PHOTODIODE, DISPLAY DEVICE PROVIDED WITH PHOTODIODE, AND METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING THE PHOTODIODE AND THE DISPLAY DEVICE

• US 20110316427A1
• Filed: 02/03/2010
• Published: 12/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Okajima, Nami
• Application Number:
  US13/254,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20110316427A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/151
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13318 Circuits comprising a photodetector
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1446 in a repetitive configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/035281 Shape of the body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/153 formed in, or on, a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1804 comprising only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/547 Monocrystalline silicon PV cells

Abstract

A photodiode (10) according to the present invention is provided with a p-type semiconductor region (11), an i-type semiconductor region (12) and an n-type semiconductor region (13). A protection film (9) provided on the surface of the photodiode has been removed from at least a light receiving portion of the photodiode (10). Accordingly, the present invention provides the photodiode (10) that has less changes in its characteristics even with the prolonged use and a display device that uses the photodiode (10).

Claims

1. A photodiode comprising:

at least one conductive semiconductor film for junction formation formed on a substrate;

an interlayer insulating film formed on the semiconductor film;

a wiring film provided on the interlayer insulating film; and

a protection film covering the wiring film, wherein the protection film is removed at least at a light receiving portion of the photodiode.

2. The photodiode according to claim 1, wherein the photodiode is formed of a semiconductor film including a p-type semiconductor region, an i-type semiconductor region and an n-type semiconductor region disposed on the substrate in this order along a plane direction of said substrate.

3. The photodiode according to claim 1, wherein a transparent electrode film is formed on the protection film.

4. The photodiode according to claim 1, wherein the light-receiving portion of the photodiode where the protection film is not provided is a portion corresponding to an i-type semiconductor region of the photodiode.

5. A display device, comprising a photodiode, a pixel electrode for display, an active element for driving the pixel electrode on a substrate,

wherein said photodiode is the photodiode according to claim 1.

6. The display device according to claim 5, wherein the active element is a TFT, and the wiring film is a wiring film formed simultaneously with a formation of source wiring of the TFT.

7. The display device according to claim 5, wherein the photodiode detects ambient light of the display device, and the brightness of the display device is adjusted in accordance with the brightness of the ambient light.

8. The display device according to claim 5, wherein the photodiode is formed adjacent to the pixel in a display region, and is used for image capturing or for a touch panel.

9. A method of manufacturing a photodiode that comprises at least one conductive semiconductor film for junction formation formed on a substrate, an interlayer insulating film formed on the semiconductor film, wiring films provided on the interlayer insulating film, and a protection film covering the wiring films, the method comprising;

forming a junction on the substrate;

forming an interlayer insulating film on the junction;

connecting respective regions forming the junction to the wiring films, respectively;

forming a protection film on the wiring films and on the interlayer insulating film; and

removing the protection film from a portion corresponding to at least a light receiving portion of the photodiode.

10. The method of manufacturing a photodiode according to claim 9, wherein the photodiode is a PIN type photodiode that includes a p-type semiconductor region, an i-type semiconductor region and an n-type semiconductor region, the method comprising;

forming a silicon film on the substrate;

forming a main body of the photodiode by forming a p-type semiconductor region, an i-type semiconductor region and an n-type semiconductor region on the silicon film;

forming an interlayer insulating film on the main body of the photodiode;

connecting the p-type semiconductor region and the n-type semiconductor region of the photodiode to the wiring films, respectively;

forming a protection film on the wiring films and the interlayer insulating film; and

removing the protection film from a portion corresponding to at least a light receiving portion of the photodiode.