Light valve device

• US 6,067,062 A
• Filed: 08/23/1991
• Issued: 05/23/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SII Semiconductor Corporation (MinebeaMitsumi Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Yabe, Satoru, Takasu, Hiroaki, Suzuki, Hiroshi, Kamiya, Masaaki, Takano, Ryuichi, Kojima, Yoshikazu, Yamazaki, Tsuneo, Taguchi, Masaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang, Regina
• Application Number:
  US07/749,292
• Time in Patent Office: 3,196 Days
• Field of Search: 340/784, 340/718, 340/719, 345/87, 345/91, 345/92, 345/98, 345/88, 345/205, 345/206, 345/204, 359/59, 359/82, 359/85, 359/87, 359/74, 315/169.3, 349/41, 349/42, 349/47, 349/45, 349/122, 349/140, 349/158
• US Class Current: 345/87
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13378 by treatment of the surface, e.g. embossing, rubbing or light irradiation G02F1/133711, G02F1/133734, G02F1/133753 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13454 Drivers integrated on the active matrix substrate G02F1/136277 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136213 Storage capacitors associated with the pixel electrode
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/105 single crystal Si
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/02 Details of power systems and of start or stop of display operation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• 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 27/1251 comprising TFTs having a different architecture, e.g. top- and bottom gate TFTs

Abstract

A light valve has a composite substrate comprised of an electrically insulating substrate and a semiconductor single crystal thin film formed over the electrically insulating substrate. A pixel array comprising semiconductor switch elements is formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film. A peripheral circuit having circuit elements is formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film so that a small-sized, high speed light valve is obtained. X- driver and Y-driver circuits are formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film and controlled by a control circuit, such as a video signal processing circuit, which receives and processes video signals inputted directly from an external source. The peripheral circuit can be a DRAM sense amplifier for sensing charges stored in each pixel of the pixel array to detect defects in the pixel array. The peripheral circuit can be a photosensor circuit for detecting an intensity of incident light to monitor the performance of a light source of the light valve. The peripheral circuit can be a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of a liquid crystal layer of the light valve, and may be comprised of Darlington connected NPN transistors formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film. The peripheral circuit can also be a solar cell for converting incident light into electrical energy to supply power to at least one of the pixel array, X-driver and Y-driver circuits and the peripheral circuit.

Claims

1. A light valve substrate semiconductor device comprising:

a composite substrate including an optically transparent electrically insulating substrate, and a semiconductor single crystal thin film formed over the electrically insulating substrate and comprising a thinned single crystal wafer bonded to the electrically insulating substrate;

a substantially optically transparent pixel array portion formed over the composite substrate and including a group of optically transparent pixel electrodes for exciting an electro-optical material and a group of switch elements formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film for selectively energizing the group of optically transparent pixel electrodes;

optically transparent isolating regions formed between the respective switching elements and the respective optically transparent pixel electrodes; and

an opaque peripheral circuit portion formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film for driving the pixel array portion.

2. A light valve substrate semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein said peripheral circuit portion includes a plurality of complementary type insulated gate field effect thin film transistors formed over said semiconductor single crystal thin film.

3. A light valve substrate semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein said peripheral circuit portion includes:

a drive circuit having an X-driver circuit for feeding image signals to the grouped signal electrodes of said pixel array portion, and a Y-driver circuit for scanning the grouped scanning electrodes of said pixel array portion selectively; and

a control circuit for processing video signals coming from the outside to control said drive circuit.

4. A light valve substrate semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said peripheral circuit portion includes at least one of

a temperature sensor comprising an NPN transistor and a constant current circuit for measuring temperature and detecting if a measured voltage dependent on temperature exceeds a reference voltage for measuring a temperature of a liquid crystal layer;

a photo sensor comprising a photo diode for monitoring the emission intensity of light from a light source and producing a voltage dependent thereon and a differential amplifier for comparing the voltage from the photo sensor with a reference voltage and issuing a warning signal dependent thereon;

a solar cell for converting optical energy to electrical energy for supplying an electric power to at least one of said peripheral circuit portion and said pixel array portion; and

a DRAM sense circuit for detecting an element defect of said pixel array portion.

5. A light valve substrate semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said peripheral circuit is generally optically opaque and is integrally formed with a group of circuit elements isolated by an opaque isolating region to improve the integration of the peripheral circuit, and wherein said pixel array portion is generally transparent to light and the individual switch elements of said grouped switch elements are isolated by a transparent isolating region to improve the optical transparency of said pixel array portion.

6. A light valve substrate semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein said peripheral circuit portion has external connecting terminal wiring lines integrated in a portion thereof.

7. A light valve substrate semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein said semiconductor single crystal thin film is formed thereover with Schottky diodes, through which said peripheral circuit portion and input/output terminals with the outside are electrically connected to prevent an element breakdown which might otherwise be caused by applying a high voltage.

8. A light valve, comprising:

a composite substrate comprised of an optically transparent electrically insulating substrate and a semiconductor single crystal thin film formed over the electrically insulating substrate;

a substantially optically transparent pixel array including a group of transparent pixel electrodes for driving an electro-optical material and semiconductor switch elements formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film for selectively energizing the group of optically transparent pixel electrodes, the switching elements and pixel electrodes being separated by optically transparent isolating regions; and

an opaque peripheral circuit having circuit elements formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film and being electrically connected to the pixel array.

9. A light valve according to claim 8;

wherein the peripheral circuit comprises an X-driver circuit and a Y-driver circuit formed on the composite substrate for driving the pixel array, the X-driver circuit and Y-driver circuits each comprising switching elements formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film and electrodes formed on the composite substrate for connecting selected ones of the switching elements of the X-driver circuit and the Y-driver circuit to the respective semiconductor switch elements formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film; and

a control circuit formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film for controlling the X-driver circuit and the Y-driver circuit.

10. A light valve according to claim 9;

wherein the X-driver circuit and the Y-driver circuit are formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film.

11. A light valve according to claim 9;

wherein the control circuit comprises a video signal processing circuit for receiving and processing video signals inputted directly from an external source.

12. A light valve according to claim 9;

wherein the control circuit comprises a solar cell formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film for converting incident light into electrical energy to supply power to at least one of the pixel array, the X-driver circuit and the Y-driver circuit.

13. A light valve according to claim 12;

wherein the solar cell comprises a PN junction formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film.

14. A light valve according to claim 8;

wherein the peripheral circuit comprises a DRAM sense amplifier formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film for sensing charges stored in each pixel of the pixel array to detect defects in the pixel array.

15. A light valve according to claim 8;

wherein the peripheral circuit comprises a photosensor circuit formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film for detecting an intensity of incident light.

16. A light valve according to claim 15;

wherein the photosensor circuit comprises a photodiode formed by doping the semiconductor single crystal thin film with an impurity and connected with a current/voltage conversion resistor formed by doping the semiconductor single crystal thin film with an impurity, a first differential amplifier connected to the current/voltage conversion resistor and a second differential amplifier connected to the first differential amplifier, the first and second differential amplifiers being formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film, and wherein the second differential amplifier compares an externally supplied reference voltage with a detected voltage generated by the photodiode to detect the intensity of incident light from a light source.

17. A light valve according to claim 8;

wherein the peripheral circuit comprises a temperature sensor circuit formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film for detecting a temperature.

18. A light valve according to claim 17;

further comprising a liquid crystal layer; and

wherein the temperature sensor circuit comprises an NPN transistor and a constant current circuit formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film for sensing a temperature of the liquid crystal layer.

19. A light valve according to claim 18;

wherein the constant current circuit comprises a plurality of insulated gate field effect transistors configured to produce a constant current output.

20. A light valve according to claim 17;

further comprising a liquid crystal layer; and

wherein the temperature sensor circuit comprises a pair of Darlington-connected NPN transistors and a constant current circuit formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film for sensing a temperature of the liquid crystal layer.

21. A light valve according to claim 17;

further comprising a liquid crystal layer; and

wherein the temperature sensor circuit comprises an NPN transistor and an N-type MOS transistor formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film, the NPN transistor being a temperature sensor element and the N-type MOS transistor being part of a constant current circuit for sensing a temperature of the liquid crystal layer.

22. A light valve according to claim 8;

wherein the peripheral circuit comprises a plurality of complementary type insulated gate field effect thin film transistors formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film.

23. A light valve according to claim 8;

further comprising at least one Schottky diode formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film for electrically connecting the peripheral circuit to an outside high voltage source.

24. A light valve according to claim 8;

wherein the semiconductor single crystal thin film is of 2 microns or less in thickness.

25. A light valve according to claim 8;

wherein the semiconductor single crystal thin film is of 0.1 micron or less in thickness so as to be substantially transparent.

26. A light valve according to claim 8;

further comprising a solar cell for converting incident optical energy to electric power and for supplying the electric power to the peripheral circuit; and

a DRAM circuit for detecting an element defect of the pixel array.

27. A light valve according to claim 8;

wherein the peripheral circuit comprises an opaque isolating region for isolating a group of circuit elements from incident light for improving the integration of the peripheral circuit and wherein the pixel array comprises an optically transparent isolating region for isolating a group of switch elements from said opaque isolating region so that said switch elements are transmissive to incident light.

28. A light valve according to claim 8;

wherein the peripheral circuit comprises a protection circuit including a plurality of Schottky diodes for preventing the peripheral circuit from being exposed to an electrostatic breakdown voltage and from discharging excessive voltage.

29. A light valve according to claim 8;

wherein the electrically insulating substrate is made of quartz.

30. A light valve according to claim 8;

wherein the electrically insulating substrate and the semiconductor single crystal thin film are fixedly laminated through an intermediate layer for buffering stress.

31. A light valve according to claim 8;

wherein the switch elements formed in the pixel array are insulated gate field effect thin film transistors, each including a source region, a drain region and a channel region, each of said regions being formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film, a gate insulating film laminated over said semiconductor single crystal thin film, and a gate electrode, and wherein the source region and the drain region are formed apart from an interface between the electrically insulating substrate and the semiconductor single crystal thin film to give the insulated gate field effect thin film transistors a high breakdown voltage.

32. A light valve according to claim 8;

wherein the pixel electrodes are formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film.

33. A light valve according to claim 32;

wherein a portion of said pixel electrodes has its surface shaped to have regular concavities and convexities.

34. A light valve according to claim 8;

wherein the pixel electrodes are formed of a semiconductor polycrystalline thin film, and wherein the semiconductor polycrystalline thin film comprises at least one of non-doped polycrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon doped with an impurity, and polycrystalline silicon silicified with a refractory metal.

35. A light valve according to claim 8;

wherein the optically transparent isolating regions comprise a field oxide film formed by thermally oxidizing the semiconductor single crystal thin film between the respective switching elements and between the respective switching elements and the corresponding pixel electrodes, the thermal oxidation being effective to convert the semiconductor single crystal thin film in the oxidized regions into a substantially transparent oxide film; and

wherein the grouped pixel electrodes are electrically connected with the switch elements through a sloped portion of the field oxide film to prevent an electrical disconnection which might otherwise be caused by a stepped portion of the field oxide film.

36. A light valve according to claim 8;

wherein the pixel array further comprises a group of capacitance elements, each of the respective capacitance elements comprising a pair of electrodes and a dielectric film disposed between the pair of electrodes, wherein each of the pixel elements is connected electrically to a respective switch element and each of the capacitance elements has one electrode connected electrically with a corresponding one of the pixel electrodes so that it may hold a charge which is selectively supplied by the corresponding switch element.

37. A light valve according to claim 8;

wherein the pixel array comprises pixels formed at individual intersections between a group of signal electrodes and a group of scanning electrodes, each pixel comprising a diode element acting as the switch element and a pixel electrode, and wherein the signal electrodes and pixel electrodes, and the scanning electrodes and pixel electrodes, are electrically connected individually through respective diode elements to selectively energize said pixel electrodes.

38. A light valve according to claim 8;

wherein said switch elements are semiconductor single crystal thin film insulated gate field effect transistors made of a semiconductor single crystal thin film.

39. A light valve according to claim 8;

wherein said switch elements comprise insulated gate field effect thin film transistors, each of which has a gate electrode and a pair of impurity diffused regions made of a semiconductor single crystal thin film, and wherein pixel electrodes corresponding to said paired impurity-diffused regions comprise an impurity-diffused region formed in the semiconductor single crystal thin film.

40. A light valve according to claim 8;

wherein said switch elements are PN junction diodes formed in said semiconductor single crystal thin film.

41. A light valve according to claim 8;

wherein said electro-optical material is a liquid crystal; and

wherein the light valve further comprises alignment means for holding said liquid crystal in a predetermined aligned state.

42. A light valve according to claim 8;

wherein the peripheral circuit comprises a drive circuit formed in the composite substrate for driving the pixel array; and

a photovoltaic element formed in the peripheral circuit in the single crystal semiconductor thin film for energizing the drive circuit with electric power generated by a light incident upon the photovoltaic element and for supplying an electrical signal according to a light signal incident upon the photovoltaic element as an input signal to the drive circuit.