Thin film transistor, organic electroluminescence display device and manufacturing method of the same

• US 5,640,067 A
• Filed: 03/18/1996
• Issued: 06/17/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd., TDK Corporation
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd., TDK Corporation
• Inventors: Yamauchi, Yukio, Arai, Michio
• Primary Examiner(s): Chilcot, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAYNES, MACK NELSON
• Application Number:
  US08/617,121
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 313/504-509, 313/511, 313/512, 315/169.1, 315/169.3, 428/917, 257/501, 257/506, 257/508
• US Class Current: 313/504
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0426 Layout of electrodes and connections
• 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 3/3233 with pixel circuitry controlling the current through the light-emitting element
• 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 29/458 for thin film silicon, e.g. source or drain electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/06 Electrode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/12 Light sources with substantially two-dimensional radiating surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/1213 the pixel elements being TFTs
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/123 Connection of the pixel electrodes to the thin film transistors [TFT]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 148/15 Silicon on sapphire SOS

Abstract

An organic EL display device has a substrate, a plurality of organic EL elements formed on the substrate and a plurality of thin film transistors formed on the substrate. The transistors are connected to the respective EL elements for controlling current applied to the respective elements. Each of the transistors includes an active layer of semiconductor material, formed on the substrate, a source region and a drain region being formed in the active layer, a source electrode of aluminum material electrically coupled to the source region formed in the active layer, a drain electrode of aluminum material electrically coupled to the drain region formed in the active layer, an insulation layer formed on the active layer, a gate electrode formed on the insulation layer, a first barrier metal layer of titanium nitride containing equal to or less than 50 atm % of nitrogen or titanium, inserted between the source electrode and the source region of the active layer, and a second barrier metal layer of titanium nitride containing equal to or less than 50 atm % of nitrogen or titanium, inserted between the drain electrode and the drain region of the active layer.

Claims

1. A thin film transistor formed in an organic electroluminescence display device having a substrate and a plurality of organic electroluminescence elements formed on said substrate, said transistor being used to drive one of said electroluminescence elements, said transistor comprising:

an active layer of semiconductor material, formed on said substrate, a source region and a drain region being formed in said active layer;

a source electrode of aluminum material electrically coupled to said source region formed in said active layer;

a drain electrode of aluminum material electrically coupled to said drain region formed in said active layer;

an insulation layer formed on said active layer;

a gate electrode formed on said insulation layer;

a first barrier metal layer of titanium nitride containing equal to or less than 50 atm % of nitrogen, inserted between said source electrode and said source region of said active layer; and

a second barrier metal layer of titanium nitride containing equal to or less than 50 atm % of nitrogen, inserted between said drain electrode and said drain region of said active layer.

2. A thin film transistor formed in an organic electroluminescence display device having a substrate and a plurality of organic electroluminescence elements formed on said substrate, said transistor being used to drive one of said electroluminescence elements, said transistor comprising:

an active layer of semiconductor material, formed on said substrate, a source region and a drain region being formed in said active layer;

a source electrode of aluminum material electrically coupled to said source region formed in said active layer;

a drain electrode of aluminum material electrically coupled to said drain region formed in said active layer;

an insulation layer formed on said active layer;

a gate electrode formed on said insulation layer;

a first barrier metal layer of titanium inserted between said source electrode and said source region of said active layer; and

a second barrier metal layer of titanium, inserted between said drain electrode and said drain region of said active layer.

3. An organic electroluminescence display device having a substrate, a plurality of organic electroluminescence elements formed on said substrate and a plurality of thin film transistors formed on said substrate, said transistors being connected to said respective electroluminescence elements for controlling current applied to said respective elements, each of said transistors comprising:

an active layer of semiconductor material, formed on said substrate, a source region and a drain region being formed in said active layer;

a source electrode of aluminum material electrically coupled to said source region formed in said active layer;

a drain electrode of aluminum material electrically coupled to said drain region formed in said active layer;

an insulation layer formed on said active layer;

a gate electrode formed on said insulation layer;

a first barrier metal layer of titanium nitride containing equal to or less than 50 atm % of nitrogen, inserted between said source electrode and said source region of said active layer; and

a second barrier metal layer of titanium nitride containing equal to or less than 50 atm % of nitrogen, inserted between said drain electrode and said drain region of said active layer.

4. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said organic electroluminescence elements includes a transparent electrode layer formed on said substrate, an organic electroluminescence layer formed on said transparent electrode layer and an upper electrode layer formed on said organic electroluminescence layer, said transparent electrode being electrically coupled to a conductive lead of aluminum material, and wherein each of said organic electroluminescence elements further includes a contact metal layer of titanium nitride containing equal to or less than 50 atm % of nitrogen, inserted between said transparent electrode layer and said conductive lead.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said conductive lead is connected to said drain electrode.

6. An organic electroluminescence display device having a substrate, a plurality of organic electroluminescence elements formed on said substrate and a plurality of thin film transistors formed on said substrate, said transistors being connected to said respective electroluminescence elements for controlling current applied to said respective elements, each of said transistors comprising:

an active layer of semiconductor material, formed on said substrate, a source region and a drain region being formed in said active layer;

a source electrode of aluminum material electrically coupled to said source region formed in said active layer;

a drain electrode of aluminum material electrically coupled to said drain region formed in said active layer;

an insulation layer formed on said active layer;

a gate electrode formed on said insulation layer;

a first barrier metal layer of titanium inserted between said source electrode and said source region of said active layer; and

a second barrier metal layer of titanium inserted between said drain electrode and said drain region of said active layer.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of said organic electroluminescence elements includes a transparent electrode layer formed on said substrate, an organic electroluminescence layer formed on said transparent electrode layer and an upper electrode layer formed on said organic electroluminescence layer, said transparent electrode being electrically coupled to a conductive lead of aluminum material, and wherein each of said organic electroluminescence elements further includes a contact metal layer of titanium inserted between said transparent electrode layer and said conductive lead.

8. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said conductive lead is connected to said drain electrode.

9. An organic electroluminescence display device of active matrix type having a substrate, a plurality of organic electroluminescence elements formed on said substrate and a plurality of first and second thin film transistors formed on said substrate, said first transistors being connected to said respective electroluminescence elements for controlling current applied to said respective elements, said second transistors being connected to said respective first transistors for switching said respective first transistors, each of said first and second transistors comprising:

an active layer of semiconductor material, formed on said substrate, a source region and a drain region being formed in said active layer;

a source electrode of aluminum material electrically coupled to said source region formed in said active layer;

a drain electrode of aluminum material electrically coupled to said drain region formed in said active layer;

an insulation layer formed on said active layer;

a gate electrode formed on said insulation layer;

a first barrier metal layer of titanium nitride containing equal to or less than 50 atm % of nitrogen, inserted between said source electrode and said source region of said active layer; and

a second barrier metal layer of titanium nitride containing equal to or less than 50 atm % of nitrogen, inserted between said drain electrode and said drain region of said active layer.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of said organic electroluminescence elements includes a transparent electrode layer formed on said substrate, an organic electroluminescence layer formed on said transparent electrode layer and an upper electrode layer formed on said organic electroluminescence layer, said transparent electrode being electrically coupled to a conductive lead of aluminum material, and wherein each of said organic electroluminescence elements further includes a contact metal layer of titanium nitride containing equal to or less than 50 atm % of nitrogen, inserted between said transparent electrode layer and said conductive lead.

11. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said conductive lead is connected to said drain electrode.

12. An organic electroluminescence display device of active matrix type having a substrate, a plurality of organic electroluminescence elements formed on said substrate and a plurality of first and second thin film transistors formed on said substrate, said first transistors being connected to said respective electroluminescence elements for controlling current applied to said respective elements, said second transistors being connected to said respective first transistors for switching said respective first transistors, each of said first and second transistors comprising:

an active layer of semiconductor material, formed on said substrate a source region and a drain region being formed in said active layer;

a source electrode of aluminum material electrically coupled to said source region formed in said active layer;

a drain electrode of aluminum material electrically coupled to said drain region formed in said active layer;

an insulation layer formed on said active layer;

a gate electrode formed on said insulation layer;

a first barrier metal layer of titanium inserted between said source electrode and said source region of said active layer; and

a second barrier metal layer of titanium inserted between said drain electrode and said drain region of said active layer.

13. The device as claimed in claim 12, wherein each of said organic electroluminescence elements includes a transparent electrode layer formed on said substrate, an organic electroluminescence layer formed on said transparent electrode layer and an upper electrode layer formed on said organic electroluminescence layer, said transparent electrode being electrically coupled to a conductive lead of aluminum material, and wherein each of said organic electroluminescence elements further includes a contact metal layer of titanium inserted between said transparent electrode layer and said conductive lead.

14. The device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said conductive lead is connected to said drain electrode.