Liquid-crystal display device and method of fabricating the same

• US 20020008797A1
• Filed: 01/26/2001
• Published: 01/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Koyama, Jun, Yamazaki, Shunpei
• Granted Patent: US 6,646,692 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/43
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134363 for applying an electric field parallel to the substrate, i.e. in-plane switching [IPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1345 Conductors connecting electrodes to cell terminals

Abstract

An active matrix type liquid-crystal display device of IPS mode has its aperture ratio enhanced, thereby to realize an image display which has a wide angle of vision and which is clear and bright. A pixel portion (in FIG. 2) in the liquid-crystal display device comprises a TFT (115) which includes a semiconductor film formed over a substrate, and gate electrodes formed on a first insulating layer, a gate wiring line (104) which is formed on the first insulating layer, a common wiring line (113) which crosses the gate wiring line (104) through a second insulating layer, a pixel electrode (112) which is formed on the second insulating layer and which is connected with the TFT (115) of the pixel portion, a signal wiring line (106) which is formed so as to underlie the common wiring line (113) through the second insulating layer, and a connecting electrode (111) which is formed on the second insulating layer. The pixel electrode (112) and the common wiring line (113) are arranged so as to generate an electric field parallel to the plane of the substrate, and the signal wiring line (106) and the semiconductor film are connected through the connecting electrode (111).

Claims

1. A liquid-crystal display device comprising:

a semiconductor island, a gate wiring line, a pixel electrode, and a common wiring line formed over a substrate;

a first insulating layer formed over said semiconductor island, and on which said gate wiring line is formed;

a signal wiring line formed over said first insulating layer;

a second insulating layer formed over said first insulating layer, and on which said pixel electrode and said common wiring line are formed; and

a connecting electrode formed over said second insulating layer, and through which said signal wiring line and said semiconductor island are connected;

wherein said pixel electrode and said common wiring line are formed so as to generate an electric field substantially parallel to said insulating surface;

wherein said signal wiring line overlaps said common electrode with said second insulating layer interposed therebetween.

5. A liquid-crystal display device according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said second insulating layer is formed of a first insulating film comprising silicon, and a second insulating film comprising an organic resin material.

6. A liquid-crystal display device according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said second insulating layer is formed of a first insulating film which is made of a member selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide, silicon nitride and silicon oxynitride, and a second insulating film which is made of a member selected from the group consisting of polyimide, an acrylic resin, polyamide, polyimideamide, and benzocyclobutene.

7. A liquid-crystal display device according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said liquid-crystal display device is incorporated into an electronic equipment selected from the group consisting of a portable telephone, a video camera, a mobile computer, a portable information terminal, a head-mounted type display, a television receiver, a portable book, a personal computer, a player, and a digital camera.

2. A liquid-crystal display device comprising:

a thin film transistor formed on an insulating surface, said thin film transistor having a gate electrode formed over a semiconductor layer with a first insulating film therebetween;

a gate wiring line formed on said first insulating layer;

a second insulating layer formed over said first insulating layer;

a common wiring line crossing said gate wiring line with said second insulating layer interposed therebetween;

a pixel electrode formed over said second insulating layer, said pixel electrode connected to said thin film transistor;

a signal wiring line formed over said first insulating layer, said signal wiring line being overlapped with said common wiring line with said second insulating layer interposed therebetween; and

a connecting electrode formed over said second insulating layer, and through which said signal wiring line and said semiconductor layer are connected;

wherein said pixel electrode and said common wiring line are formed so as to generate an electric field substantially parallel to said insulating surface.

4. A liquid-crystal display device according to either of claims 2 and 3, wherein said thin film transistor has a multi-gate structure.

3. A liquid-crystal display device having a first substrate and a second substrate, said liquid-crystal display device comprising:

a pixel portion and a driver circuit formed over said first substrate, said pixel portion comprising;

a thin film transistor having a gate electrode formed over a semiconductor layer with a first insulating layer interposed therebetween;

a gate wiring line formed over said first insulating layer;

a second insulating layer formed over said first insulating layer;

a common wiring line crossing said gate wiring line with said second insulating layer interposed therebetween;

a pixel electrode formed over said second insulating layer and connected to said thin film transistor;

a signal wiring line formed over said first insulating layer, said signal wiring line being overlapped with said common wiring line with said second insulating layer interposed therebetween; and

a connecting electrode formed over said second insulating layer, and through which said signal wiring line and said semiconductor layer are connected;

wherein said pixel electrode and said common wiring line are formed so as to generate an electric field substantially parallel to a plane of said first substrate, and color filter layers of red, blue and green formed over said second substrate, so as to correspond to each pixel of said pixel portion;

a light shield film formed so as to overlap said thin film transistor, and in which said red color filter layer and said blue color filter layer are stacked; and

a light-transmitting conductive film formed on an opposite surface of said second substrate on which said color filter layers are formed.

8. A method of fabricating a liquid-crystal display device comprising the steps of:

forming a semiconductor island over a substrate;

forming a first insulating layer over said semiconductor island;

forming a gate wiring line and a signal wiring line over said first insulating layer;

forming a second insulating layer over said gate wiring line and said signal wiring line; and

forming a pixel electrode, a common wiring line and a connecting electrode for connecting said signal wiring line and said semiconductor island over said second insulating layer,

wherein said common wiring line are formed so as to overlap said signal wiring line.

9. A method of fabricating a liquid-crystal display device comprising the steps of:

forming a semiconductor island over a substrate;

forming a first insulating layer over said semiconductor island;

forming a gate electrode, a gate wiring line and a signal wiring line over said first insulating layer;

forming a second insulating layer over said gate wiring line and said signal wiring line; and

forming a pixel electrode connected to said semiconductor island, a common wiring line, and a connecting electrode for connecting said signal wiring line and said semiconductor island, over said second insulating layer,

wherein said common wiring line are formed so as to overlap said signal wiring line.

10. A method of fabricating a liquid-crystal display device comprising the steps of:

forming a semiconductor island over a first substrate;

forming a first insulating layer over said semiconductor island;

forming a gate electrode, a gate wiring line and a signal wiring over said first insulating layer;

forming a second insulating layer on said gate wiring line and said signal wiring line;

forming a pixel electrode connected to said semiconductor island, a common wiring line, and a connecting electrode for connecting said signal wiring line and said semiconductor island, over said second insulating layer, wherein said common wiring line are formed so as to overlap said signal wiring line;

forming color filter layers of red, blue and green over a second substrate, each of said color filter layers corresponding to a pixel formed on said first substrate;

forming a light shield film by stacking the red color filter layer and the blue color filter layer so as to overlap said semiconductor island; and

forming a light-transmitting conductive film on an opposite surface of said second substrate on which said color filter layers are formed.

11. A method of fabricating a liquid-crystal display device according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein said second insulating layer is formed of a first insulating film comprising silicon, and a second insulating film comprising an organic resin material.

12. A method of fabricating a liquid-crystal display device according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein said second insulating layer is formed of a first insulating film which is made of a member selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide, silicon nitride and silicon oxynitride, and a second insulating film which is made of a member selected from the group consisting of polyimide, an acrylic resin, polyamide, polyimideamide, and benzocyclobutene.

13. A method of fabricating a liquid-crystal display device according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein said liquid-crystal display device is incorporated into an electronic equipment selected from the group consisting of a portable telephone, a video camera, a mobile computer, a portable information terminal, a head-mounted type display, a television receiver, a portable book, a personal computer, a player, and a digital camera.