SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE

• US 20090201269A1
• Filed: 04/21/2009
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: KATO, Kiyoshi, SAITO, Toshihiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,130,191 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13306 Circuit arrangements or driving methods for the control of single liquid crystal cells G02F1/132, G02F1/133382 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133345 Insulating layers G02F1/1335, G02F1/1337, G02F1/135, G02F1/136 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13439 characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13454 Drivers integrated on the active matrix substrate G02F1/136277 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136213 Storage capacitors associated with the pixel electrode
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1368 in which the switching element is a three-electrode device G02F1/136277 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/123 pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/36 using liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/12 the substrate being other than a semiconductor body, e.g. an insulating body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1214 comprising a plurality of TFTs formed on a non-semiconducting substrate, e.g. driving circuits for AMLCDs
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1218 with a particular composition or structure of the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/124 with a particular composition, shape or layout of the wiring layers specially adapted to the circuit arrangement, e.g. scanning lines in LCD pixel circuits wiring structures per se H01L23/52
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1255 integrated with passive devices, e.g. auxiliary capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1288 employing particular masking sequences or specially adapted masks, e.g. half-tone mask
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/13 combined with thin-film or thick-film passive components
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78621 : with LDD structure or an extension or an offset region or characterised by the doping profile
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78645 : with multiple gate
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 : Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays

Abstract

As for a “system on panel” in which a control circuit and a driver circuit as well as a display device are integrally formed over a substrate such as a glass substrate, more sophistication is expected by fabricating an input unit over the same substrate. Input of a semiconductor device is generally performed by pushing or touching a button like input unit with fingers or the like. In that case, glass is often used for a counter substrate; however, it is difficult to form a button from glass and to provide it directly on the substrate due to the nature of the material. It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor device at a lower price, in which the input operation can be performed without employing an external input unit.

A variable capacitor is formed from a pair of electrodes and a dielectric interposed between the electrodes over a substrate, and an external input is detected by changing capacitance of the variable capacitor by a physical or electrical force. Specifically, a variable capacitor and a sense amplifier are provided over the same substrate, and the sense amplifier reads the change of capacitance of the variable capacitor and transmits a signal in accordance with the input to a control circuit.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

an insulating substrate;

a variable capacitor including a pair of electrodes and a dielectric, which is formed over the insulating substrate; and

a display device over the insulating substrate,

wherein a capacitance of the variable capacitor is changed by pushing one of the pair of electrodes, and

wherein the semiconductor device includes a unit for converting change of the capacitance of the variable capacitor into an electrical signal.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the display device comprises a thin film transistor formed over the insulating substrate.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric is surrounded by the pair of electrodes and a sealant.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric is liquid crystal that is used in the display device.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the insulating substrate comprises glass.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the insulating substrate comprises plastic.

7. A semiconductor device comprising:

an insulating substrate;

a plurality of variable capacitors each including a pair of electrodes and a dielectric, which are formed over the insulating substrate; and

a display device over the insulating substrate,

wherein a capacitance of the plurality of variable capacitors are changed by pushing one of the pair of electrodes, and

wherein the semiconductor device includes a unit for converting change of the capacitance of each variable capacitor into an electrical signal.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein the display device comprises a thin film transistor formed over the insulating substrate.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein the dielectric is surrounded by the pair of electrodes and a sealant.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein the dielectric is liquid crystal that is used in the display device.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein the insulating substrate comprises glass.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein the insulating substrate comprises plastic.

13. A semiconductor device comprising:

an insulating substrate;

a variable capacitor including a pair of electrodes and a dielectric interposed therebetween;

a read-out circuit that detects change of capacitance of the variable capacitor; and

a display device,

wherein the capacitance of the variable capacitor is changed by pushing one of the pair of electrodes, and

wherein the variable capacitor, the read-out circuit, and the display device are provided over the insulating substrate.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein the display device and the read-out circuit comprises a thin film transistor formed over the insulating substrate.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein the dielectric is surrounded by the pair of electrodes and a sealant.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein the dielectric is liquid crystal that is used in the display device.

17. The semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein the insulating substrate comprises glass.

18. The semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein the insulating substrate comprises plastic.

19. A semiconductor device comprising:

an insulating substrate;

a plurality of variable capacitors each including a pair of electrodes and a dielectric interposed therebetween,

a read-out circuit that detects change of capacitance of each variable capacitor; and

a display device,

wherein the capacitance of the plurality of variable capacitors are changed by pushing one of the pair of electrodes, and

wherein the plurality of variable capacitors, the read-out circuit, and the display device are provided over the insulating substrate.

20. The semiconductor device according to claim 19, wherein the display device and the read-out circuit comprises a thin film transistor formed over the insulating substrate.

21. The semiconductor device according to claim 19, wherein the dielectric is surrounded by the pair of electrodes and a sealant.

22. The semiconductor device according to claim 19, wherein the dielectric is liquid crystal that is used in the display device.

23. The semiconductor device according to claim 19, wherein the insulating substrate comprises glass.

24. The semiconductor device according to claim 19, wherein the insulating substrate comprises plastic.