Liquid crystal display having essentially single crystal transistors pixels and driving circuits

• US 5,206,749 A
• Filed: 12/31/1990
• Issued: 04/27/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kopin Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kopin Corporation
• Inventors: Jacobsen, Jeffrey, Fan, John C. C., McClelland, Robert, Zavracky, Paul M., Dingle, Brenda
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRICE, RONALD
• Application Number:
  US07/636,602
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 359/59, 359/74, 359/82, 359/85, 359/87, 357/23.7, 340/719
• US Class Current: 349/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0132 comprising binocular systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0198 System for aligning or maintaining alignment of an image in a predetermined direction
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/30 Polarising elements light-modulating devices with active elements G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13336 Combining plural substrates to produce large-area displays, e.g. tiled displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133526 Lenses, e.g. microlenses or Fresnel lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13454 Drivers integrated on the active matrix substrate G02F1/136277 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13473 for wavelength filtering or for colour display without the use of colour mosaic filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13613 the semiconductor element being formed on a first substrate and thereafter transferred to the final cell substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136209 Light shielding layers, e.g. black matrix, incorporated in the active matrix substrate, e.g. structurally associated with the switching element
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136277 formed on a semiconductor substrate, e.g. of silicon
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/105 single crystal Si
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/023 Display panel composed of stacked panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0809 Several active elements per pixel in active matrix panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0842 forming a memory circuit, e.g. a dynamic memory with one capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0233 : Improving the luminance or brightness uniformity across the screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/041 : Temperature compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/043 : Preventing or counteracting the effects of ageing
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0464 : Positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/042 : for monitor identification
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/30 : using electroluminescent panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/36 : using liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3607 : for displaying colours or for displaying grey scales with a specific pixel layout, e.g. using sub-pixels display of colours in flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; grey scales specific for television H04N3/127
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3614 : Control of polarity reversal in general
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 : using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/8221 : Three dimensional integrated circuits stacked in different levels
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/6835 : used as a support during build up manufacturing of active devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68359 : used as a support during manufacture of interconnect decals or build up layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68363 : used in a transfer process involving transfer directly from an origin substrate to a target substrate without use of an intermediate handle substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/80001 : by connecting a bonding area directly to another bonding area, i.e. connectorless bonding, e.g. bumpless bonding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0756 : Stacked arrangements of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0688 : Integrated circuits having a three-dimensional layout
• 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 27/1266 : the substrate on which the devices are formed not being the final device substrate, e.g. using a temporary substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/156 : two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66772 : Monocristalline silicon transistors on insulating substrates, e.g. quartz substrates H01L29/66666 takes precedence; thin film FinFETs H01L29/66795
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/786 : Thin film transistors, i.e. transistors with a channel being at least partly a thin film transistors having only the source or the drain region on an insulator layer H01L29/0653; thin film FinFETs H01L29/785
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78603 : characterised by the insulating substrate or support H01L29/78657 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78648 : arranged on opposing sides of the channel
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78654 : Monocrystalline silicon transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00011 : Not relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 : Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/09701 : Low temperature co-fired ceramic [LTCC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0062 : for devices with an active region comprising only III-V compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/405 : Reflective materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0217 : Removal of the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/423 : having a vertical cavity
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/70 : Circuit details for electroluminescent devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7441 : the modulator being an array of liquid crystal cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7491 : of head mounted projectors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3141 : Constructional details thereof details not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/12 : Light sources with substantially two-dimensional radiating surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 148/135 : Removal of substrate

Abstract

A display panel is formed using essentially single crystal thin-film material that is transferred to substrates for display fabrication. Pixel arrays form light valves or switches that can be fabricated with control electronics in the thin-film material prior to transfer. The resulting circuit panel is than incorporated into a display panel with a light emitting or liquid crystal material to provide the desired display.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal panel display comprising:

an optically transmissive substrate positioned to receive light incident from a light source;

a circuit panel comprising a thin film of essentially single crystal semiconductor material from which an array of transistors, an array of pixel electrodes and a driver circuit are formed, each transistor comprising source, drain and channel regions, each essentially single crystal semiconductor pixel electrode being electrically connected to one of the transistors and the driver circuit being electrically connected to each transistor to actuate the pixels;

an adhesive for bonding the circuit panel to the optically transmissive substrate such that the substrate is positioned between the circuit panel and the light incident from the light source; and

a light transmitting liquid crystal material positioned adjacent to each pixel such that an electric field applied to the liquid crystal material alters a light transmitting property of the liquid crystal material.

2. The liquid crystal panel display of claim 1 wherein a surface of the circuit panel adjacent to the liquid crystal material is planar.

3. The liquid crystal panel display of claim 1 further comprising an insulating layer located over the thin film of essentially single crystal silicon for passivating circuit panel circuitry from the liquid crystal material.

4. The liquid crystal panel display of claim 1 wherein the single crystal semiconductor material comprises silicon.

5. The liquid crystal panel display of claim 1 wherein the pixel electrodes comprise an optically transmissive electrically conductive layer.

6. The liquid crystal panel display of claim 1 wherein the transistor array and the pixel electrode array comprise a plurality of columns and rows to define a pixel array.

7. The liquid crystal panel display of claim 6 wherein the driver circuit comprises a first circuit electrically connected to each column of the pixel array, and a second circuit electrically connected to each row of the pixel array.

8. The liquid crystal panel display of claim 1 further comprising a sealed cavity in which the liquid crystal material is retained, the cavity being defined by a sealing border that secures the circuit panel to a color filtering system.

9. The liquid crystal panel display of claim 1 further comprising a color filtering system having a plurality of filters, each filter correlated with a pixel electrode.

10. The liquid crystal panel display of claim 1 wherein the thin film of essentially single crystal semiconductor material has a thickness of less than about 2 microns.

11. The liquid crystal panel display of claim 10 wherein the thin film of essentially single crystal semiconductor material has a thickness of about 0.5 microns.

12. A liquid crystal transmission display panel comprising:

a light source;

an optically transmissive substrate positioned to receive light incident from the light source;

a circuit panel bonded to the optically transmissive substrate such that the substrate is positioned between the circuit panel and the light incident from the light source, the circuit panel comprising a thin film of essentially single crystal silicon from which an array of transistors, an array of pixel electrodes and a peripheral driver circuit are formed, each transistor comprising source, drain and channel regions, each silicon pixel electrode being electrically connected to one of the transistors and the peripheral driver circuit being electrically connected to each transistor to actuate the pixels;

a liquid crystal material positioned adjacent to each pixel such that an electric field applied to the liquid crystal material alters a light transmitting property of the liquid crystal material; and

the circuit panel further comprising an insulating layer located over the thin film of essentially single crystal silicon.

13. The liquid crystal panel display of claim 12 wherein a surface of the circuit panel adjacent to the liquid crystal material is planar.

14. The liquid crystal panel display of claim 12 further comprising a bonding material to bond the circuit panel to the optically transmissive substrate.

15. The liquid crystal transmission display panel of claim 14 wherein the adhesive comprises an epoxy.

16. The liquid crystal panel display of claim 12 wherein the thin film of essentially single crystal silicon has a thickness of less than about 2 microns.

17. The liquid crystal display panel of claim 12 wherein the thin film of essentially single crystal silicon has a thickness of about 0.5 microns.

18. The liquid crystal display panel of claim 12 the optically transmissive substrate comprises glass.

19. The liquid crystal transmission display panel of claim 12 wherein the optically transmissive substrate comprises plastic.

20. The liquid crystal transmission display panel of claim 19 wherein the transistor array and the pixel electrode array comprise a plurality of columns and rows to define a pixel array.

21. The liquid crystal transmission display panel of claim 19 wherein the driver circuit comprises a first circuit electrically connected to each column of the pixel array, and a second circuit electrically connected to each row of the pixel array.

22. A liquid crystal light transmissive panel display comprising:

an optically transparent substrate positioned to receive light from a light source;

a circuit panel comprising a thin film of essentially single crystal silicon from which an array of transistors, an array of pixel electrodes and a peripheral driver circuit are formed, each transistor comprising source, drain and channel regions, each silicon pixel electrode being electrically connected to one of the transistors and the peripheral driver circuit being electrically connected to each transistor to actuate the pixels, the circuit panel further comprising a silicon dioxide layer located over a thin film of essentially single crystal silicon;

an adhesive for bonding the circuit panel to the optically transmissive substrate such that the substrate is positioned between the circuit panel and the light incident from the light source; and

a liquid crystal material positioned adjacent to each pixel such that an electric field applied to the liquid crystal material alters a light transmitting property of the liquid crystal material, the silicon dioxide layer being disposed between the silicon thin film and the liquid crystal material.

23. The liquid crystal light transmissive panel display of claim 22 wherein a surface of the circuit panel adjacent to the liquid crystal material is planar.

24. The liquid crystal light transmissive panel display of claim 22 wherein the thin film of essentially single crystal silicon has a thickness of about 0.5 microns.

25. The liquid crystal light transmissive panel of 22 wherein the thin film of essentially single crystal silicon has a thickness of less than about 2 microns.