Electro-optical device and method for driving the same

• US 5,963,278 A
• Filed: 07/31/1997
• Issued: 10/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hiroki, Masaaki, Mase, Akira, Yamazaki, Shunpei
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUDEK, JAMES A
• Application Number:
  US08/912,298
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 359/59, 359/54, 359/74, 349/42, 349/43, 349/122, 349/138
• US Class Current: 349/43
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136227 Through-hole connection of the pixel electrode to the active element through an insulation layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136245 having complementary transistors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1368 in which the switching element is a three-electrode device G02F1/136277 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0823 used to establish symmetry in driving, e.g. with polarity inversion
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/027 Details of drivers for data electrodes, the drivers handling digital grey scale data, e.g. use of D/A converters
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/066 Waveforms comprising a gently increasing or decreasing portion, e.g. ramp
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2011 by amplitude modulation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3677 suitable for active matrices only
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3688 suitable for active matrices only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 148/141 Self-alignment coat gate

Abstract

A novel structure of an active electro-optical device is disclosed. The device is provided with complementary thin film insulated gate field effect transistors (TFTs) therein which comprise a P-TFT and an N-TFT, P-TFT and N-TFT are connected to a common signal line by the gate electrodes thereof, while the source (or drain) electrodes thereof are connected to a common signal line as well as to one of the picture element electrodes.

In case of driving the active electro-optical device, a gradation display can be carried out in a driving method having a display timing determined in relation to a time F for writing one screen and a time (t) for writing in one picture element, by applying a reference signal in a cycle of the time (t), to the signal line used for a certain picture element driving selection, and by applying the select signal to the other signal line at a certain timing within the time (t), and whereby setting the value of the voltage to be applied to a liquid crystal.

Claims

1. A method for forming an electro-optical device comprising the steps of:

forming a plurality of thin film transistors, each of said thin film transistors having at least a semiconductor film to form a channel region;

forming an interlayer insulating film comprising an inorganic material on the thin film transistors;

forming a leveling layer comprising an organic resin over said interlayer insulating film to provide a leveled upper surface;

forming a plurality of openings in the leveling layer over the respective thin film transistors; and

forming a plurality of pixel electrodes over the leveled upper surface, each of said pixel electrodes being electrically connected to the corresponding thin film transistors through the corresponding openings,

wherein an inside wall of at least some of said openings is tapered.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said organic resin comprises polyimide.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein each of said pixel electrodes comprises a conductive transparent material.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein each of said transistors comprises at least a gate electrode, and each of said transistor is the top gate type that said gate electrode is provided over said channel region.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said electro-optical device is one selected from the group consisting of a front type projection television and a rear type projection television.

38. The method of claim 1, 6, 11, 15, 19, 24, 29, or 33 including the step of utilizing the electro-optical device in a projector.

39. The method of claim 1, 6, 11, 15, 19, 24, 29, or 33 including the step of utilizing the electro-optical device in a television display.

40. The method of claim 1, 6, 11, 15, 19, 24, 29, or 33 including the step of utilizing the electro-optical device in a digital driving method.

6. A method for forming an electro-optical device comprising the steps of:

forming a thin film transistor, said thin film transistor having a semiconductor film to form a channel region;

forming an interlayer insulating film comprising an inorganic material on the thin film transistor;

forming a leveling layer comprising an organic resin over said thin film transistor to provide a leveled upper surface;

forming an opening in said leveling layer over said thin film transistor; and

forming a pixel electrode over the leveled upper surface, said pixel electrode being electrically connected to said thin film transistor through said opening,

wherein a diameter of said opening is larger at an uppermost surface of said organic resin layer than at a lowermost surface thereof.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein said organic resin comprises polyimide.

8. A method according to claim 6 wherein said pixel electrode comprises a conductive transparent material.

9. A method according to claim 6 wherein said wiring is connected to one of said source and drain regions of the transistor.

10. A method according to claim 6 wherein said electro-optical device is one selected from the group consisting of a front type projection television and a rear type projection television.

11. A method for forming an electro-optical device comprising the steps of:

forming a plurality of thin film transistors on an insulating surface, each of said thin film transistors having at least a semiconductor film to form a channel region;

forming an interlayer insulating film comprising an inorganic material on the thin film transistors;

forming a leveling layer comprising an organic resin over said interlayer insulating film to provide a leveled upper surface;

forming a plurality of openings in the leveling layer over the respective thin film transistors;

forming a plurality of pixel electrodes over the leveled upper surface, each of said pixel electrodes being electrically connected to the corresponding thin film transistors through the corresponding openings,

wherein the respective diameters of at least some of said openings is are larger at an uppermost surface of the leveling layer than at a lowermost surface thereof.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein said organic resin comprises polyimide.

13. A method according to claim 11 wherein each of said pixel electrodes comprises a conductive transparent material.

14. A method according to claim 11 wherein said electro-optical device is one selected from the group consisting of a front type projection television and a rear type projection television.

15. A method for forming an electro-optical device comprising the steps of:

forming a thin film transistor on an insulating surface, said thin film transistor having a semiconductor film to form a channel region;

forming an interlayer insulating film comprising an inorganic material on the thin film transistors;

forming a leveling layer comprising an organic resin over said interlayer insulating film to provide a leveled upper surface;

forming an opening in said leveling layer over said thin film transistor;

forming a pixel electrode over said leveled upper surface, said pixel electrode being electrically connected to said thin film transistor through said opening,

wherein said opening has a tapered configuration.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein said organic resin comprises polyimide.

17. A method according to claim 15 wherein said each of pixel electrodes comprises a conductive transparent material.

18. A method according to claim 15 wherein said electro-optical device is one selected from the group consisting of a front type projection television and a rear type projection television.

19. A method for forming an electro-optical device comprising the steps of:

forming a plurality of thin film transistors on an insulating surface, each of said thin film transistors having at least a semiconductor film to form a channel region;

forming an interlayer insulating film comprising an inorganic material on the thin film transistors;

forming first openings in the interlayer insulating film on the respective transistors;

forming a leveling layer comprising an organic resin on said interlayer insulating film to provide a leveled upper surface;

forming second openings in said leveling layer over the respective transistors; and

forming pixel electrodes on the leveled upper surface, each of said pixel electrode being connected to the corresponding transistors through the corresponding first and second openings,

wherein an inside wall of each of said second openings is tapered.

20. A method according to claim 19 wherein said organic resin comprises polyimide.

21. A method according to claim 19 wherein each of said pixel electrodes comprises a conductive transparent material.

22. A method according to claim 19 wherein said inorganic material is silicon oxide.

23. A method according to claim 19 wherein said electro-optical device is one selected from the group consisting of a front type projection television and a rear type projection television.

24. A method for forming an electro-optical device comprising the steps of:

forming a thin film transistor on an insulating surface, said transistor having a semiconductor film to form a channel region;

forming an interlayer insulating film comprising an inorganic material above the thin film transistor;

forming a leveling layer comprising an organic resin over said transistor to provide a leveled upper surface, wherein said interlayer insulating film prevents said leveling film from directly contacting said semiconductor film;

forming an opening in said leveling layer; and

forming a pixel electrode on said leveled upper surface, said pixel electrode being electrically connected to said transistor through said opening,

wherein a diameter of said opening is larger at an uppermost surface of said organic resin layer than at a lowermost surface thereof.

25. A method according to claim 24 wherein said organic resin comprises polyimide.

26. A method according to claim 24 wherein said pixel electrode comprises a conductive transparent material.

27. A method according to claim 24 wherein said inorganic material is silicon oxide.

28. A method according to claim 24 wherein said electro-optical device is one selected from the group consisting of a front type projection television and a rear type projection television.

29. A method for forming an electro-optical device comprising the steps of:

forming a plurality of thin film transistors on an insulating surface, each of said thin film transistors having at least a semiconductor film to form a channel region;

forming an interlayer insulating film comprising an inorganic material on the thin film transistors;

forming a leveling layer comprising an organic resin over said interlayer insulating film to provide a leveled upper surface;

forming a plurality of openings in said leveling layer over the respective thin film transistors; and

forming a plurality of pixel electrodes over said leveled upper surface, each of said pixel electrodes being electrically connected to the corresponding thin film transistors through the corresponding openings,

wherein an inside wall of at least some of said openings is tapered, and

wherein said organic resin is translucent.

30. A method according to claim 29 wherein said organic resin comprises polyimide.

31. A method according to claim 29 wherein said pixel electrode comprises a conductive transparent material.

32. A method according to claim 29 wherein said electro-optical device is one selected from the group consisting of a front type projection television and a rear type projection television.

33. A method for forming an electro-optical device comprising the steps of:

forming a thin film transistor on an insulating surface, said thin film transistor having semiconductor film to form a channel region;

forming an interlayer insulating film comprising an inorganic material on the thin film transistor;

forming a leveling layer comprising an organic resin over the interlayer insulating film to provide a leveled upper surface;

forming an opening in the leveling layer over said thin film transistor; and

forming a pixel electrode over the leveled upper surface, said pixel electrode being electrically connected to said thin film transistor through said opening,

wherein a diameter of said opening is larger at an uppermost surface of said organic resin layer than at a lowermost surface thereof, and

wherein said organic resin is translucent.

34. A method according to claim 33 wherein said organic resin comprises polyimide.

35. A method according to claim 33 wherein said pixel electrode comprises a conductive transparent material.

36. A method according to claim 33 wherein said transistor further comprises at least a gate electrode, and said transistor being the top gate type that said gate electrode is provided over said channel region.

37. A method according to claim 33 wherein said electro-optical device is one selected from the group consisting of a front type projection television and a rear type projection television.