Single crystal silicon arrayed devices for display panels

• US 5,317,236 A
• Filed: 12/31/1991
• Issued: 05/31/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kopin Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kopin Corporation
• Inventors: Spitzer, Mark B., Jacobsen, Jeffrey, Fan, John C. C., McClelland, Robert, Zavracky, Paul M., Dingle, Brenda
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascal, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHINGLETON, MICHAEL B
• Application Number:
  US07/815,684
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 445/1, 437/19, 437/21, 437/40, 437/29, 437/83, 437/84, 437/173, 437/974, 148/DIG. 135, 315/169.3
• US Class Current: 438/27
• 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 a single crystal thin-film material that may be 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 then incorporated into a display panel with a light emitting or liquid crystal material to provide the desired display.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a panel display comprising:

a) forming a silicon-on-insulator structure including a single thin film layer of essentially single crystal silicon material on an insulating layer, the insulating layer being positioned over a semiconductor substrate;

b) forming an array of transistors in or on the single layer of essentially single crystal silicon material to form a circuit panel, the circuit panel including an array of display pixel electrodes such that each display pixel electrode is actuatable by at least one transistor; and

c) positioning an electroluminescent material over each display pixel electrode such that an electric field generated at each display pixel electrode causes light to be emitted by the electroluminescent material.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the essentially single crystal silicon is a thin film formed over a silicon substrate.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein step a) comprises:

forming a non-single crystal semiconductor material; and

crystallizing the non-single crystal semiconductor material to form the essentially single crystal silicon material.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the crystallizing step is followed by the step of forming the array of transistors in the layer of essentially single crystal silicon material.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising forming a drive circuit in or on the layer of essentially single crystal silicon material such that each transistor is electrically connected to the drive circuit.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising positioning an optically transmissive electrode array over the electroluminescent material such that the electric field generated at each display pixel lies between an optically transmissive electrode and a pixel electrode.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising transferring the layer of essentially single crystal silicon material from the semiconductor substrate onto an optically transmissive substrate.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the transferring step comprises the step of removing the semiconductor substrate from the layer of essentially single crystal silicon material.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the removing step comprises chemically etching the semiconductor substrate from the layer of essentially single crystal silicon material.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the layer of essentially single crystal silicon material is transferred onto a curved surface of the optically transmissive substrate.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the transferring step further comprises bonding the circuit panel to the optically transmissive substrate.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the transistors are formed from single crystal silicon.

13. A method of fabricating an electroluminescent panel display comprising:

forming a layer of polycrystalline silicon on an insulating substrate;

forming a capping layer over the polycrystalline silicon;

scanning the polycrystalline silicon layer with a heat source to crystallize the polycrystalline silicon layer and form a single thin film layer of single crystal silicon;

forming an array of display pixels in or over the single crystal silicon, each display pixel comprising a circuit having at least one transistor;

forming an electroluminescent material positioned over each display pixel such that an electric field applied to the material by the display pixel alters a light emitting property of the material; and

forming a driver circuit electrically connected to the circuit panel to actuate the display pixels.

14. A method of fabricating an electroluminescent panel display comprising:

a) forming a layer of essentially single crystal silicon material over an insulating layer, the insulating layer being positioned over a semiconductor substrate;

b) forming an array of transistor circuits in the layer of essentially single crystal silicon material to form a circuit panel of display pixels wherein each pixel comprises an associated transistor circuit within the array of transistor circuits such that each display pixel is actuatable by the associated transistor circuit; and

c) positioning a plurality of layers of electroluminescent material over the circuit panel of display pixels, the plurality of layers including layers having different colors such that an electric field generated by the associated transistor circuit for a display pixel causes an emission of light by the layers of electroluminescent material.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising transferring the layer of essentially single crystal silicon material from the supporting substrate onto an optically transmissive substrate.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the layer of essentially single crystal silicon material is transferred onto a curved surface of the optically transmissive substrate.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the transferring step further comprises bonding the circuit panel to the optically transmissive substrate.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising positioning an optically transmissive material over the electroluminescent material is forming an array of optically transmissive electrodes each being associated with a display pixel of the circuit panel.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the optically transmissive material comprises indium tin oxide.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the transferring step comprises removing the semiconductor substrate by chemically etching it from the layer of essentially single crystal silicon material.

21. The method of claim 14 wherein the essentially single crystal silicon material comprises single crystal silicon and further comprising forming a drive circuit with the layer of single crystal silicon such that each transistor circuit is electrically connected to the drive circuit.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the drive circuit comprises CMOS logic devices.

23. The method of claim 14 wherein step a) comprises:

forming a non-single crystal on the insulating layer; and

crystallizing the non-single crystal to an essentially single crystal material.

24. A method of fabricating a panel display comprising:

forming a layer of essentially single crystal silicon material on an insulating layer, the insulating layer being over a semiconductor substrate;

forming an array of transistors in or on the layer of essentially single crystal silicon material to form a circuit panel of display pixels such that each display pixel is actuatable by at least one transistor;

transferring the layer of essentially single crystal silicon material from the semiconductor substrate to a panel substrate; and

positioning an electroluminescent material over each display pixel such that an electric field or signal generated at each display pixel causes light emission by the electroluminescent material.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of forming a layer of essentially single crystal silicon material comprises:

forming a non-single crystal semiconductor material; and

crystallizing the non-single crystal semiconductor material to form the essentially single crystal silicon material.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the panel substrate is an optically transmissive substrate.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein the panel substrate is a curved surface.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of transferring comprises adhering the layer of essentially single silicon material to the panel substrate using an adhesive.