 106a, the conductive layer 126a, the conductive layer 126b, etc.) exist (see FIG. 12(A) and FIG. 12(B)). 12(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AB in FIG. 12(A).

[0175] Next, an example of a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device will be described.

[0176] First, a conductive layer 102 and a conductive layer 108 are laminated in this order on a substrate 100 having an insulating surface. (See FIG. 13(A1) and FIG. 13(A2)). For details of the layer 102 and the conductive layer 108, Embodiment 1 can be referred to.

[0177] Although not shown, it is preferable to provide a base film on the substrate 100 having an insulating surface. In this regard, reference can be made to Embodiment 1. It is not limited to providing

[0178] Next, a resist mask 105a and a resist mask 105b are formed over the conductive layer 108. The resist masks 105a and 105b are used to form the conductive layer 102 and the and conductive layer 108 are selectively etched to form conductive layer 106a, conductive layer 106b, conductive layer 108c, and conductive layer 108d. 13B1 and 13B2, a conductive layer 109b is formed (see FIG. 13B1 and FIG. 13B2).

[0179] Manufacturing method of semiconductor device according to this embodiment and manufacturing method of semiconductor device according to embodiment 1 One of the differences from the first embodiment is the etching process of the conductive layer 102 and the conductive layer 108. In this embodiment, the resist mask 105a and the resist used in the etching process The mask 105b is formed using a multi-tone mask.

[0180] A multi-tone mask is a mask that can perform exposure with multiple levels of light intensity. By using this, for example, it is possible to perform exposure at three levels of light intensity: exposed, half exposed, and unexposed. In other words, by using a multi-tone mask, multiple (substitute) patterns can be formed with one exposure and development. Generally, it is possible to form a resist mask having two different thicknesses. By using a gradation mask, the number of photomasks used can be reduced.

[0181] Typical multi-tone masks include gray-tone masks and half-tone masks. The one-tone mask is a light-shielding mask formed on a light-transmitting substrate by a light-shielding material layer. The slit portion is formed in the light-shielding material layer. Slits (including dots and meshes) are placed at intervals below the resolution limit of the light used for ) has the function of controlling the light transmittance. The slits may be periodic or non-periodic. The mask includes a light-shielding portion formed of a light-shielding material layer on a light-transmitting substrate, The semi-transparent portion is made of a material layer having a predetermined light transmittance. The light transmittance is determined by the material and thickness of the material layer. The transmittance in the semi-transparent area is approximately 10 The range is % to 70%.

[0182] Figure 17 shows a cross section of a typical multi-tone mask. Figure 17(A1) shows a gray-tone mask. 17(B1) shows a half-tone mask 410.

[0183] The gray-tone mask 400 shown in FIG. 17(A1) is a light-shielding mask formed on a light-transmitting substrate 401. and a light-shielding portion 402 formed by a material layer having a pattern of a material layer having a light-shielding property. The slit portion 403 is formed by the above.

[0184] The slit section 403 has slits spaced at intervals equal to or less than the resolution limit of the light used for exposure. The light-transmitting substrate 401 may be made of quartz or the like. The light-shielding layer constituting the slit portion 403 may be formed using a metal film, and is preferably The gray-tone mask shown in FIG. 17(A1) is made of chromium or chromium oxide. When light is irradiated at 400, the transmittance shown in FIG. 17(A2) is obtained.

[0185] The halftone mask 410 shown in FIG. 17(B1) is a light-shielding mask formed on a light-transmitting substrate 411. The light-shielding portion 412 is formed of a material layer having a predetermined light-transmitting property. The semi-transparent portion 413 is formed by the above.

[0186] The semi-transparent portion 413 is made of a material such as MoSiN, MoSi, MoSiO, MoSiON, or CrSi. The light-shielding portion 412 can be formed by using a material layer. In FIG. 17(B1), the light-shielding portion 412 may be formed using a desired material. The film is formed by a laminated structure of a material layer with a certain degree of light-transmitting property and a material layer with a light-blocking property. When the half-tone mask 410 shown in FIG. 7(B1) is irradiated with light, The transmittance shown is obtained.

[0187] By using the multi-tone mask as described above and performing exposure and development, regions with different film thicknesses can be created. A resist mask 105a having the above structure can be formed.

[0188] The conductive layer 102 and the conductive layer 108 can be etched by wet etching or dry etching. However, at this stage, the conductive layer 102 and the conductive layer 108 must be etched together. the conductive layer 106a serving as the source electrode of the transistor and the drain electrode of the transistor. The shape of the conductive layer 106b that functions as an electrode of the capacitor is determined.

[0189] Next, the resist mask 105a is recessed to form a resist mask 111. The resist mask 105b is removed, and the conductive layer 109a is selectively formed using a resist mask 111. The conductive layer 112 is formed by etching, and the conductive layer 109b is also removed (FIG. 13( 13C1) and FIG. 13C2). As a means for removing the mask 105b, for example, ashing using oxygen plasma is used. However, the above means need not be limited to these.

[0190] The conductive layer 109a is etched and the conductive layer 109b is removed by wet etching, dry etching, or the like. However, at this stage, the conductive layer 106a (conductive layer 106b) and conductive layer 109a (conductive layer 109b) under the condition that a selectivity can be obtained. That is, the conductive layer 106a and the conductive layer 106b are etched. It is important that the shape of the transistor does not change significantly. The shape of the conductive layer 112 that functions as the source wiring is determined. Since the light-shielding film is made of a material having the above properties, it has a light-shielding function.

[0191] After the etching, the resist mask 111 is removed. In order to improve the covering property of the insulating layer to be formed later and to prevent breakage, the end is tapered. It is preferable to form the conductive layer in a tapered shape. By forming the semiconductor device in this manner, it is possible to solve the problem of improving the yield of semiconductor devices. This in turn leads to a reduction in the manufacturing costs of semiconductor devices.

[0192] In addition, when the conductive layer 109a is etched to form the conductive layer 112, the contact hole 114 is formed later. A conductive layer may be formed in the region where the hole is formed (see FIG. 7(A) and FIG. 7(B)). By adopting such a configuration, the area where the contact hole is formed is This allows the surface of the electrode (pixel electrode) in the contact area to be shielded from light. Since display defects caused by surface irregularities can be reduced, contrast is improved. This configuration is particularly useful in liquid crystal display devices. It goes without saying that the present invention may be applied to other semiconductor devices. A conductive layer may be formed appropriately in an area where light is required.

[0193] Next, a semiconductor layer 114 is formed so as to cover at least the conductive layer 106a and the conductive layer 106b. (See FIG. 13D1 and FIG. 13D2). In this embodiment, the conductive layer 106a, A semiconductor layer 114 is formed on the substrate 100 so as to cover the conductive layer 106b and the conductive layer 112. For details of the semiconductor layer 114, Embodiment 1 can be referred to.

[0194] Before forming the semiconductor layer 114, the surface on which the semiconductor layer 114 is to be formed (for example, the conductive layer 10 6a and the surface of the conductive layer 106b, and if an underlayer is formed, the surface of the underlayer is also included) Plasma treatment may be performed. By performing plasma treatment, the rubber adhering to the surface to be formed can be removed. Furthermore, after the above-mentioned plasma treatment, the surface is exposed to the atmosphere. By forming the semiconductor layer 114 without using the conductive layer 106a and the conductive layer 106b, This allows for good electrical connection with the conductor layer 114. In other words, the yield of the semiconductor device is improved. It is possible to solve problems such as improving the quality and reliability.

[0195] Next, a resist mask 116a and a resist mask 116b are formed on the semiconductor layer 114. The resist mask 116a and the resist mask 116b are used to form the semiconductor layer 114. is selectively etched to form semiconductor layers 118a and 118b (FIG. 1 4(A1), and 14(A2). For details of this step, please refer to the first embodiment. This can be done.

[0196] After that, it is advisable to carry out a heat treatment at 200 to 600°C, typically 300 to 500°C. Here, a heat treatment is performed in a nitrogen atmosphere at 350° C. for 1 hour. The semiconductor properties of the semiconductor layer 118a and the semiconductor layer 118b can be improved. The timing of the treatment is not particularly limited as long as it is after the formation of the semiconductor layer 118a and the semiconductor layer 118b. It will not be done.

[0197] Next, a gate insulating layer 120 is formed to cover the semiconductor layer 118a and the semiconductor layer 118b. (See FIG. 14(B1) and FIG. 14(B2)). For details of the gate insulating layer 120, , reference can be made to embodiment 1.

[0198] Next, a conductive layer 122 and a conductive layer 128 are sequentially stacked on the gate insulating layer 120. (See FIG. 14(C1) and FIG. 14(C2)). Regarding the details of the conductive layer 122 and the conductive layer 128, For details, refer to the first embodiment.

[0199] Although not shown, it is preferable to provide a base film on the substrate 100 having an insulating surface. In this regard, reference can be made to the first embodiment.

[0200] Next, a resist mask 117a and a resist mask 117b are formed over the conductive layer 128. The resist masks 117a and 117b are used to form the conductive layer 122 and the and conductive layer 128 are selectively etched to form conductive layer 126a, conductive layer 126b, conductive layer 128c, and conductive layer 128d. 29a and a conductive layer 129b are formed (see FIG. 15(A1) and FIG. 15(A2)).

[0201] Manufacturing method of semiconductor device according to this embodiment and manufacturing method of semiconductor device according to embodiment 1 One of the differences from the first embodiment is the etching process of the conductive layer 122 and the conductive layer 128. In the embodiment, the resist mask 117a and the resist used in the etching process The mask 117b is formed using a multi-tone mask. For details, please refer to the description of the resist mask 105a and the resist mask 105b. good.

[0202] By using a multi-tone mask for exposure and development, a resist with regions of different film thickness can be produced. A mask 117a can be formed.

[0203] The conductive layer 122 and the conductive layer 128 can be etched by wet etching or dry etching. However, at this stage, the conductive layer 122 and the conductive layer 128 must be etched together. a conductive layer 126a serving as a gate electrode of the storage capacitor; The shape of layer 126b is determined.

[0204] Next, the resist mask 117a is recessed to form a resist mask 131. The resist mask 117b is removed, and the conductive layer 129a is selectively formed using a resist mask 131. The conductive layer 132a and the conductive layer 132b are formed by etching. b is removed (see FIG. 15(B1) and FIG. 15(B2), and for the conductive layer 132b, see FIG. 12 (See (A)). The means for recessing the resist mask 117a (and the resist mask 117 The details of the etching of the conductive layer 129a (removal of the conductive layer 129b) and the etching of the conductive layer 129a (removal of the conductive layer 129b) will be described below. In this regard, a means for recessing the resist mask 105a (and the resist mask 105b) Refer to the description of the etching method for the conductive layer 109a (removal of the conductive layer 109b) and the etching method for the conductive layer 109a (removal of the conductive layer 109b). At this stage, the conductive layer 126a (conductive layer 126b) and Etching is performed under conditions that allow a selectivity with respect to the conductive layer 129a (conductive layer 129b). The shapes of the conductive layers 126a and 126b are not significantly changed by the etching. This etching is important because it creates a thin film that functions as the gate wiring of the transistor. The shapes of the conductive layer 132a and the conductive layer 132b that functions as wiring for the storage capacitor are determined. Here, the conductive layer 132a is formed using a material having a light-shielding property, and therefore has a light-shielding function. Has.

[0205] After the etching, the resist mask 131 is removed. In order to improve the covering property of the insulating layer to be formed later and to prevent breakage, the end is tapered. It is preferable to form the conductive layer in a tapered shape. By forming the semiconductor device in this manner, it is possible to solve the problem of improving the yield of semiconductor devices. .

[0206] The area of ​​the region where the conductive layer 106b and the conductive layer 126b overlap can be changed as appropriate. As shown in this embodiment, the conductive layer 106b and the conductive layer 126b have a light-transmitting property. Since it is made of a material with a high capacitance, the area of ​​the overlapping region is increased, thereby increasing the capacitance value. Even when the capacitance value is increased, the aperture ratio does not decrease. This can solve the problem of increasing the number of pixels without reducing the aperture ratio.

[0207] In this embodiment, the conductive layer 106a functioning as a source electrode and the conductive layer 106b functioning as a drain electrode are The conductive layer 106b functions as a gate electrode, and the conductive layer 126a functions as a gate electrode. The conductive layers 106a, 106b, and 126a are formed so that the portions overlap each other. In the case where the conductivity of a portion of the semiconductor layer 118a can be increased, the conductive layer 106a or Alternatively, the conductive layer 106b and the conductive layer 126a may not overlap each other (see Embodiment 1). 9(A) and 9(B) in (2). For details, see embodiment 1. In this way, the conductive layer 106a or the conductive layer 106b and the conductive layer 126a are overlapped. By adopting a structure in which the conductive layer 106a (or the conductive layer 106b) and the conductive layer 106b are not overlapped with each other, The parasitic capacitance caused by the overlap with 26a can be reduced. This can solve the problem of improvement.

[0208] Alternatively, the conductive layer 132b may be formed so as to remain on the conductive layer 126b (see the embodiment). 11(A) and 11(B) in FIG. 1. In this way, the conductive layer 132b is formed. By doing so, the wiring resistance of the capacitance wiring can be reduced. The width of the conductive layer 132b in the By forming the conductive layer 132b in this manner, the wiring resistance of the capacitance wiring can be reduced. This problem can be solved without substantially reducing the aperture ratio.

[0209] Next, the gate insulating layer 120, the conductive layer 126a, the conductive layer 126b, the conductive layer 132a, and the conductive layer An insulating layer 134 is formed to cover 132b (see FIG. 15(C1) and FIG. 15(C2)). For details of the insulating layer 134, Embodiment 1 can be referred to.

[0210] In addition, if no significant inconvenience occurs even if the insulating layer 134 is not provided, the insulating layer 134 may be formed. In this case, the advantage is that the process can be simplified. There is.

[0211] Thereafter, a contact hole 136 is formed in the insulating layer 134 to reach the conductive layer 106b. A part of the surface of the layer 106b is exposed (see FIGS. 16(A1) and 16(A2)).

[0212] Then, a conductive layer 138 is formed to cover the insulating layer 134 (FIG. 16(B1), FIG. 16 (See (B2)). Since a contact hole is formed in the insulating layer 134, the conductive layer 10 6b and the conductive layer 138 are electrically connected. Reference can be made to the first embodiment.

[0213] Next, a resist mask is formed over the conductive layer 138, and the conductive layer 1 38 is selectively etched to form a conductive layer 140 (FIG. 16(C1), FIG. 16(C 2). Here, the conductive layer 140 functions as a pixel electrode. For other details, please refer to the first embodiment.

[0214] As a result of the above, the light-transmitting transistor 150 and the light-transmitting storage capacitor 152 A semiconductor device having such a structure can be manufactured (see FIG. 16C1 and FIG. 16C2).

[0215] In this embodiment, various wirings and electrodes are formed using a multi-tone mask. However, one embodiment of the disclosed invention is not construed as being limited thereto. or the steps of forming the conductive layer 126a or the conductive layer 132a, It may also be performed by a method using a multi-tone mask.

[0216] In this embodiment mode, a resist mask is formed using a multi-tone mask, and etching is performed. This reduces the number of photomasks used and the number of processes. This makes it possible to solve the problem of reducing the manufacturing costs of semiconductor devices.

[0217] This embodiment mode can be implemented in appropriate combination with other embodiment modes.

[0218] (Embodiment 3) In this embodiment mode, other examples of semiconductor devices will be described with reference to FIGS. The semiconductor device according to this embodiment is similar in many respects to the semiconductor device according to the first embodiment. Therefore, in the following, explanations of overlapping configurations, overlapping symbols, etc. Omitted.

[0219] FIG. 18 shows an example of the configuration of a semiconductor device according to this embodiment. The disclosed The present invention is not limited to this. Note that Fig. 18(A) is a plan view, and Fig. 18(B) is a perspective view. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line EF of (A).

[0220] The semiconductor device shown in FIG. 18A includes a conductive layer 112 functioning as a source wiring and a conductive layer 1 A conductive layer 162 that functions as a power supply wiring formed in the same manner as in 12, and conductive layers 112 and and a conductive layer 132a which intersects with the conductive layer 162 and functions as a gate wiring. and the transistor 150 near the intersection of the conductive layer 112 and the conductive layer 162. a storage capacitor 156 electrically connected to the conductive layer 162; The pixel portion is provided with a pixel portion (see FIG. 18(A) and FIG. 18(B)). The conductive layer 112 and the conductive layer 162 intersect with the conductive layer 132a at an angle of 90°. However, the disclosed invention is not limited to this configuration.

[0221] The transistor 150 has a conductive layer 106a serving as a source electrode and a conductive layer 106b serving as a drain electrode. a conductive layer 106b that functions as a gate insulating layer; a semiconductor layer 118a; a gate insulating layer 120; and a gate electrode. and a conductive layer 126a that functions as a top-gate transistor. (See FIGS. 18A and 18B). Similarly, the transistor 154 has a source voltage A conductive layer 106c functions as a pole electrode, a conductive layer 106d functions as a drain electrode, and a semiconductor a conductor layer 118c, a gate insulating layer 120, and a conductive layer 126c that functions as a gate electrode; The storage capacitor 156 is composed of a conductive layer 106e, a gate insulating layer 120, and The source electrode and the drain electrode are also formed of a conductive layer 126c. The designation of the electrode is merely a matter of convenience.

[0222] Here, the conductive layer 112 and the conductive layer 106a are electrically connected, and the conductive layer 106b and the conductive layer 106b are electrically connected. The conductive layer 126c is electrically connected to the connecting portion 158 via the conductive layer 142. (See FIGS. 18A and 18B). The conductive layer 162 and the conductive layer 106c are electrically The conductive layer 106d and the conductive layer 140 are electrically connected to each other. The conductive layer 62 and the conductive layer 106e are electrically connected. The conductive layer 140 and the conductive layer 142 can be fabricated in the same process. a contact hole for connecting the conductive layer 140 to the conductive layer 106b and the conductive layer 142; a contact hole for connecting the conductive layer 126c and the conductive layer 142; The contact holes can be made in the same process.

[0223] The transistor 150 includes a conductive layer 106a, a conductive layer 106b, a semiconductor layer 118a, and a conductive layer 106b. The conductive layer 126a, the conductive layer 106c and the conductive layer 106d that constitute the transistor 154, and the semiconductor The layer 118c, the conductive layer 126c, and the conductive layer 106e that constitutes the storage capacitor 156 are transparent. This improves the aperture ratio of the pixel.

[0224] The conductive layer 112, the conductive layer 132a, and the conductive layer 162 are formed of a low resistance material. Therefore, the wiring resistance can be reduced, and power consumption can be reduced. 12, the conductive layer 132a, and the conductive layer 162 are formed of a material having a light-shielding property. Therefore, light can be shielded between pixels.

[0225] In the above, the case where one pixel has two transistors has been described. However, the disclosed invention is not limited to this. It can also be set up.

[0226] 19 shows another example of the configuration of the semiconductor device according to this embodiment. This configuration, in particular, Although it is suitable for use in electroluminescent displays (EL displays), The present invention is not limited to this. Note that Fig. 19(A) is a plan view, and Fig. 19(B) is a diagram. 19(A) is a cross-sectional view taken along line EF.

[0227] The configuration shown in FIG. 19 is basically the same as the configuration shown in FIG. 18, the difference between the structure shown in FIG. 18 and the structure shown in FIG. 18 is the connection portion 158. 19, the conductive layers 106b and 106c are connected via the conductive layer 142. The conductive layer 126c is directly connected (see FIGS. 19(A) and 19(B)). Since the conductive layer 142 is not required, the conductive layer 140 that functions as a pixel electrode can be made larger. This makes it possible to improve the aperture ratio compared to the configuration shown in FIG. In order to realize the electrical connection between the conductive layer 106b and the conductive layer 126c, the conductive layer 12 Before forming 6c, it is necessary to form a contact hole in the gate insulating layer 120. do.

[0228] FIG. 20 shows another example of the configuration of the semiconductor device according to this embodiment. Although the present invention is suitable for use in a device, the present invention is not limited to this. 20(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AB in FIG. 20(A).

[0229] The configuration shown in FIG. 20 is basically the same as the configuration shown in FIG. The difference from the previous configuration is that the conductive layer 106a functions as a source electrode and the conductive layer 106b functions as a drain electrode. More specifically, in the configuration shown in FIG. The conductive layer 106a and the conductive layer 106b are formed so that the shape of the channel forming region is U-shaped. (See Figure 20(A) and Figure 20(B)). This allows transistors of the same area to be Even when forming a channel, it is possible to increase the channel width (W). The shape of the formation region is not limited to a U-shape and can be changed as needed depending on the required channel width. It is possible.

[0230] FIG. 21 shows another example of the configuration of the semiconductor device according to this embodiment. Although the present invention is suitable for use in a device, the present invention is not limited to this. 21(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AB in FIG. 21(A).

[0231] The configuration shown in FIG. 21 is similar to the configuration shown in FIG. The difference is that the conductive layer 132a that functions as the gate wiring also functions as the gate electrode. (See FIG. 21(A) and FIG. 21(B)). That is, in FIG. 21, the conductive layer 126a The conductive layer 132a can be formed using a low resistance material. Therefore, when the conductive layer 126a (conductive layer using a light-transmitting material) is used as the gate electrode, As a result, the electric field across the semiconductor layer 118a can be made uniform. Therefore, the device characteristics of the transistor 150 can be improved.

[0232] In addition, in FIG. 21, a configuration in which the conductive layer 126a is not provided is adopted, but The present invention is not limited to this. In addition, although the conductive layer 106a is formed in FIG. Instead, the conductive layer 112 may also function as the conductive layer 106a. The conductive layer having the electrode function is formed below the conductive layer that functions as the gate wiring. Therefore, it is necessary to form a conductive layer that functions as a source electrode using a light-transmitting material. In this case, at least the conductive layer 106b and the conductive layer 126b are The light-transmitting material may be used.

[0233] Furthermore, the configuration according to this embodiment can be adopted when a multi-tone mask is used. It goes without saying that when a multi-tone mask is used, the conductive layer 126a is Formed at the bottom.

[0234] This embodiment mode can be implemented in appropriate combination with other embodiment modes.

[0235] (Fourth embodiment) In this embodiment mode, a thin film transistor is manufactured, and the thin film transistor is used in a pixel portion or a peripheral circuit. When using it in a path section (drive circuit, etc.) to manufacture a semiconductor device (display device) with a display function A part or all of the peripheral circuitry is integrally formed on the same substrate as the pixel section. This allows a system on panel to be formed.

[0236] The display device includes a display element. Examples of the display element include a liquid crystal element (also called a liquid crystal display element) and a light emitting element. Light emitting elements (also called light emitting display elements) can be used. This category includes elements whose brightness is controlled by pressure, specifically inorganic EL (Electroluminescent) Electro Luminescence, organic electroluminescence, etc. Also, electronic ink, etc. Alternatively, a display medium whose contrast changes due to an electrical effect may be used.

[0237] The display device also includes a panel in which a display element is sealed, and a controller for the panel. Furthermore, the display device may be configured with a module in which an IC or the like including the above is mounted. The daughter substrate provides a means for supplying current to the display element at each pixel. The pixel electrodes of the display element may be formed on the conductive layer. This may be after film formation and before etching.

[0238] In the following, an example of a liquid crystal display device will be described in the present embodiment. A thin film transistor 4010, a thin film transistor 4011 and a liquid crystal element formed on the substrate 01 are The substrate 4013 is sealed with the second substrate 4006 and the sealing material 4005. 22(A1) and 22(A2) are plan views, and FIG. 22(B) corresponds to a cross-sectional view taken along line MN in FIG. 22(A1) and FIG. 22(A2). do.

[0239] A pixel portion 4002 and a scanning line driver circuit 4004 are provided on a first substrate 4001. In this way, a sealant 4005 is provided. A second substrate 4006 is provided on the path 4004. The scanning line driver circuit 4004 is made up of a first substrate 4001, a sealing material 4005, and a second substrate 4006. The first substrate 4001 is sealed together with the liquid crystal layer 4008. A single crystal semiconductor is placed on a separately prepared substrate in an area different from the area surrounded by the insulating material 4005. A signal line driver circuit 4003 made of a conductor or polycrystalline semiconductor is mounted.

[0240] The method of connecting the separately formed drive circuit is not particularly limited, and may be a COG method, a wire The ear bonding method, TAB method, etc. can be used as appropriate. This is an example of mounting the signal line driver circuit 4003 by the G method, and FIG. 22(A2) is an example of mounting the signal line driver circuit 4003 by the TAB method. This is an example in which a twisted signal line driver circuit 4003 is implemented.

[0241] In addition, a pixel portion 4002 and a scanning line driver circuit 4004 provided on a first substrate 4001 are 22B, the thin film transistor included in the pixel portion 4002 is A transistor 4010 and a thin film transistor 4011 included in the scanning line driver circuit 4004 The insulating layer 4 is formed on the thin film transistor 4010 and the thin film transistor 4011. 020 is provided.

[0242] The thin film transistors 4010 and 4011 are the same as those shown in the above embodiments. In this embodiment, a thin film transistor The thin film transistor 4010 and the thin film transistor 4011 were n-channel transistors.

[0243] The pixel electrode layer 4030 of the liquid crystal element 4013 is connected to the thin film transistor 4010. The counter electrode layer 4031 of the liquid crystal element 4013 is electrically connected to the second substrate 4. 006. The pixel electrode layer 4030, the counter electrode layer 4031, and the liquid crystal layer 4 008, a liquid crystal element 4013 is formed. The insulating layer 4031 is provided with an insulating layer 4032 and an insulating layer 4033 which function as an alignment film. The pixel electrode layer 4030 and the counter electrode layer 4031 are connected to the liquid crystal layer 4008 via these layers. It is being held.

[0244] The first substrate 4001 and the second substrate 4006 may be made of glass or metal (typically, stainless steel). Stainless steel, ceramics, plastics, etc. can be used. FRP (Fiberglass-Reinforced Plastics) substrate , PVF (polyvinyl fluoride) film, polyester film, acrylic resin film In addition, aluminum foil can be covered with PVF film or polyester film. It is also possible to use a sheet having a structure in which the sheet is sandwiched between two thin films.

[0245] In addition, the distance (cell gap) between the pixel electrode layer 4030 and the counter electrode layer 4031 is controlled. The columnar spacers 4035 are formed on the insulating film. It is possible to obtain the above structure by selectively etching the spacers. The counter electrode layer 4031 may be the same as the thin film transistor 4010. It is electrically connected to a common potential line provided on the substrate. For example, The counter electrode layer 4031 and the common potential line can be electrically connected via the conductive particles. It is preferable that the conductive particles are contained in the sealing material 4005.

[0246] Alternatively, a liquid crystal that exhibits a blue phase, which does not require an alignment film, may be used. The blue phase is one of the liquid crystal phases. This is the phase that appears just before the transition from the cholesteric phase to the isotropic phase due to temperature rise. Since the chiral phase appears only in a narrow temperature range, the liquid crystal containing 5% or more by weight of the chiral dopant is It is recommended to use a composition that exhibits a blue phase. This can improve the temperature range. The liquid crystal composition containing the liquid crystal and the chiral agent has a short response time of 10 μs to 100 μs, and It has the characteristics of being relatively isotropic, so no alignment treatment is required, and it has little viewing angle dependency. is doing.

[0247] In this embodiment, an example of a transmissive liquid crystal display device is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. The liquid crystal display device may be a reflective type or a semi-transmissive type.

[0248] In addition, in the liquid crystal display device described in this embodiment mode, a polarizing plate is provided on the outer side (viewing side) of the substrate, and An example in which a colored layer and an electrode layer used for a display element are provided on the side of the substrate is shown. The laminated structure of the polarizing plate and the colored layer is not limited to the present embodiment, and the polarizing plate may be provided on the inner side. The thickness may be appropriately set depending on the materials of the light-shielding plate and the colored layer and the manufacturing process conditions. A black mask (black matrix) may be provided.

[0249] In this embodiment, in order to reduce the surface unevenness of the thin film transistor, The thin film transistor obtained in the above is covered with an insulating layer 4020. The invention is not limited to this.

[0250] The insulating layer 4020 may be made of polyimide, acrylic, benzocyclobutene, polyamide, or ethylene. In addition to the above organic materials, organic materials having heat resistance such as epoxy can be used. Low dielectric constant materials (low-k materials), siloxane resins, PSG (phosphor glass), BPSG (phosphorus boron glass) and the like can be used. Note that insulating films formed from these materials can also be used. The insulating layer 4020 may be formed by stacking a plurality of layers.

[0251] Here, the siloxane-based resin is a Si—O resin formed using a siloxane-based material as a starting material. It corresponds to a resin containing -Si bonds. The substituents include organic groups (e.g., alkyl groups and aryl groups). Alternatively, a fluorine group or a fluorine group may be used. The organic group may have a fluorine group.

[0252] The method for forming the insulating layer 4020 is not particularly limited, and may be a sputtering method, a SOG method, or the like, depending on the material. method, spin coating, dip coating, spray coating, droplet ejection method (inkjet method, screen printing, offset printing, etc.), doctor knife, roll coater, curtain coater, An ifcoater or the like can be used.

[0253] The pixel electrode layer 4030 and the counter electrode layer 4031 are made of indium oxide containing tungsten oxide. , indium zinc oxide containing tungsten oxide, indium oxide containing titanium oxide, Indium tin oxide with titanium dioxide, indium tin oxide (also known as ITO), indium Conductive materials with transparency such as indium zinc oxide and silicon oxide-doped indium tin oxide Materials can be used.

[0254] In addition, the pixel electrode layer 4030 and the counter electrode layer 4031 are made of a conductive polymer (also known as a conductive polymer). A pixel electrode formed using the conductive composition may be Sheet resistance is 1.0×10 4 Ω / sq. or less, transmittance at wavelength 550nm is 70% or more The resistivity of the conductive polymer contained in the conductive composition is preferably 0.1 or more. It is preferable that the resistivity is Ω·cm or less.

[0255] As the conductive polymer, a so-called π-electron conjugated conductive polymer can be used. For example, polyaniline or its derivatives, polypyrrole or its derivatives, polythiophene or or a derivative thereof, or a copolymer of two or more of these.

[0256] The signal line driver circuit 4003, the scanning line driver circuit 4004, the pixel portion 4002, etc. The seed signal is supplied from the FPC4018.

[0257] The connection terminal electrode 4015 has the same conductor as the pixel electrode layer 4030 of the liquid crystal element 4013. The terminal electrode 4016 is formed from a thin film transistor 4010. The source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer 4011 are formed of the same conductive film.

[0258] The connection terminal electrode 4015 is connected to the terminal of the FPC 4018 via the anisotropic conductive film 4019. are electrically connected.

[0259] In FIG. 22, a signal line driver circuit 4003 is formed separately and is mounted on the first substrate 4001. However, this embodiment is not limited to this configuration. It may be formed separately and mounted, or only a part of the signal line driver circuit or a part of the scanning line driver circuit may be mounted. may be formed separately and mounted.

[0260] FIG. 23 shows a liquid crystal display module, which corresponds to one form of a semiconductor device, in which a TFT substrate 2600 is provided. An example of its use is shown below.

[0261] In FIG. 23, a TFT substrate 2600 and an opposing substrate 2601 are fixed together by a sealing material 2602. , an element layer 2603 including TFTs and the like, a liquid crystal layer 2604 including an alignment film and liquid crystals, and a coloring layer The display area is formed by providing the colored layer 2605. In the case of the RGB system, the coloring for each color of red, green, and blue is required. A color layer is provided corresponding to each pixel. On the side, a polarizing plate 2606, a polarizing plate 2607, and a diffusion plate 2613 are arranged. The circuit board 2612 is made up of a cold cathode fluorescent lamp 2610 and a reflector 2611. The flexible wiring board 2609 is connected to the wiring circuit section 2608 of the TFT substrate 2600. This allows external circuits such as control circuits and power supply circuits to be built into the LCD module. A retardation plate may be provided between the polarizing plate and the liquid crystal layer.

[0262] The LCD driving method is TN (Twisted Nematic) mode, IPS (In-plane Switching) mode. n-Plane-Switching mode, FFS (Fringe Field Switching) Switching mode, MVA (Multi-domain Vertical A alignment) mode, PVA(Patterned Vertical Alignment) mode nment) mode, ASM(Axially Symmetric aligned Micro-cell mode, OCB (Optical Compensated B) refrigeration mode, FLC (Ferroelectric Liquid d Crystal) mode, AFLC (AntiFerroelectric Liq. uid Crystal) mode can be used.

[0263] Through the above steps, a high-performance liquid crystal display device can be manufactured. The present invention can be used in appropriate combination with the above-described embodiment.

[0264] (Embodiment 5) In this embodiment mode, with reference to FIG. 24, an active matrix type semiconductor device, which is an example of a semiconductor device, will be described. The electronic paper will be explained. The thin film transistor can be manufactured in the same manner as in the embodiment mode 2.

[0265] The electronic paper shown in Figure 24 is an example of a device that uses the twisting ball display method. The ball display method is a method in which spherical particles painted in black and white are placed on a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer. and a potential difference is generated between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. This is a method of displaying images by controlling the orientation of spherical particles.

[0266] The thin film transistor 650 provided on the substrate 600 is the thin film transistor of the disclosed invention. The semiconductor layer has a gate electrode layer thereover and a source electrode layer or a drain electrode layer thereunder. The source electrode layer or the drain electrode layer is sandwiched between the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer. is electrically connected to the first electrode layer 660 through a contact hole formed in the insulating layer. The substrate 602 is provided with a second electrode layer 670, which is connected to the first electrode layer 660. Between the second electrode layer 670 and the second electrode layer 670, a spherical particle having a black area 680a and a white area 680b is formed. The spherical particles 680 are surrounded by a filler 682 such as a resin. In FIG. 24, the first electrode layer 660 corresponds to the pixel electrode, The second electrode layer 670 corresponds to a common electrode. 50 and is electrically connected to a common potential line provided on the same substrate.

[0267] Instead of the twist ball, an electrophoretic display element can be used. For example, a transparent liquid is directly encapsulated with positively charged white particles and negatively charged black particles. Microcapsules with a diameter of approximately 10 μm to 200 μm are used. First electrode layer and second electrode layer When an electric field is applied by the Since the electrophoretic display element has a higher reflectivity than the liquid crystal display element, the auxiliary line No light is required, and the display can be seen even in places with poor lighting. In addition, even if power is not supplied to the display unit, the image once displayed will be retained. This has the advantage that it is possible to

[0268] As described above, high-performance electronic paper can be produced by using the disclosed invention. Note that this embodiment mode can be implemented in appropriate combination with other embodiment modes.

[0269] (Embodiment 6) In this embodiment mode, a light-emitting display device is shown as an example of a semiconductor device. Here, a light-emitting element that uses electroluminescence is used as the element. Light-emitting devices that utilize electroluminescence are either organic or inorganic compounds that emit light. Generally, the former is called an organic EL element and the latter is called an inorganic EL element. It's been discovered.

[0270] In an organic EL element, electrons and holes are released from a pair of electrodes by applying a voltage to the light-emitting element. are injected into the layers containing the light-emitting organic compounds, causing a current to flow. Light is emitted by the recombination of electrons and holes. Such a light-emitting element is called a current-excited light-emitting element.

[0271] Inorganic EL elements are divided into dispersion-type inorganic EL elements and thin-film-type inorganic EL elements depending on the element structure. Dispersion-type inorganic EL elements have a light-emitting layer in which particles of a light-emitting material are dispersed in a binder. The emission mechanism is a donor-acceptor interaction that utilizes the donor and acceptor levels. Thin-film inorganic EL devices sandwich the light-emitting layer between dielectric layers. Furthermore, this structure is sandwiched between electrodes, and the light emission mechanism utilizes the inner-shell electron transition of metal ions. In this example, the light-emitting element is an organic EL element. do.

[0272] The structure of the light emitting element will be described with reference to FIG. 25. Here, when the driving TFT is an n-type, The cross-sectional structure of a pixel will be described using the case of FIG. 25(A), FIG. 25(B), and FIG. 2 The TFTs 701, 711, and 721 used in the semiconductor device of 5(C) are The thin film transistor can be manufactured in a manner similar to that of the thin film transistor described in the embodiment mode.

[0273] In order to extract light, at least one of the anode and cathode of the light-emitting element is transparent. Here, "transparent" means that the transmittance is sufficiently high at least at the emission wavelength. As a light extraction method, a thin film transistor and a light emitting element are formed on a substrate, and the substrate and the light emitting element are The top-exiting type (top-exiting type) emits light from the opposite side, while the bottom-exiting type emits light from the substrate side. bottom emission type (bottom emission type) that extracts light from the substrate side and the opposite side There are also double-sided injection methods (double-sided ejection methods) that eject the material.

[0274] A top emission type light emitting element will be described with reference to FIG.

[0275] FIG. 25(A) shows a pixel in which light emitted from the light emitting element 702 exits to the anode 705 side. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the driving TFT 701. A light-emitting element 702 is formed on a conductive layer 707, and a light-emitting layer 704 is formed on a cathode 703. The cathode 703 has a small work function and is light-reflecting. For example, a conductive film made of a material such as Ca, Al, MgAg, or AlLi can be used. It is preferable to form the cathode 703 using a fluorine-containing compound. In the case where the film is made up of a plurality of layers, An electron injection layer, an electron transport layer, a light emitting layer, a hole transport layer, and a hole injection layer are stacked in this order on the cathode 703. It is preferable to provide the anode 705 with a layer of the same material, but of course it is not necessary to provide all of these layers. The conductive material is formed using a conductive material such as indium oxide containing tungsten oxide. Indium zinc oxide with tungsten oxide, indium oxide with titanium oxide, acid Indium tin oxide (ITO) containing titanium dioxide Conductive materials with light transmission properties, such as indium zinc oxide and indium tin oxide with added silicon oxide Just use the fee.

[0276] The structure in which the light-emitting layer 704 is sandwiched between the cathode 703 and the anode 705 is called a light-emitting element 702. In the case of the pixel shown in FIG. 25(A), light emitted from the light emitting element 702 is As shown in the figure, light is emitted toward the anode 705. The structure of the light emitting element 702 is a microcavity structure. This allows the extraction wavelength to be selected, improving color purity. In this case, the light emitting element 702 can be adjusted to the extracted wavelength. The thickness of each layer that constitutes the It is advisable to form an electrode.

[0277] An insulating layer containing silicon nitride, silicon oxide, or the like may be formed on the anode 705 . This makes it possible to suppress deterioration of the light emitting element.

[0278] Next, a bottom emission type light emitting element will be described with reference to FIG.

[0279] FIG. 25(B) shows a pixel in which light emitted from the light emitting element 712 exits to the cathode 713 side. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of a light-transmitting TFT 711 electrically connected to the driving TFT 712. A cathode 713 of the light-emitting element 712 is formed on the conductive layer 717. A light-emitting layer 714 and an anode 715 are laminated in this order. In this case, a light-shielding film 716 may be provided so as to cover the anode 715. As in the case of A), a conductive material with a small work function can be used. The thickness is set to a level that allows light to pass through (preferably, about 5 nm to 30 nm). For example, 20 nm An aluminum film having a thickness of about 700 nm can be used as the cathode 713. 14 is composed of a single layer, as in FIG. 25(A), but multiple layers can be stacked. The anode 715 does not need to transmit light, but may be configured as shown in FIG. The light-shielding film 716 may be formed using a light-transmitting conductive material. However, the light-shielding film 716 may be made of a metal or the like having a reflecting function. By providing the above, it is possible to improve the light extraction efficiency.

[0280] The structure in which the light-emitting layer 714 is sandwiched between the cathode 713 and the anode 715 is called a light-emitting element 712. In the case of the pixel shown in FIG. 25(B), light emitted from the light emitting element 712 is As shown in the figure, light is emitted toward the cathode 713. The structure of the light emitting element 712 is a microcavity structure. An insulating layer may be formed on the anode 715.

[0281] Next, a dual emission type light emitting element will be described with reference to FIG.

[0282] FIG. 25C shows a light-transmitting conductive layer 727 electrically connected to the driving TFT 721. A cathode 723 of the light-emitting element 722 is formed on the cathode 723, and a light-emitting layer 724 and an anode are formed on the cathode 723. The cathode 723 has a work function of 0.015 V, similar to that of FIG. A conductive material with a small resistance can be used. However, the thickness of the film must be such that it transmits light. For example, an aluminum film having a thickness of 20 nm can be used as the cathode 723. The light-emitting layer 724 may be made of a single layer, as in FIG. 25(A), or may be made of a laminate of multiple layers. The anode 725 may be configured to have a light-transmitting property, similar to that shown in FIG. The insulating film 11 can be formed using a conductive material.

[0283] The structure in which the cathode 723, the light-emitting layer 724, and the anode 725 are stacked is called a light-emitting element 722. In the case of the pixel shown in FIG. 25(C), the light emitted from the light emitting element 722 is As shown by the arrows, light is emitted to both the anode 725 side and the cathode 723 side. The anode 725 may have a microcavity structure. is also good.

[0284] Although organic EL elements have been described as light-emitting elements here, inorganic EL elements can also be used as light-emitting elements. It is also possible to provide an L element. In the example shown, the transistor (driving TFT) and the light emitting element are electrically connected. A current control TFT may be connected between the FT and the light emitting element.

[0285] Note that the semiconductor device described in this embodiment mode is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. , various modifications are possible.

[0286] Next, the appearance and structure of a light-emitting display panel (also referred to as a light-emitting panel), which is one mode of a semiconductor device, will be described. The cross section will be described with reference to FIG. 26. FIG. 26 shows a cross section of a semiconductor device formed on a first substrate 4501. A thin film transistor 4509, a thin film transistor 4510, and a light-emitting element 4511 are 4506 and a panel sealed with a sealing material 4505. Here, FIG. 26(A) shows a plan view, and FIG. 26(B) shows the state of HI in FIG. 26(A). This corresponds to a cross-sectional view of the

[0287] A pixel portion 4502, a signal line driver circuit 4503a, a signal line driver circuit 4503b, a signal line driver circuit 4503c, a signal line driver circuit 4503d, a signal line driver circuit 4503e, a signal line driver circuit 4503f, a signal line driver circuit 4503g, a signal line driver circuit 4503h, a signal line driver circuit 4503m, a signal line driver circuit 4503 The driver circuit 4503b, the scanning line driver circuit 4504a, and the scanning line driver circuit 4504b are surrounded by a A sealing material 4505 is provided on the pixel portion 4502 and the signal line driver circuit 4 503a, a signal line driver circuit 4503b, a scanning line driver circuit 4504a, and a scanning line driver circuit 45 A second substrate 4506 is provided on the pixel portion 4502, the signal line driver 4504, and the like. a signal line driver circuit 4503a, a signal line driver circuit 4503b, a scanning line driver circuit 4504a, a scanning line driver The circuit 4504b is formed by a first substrate 4501, a sealing material 4505, and a second substrate 4506. It is sealed together with the filling material 4507. In this way, it is highly airtight and there is little gas leakage. Use protective films (laminating films, UV-curing resin films, etc.) and cover materials. It is preferable to package (enclose) the product in such a manner.

[0288] In addition, a pixel portion 4502, a signal line driver circuit 4503a, The signal line driver circuit 4503b, the scanning line driver circuit 4504a, and the scanning line driver circuit 4504b are 26B, the thin film transistor included in the pixel portion 4502 is The transistor 4510 and the thin film transistor 450 included in the signal line driver circuit 4503a 9 is shown as an example.

[0289] The thin film transistor 4509 and the thin film transistor 4510 are the same as those described in the above embodiments. In this embodiment, a thin film transistor can be applied. The thin film transistor 4509 and the thin film transistor 4510 are n-channel transistors.

[0290] Further, 4511 corresponds to a light-emitting element, and a first electrode which is a pixel electrode of the light-emitting element 4511 is The electrode layer 4517 is electrically connected to the source electrode layer or the drain electrode layer of the thin film transistor 4510. The light-emitting element 4511 is configured by a first electrode layer 4517, a second electrode layer 4518, and a The electrode 4512, the electroluminescent layer 4513, and the third electrode layer 4514 are laminated together. The configuration is not limited to the one shown in the figure. Therefore, the above configuration can be modified as appropriate.

[0291] The partition wall 4520 is formed using an organic resin film, an inorganic insulating film, organic polysiloxane, or the like. In particular, an opening is formed on the first electrode layer 4517 using a photosensitive material, and the opening It is preferable that the side wall of the portion be an inclined surface having a continuous curvature.

[0292] The electroluminescent layer 4513 may be composed of a single layer or a plurality of layers. It's okay to have it.

[0293] The third electrode layer 4 is formed to prevent oxygen, hydrogen, water, carbon dioxide, etc. from entering the light emitting element 4511. A protective film may be formed on the insulating film 514 and the partition wall 4520. The protective film may be a silicon nitride film, a nitride film, or the like. Silicon oxide films, DLC films, etc. can be formed.

[0294] In addition, a signal line driver circuit 4503a, a signal line driver circuit 4503b, a scanning line driver circuit 4504 a, the scanning line driver circuit 4504b, the pixel portion 4502, etc. are supplied with various signals. 518a, FPC4518b.

[0295] In this embodiment, the connection terminal electrode 4515 is connected to the first electrode layer 4517 of the light-emitting element 4511. The terminal electrode 4516 is formed from the same conductive film as the thin film transistor 4509 and the thin film transistor As an example, the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer of the transistor 4510 are formed from the same conductive film. This is shown.

[0296] The connection terminal electrode 4515 is connected to the terminal of the FPC 4518a via the anisotropic conductive film 4519. are electrically connected to each other.

[0297] The substrate located in the direction of light extraction from the light emitting element 4511 must be transparent. The transparent substrates include glass plates, plastic plates, and polyester films. , acrylic film, etc.

[0298] Filler 4507 can be inert gases such as nitrogen and argon, as well as ultraviolet curing resins and Thermosetting resins can be used. For example, PVC (polyvinyl chloride), acrylic Polyimide, epoxy resin, silicone resin, PVB (polyvinyl butyral), E VA (ethylene vinyl acetate) or the like can be used. An example using nitrogen as the material is shown.

[0299] If necessary, a polarizing plate, a circular polarizing plate (including an elliptical polarizing plate), a retardation plate ( Optical films such as λ / 4 plates, λ / 2 plates, and color filters may be provided. For example, the surface may be roughened to diffuse reflected light and reduce glare. It is possible to apply an anti-glare treatment that can reduce glare.

[0300] A signal line driver circuit 4503a, a signal line driver circuit 4503b, a scanning line driver circuit 4504a, The scan line driver circuit 4504b is a single crystal semiconductor or polycrystalline semiconductor on a separately prepared substrate. Alternatively, only the signal line driver circuit, or a part thereof, or the driving circuit may be formed by the signal line driver circuit. Only the scan line driver circuit or only a part of it may be formed separately and mounted. is not limited to the configuration of FIG.

[0301] Through the above steps, a high-performance light-emitting display device (display panel) can be manufactured.

[0302] Next, a pixel configuration to which digital time gray scale driving can be applied and its operation will be described. 39 is a diagram showing an example of a pixel configuration to which digital time gray scale driving can be applied. n-channel semiconductor layer (In-Ga-Zn-O non-single crystal film) is used for the channel formation region. An example in which two panel-type transistors are used in one pixel is shown.

[0303] In FIG. 39(A), a pixel 6400 includes a switching transistor 6401, a driving transistor The device includes a transistor 6402, a light-emitting element 6404, and a capacitor element 6403. The gate of the switching transistor 6401 is connected to the scanning line 6406, and the first electrode (source The second electrode (one of the source electrode and the drain electrode) is connected to a signal line 6405, and the second electrode (one of the source electrode and the drain electrode) is connected to a signal line 6406. The other of the drain electrodes is connected to the gate of the driving transistor 6402. The transistor 6402 has a gate connected to a power supply line 6407 through a capacitor element 6403. The first electrode is connected to a power supply line 6407, and the second electrode is connected to a first electrode (pixel The second electrode of the light emitting element 6404 corresponds to the common electrode 6408.

[0304] The second electrode (common electrode 6408 side) and the first electrode (power line 6407 side) of the light emitting element 6404 The relationship between the potentials of the two electrodes (side) may be set so that either one has a higher potential. A potential difference between a high potential and a low potential is applied to the light emitting element 6404, and a current is generated by the application. In order to make the light element 6404 emit light, the potential difference between the high potential and the low potential is set to the threshold of the light emitting element 6404. The respective potentials may be set so as to be equal to or higher than the minimum voltage.

[0305] The capacitor element 6403 is omitted by substituting the gate capacitance of the driving transistor 6402. The gate capacitance of the driving transistor 6402 is determined by the capacitance between the channel region and the gate A capacitance may be formed between the electrode and the capacitor.

[0306] In the case of a voltage input voltage driving method, the gate of the driving transistor 6402 is connected to A video signal is inputted so that the driving transistor 6402 is turned on or off. That is, the driving transistor 6402 is operated in a linear region.

[0307] Also, by changing the input signal, analog gray scale can be achieved using the same pixel configuration as in FIG. 39(A). For example, by converting a video signal into an analog signal, the light emitting element 6404 can be driven. The current corresponding to the video signal flows, and analog gradation driving is possible. It is preferable to use a signal that causes the input transistor 6402 to operate in the saturation region.

[0308] The potential of the power supply line 6407 may be changed in a pulsed manner. It is preferable to adopt a configuration such as 39(B).

[0309] In the configuration of FIG. 39(A), the potential of the second electrode of the light-emitting element 6404 of a certain pixel is The potential of the second electrode of the other pixel is often the same as that of the common electrode 6408. may be patterned for each pixel and connected to the respective driving transistors.

[0310] Note that one embodiment of the disclosed invention is not construed as being limited to the pixel configuration shown in FIG. 39, a switch, a resistor, a capacitor, a transistor, a logic circuit, etc. are newly added to the pixel shown in FIG. Any of these may be added.

[0311] Note that this embodiment mode can be implemented in appropriate combination with other embodiment modes.

[0312] (Embodiment 7) In this embodiment, in the display device, at least a part of the driver circuit and a pixel An example of fabricating a thin film transistor disposed in a portion will be described below.

[0313] An example of a block diagram of an active matrix display device, which is an example of a display device, is shown in FIG. 27(A) The display device shown in FIG. 27A has a plurality of pixels each having a display element over a substrate 5300. a pixel portion 5301 having a number of pixels, a scanning line driver circuit 5302 for selecting each pixel, and a scanning line driver circuit 5303 for driving the selected pixel. and a signal line driver circuit 5303 for controlling input of a video signal to the element.

[0314] FIG. 27 shows another example of a block diagram of an active matrix display device, which is an example of a display device. The display device shown in FIG. 27B is a pixel display device having a display element on a substrate 5400. a pixel portion 5401 having a plurality of pixels, a first scanning line driver circuit 5402 for selecting each pixel, and 2 scanning line driver circuit 5404 and a signal line for controlling the input of a video signal to a selected pixel The image forming apparatus has a driving circuit 5403.

[0315] When a video signal input to a pixel of the display device shown in FIG. 27(B) is in a digital format, The brightness of a pixel is controlled by switching a transistor on and off. For example, the display can be performed using area gray scale or time gray scale. The pixel is divided into multiple sub-pixels, and each sub-pixel is driven independently to display gradations. The time gray scale method is a driving method in which one frame period is divided into multiple sub-frame periods. By using a method such as The light emitting element is a liquid crystal element or the like. It has a higher response speed than the conventional LCD, making it suitable for time gray scale display.

[0316] The display device shown in FIG. 27(B) is a display device in which two switching TFTs are arranged in one pixel. In this case, the signal is input to the first scanning line, which is the gate wiring of one of the switching TFTs. A signal is generated by the first scanning line driving circuit 5402, and the gate wiring of the other switching TFT In this example, a signal input to the second scanning line is generated by a second scanning line driver circuit 5404. Note that one embodiment of the disclosed invention is not limited to this, and the signal input to the first scan line may be , and a signal input to the second scanning line are both generated by one scanning line driving circuit. Also, depending on the number of switching TFTs that one pixel has, The number of scan lines used to control the operation of the switching elements may increase, but this Even in this case, all signals input to multiple scanning lines are generated by a single scanning line driver circuit. Alternatively, the signals may be generated by a plurality of scanning line driving circuits.

[0317] The thin film transistors arranged in the pixel portion of the display device are formed according to the above embodiment. In addition, some or all of the thin film transistors used in the driver circuit can be replaced with thin film transistors in the pixel area. The transistors can be formed over the same substrate.

[0318] In addition, the peripheral driving circuits such as the protection circuit, gate driver, and source driver are made of transparent Therefore, it is not necessary to form a transistor having the following structure in the pixel portion: The peripheral driving circuit portion may be configured to not transmit light.

[0319] The thin film transistor is shown in Fig. 28. Fig. 28(A) shows a thin film transistor formed without using a multi-tone mask. 28(B) shows the case where a multi-tone mask is used. The left side shows the transistors in the operating circuit section, and the right side shows the transistors in the pixel section.

[0320] When forming the thin film transistors of the driving circuit section without using a multi-tone mask, the gate When the conductive layer 132a functioning as a line is formed, the conductive layer 28 functioning as a gate electrode is formed. When forming the conductive layer 112 that functions as a source wiring, Conductive layers 2802a and 2802b that function as a gate electrode or drain electrode are formed (see FIG. 28(A), see Figure 1, etc.) In this case, the gate electrode of the transistor in the pixel section the conductive layer 126a functioning as a source electrode, the conductive layer 106a functioning as a drain electrode, Although it is not necessary to provide a layer corresponding to the conductive layer 106b that functions as a The pattern is not limited to this. ) may be formed integrally. In this specification, the distinction between wiring and electrodes is made for convenience. Therefore, if structurally possible, the wiring and electrodes may be formed integrally or separately. It is okay to do so.

[0321] When the above thin film transistor is formed using a multi-tone mask, the wiring or electrode is A conductive layer formed using a light-transmitting material and a conductive layer formed using a low-resistance material For example, the gate electrode is a conductive film formed using a light-transmitting material. The conductive layer 2810 and the conductive layer 2812 formed using a low resistance material are laminated together (see FIG. 28(B)). The source electrode or the drain electrode is made of a light-transmitting material. and a conductive layer 2814a (or a conductive layer 2814b) formed using a low-resistance material. The conductive layer 2816a (or the conductive layer 2816b) is laminated to the conductive layer 2816a (or the conductive layer 2816b) (FIG. 28(B)). In addition, since low-resistance materials often have light-shielding properties, the thin-film transistors formed However, if the light transmittance is less than 10%, the film will have complete light blocking properties. There is no need to do so.

[0322] In this way, by forming thin film transistors with a structure that does not transmit light in the peripheral circuit area, This reduces the resistance caused by the electrodes, etc., and improves the characteristics of the thin film transistor. This allows for a semiconductor device that improves the aperture ratio in the pixel area while also improving the performance of the peripheral circuits. In other words, the problem of improving the characteristics of a semiconductor device can be solved. It is possible.

[0323] This embodiment mode can be implemented in appropriate combination with other embodiment modes.

[0324] (Embodiment 8) The semiconductor device can be used as electronic paper. For example, electronic paper can be used in a variety of electronic devices. Sub-books (e-books), posters, in-car advertisements on trains and other vehicles, credit cards, etc. It can be applied to the display portion of various cards. An example of an electronic device is shown in Fig. 29. Shown in 30.

[0325] FIG. 29(A) shows a poster 2631 made of electronic paper. When printed materials are used, the advertisements are replaced manually, but when electronic paper is used, The display of the advertisement can be changed in a short time. Also, the display is stable without any distortion. The poster may be configured to be capable of transmitting and receiving information wirelessly.

[0326] FIG. 29(B) shows an advertisement 2632 inside a vehicle such as a train. When using printed paper, advertisements are exchanged manually, but with electronic paper, This allows you to change the display of your advertisements in a short time without requiring a lot of manpower. The poster is designed to be able to send and receive information wirelessly. It may also be possible to use the following.

[0327] 30 shows an example of an electronic book 2700. For example, the electronic book 2700 includes: It consists of two housings, housing 2701 and housing 2703. The body 2703 is integrated with a shaft 2711, and the opening and closing movement is performed around the shaft 2711. This configuration allows the device to operate like a paper book. This becomes:

[0328] A display unit 2705 is incorporated in the housing 2701, and a display unit 2707 is incorporated in the housing 2703. The display unit 2705 and the display unit 2707 are configured to display a continuous screen. Alternatively, a different screen may be displayed. For example, a sentence is displayed on the right display unit (display unit 2705 in FIG. 30) and An image can be displayed on the display unit 2707 in FIG.

[0329] 30 shows an example in which the housing 2701 is provided with an operation unit. 701 includes a power supply 2721, operation keys 2723, a speaker 2725, etc. The operation keys 2723 can be used to turn pages. It may also be configured to include a touch panel, a pointing device, etc. On the side, there are external connection terminals (earphone terminal, USB terminal, or AC adapter and USB A configuration including a terminal that can be connected to various cables, a recording medium insertion section, etc. Furthermore, the electronic book 2700 may be configured to have the function of an electronic dictionary. That's fine.

[0330] The electronic book 2700 may also be configured to be able to send and receive information wirelessly. The desired book data can be purchased and downloaded from the e-book server. is also possible.

[0331] This embodiment mode can be implemented in appropriate combination with other embodiment modes.

[0332] (Embodiment 9) In this embodiment, a pixel configuration and pixel operation applicable to a liquid crystal display device will be described. In this embodiment, the liquid crystal element operates in a twisted twist (TN) mode. ed Nematic mode, IPS (In-Plane-Switching) mode Mode, FFS (Fringe Field Switching) mode, MVA (Multiple ti-domain Vertical Alignment) mode, PVA(Pat terned Vertical Alignment) mode, ASM (Axiall y Symmetric aligned Micro-cell) mode, OCB(O (Ptically Compensated Birefringence) mode, F LC (Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal) mode, AFLC (AntiFerroelectric Liquid Crystal) It is possible.

[0333] FIG. 40A is a diagram showing an example of a pixel configuration that can be applied to a liquid crystal display device. The pixel 5080 includes a transistor 5081, a liquid crystal element 5082, and a capacitor 5083. The gate of the transistor 5081 is electrically connected to a wiring 5085. The first terminal of the transistor 5081 is electrically connected to a wiring 5084. The first terminal of the liquid crystal element 5082 is electrically connected to the wiring. The first terminal of the capacitor 5083 is electrically connected to the first terminal of the liquid crystal element 5082. The second terminal of the capacitor 5083 is electrically connected to the wiring 5086. The first terminal of a transistor is either the source or the drain. The second terminal of the transistor is the other of the source and drain. If the first terminal of the transistor is the source, then the second terminal of the transistor is the drain. Similarly, if the first terminal of the transistor is the drain, then the second terminal of the transistor is is the source.

[0334] The wiring 5084 can function as a signal line. The signal line is input from outside the pixel. The wiring 5085 is a wiring for transmitting the signal voltage to the pixel 5080. The scan line is used to control the on / off of the transistor 5081. The wiring 5086 can function as a capacitance line. This is a wiring for applying a predetermined voltage to the second terminal of the transistor 5083. The capacitor 5083 can function as a storage capacitor. The storage capacitor can store the signal voltage even when the switch is off. The wiring 5087 is a capacitor element for keeping the voltage applied to the capacitor 082. The counter electrode applies a predetermined voltage to the second terminal of the liquid crystal element 5082. The functions that each wiring can have are not limited to these. For example, by changing the voltage applied to the capacitance line, The voltage applied to the liquid crystal element can also be adjusted. Since it is only necessary for the transistor 5081 to function as a P-channel type, the polarity of the transistor 5081 may be a P-channel type. Alternatively, it may be an N-channel type.

[0335] FIG. 40(B) is a diagram showing an example of a pixel configuration that can be applied to a liquid crystal display device. 40(A), the pixel configuration example shown in FIG. 40(B) is different from the pixel configuration example shown in FIG. 40(A) in that the wiring 5087 is omitted. The second terminal of the liquid crystal element 5082 and the second terminal of the capacitor element 5083 are electrically connected. The pixel configuration is the same as that shown in FIG. 40(A), except that the pixel is connected to the The pixel configuration example shown in FIG. 40(B) is particularly suitable for liquid crystal elements in a horizontal electric field mode (IP This is applicable when the liquid crystal element is horizontally shifted (including S mode and FFS mode). In the field mode, the second terminal of the liquid crystal element 5082 and the second terminal of the capacitor element 5083 are Since they can be formed on the same substrate, the second terminal of the liquid crystal element 5082 and the capacitor element 5 This is because it is easy to electrically connect the second terminal of the 083. By using the pixel configuration as shown, the wiring 5087 can be omitted, and the manufacturing process can be simplified. This allows the manufacturing cost to be reduced.

[0336] The pixel configuration shown in FIG. 40(A) or FIG. 40(B) is arranged in a matrix. In this way, a display section of a liquid crystal display device is formed, and various images can be displayed. FIG. 40(C) shows a pixel configuration in which a plurality of pixels shown in FIG. 40(A) are arranged in a matrix. The circuit configuration shown in FIG. 40(C) is a diagram showing a circuit configuration when the display unit has The figure shows four pixels extracted from the multiple pixels. j is a natural number), the pixel located at the The wiring 5084_i, wiring 5085_j, and wiring 5086_j are electrically connected to Similarly, for the pixel 5080_i+1,j, a wiring 5084_i+1 and a wiring 5085_j and the wiring 5086_j are electrically connected. For +1, wire 5084_i, wire 5085_j+1, wire 5086_j+1 and Similarly, for pixel 5080_i+1,j+1, the wiring 5084_ i+1, a wiring 5085_j+1, and a wiring 5086_j+1. A wiring can be shared by multiple pixels belonging to the same column or row. In the pixel configuration shown in 40(C), the wiring 5087 is a counter electrode, and the counter electrode is connected to all pixels. Since the elements are common, the notation for wiring 5087 using natural numbers i or j is It is also possible to use the pixel configuration shown in FIG. Therefore, even if the wiring 5087 is shown in the configuration, the wiring 5087 is not essential, and other wiring It can be omitted by being shared with a line, etc.

[0337] The pixel configuration shown in FIG. 40(C) can be driven in various ways. The liquid crystal display is driven by a method called current driving, which prevents deterioration of the liquid crystal element (burn-in). FIG. 40(D) ​​shows the state where dot inversion driving, which is one of AC driving, is performed. When the timing of the voltage applied to each wiring in the pixel configuration shown in FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a dot inversion driving method and a dot inversion driving method. This can suppress the flicker that is visible when the display is turned on.

[0338] In the pixel configuration shown in FIG. 40C, the pixel The switch in the jth gate selection period is in the selected state (on state) during one frame period. In the other periods, it is in the non-selected state (off state). After the j+1 gate selection period, the j+1 gate selection period is provided. In this way, sequential scanning is performed. As a result, all pixels are selected in sequence within one frame period. In the timing chart, when the voltage is in a high state (high level), The switch is in the selected state, and when the voltage is low (low level), it is in the unselected state. This is the case when the transistor in each pixel is an N-channel type, and when it is a P-channel type When a transistor of this type is used, the relationship between voltage and selection state is different from that of the N-channel type. The opposite is true.

[0339] In the timing chart shown in FIG. 40(D), the jth signal in the kth frame (k is a natural number) During the gate selection period, a positive signal voltage is applied to the wiring 5084_i used as a signal line. A negative signal voltage is applied to the wiring 5084_i+1. In the j+1-th gate selection period, a negative signal voltage is applied to the wiring 5084_i, and the wiring 5 A positive signal voltage is applied to 084_i+1. After that, each signal line As a result, in the kth frame, A positive signal voltage is applied to the pixel 5080_i,j, and a negative signal voltage is applied to the pixel 5080_i+1,j. A negative signal voltage is applied to the pixel 5080_i,j+1, and a positive signal voltage is applied to the pixel 5080_i+1,j+1. Then, in the k+1-th frame, the signal voltages are added as follows: In each pixel, a signal of the opposite polarity to the signal voltage written in the k-th frame is written. As a result, in the k+1th frame, the pixel 5080_i,j A negative signal voltage is applied to pixel 5080_i+1,j, a positive signal voltage is applied to pixel 5080_i,j A positive signal voltage is applied to pixel +1, and a negative signal voltage is applied to pixel 5080_i+1,j+1. In this way, adjacent pixels in the same frame have different polarities. A signal voltage of a certain value is applied to each pixel, and a signal voltage The dot inversion driving method is a driving method in which the polarity of the liquid crystal is inverted. This is visible when the entire or part of the displayed image is uniform while suppressing deterioration of the element. Flicker can be reduced. The voltage applied to all the wirings 5086 including the wirings 5086 can be set to a constant voltage. The timing chart for line 5084 only shows the polarity of the signal voltage. In this case, various signal voltage values ​​can be used for the displayed polarity. Although the polarity is inverted for each pixel, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the polarity of the signal voltage written every two gate selection periods can be reversed. By reversing the polarity, it is possible to reduce the power consumption required to write the signal voltage. In addition, it is possible to invert the polarity for each column (source line inversion) or for each row. It is also possible to invert the polarity (gate line inversion).

[0340] The second terminal of the capacitor 5083 in the pixel 5080 is connected to a capacitor in one frame period. A constant voltage is sufficient. The voltage applied is low for most of the frame period, and a nearly constant voltage is applied. Therefore, the second terminal of the capacitor element 5083 in the pixel 5080 is connected to the wiring 5 085. FIG. 40(E) is a diagram showing an example of a pixel configuration that can be applied to a liquid crystal display device. The pixel configuration shown in FIG. 40(E) has a wiring configuration different from that shown in FIG. 40(C). 5086 is omitted, and the second terminal of the capacitance element 5083 in the pixel 5080 and the The wiring 5085 in the row is electrically connected. In the range shown in FIG. 40(E), the pixel 5080_i,j+1 and the pixel The second terminal of the capacitance element 5083 in 5080_i+1,j+1 is connected to the wiring 5085_j. In this way, the second terminal of the capacitor element 5083 in the pixel 5080 and the By electrically connecting the wiring 5085 in the previous row, the wiring 5086 is omitted. Since the second terminal of the capacitor 5083 can be connected to the The destination may be the wiring 5085 in another row, not just the wiring 5085 in the previous row. The driving method of the pixel configuration shown in FIG. 40(E) is the same as that of the pixel configuration shown in FIG. 40(C). The same method of movement can be used.

[0341] The capacitor 5083 and the wiring electrically connected to the second terminal of the capacitor 5083 are By using this, it is possible to reduce the voltage applied to the wiring 5084 used as a signal line. The pixel configuration and driving method in this case will be explained using Figures 40(F) and 40(G). The pixel configuration shown in FIG. 40(F) has a wiring 5 086 are provided as two per pixel column, and the second The feature of this method is that the electrical connection to the terminals is made alternately between adjacent pixels. The two wires 5086 are referred to as wire 5086-1 and wire 5086-2, respectively. Specifically, in the range shown in FIG. 40(F), pixel 5080_i , j, the second terminal of the capacitance element 5083 is electrically connected to the wiring 5086-1_j. The second terminal of the capacitor 5083 in the pixel 5080_i+1,j is connected to the wiring 5086-2 _j, and the second terminal of the capacitance element 5083 in the pixel 5080_i,j+1 The pixel is electrically connected to the wiring 5086-2_j+1 and is connected to the pixel 5080_i+1,j+1. A second terminal of the capacitor 5083 in the .

[0342] For example, as shown in FIG. 40(G), in the k-th frame, pixel 5080_i, When a signal voltage of positive polarity is written to j, the wiring 5086-1_j is connected to the j-th gate selection period, and changes to high level after the jth gate selection period ends. Then, it maintains a high level for one frame period, and After a signal voltage of negative polarity is written during the j-th gate selection period, the signal voltage is changed to a low level. In this way, after a signal voltage of positive polarity is written to the pixel, the second By changing the voltage of the wiring electrically connected to the terminal in the positive direction, the voltage applied to the liquid crystal element The voltage written to the pixel can be changed by a predetermined amount in the positive direction. The power consumption required for signal writing can be reduced because the signal voltage can be reduced. In addition, when a signal voltage of negative polarity is written in the j-th gate selection period, After a signal voltage of negative polarity is written to the pixel, the second terminal of the capacitor 5083 is electrically connected to the By changing the voltage of the wiring connected to the liquid crystal element in the negative direction, the voltage applied to the liquid crystal element The negative polarity can be changed by a predetermined amount, so that the pixel That is, the signal voltage to be written can be reduced. The electrically connected wiring is connected to the same row of the same frame when a positive polarity signal voltage is applied. The pixels to which a negative signal voltage is applied have different wiring. FIG. 40(F) shows a case where a signal voltage of positive polarity is written in the k-th frame. A wiring 5086-1 is electrically connected to the pixel, and a signal voltage of negative polarity is applied in the k-th frame. In this example, the wiring 5086-2 is electrically connected to the pixel to which the voltage is written. This is just an example. For example, a pixel to which a signal voltage of a positive polarity is written and a pixel to which a signal voltage of a negative polarity is written may be In the case of a driving method in which pixels to which light is written appear every two pixels, the wiring 5086-1 and The electrical connection of the wiring 5086-2 is also performed alternately every two pixels. Furthermore, it is preferable that signal voltages of the same polarity are written to all pixels in one row (gain In this case, one wiring 5086 per row is sufficient. That is, even in the pixel configuration shown in FIG. 40(C), the same applies as in FIG. 40(F) and FIG. 40(G). As explained above, a driving method for reducing the signal voltage written to the pixel can be used. do.

[0343] Next, the liquid crystal element is a vertical alignment (VA) liquid crystal display, typically an MVA mode or a PVA mode. This section describes a pixel configuration and driving method that are particularly preferable for the VA mode. The LCD panel has many advantages, such as no rubbing process required during manufacturing, minimal light leakage during black display, and low driving voltage. However, the image quality deteriorates when the screen is viewed from an angle (narrow viewing angle). In order to widen the viewing angle in the VA mode, the following problems are encountered: As shown in (B), a pixel configuration having multiple sub-pixels in one pixel is used. In the pixel configuration shown in FIG. 41(A) and FIG. 41(B), the pixel 5080 is 5 shows an example of a case where two sub-pixels (sub-pixel 5080-1 and sub-pixel 5080-2) are included. The number of sub-pixels in one pixel is not limited to two, and various numbers of sub-pixels can be used. The larger the number of sub-pixels, the wider the viewing angle can be. The sub-pixels can have the same circuit configuration as each other. The circuit configuration of the first subpixel 5080-1 is the same as that shown in A). A device having a transistor 5081-1, a liquid crystal element 5082-1, and a capacitor element 5083-1 The connections between the various components are in accordance with the circuit configuration shown in FIG. The second subpixel 5080-2 includes a transistor 5081-2, a liquid crystal element 5082-2, a capacitor The connection relationship of each element is the circuit configuration shown in FIG. 40(A). shall be in accordance with the following.

[0344] The pixel configuration shown in FIG. 41(A) is a configuration in which two sub-pixels constituting one pixel are used as scanning lines. There are two wires 5085 (wire 5085-1 and wire 5085-2) that are used as signal lines. 5084 is used as a capacitor line, and one wiring 5086 is used as a capacitor line. In this way, by sharing the signal line and the capacitance line between two sub-pixels, The throughput can be improved and the signal line driver circuit can be simplified. This reduces manufacturing costs and the number of connections between the LCD panel and the driver circuit IC. The pixel configuration shown in FIG. 41(B) is a pixel configuration in which two sub-pixels make up one pixel. For each pixel, there is one wiring 5085 used as a scanning line, and one wiring 50 The wiring 5084 has two wirings 5084 (wiring 5084-1 and wiring 5084-2) and is used as a capacitance line. In this way, the scanning lines and the capacitance lines are connected to two sub-pixels. By sharing the same element, the aperture ratio can be improved, and the total number of scanning lines can be reduced. This allows for a sufficient gate line selection period even in high-resolution LCD panels. This allows the appropriate signal voltage to be written to each pixel.

[0345] 41(C) and 41(D) show the pixel configuration shown in FIG. 41(B) in which the liquid crystal element is This is an example in which the electrical connection state of each element is represented in a schematic manner by replacing it with the shape of a pixel electrode. In FIG. 41(C) and FIG. 41(D), the electrode 5088-1 represents the first pixel electrode, The electrode 5088-2 represents the second pixel electrode. The electrode 5088-1 corresponds to the first terminal of the liquid crystal element 5082-1 ​​in FIG. 41(B). The second pixel electrode 5088-2 corresponds to the first terminal of the liquid crystal element 5082-2 in FIG. 41(B). That is, the first pixel electrode 5088-1 corresponds to the source of the transistor 5081-1. or one of the drains, and the second pixel electrode 5088-2 is electrically connected to the transistor 5081-2 is electrically connected to either the source or drain of the transistor 5081-2. In this case, the connection relationship between the pixel electrode and the transistor is reversed. 088-1 is electrically connected to either the source or drain of the transistor 5081-2. The second pixel electrode 5088-2 is connected to the source or drain of the transistor 5081-1. It is assumed that the terminals are electrically connected to one of the terminals.

[0346] The pixel configurations shown in FIG. 41(C) and FIG. 41(D) are arranged alternately in a matrix. By doing so, a special effect can be obtained. An example is shown in Figure 41(E) and Figure 41(F). The pixel configuration shown in Figure 41(E) is The part corresponding to pixel 5080_i,j and pixel 5080_i+1,j+1 is shown in FIG. The configuration shown in FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a pixel 5080_i+1,j and a pixel 5080_i,j+1. In this configuration, the part shown in FIG. When driven as shown in the timing chart, during the jth gate selection period of the kth frame, The first pixel electrode of the pixel 5080_i,j and the second pixel electrode of the pixel 5080_i+1,j A signal voltage of positive polarity is written, and the second pixel electrode of the pixel 5080_i,j and the pixel 50 A signal voltage of negative polarity is written to the first pixel electrode of 80_i+1,j. In the j+1-th gate selection period of the frame, the second pixel electrode and and a signal voltage of positive polarity is written to the first pixel electrode of the pixel 5080_i+1,j+1, The first pixel electrode of the pixel 5080_i,j+1 and the second pixel electrode of the pixel 5080_i+1,j+1 In the (k+1)th frame, a signal voltage of negative polarity is written to each pixel. By doing so, the polarity of the signal voltage is inverted in the pixel configuration including the sub-pixel. This realizes a drive equivalent to dot inversion drive, while changing the polarity of the voltage applied to the signal line by one frame. Since the same voltage can be used within a period, the power consumption required for writing the signal voltage to the pixel can be reduced. The force can be significantly reduced. The voltage applied to all wirings 5086 including the wiring 5086 can be a constant voltage.

[0347] Furthermore, by using the pixel configuration and driving method shown in FIG. 41(G) and FIG. 41(H), The magnitude of the signal voltage written to the pixel can be reduced. The capacitance lines electrically connected to the plurality of sub-pixels of the pixel are different for each sub-pixel. That is, the pixel configuration and driving method shown in FIG. 41(G) and FIG. 41(H) Therefore, for sub-pixels to which the same polarity is written in the same frame, the capacitances in the same row are For sub-pixels that share a common line and have different polarities written in the same frame, Then, when writing to each row is completed, The voltage of the positive polarity signal voltage is written to the sub-pixel in the positive direction, and the voltage of the negative polarity signal voltage is written to the By changing the signal voltage written to the pixel in the negative direction, Specifically, the wiring 5086 used as the capacitance line is There are two lines (wiring 5086-1 and wiring 5086-2), and the first pixel of pixel 5080_i,j The electrode and the wiring 5086-1_j are electrically connected via a capacitor, and the pixel 5080 The second pixel electrode of pixel _i,j is electrically connected to the wiring 5086-2_j via a capacitance element. The first pixel electrode of the pixel 5080_i+1,j and the wiring 5086-2_j form a capacitance element. The second pixel electrode of the pixel 5080_i+1,j is electrically connected to the wiring 508 6-1_j is electrically connected to the first pixel 5080_i,j+1 through a capacitance element. The pixel electrode and the wiring 5086-2_j+1 are electrically connected via a capacitance element, and the pixel The second pixel electrode 5080_i,j+1 and the wiring 5086-1_j+1 are connected via a capacitance element. The first pixel electrode of the pixel 5080_i+1,j+1 and the wiring 5086 are electrically connected to each other. -1_j+1 are electrically connected to the pixel 5080_i+1,j+1 via a capacitance element. The second pixel electrode and the wiring 5086-2_j+1 are electrically connected via a capacitor element. However, this is just an example. For example, if a pixel is written with a positive signal voltage and a pixel is written with a negative signal voltage, In the case of a driving method in which a pixel to which a signal voltage of the same polarity is written appears every two pixels, wiring 5 The electrical connections of 086-1 and wiring 5086-2 are also made alternately every two pixels. Furthermore, it is preferable that signal voltages of the same polarity are written to all pixels in one row. In this case, the wiring 5086 is connected to one row. In other words, even in the pixel configuration shown in FIG. 41(E), the same applies as in FIG. 41(G) and FIG. As explained using 41(H), a driving method for reducing the signal voltage written to the pixel is used. You can be there.

[0348] (Embodiment 10) Next, another example of the configuration of the display device and a method of driving the same will be described. In this case, a display device using a display element with a slow response time (long response time) in brightness to signal writing is used. In this embodiment, a liquid crystal display (LCD) is used as a display element with a long response time. However, the display element in this embodiment is not limited to this, and may be any suitable element. Various display elements can be used that have a slow response of brightness to interference.

[0349] In the case of a general liquid crystal display device, the response of brightness to signal writing is slow, and the signal current is not applied to the liquid crystal element. Even if pressure is applied continuously, it may take more than one frame period for the response to complete. Even if a moving image is displayed on such a display device, it is not possible to faithfully reproduce the moving image. Furthermore, in the case of active matrix driving, the time required to write a signal to one liquid crystal element is Usually, the signal writing period (one frame period or one sub-frame period) is divided by the number of scanning lines. The time it takes to select a scan line is only a short time (one scan line selection period), and the liquid crystal element cannot respond within this short time. Therefore, most of the response of the liquid crystal element occurs during the period when no signal is written. Here, the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal element changes according to the transmittance of the liquid crystal element. However, the fact that the liquid crystal element responds during the period when no signal is written means that the liquid crystal element The dielectric constant of the liquid crystal element changes when there is no charge exchange with the outside (constant charge state). In other words, in the equation (charge) = (capacity) · (voltage), when the charge is constant, The capacitance changes depending on the voltage applied to the liquid crystal element. Therefore, the voltage at the time of signal writing changes. When a liquid crystal element with slow brightness response is driven by an active matrix, In principle, the voltage cannot reach the voltage at the time of signal writing.

[0350] The display device of this embodiment is configured to make the display element respond to a desired luminance within a signal writing period. In order to achieve this, the signal level at the time of signal writing is corrected in advance (correction signal). Furthermore, the response time of the liquid crystal element is increased as the signal level increases. The larger the value, the shorter the response time of the liquid crystal element. This type of driving method that adds a correction signal is also called overdrive. In the overdrive of this embodiment, the signal writing period is input to the display device. The period of the input image signal (input image signal period T in ), even if the signal writing period is shorter than By correcting the signal level according to the period, the display element can be displayed at the desired brightness within the signal writing period. The signal writing period is equal to the input image signal period T in In cases where For example, the case where one original image is divided into multiple sub-images and the multiple sub-images are combined into one frame is called the case where one original image is divided into multiple sub-images and the multiple sub-images are combined into one frame. For example, the images may be displayed sequentially within a certain period.

[0351] Next, a method for correcting a signal level when writing a signal in an active matrix drive display device is described. An example of the method will be described with reference to Figures 42(A) and (B). Figure 42(A) shows The horizontal axis represents time and the vertical axis represents the signal level at the time of signal writing. 42(B) is a graph showing a time change in the signal level when the signal is being input. The vertical axis is the time and the vertical axis is the display level, and the change in the display level of one display element over time is shown as a graph. In addition, when the display element is a liquid crystal element, the signal level at the time of signal writing is The voltage can be used as the voltage and the display level as the transmittance of the liquid crystal element. ) is the voltage, and the vertical axis of FIG. 42(B) is the transmittance. Overdrive in this state is when the signal level is something other than voltage (duty ratio, current, etc.). Incidentally, the overdrive in this embodiment includes a case where the display level is higher than the transmittance. This also includes cases where the voltage is outside the range (brightness, current, etc.). Normally black type (e.g. VA mode, IPS mode, etc.) and when the voltage is 0 There are also normally white types (e.g. TN mode, OCB mode, etc.) that display white in the display area. The graph shown in 42(B) corresponds to both types, and in the case of the normally black type, the graph The transmittance increases as you move up the graph, and in the case of a normally white type, That is, the liquid crystal display device of this embodiment has a liquid crystal display panel with a larger transmittance. The display may be of a normally black type or a normally white type. The timing of signal writing is indicated by dotted lines on the axis, and the timing of the next signal writing is indicated by dotted lines. The period until writing is performed is called the retention period F i In this embodiment, , i is an integer and is an index representing each retention period. In (B), i is shown as 0 to 2, but other integers are also acceptable. (Values ​​other than 0 to 2 are not shown). i In this case, the image signal The transmittance that realizes the brightness corresponding to the signal is T i In the steady state, the transmittance T i Give electricity Pressure V i The broken line 5101 in FIG. 42(A) indicates that no overdrive is performed. The solid line 5102 represents the change over time of the voltage applied to the liquid crystal element in this embodiment. This shows the time change of the voltage applied to the liquid crystal element when overdriving. The dashed line 5103 in FIG. 42(B) represents the transmittance of the liquid crystal element when no overdrive is performed. The solid line 5104 represents the change over time when overdrive is performed in this embodiment. The graph shows the time change in the transmittance of the liquid crystal element. i At the end of Transmittance T i The difference between the actual transmittance and the measured transmittance is called the error α i It will be written as follows.

[0352] In the graph shown in FIG. 42(A), the dashed line 5101 and the solid line 510 2, the desired voltage V0 is applied, and in the graph shown in FIG. 42(B), the dashed line It is assumed that the desired transmittance T0 is obtained for both 5103 and solid line 5104. If no overdrive is performed, as shown by the dashed line 5101, The desired voltage V1 is applied to the liquid crystal element, but as already mentioned, during the period when the signal is written is extremely short compared to the retention period, and most of the retention period is in a constant charge state, During the hold period, the voltage applied to the liquid crystal element changes along with the change in transmittance. At the end of F1, the voltage becomes significantly different from the desired voltage V1. The dashed line 5103 in the graph shown in FIG. 42(B) also differs greatly from the desired transmittance T1. As a result, it is not possible to display the image faithfully to the image signal, and the image quality deteriorates. On the other hand, when the overdrive of this embodiment is performed, the solid line 510 As shown in FIG. 2, at the beginning of the hold period F1, a voltage V1' that is larger than the desired voltage V1 is applied. In other words, the voltage is gradually applied to the liquid crystal element during the hold period F1. In anticipation of this change in voltage, the voltage applied to the liquid crystal element at the end of the hold period F1 is At the beginning of the hold period F1, the desired voltage V1 is set to a value close to the desired voltage V1. By applying the corrected voltage V1' to the liquid crystal element, the desired voltage V1 can be accurately applied to the liquid crystal element. In this case, the solid line 5104 in the graph shown in FIG. As shown in Fig. 1, the desired transmittance T1 is obtained at the end of the holding period F1. Although the charge state is constant for most of the duration, Next, in the holding period F2, the desired voltage V2 is V1. In this case, as in the case of the retention period F1, At the end of the hold period F2, the voltage applied to the liquid crystal element is gradually changed. At the beginning of the hold period F2, the voltage applied to the liquid crystal element is set to a voltage close to the desired voltage V2. In this case, a voltage V2' corrected from the desired voltage V2 is applied to the liquid crystal element. As a result, as shown by the solid line 5104 in the graph of FIG. 42(B), At the end of the period, the desired transmittance T2 is obtained. i V i- If it is larger than 1, the corrected voltage V i ´ is the desired voltage V i be larger than Furthermore, as in the holding period F2, V i V i-1 Compared to If all voltages are small, the corrected voltage V i ´ is the desired voltage V i To be smaller than It is preferable that the correction value is determined in advance based on the response characteristics of the liquid crystal element. The method of implementing it in the device is to formulate a correction formula. and incorporate the correction values ​​into the logic circuit. and reads out the correction value as needed.

[0353] When the overdrive in this embodiment is actually realized as a device, There are various constraints. For example, voltage correction must be performed within the rated voltage range of the source driver. That is, the desired voltage must be large enough to be an ideal correction voltage. If the voltage exceeds the rated voltage of the source driver, the correction will not be possible. The problem in such a case will be explained with reference to Figures 42(C) and (D). C) is the same as in Figure 42(A), with the horizontal axis being time and the vertical axis being voltage, and 42(D) is a graph showing the time change of the voltage in the As in FIG. 42(B), the horizontal axis is time and the vertical axis is transmittance. This is a graph in which the time change in transmittance is schematically shown as a solid line 5106. The notation method is the same as in Figures 42(A) and (B), so the explanation will be omitted. (C) and (D) are correction voltages for achieving a desired transmittance T1 during the hold period F1. Since the voltage V1' exceeds the rated voltage of the source driver, V1' must be set to V1. This indicates that the correction is insufficient. The transmittance obtained will be a value that differs from the desired transmittance T1 by an error α1. The error α1 is large only when the desired voltage is originally large. However, the image quality degradation caused by the error α1 is often within the acceptable range. As the voltage becomes larger, the error in the voltage correction algorithm also becomes larger. In the voltage correction algorithm, it is assumed that the desired transmittance is obtained at the end of the hold period. When the error α1 is set, the error α1 is actually large, but the error α1 is small. Since the voltage is corrected as As a result, the error α2 also becomes larger. Furthermore, if the error α2 becomes larger, The next error, α3, becomes even larger, and so on, causing the error to grow in a chain reaction. As a result, the image quality deteriorates significantly. In drives, in order to prevent errors from increasing in a chain reaction like this, , retention period F i At the correction voltage V i When ´ exceeds the rated voltage of the source driver, Period F i The error α at the end of i and estimate the error α i Considering the size of F i+1 This allows us to adjust the correction voltage at i It has become bigger However, the error α i+1 This minimizes the impact on In the overdrive of this embodiment, An example of minimizing the error α2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 42(E) and (F). The graph shown in FIG. 42(E) is a further example of the correction voltage V2' in the graph shown in FIG. 42(C). The time change of the voltage when the correction voltage is V2'' is shown as a solid line 5107. The graph shown in FIG. 42(F) shows the voltage after correction by the graph shown in FIG. 42(E). The solid line 51 in the graph shown in FIG. In 06, over-correction (correction in a situation where the error is large) occurs due to the correction voltage V2'. However, in the solid line 5108 in the graph shown in FIG. 42(F), the error α1 is taken into consideration. The adjusted correction voltage V2'' prevents overcorrection and minimizes the error α2. The specific correction value can be derived by measuring the response characteristics of the liquid crystal element in advance. As a method for implementing it in a device, a correction formula is formulated and incorporated into a logic circuit. The correction values ​​are stored in memory as a lookup table and can be read as needed. These methods can be used to calculate the correction voltage V i Calculate ´ or adding a compensation voltage V i can be incorporated into the part that calculates In addition, the error α i―1 The correction voltage V is adjusted to take into account i The correction amount (desired voltage V i The difference between i It is preferable that the correction amount is smaller than that of |V'. i ´´-V i |<|V i ´-V i It is preferable to use |.

[0354] Note that the error α i The shorter the signal writing period, the larger the The response time of the element must also be short, which results in a larger compensation voltage being required. Furthermore, the required correction voltage is increased, resulting in the correction voltage being The frequency of exceeding the rated voltage of i The frequency of occurrence is also high. Therefore, the overdrive in this embodiment is effective when the signal writing period is short. Specifically, it is possible to divide an original image into multiple sub-images and When the plurality of sub-images are displayed sequentially within one frame period, the image included in the plurality of images is A motion occurring in the image is detected, an intermediate image of the plurality of images is generated, and an intermediate image of the plurality of images is generated. When inserting and driving (so-called motion compensated double speed driving), or when combining these When the driving method such as the above is performed, the overdrive of this embodiment is used. This will have a significant effect.

[0355] In addition to the upper limit, the rated voltage of the source driver also has a lower limit. In this case, the voltage applied cannot be smaller than 0. Similarly, an ideal correction voltage cannot be applied, so the error α i It's getting bigger However, in this case, as in the above-mentioned method, the holding period F i At the end of The error α i and estimate the error α i Considering the magnitude of the holding period F i+1 Correction in The voltage can be adjusted. Note that the rated voltage of the source driver is set to a value less than 0. If a large voltage (negative voltage) can be applied, a negative voltage can be applied to the liquid crystal element as a correction voltage. In this way, the holding period F i At the end of the i It can be adjusted to a voltage close to do.

[0356] To prevent deterioration of the liquid crystal element, the polarity of the voltage applied to the liquid crystal element is periodically reversed. In other words, so-called inversion driving can be performed in combination with overdriving. That is, the overdrive in this embodiment includes the case where it is performed simultaneously with the inversion drive. For example, if the signal writing period is equal to the input image signal period T in If the polarity is 1 / 2 of and the input image signal period T in If the polarity of the signal is about the same as that of the signal written in the positive polarity, In this way, the polarity of the signal is reversed. By making the period of charge and discharge longer than the signal writing period, the frequency of pixel charging and discharging can be reduced. Power consumption can be reduced. However, if the polarity reversal period is too long, the difference in polarity The difference in brightness caused by the polarity of the The period is the input image signal period T in It is preferable that the length is equal to or shorter than the length.

[0357] (Embodiment 11) Next, another example of the configuration of the display device and a method of driving the same will be described. In this case, an image that interpolates the movement of an image (input image) input from outside the display device is generated by multiple The image is generated inside the display device based on the input image, and the generated image (generated image) and the input The generated image is displayed by compensating for the movement of the input image. By creating an image that looks like it's moving between the two, you can make the movement of the video smoother, and This can improve the problem of video quality being reduced by afterimages caused by video drive. The display of moving images ideally involves changing the brightness of each pixel in real time. This is achieved by controlling the pixels in real time, but the real-time individual control of the pixels is The problem of the huge number of paths, the problem of wiring space, and the huge amount of input image data Therefore, it is difficult to realize the display of moving images on a display device. The display is made to look like a moving image by displaying multiple still images in sequence at a regular interval. This period (called the input image signal period in this embodiment, T in and For example, the NTSC standard is 1 / 60 seconds, and the PAL standard is 1 Even with this period, the CRT, which is an impulse type display device, shows no movement. However, there were no problems with the image display. If a video conforming to this standard is displayed as is, it may be displayed incorrectly due to afterimages caused by the fact that it is a hold type. This causes a problem called hold blur. Blurred images are caused by the inconsistency between the human eye's unconscious movement interpolation and the hold-type display. Since it is recognized by discrepancy, it is easier to recognize input image signals than conventional standards. This can be reduced by shortening the signal cycle (approaching real-time individual control of pixels). However, shortening the input image signal cycle will require changes to the standard and will also increase the amount of data. However, it is difficult to do this based on a standardized input image signal. An image that interpolates the movement of the input image is generated inside the display device, and the generated image By interpolating the input image and displaying it, it is possible to hold the image without changing the standard or increasing the amount of data. In this way, the image signal is generated inside the display device based on the input image signal. The process of interpolating the motion of the input image is called video interpolation.

[0358] The moving image interpolation method according to this embodiment can reduce the blurring of the moving image. The moving image interpolation method in the embodiment can be divided into an image generation method and an image display method. And, for specific patterns of movement, different image generation methods and / or image display methods are used. By using this method, motion blur can be effectively reduced. FIG. 10B is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a moving image interpolation method according to the present embodiment. In Figures 43(A) and (B), the horizontal axis represents time, and the horizontal position represents The part marked "Input" indicates the timing at which each image is handled. Here, the two images that are adjacent in time are The focus is on the image 5121 and the image 5122. The input image has a period T in Enter at intervals of In addition, the period T in The length of one frame is referred to as one frame period. The part marked "Generation" indicates the timing at which a new image is generated from the input image signal. Here, the generated image is based on the image 5121 and the image 5122. The part marked "display" indicates that the image is displayed on the display device. This shows the timing when the image is displayed. Although it is only indicated by a dashed line, by treating it in the same way as the image of interest, This is an example of a method for interpolating moving images in this form.

[0359] An example of a moving image interpolation method in this embodiment is shown in FIG. The generated image is generated based on two adjacent input images. By displaying the video in the gap between the two, it is possible to interpolate the video. Preferably, the display period of the display image is half the input period of the input image. However, the display period is not limited to this, and various display periods can be used. For example, the display period can be set to the input period By setting it shorter than half, you can display the video more smoothly. By making it longer than half the period, power consumption can be reduced. The image is generated based on two adjacent input images, but the number of input images is limited to two. For example, three (or more than three) temporally adjacent If you generate an image based on an input image (good), it will be easier than if you generate an image based on two input images. It is possible to obtain a generated image with high accuracy. The same time as the input timing of 5122, that is, the display timing relative to the input timing Although it is delayed by one frame, the display timing in the video interpolation method of this embodiment is The timing is not limited to this, and various display timings can be used. For example, You can delay the display timing by one or more frames. Therefore, the timing of displaying the generated image 5123 can be delayed, so the image 5 This allows for ample time for the generation of 123, and reduces power consumption and manufacturing costs. If the display timing is too slow relative to the input timing, the input This increases the time period for storing the force image, and increases the memory capacity required for storage. The display timing relative to the input timing should preferably be delayed by 1 to 2 frames. I wish.

[0360] Here, the specific image 5123 generated based on the image 5121 and the image 5122 is In order to interpolate the moving image, the motion of the input image is detected. In this embodiment, a block map is used to detect the motion of the input image. However, there are various methods that can be used without being limited to this. (Methods such as taking the difference between image data and using Fourier transform) can be used. In the block matching method, first, the image data of one input image (here, the image 5121) into a data storage means (semiconductor memory, RAM, or other storage circuit, etc.) Then, the image in the next frame (image 5122 in this example) is stored in memory. The divided areas are rectangular with the same shape, as shown in Figure 43(A). It can be, but is not limited to, various things (shape or size depending on the image) Then, for each divided area, the data stored in the data storage means can be The data is compared with the image data of the previous frame (here, the image data of image 5121). In the example of FIG. 43(A), the image 5122 has a similar image data. A region similar in data to the region 5124 in the image 5121 is searched for, and the region 512 6 is searched. When searching within image 5121, the search range is limited. In the example of FIG. 43(A), the search range is set to area 5124. The area 5125 is set to be about four times the area of ​​the By increasing the size, it is possible to improve the detection accuracy even in fast-moving videos. However, if the search is too broad, the search time will be enormous, and the detection of movement will be difficult. Therefore, the area of ​​the region 5125 is set to be about two to six times the area of ​​the region 5124. Then, the searched region 5126 and the region in the image 5122 are compared. The difference in position between the area 5124 and the area 5125 is calculated as a motion vector 5127. 7 represents the movement of image data in the region 5124 during one frame period. To generate an image that represents the intermediate state of motion, the direction of the motion vector is kept the same but the size is changed. A modified image generation vector 5128 is created, and the vector 5128 is included in the region 5126 in the image 5121. The image data is moved according to the image generation vector 5128 to generate the image 5123. This series of processes is called image 512 By performing this for all regions in 2, image 5123 can be generated. Then, by sequentially displaying the input image 5121, the generated image 5123, and the input image 5122, 5121 and 5122. The position is different (i.e., moving) in the image 5122, but the generated image 512 3 is the midpoint of the object in the image 5121 and the image 5122. By displaying an image, the movement of the video can be made smoother, and blurred video caused by afterimages etc. can be prevented. The clarity can be improved.

[0361] The size of the image generation vector 5128 is determined according to the display timing of the image 5123. In the example of FIG. 43(A), the display timing of the image 5123 can be determined. is set to the midpoint (1 / 2) of the display timing of image 5121 and image 5122. The size of the image generation vector 5128 is half that of the motion vector 5127. For example, if the display timing is 1 / 3, the size is set to 1 / 3 and the display time is set to If the timing is 2 / 3, the size can be set to 2 / 3.

[0362] In this way, multiple regions with various motion vectors can be moved to create a new image. When creating an image, it is necessary to consider whether there are overlapping areas within the destination area where other areas have already been moved, or whether there are any overlapping areas within the destination area. There may be some blank areas that are not moved from the area. As a method for correcting the overlapping portion, for example, the overlapping data can be corrected by Priority is assigned based on the average method, the direction of the motion vector, etc., and high-priority data is generated. The method of using the data in the generated image, color (or brightness) is given priority, but brightness (or For example, the average of the number of pixels (or color) can be used. The image data at the corresponding position of the image 5121 or 5122 is directly used as the data in the generated image. The method of taking the average of the image data at the position of the image 5121 or the image 5122 Then, the generated image 5123 can be used as an image generation method. By displaying the timing according to the size of the vector 5128, the movement of the video becomes smoother. Furthermore, the problem of image retention caused by hold drive can be eliminated. You can improve the problem.

[0363] Another example of the moving image interpolation method in this embodiment is a time interpolation method as shown in FIG. A generated image generated based on two input images that are adjacent to each other is generated based on the two input images. When displaying the images in the gaps between the displayed images, each image is further divided into multiple sub-images. By dividing the image into multiple images and displaying them, it is possible to interpolate moving images. In addition to the benefits of shorter time, dark images are periodically displayed (the display method is This also provides the advantage of the image display period being closer to the image input period. This reduces blurring of the video due to afterimages, etc., compared to when the length is only half the power cycle. In the example of Figure 43(B), the "input" and "generation" can be further improved. The same processing as in the example of 3(A) can be performed, so the explanation will be omitted. In the example, "display" means dividing one input image and / or generated image into multiple sub-images. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 43(B), the image 5121 can be displayed as By dividing the image into sub-images 5121a and 5121b and displaying them sequentially, the image appears to the human eye as 5121 is perceived as being displayed, and image 5123 is perceived as being displayed as sub-images 5123a and 512 By dividing the image into 3b and displaying them sequentially, the human eye perceives it as if image 5123 is displayed. The image 5122 is divided into sub-images 5122a and 5122b and displayed sequentially. The human eye perceives the image 5122 as being displayed. The image to be perceived is the same as the example in Figure 43(A), but the display method is impulse type. Since the image can be made closer to the original image, blurring of moving images due to afterimages and the like can be further improved. The number of divided sub-images is two in FIG. 43(B), but it is not limited to this and may be various. The timing at which the sub-image is displayed is as shown in Figure 43 (B ) are set at equal intervals (1 / 2), but it is not limited to this and various display timings can be used. For example, the dark sub-images (5121b, 5122b, 5123b) By speeding up the display timing (specifically, from 1 / 4 to 1 / 2), the display Since the method can be made closer to the impulse type, blurring of moving images due to afterimages etc. can be reduced. Or, you can delay the timing of displaying the dark sub-image (specifically, 1 / 2 to 3 / 4 of the time), the period during which the bright image is displayed can be extended. , the display efficiency can be improved and the power consumption can be reduced.

[0364] Another example of the video interpolation method according to the present embodiment is to detect the shape of an object moving in an image. This is an example in which different processing is performed depending on the shape of the moving object. indicates the timing of display, similar to the example in Figure 43(B), but the displayed content is , and moving text (also called scrolling text, subtitles, tickers, etc.) In addition, "input" and "generation" may be the same as in Figure 43(B). The blurring of moving images during hold driving is due to the nature of the moving object. This is especially noticeable when the characters are moving. This is because when reading moving text, your eyes inevitably follow the text, This is because hold blurring is likely to occur. Furthermore, characters should have clear outlines. This can further accentuate the blur caused by the hold blur. That is, it determines whether an object moving in the image is a character, and if so, performs further special processing. This is effective for reducing hold blur. Contour detection and / or pattern detection are performed on the object to determine whether the object is a character. If it is determined that there is a motion error, motion interpolation is performed even for sub-images divided from the same image. Therefore, the intermediate state of the movement can be displayed to make the movement smoother. If it is determined that the character is not a character, it is divided into two parts from the same image, as shown in Figure 43(B). If the sub-image is a moving object, the position of the moving object can be displayed without changing. In the example shown in Figure 1, the area 5131 that is determined to be a character is moving upward. However, the position of the region 5131 is different between the image 5121a and the image 5121b. The same applies to images 5123a and 5123b, and images 5122a and 5122b. This allows for the blurring of moving characters, which is particularly noticeable, to be reduced to the normal motion. This makes the movement even smoother than with the double speed drive, so it can reduce the problem of afterimages and other visual issues. The blur can be further improved.

[0365] (Embodiment 12) The semiconductor device can be applied to various electronic devices (including gaming machines). Examples of such devices include television sets (also called televisions or television receivers), Computer monitors, digital cameras, digital video cameras, digital photos Frame, mobile phone (also called mobile phone or mobile phone device), portable game machine, portable information Examples include terminals, audio playback devices, and large game machines such as pachinko machines.

[0366] FIG. 31(A) shows an example of a television device 9600. The display unit 9603 is incorporated in the housing 9601. In this case, the housing 9601 is supported by a stand 9605. This shows a configuration in which the above is supported.

[0367] The television device 9600 can be operated using an operation switch on the housing 9601 or a separate remote control. This can be done by the remote control operation device 9610. The channel and volume can be controlled by the 9609, and the information displayed on the display 9603 is In addition, the remote control operation device 9610 can operate the video. A display portion 9607 for displaying information output from 9610 may be provided.

[0368] The television device 9600 is configured to include a receiver, a modem, and the like. It can receive more general TV broadcasts and can also receive them via wired or wireless modems. By connecting to a communication network, it can be one-way (sender to receiver) or two-way. It is also possible to communicate information (between a sender and a receiver, or between receivers).

[0369] FIG. 31(B) shows an example of a digital photo frame 9700. For example, The photo frame 9700 has a display unit 9703 built into a housing 9701. The unit 9703 is capable of displaying various images, for example, images taken with a digital camera. By displaying the image data, it can function like a normal photo frame.

[0370] The Digital Photo Frame 9700 has an operation panel, external connection terminals (USB terminal, US A terminal that can be connected to various cables such as B cable, etc., and a recording medium insertion section. These components may be incorporated on the same surface as the display unit, but they may be incorporated on the side or back. It is preferable to have a recording medium for a digital photo frame as it improves the design. A memory that stores image data taken with a digital camera is inserted into the body insertion section. The image data can be captured and the captured image data can be displayed on the display portion 9703 .

[0371] The digital photo frame 9700 may also be configured to be capable of transmitting and receiving information wirelessly. It is also possible to configure the device so that desired image data can be wirelessly acquired and displayed.

[0372] FIG. 32(A) shows a portable gaming machine, which is composed of two cabinets, a cabinet 9881 and a cabinet 9891. The housing 9881 is connected to a connector 9893 so as to be openable and closable. A display unit 9883 is incorporated in the housing 9891. The portable gaming machine shown in 32(A) also includes a speaker unit 9884, a recording medium insertion unit 988 6, LED lamp 9890, input means (operation key 9885, connection terminal 9887, sensor 9 888 (force, displacement, position, velocity, acceleration, angular velocity, rotation speed, distance, light, liquid, magnetism, temperature, Chemical substances, sound, time, hardness, electric field, current, voltage, power, radiation, flow rate, humidity, gradient, vibration (including the function of measuring movement, smell or infrared rays), microphone 9889) Of course, the configuration of the portable gaming machine is not limited to the above, and at least It is sufficient that the device is provided, and other auxiliary equipment may be provided as appropriate. The portable gaming machine shown in FIG. 32(A) is a game machine that uses a program or data recorded on a recording medium. It has the function of reading data and displaying it on the display, and communicating information wirelessly with other portable gaming machines. The functions of the portable gaming machine shown in Figure 32(A) are not limited to these. The function is not limited and can have a variety of functions.

[0373] FIG. 32(B) shows an example of a slot machine 9900, which is a large gaming machine. The machine 9900 has a display unit 9903 built into a housing 9901. Machine 9900 also has other operating means such as a start lever and stop switch, coin It is equipped with an insertion slot, a speaker, etc. Of course, the configuration of the slot machine 9900 is It is not limited to the above, but may be configured to include at least a semiconductor device, and other accessories may be included. The configuration can be appropriately provided.

[0374] FIG. 33(A) shows an example of a mobile phone 1000. The mobile phone 1000 has a housing In addition to the display unit 1002 incorporated in the 1001, the operation buttons 1003 and the external connection port 10 04, speaker 1005, microphone 1006, etc.

[0375] The mobile phone 1000 shown in FIG. 33(A) displays information by touching the display unit 1002 with a finger or the like. In addition, operations such as making a phone call or sending an email can be performed by using the This can be done by touching the display unit 1002 with a finger or the like.

[0376] The screen of the display unit 1002 has three main modes. The first is a display mode that mainly displays images. The first mode is a display mode, and the second mode is an input mode that mainly inputs information such as characters. This is a display + input mode that combines two modes: display mode and input mode.

[0377] For example, when making a call or creating an email, the display unit 1002 is used to input characters. This is the main character input mode, and you can input characters displayed on the screen. It is preferable to display a keyboard or number buttons on most of the screen of the display unit 1002. I wish.

[0378] In addition, the mobile phone 1000 may include a sensor for detecting tilt, such as a gyro or an acceleration sensor. By providing a detection device having the above configuration, the orientation of the mobile phone 1000 (portrait or landscape) can be determined and the display The screen display of the display unit 1002 can be automatically switched.

[0379] The screen mode can be switched by touching the display unit 1002 or by operating the housing 1001. The type of image displayed on the display unit 1002 can be selected by operating the operation button 1003. For example, the image signal to be displayed on the display unit can be switched by If the data is text data, the mode switches to display mode, and if the data is text data, the mode switches to input mode.

[0380] In the input mode, the optical sensor of the display unit 1002 detects a signal and displays it. If there is no input by touch operation of the part 1002 for a certain period of time, the screen mode is changed to the input mode. Alternatively, the display mode may be switched from the normal mode to the display mode.

[0381] The display unit 1002 can also function as an image sensor. By touching the palm or fingers to the sensor 02, the palm print, fingerprint, etc. can be captured and identity authentication can be performed. In addition, the display unit may be equipped with a backlight that emits near-infrared light or a sensor that emits near-infrared light. By using a scanning light source, it is also possible to capture images of finger veins, palm veins, etc.

[0382] FIG. 33B is also an example of a mobile phone. The mobile phone in FIG. 33B has a housing 9411. A display device 9410 including a display portion 9412 and an operation button 9413 is mounted on a housing 9401. An operation button 9402, an external input terminal 9403, a microphone 9404, a speaker 9405, and The communication device 9400 includes a light emitting unit 9406 that emits light when an incoming call is received, and has a display function. The display device 9410 can be attached to and detached from the communication device 9400 having a telephone function in two directions as shown by the arrows. Therefore, the display device 9410 and the communication device 9400 can be attached to each other with their short axes facing each other. The display device 9410 and the communication device 9400 can be attached to each other with their long axes facing each other. When only the function is required, the display device 9410 is removed from the communication device 9400. The communication device 9400 and the display device 9410 can be used independently. It can send and receive images or input information via digital or wired communication, and each is rechargeable. It has a battery.

[0383] Note that this embodiment mode can be implemented in appropriate combination with other embodiment modes. [Explanation of symbols]

[0384] 100 boards 102 Conductive layer 104a Resist mask 104b Resist mask 105a Resist mask 105b Resist mask 106a Conductive layer 106b Conductive layer 106c conductive layer 106d Conductive layer 106e conductive layer 108 Conductive layer 109a conductive layer 109b Conductive layer 110 Resist mask 111 Resist mask 112 Conductive layer 113 Conductive Layer 114 Semiconductor layer 116a Resist mask 116b Resist mask 117a Resist mask 117b Resist mask 118 Semiconductor layer 118a Semiconductor layer 118b Semiconductor layer 118c Semiconductor layer 120 insulating layer 122 Conductive layer 124a Resist mask 124b resist mask 126a conductive layer 126b Conductive layer 126c conductive layer 128 Conductive Layer 129a conductive layer 129b Conductive layer 130 Resist mask 131 Resist mask 132a conductive layer 132b Conductive layer 134 Insulating Layer 134a Insulating layer 134b Insulating layer 136 Contact Hole 138 Conductive Layer 140 Conductive layer 142 Conductive layer 150 transistors 152 Holding capacity 154 transistors 156 holding capacity 158 Connection 160 areas 162 Conductive layer 170 Resist Mask 180 Conductive Layer 182 Conductive layer 190 Hydrogen 400 Gray Tone Mask 401 Substrate 402 Light blocking part 403 Slit section 410 Halftone Mask 411 Substrate 412 Light blocking part 413 Semi-transparent part 600 boards 602 Substrate 650 Thin Film Transistor 660 Electrode layer 670 Electrode layer 680 Spherical particles 680a black area 680b white area 682 Filling material 701 TFT 702 Light-emitting element 703 Cathode 704 Light-emitting layer 705 Anode 707 Conductive Layer 711 TFT 712 Light-emitting element 713 Cathode 714 Light-emitting layer 715 Anode 716 Light-shielding film 717 Conductive Layer 721 TFT 722 Light-emitting element 723 Cathode 724 luminescent layer 725 Anode 727 Conductive Layer 1000 mobile phones 1001 Case 1002 Display section 1003 Operation button 1004 External connection port 1005 Speaker 1006 Mike 2600 TFT substrate 2601 Opposing substrate 2602 Sealing material 2603 Element Layer 2604 Liquid crystal layer 2605 Colored layer 2606 Polarizing plate 2607 Polarizing plate 2608 Wiring circuit section 2609 Flexible wiring board 2610 cold cathode tube 2611 Reflector 2612 Circuit Board 2613 Diffuser 2631 Poster 2632 In-car advertising 2700 e-books 2701 Housing 2703 Housing 2705 ​​Display section 2707 Display section 2711 Shaft 2721 Power supply 2723 Operation Key 2725 Speaker 2800 conductive layer 2802a conductive layer 2802b Conductive layer 2810 Conductive layer 2812 Conductive layer 2814a Conductive layer 2814b Conductive layer 2816a conductive layer 2816b Conductive layer 4001 board 4002 Pixel section 4003 Signal line driver circuit 4004 Scanning line driver circuit 4005 Sealing material 4006 board 4008 Liquid crystal layer 4010 Thin Film Transistor 4011 Thin-film transistor 4013 Liquid crystal element 4015 Connection terminal electrode 4016 Terminal electrode 4018 FPC 4019 Anisotropic conductive film 4020 Insulation layer 4030 Pixel electrode layer 4031 Counter electrode layer 4032 Insulation layer 4033 Insulation layer 4035 Spacer 4501 Circuit Board 4502 Pixel section 4503a Signal line driver circuit 4503b Signal line driver circuit 4504a Scanning line driver circuit 4504b Scanning line driver circuit 4505 Sealing material 4506 board 4507 Filling material 4509 Thin-film transistor 4510 Thin-film transistor 4511 Light-emitting element 4512 Electrode 4513 Electroluminescent layer 4514 Electrode layer 4515 Connection terminal electrode 4516 Terminal electrode 4517 Electrode layer 4518a FPC 4518b FPC 4519 Anisotropic conductive film 4520 Bulkhead 5080 pixels 5081 Transistor 5082 Liquid crystal element 5083 Capacitor 5084 Wiring 5085 Wiring 5086 Wiring 5087 Wiring 5088 Electrode 5101 dashed line 5102 solid line 5103 dashed line 5104 Solid line 5105 solid line 5106 Solid line 5107 Solid line 5108 Solid line 5121 images 5121a Image 5121b Image 5122 images 5122a Image 5122b image 5123 images 5123a Image 5123b Image 5124 area 5125 area 5126 area 5127 Vector 5128 Image Generation Vectors 5129 area 5130 Object 5131 area 5300 board 5301 Pixel unit 5302 Scanning line driver circuit 5303 Signal line driver circuit 5400 board 5401 Pixel unit 5402 Scanning line driver circuit 5403 Signal line driver circuit 5404 Scanning line driver circuit 6400 pixels 6401 Switching transistor 6402 Drive transistor 6403 Capacitor element 6404 Light-emitting element 6405 signal line 6406 scan lines 6407 Power line 6408 Common electrode 9400 Communication Equipment 9401 Housing 9402 Operation button 9403 External input terminal 9404 Microphone 9405 Speaker 9406 Light-emitting part 9410 Display device 9411 Housing 9412 Display section 9413 Operation button 9600 Television Equipment 9601 Housing 9603 Display section 9605 Stand 9607 Display section 9609 Operation Key 9610 Remote Control Machine 9700 Digital Photo Frame 9701 Housing 9703 Display section 9881 Case 9882 Display section 9883 Display section 9884 Speaker section 9885 Operation Key 9886 Recording medium insertion section 9887 Connection terminal 9888 Sensor 9889 Microphone 9890 LED Lamp 9891 Case 9893 Connection section 9900 slot machine 9901 Housing 9903 Display section

Claims

[Claim 1] a substrate having an insulating surface; a first electrode having light-transmitting properties provided on the substrate; a second electrode having light-transmitting properties provided on the substrate; a light-transmitting semiconductor layer provided so as to be electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode; a first wiring electrically connected to the first electrode; an insulating layer provided so as to cover at least the semiconductor layer; a light-transmitting third electrode provided on the insulating layer in a region overlapping with the semiconductor layer; a second wiring electrically connected to the third electrode.

Images