Electro-optical device and driving method for the same

• US 7,154,147 B1
• Filed: 06/02/1999
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hiroki, Masaaki, Mase, Akira, Yamazaki, Shunpei
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Eugene
• Application Number:
  US09/323,692
• Time in Patent Office: 2,764 Days
• Field of Search: 257/50, 257/51, 257/65, 257/66, 257/67, 257/69, 257/70, 257/72, 257/347, 257/350, 257351-353, 257/52, 257/53, 257/57, 257/59, 257/291, 257/290, 257/E27.112, 438/149
• US Class Current: 257/347
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134345 Subdivided pixels, e.g. for grey scale or redundancy
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13624 having more than one switching element per pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136245 having complementary transistors
• 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 2300/0823 used to establish symmetry in driving, e.g. with polarity inversion
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/08 Fault-tolerant or redundant circuits, or circuits in which repair of defects is prepared
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2011 by amplitude modulation
• 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 3/3648 using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence
• 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 27/124 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 29/04 characterised by their crystalline structure, e.g. polycrystalline, cubic or particular orientation of crystalline planes characterised by physical imperfections H01L29/30
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66757 Lateral single gate single channel transistors with non-inverted structure, i.e. the channel layer is formed before the gate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78603 characterised by the insulating substrate or support H01L29/78657 takes precedence

Abstract

A grey tone display and a driving method are described. The display comprises a light influencing layer, an electrode pad located adjacent to the layer at one side of the layer in order to define a pixel in the layer, an n-channel field effect transistors connected to the electrode pad at its source terminal, a p-channel field effect transistors connected to the electrode pad at its source terminal, a first control line connected to the drain terminal of the n-channel field effect transistor, a second control line connected to the drain terminal of the p-channel field effect transistor, a third control line connected to the gate terminals of the n-channel field effect transistor and the p-channel field effect transistor, and a control circuit for supplying control signals to the first, second and third control lines. By this configuration, the voltage of the electrode pad can be arbitrarily controlled by adjusting the input level at the gate terminals.

Claims

1. An active matrix liquid crystal display device comprising:

a glass substrate;

an underlying insulating film formed on said glass substrate;

a pixel circuit and a driving circuit formed on said underlying insulating film;

at least one thin film transistor formed in said pixel circuit, said thin film transistor having a semiconductor layer comprising source drain and channel regions;

an insulating film comprising an inorganic material formed on said thin film transistor;

an organic resin film over said insulating film; and

a pixel electrode formed over said organic resin film and connected to said thin film transistor through an opening provided in said organic resin film,

wherein said semiconductor layer exhibits a peak of Raman spectra, displaced from a peak of single crystalline silicon to the lower frequency direction,

wherein said underlying insulating film contains halogen.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said pixel electrode is a transparent conductive film.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said inorganic material comprises silicon oxide.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein said channel region comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium and a combination thereof.

5. A device according to claim 1 wherein said insulating film is 0.2 to 0.6 μ

m thick.

6. A device according to claim 1 consisting of 640×

480 pixels arranged in a matrix form.

7. A device according to claim 1 consisting of 1260×

960 pixels arranged in a matrix form.

8. A device according to claim 1 further comprising a conductive film formed on said insulating film and electrically connected to said thin film transistor through a contact hole formed in said insulating film.

9. A device according to claim 8 wherein said pixel electrode is connected to said thin film transistor via said conductive film.

10. A device according to claim 1, wherein said organic resin film comprises polyimide.

11. A device according to claim 1, wherein said channel region comprises boron at concentration in a range of 1×

10¹⁵–

1×

10¹⁸ cm<sup>−

3</sup>.

12. A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor layer has an electron mobility of 15 to 300 cm²/Vsec.

13. A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor layer has a hole mobility of 10 to 200 cm²/Vsec.

14. A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said underlying insulating film prevents alkali metal atoms from getting into said semiconductor layer from said glass substrate.

15. An active matrix liquid crystal display device comprising:

a glass substrate;

an underlying insulating film formed on said glass substrate;

a pixel circuit and a driving circuit formed on said underlying insulating film;

at least one thin film transistor formed in said pixel circuit, said thin film transistor having a semiconductor layer comprising source, drain and channel regions;

an insulating film comprising an inorganic material formed on said thin film transistor;

an organic resin film provided over said insulating film; and

a pixel electrode formed over said organic resin film and connected to said thin film transistor through an opening provided in said organic resin film,

wherein said semiconductor layer exhibits a peak of Raman spectra, displaced from 522 cm<sup>−

1</sup> to the lower frequency direction, and

wherein said underlying insulating film contains halogen.

16. A device according to claim 15 wherein said pixel electrode is a transparent conductive film.

17. A device according to claim 15 wherein said inorganic material comprises silicon oxide.

18. A device according to claim 15 wherein said channel region comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium and a combination thereof.

19. A device according to claim 15 wherein said insulating film is 0.2 to 0.6 μ

m thick.

20. A device according to claim 15 consisting of 640×

480 pixels arranged in a matrix form.

21. A device according to claim 15 consisting of 1260×

960 pixels arranged in a matrix form.

22. A device according to claim 15 further comprising a conductive film on said insulating film and electrically connected to said thin film transistor through a contact hole formed in said insulating film.

23. A device according to claim 22 wherein said pixel electrode is connected to said thin film transistor via said conductive film.

24. A device according to claim 15, wherein said organic resin film comprises polyimide.

25. A device according to claim 15, wherein said channel region comprises boron at concentration in a range of 1×

10¹⁵–

1×

10¹⁸ cm<sup>−

3</sup>.

26. A semiconductor device according to claim 15, wherein said semiconductor layer has an electron mobility of 15 to 300 cm²/Vsec.

27. A semiconductor device according to claim 15, wherein said semiconductor layer has a hole mobility of 10 to 200 cm²/Vsec.

28. A semiconductor device according to claim 15, wherein said underlying insulating film prevents alkali metal atoms from getting into said semiconductor layer from said glass substrate.

29. An active matrix liquid crystal display comprising:

a glass substrate;

an underlying insulating film formed on said glass substrate;

a pixel circuit and a driving circuit formed on said underlying insulating film;

at least one thin film transistor formed in said pixel circuit, said thin film transistor comprising;

a semiconductor layer having source, drain and channel regions;

a gate insulating layer adjacent to said channel region; and

a gate electrode adjacent to said channel region;

an insulating film comprising an inorganic material formed on said thin film transistor; and

an organic resin film provided over said insulating film;

wherein said semiconductor layer exhibits a peak of Raman spectra, displaced from a peak of single crystalline silicon to the lower frequency direction,

wherein said underlying insulating film contains halogen.

30. A device according to claim 29 further comprising a pixel electrode formed over said organic resin film and connected to said thin film transistor through an opening provided in said organic resin film.

31. A device according to claim 30 wherein said pixel electrode is a transparent conductive film.

32. A device according to claim 29 wherein said inorganic material comprises silicon oxide.

33. A device according to claim 29 wherein said channel region comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium and a combination thereof.

34. A device according to claim 29 wherein said gate insulating film is 500Å

to 2000Å

thick.

35. A device according to claim 29 wherein said insulating film is 0.2 to 0.6 μ

m thick

36. A device according to claim 29 consisting of 640×

480 pixels arranged in a matrix form.

37. A device according to claim 29 consisting of 1260×

960 pixels arranged in a matrix form.

38. A device according to claim 29 wherein said semiconductor layer has an electron mobility of 15 to 300 cm²/Vsec.

39. A device according to claim 29 wherein said semiconductor layer has a hole mobility of 10 to 200 cm²/Vsec.

40. A device according to claim 29 further comprising a conductive film formed on said insulating film and electrically connected to said thin film transistor through a contact hole formed in said insulating film.

41. A device according to claim 40 wherein said pixel electrode is connected to said thin film transistor via said conductive film.

42. A device according to claim 29, wherein said organic resin film comprises polyimide.

43. A device according to claim 29, wherein said channel region comprises boron at concentration in a range of 1×

10¹–

1×

10¹⁸ cm<sup>−

3</sup>.

44. A semiconductor device according to claim 29, wherein said underlying insulating film prevents alkali metal atoms from getting into said semiconductor layer from said glass substrate.

45. An active matrix liquid crystal display device comprising:

a glass substrate;

an underlying insulating film formed on said glass substrate;

a pixel circuit and a driving circuit formed on said underlying insulating film;

at least one thin film transistor formed in said pixel circuit, said thin film transistor comprising;

a semiconductor layer having source, drain and channel regions;

a gate insulating layer adjacent to said channel region;

an insulating film comprising an inorganic material formed on said thin film transistor; and

an organic resin film provided over said thin film transistor and said insulating film;

wherein said semiconductor layer comprises silicon and exhibits a peak of Raman spectra, displaced from 522 cm<sup>−

1</sup> to the lower frequency direction, and

wherein said underlying insulating film contains halogen.

46. A device according to claim 45 further comprising a pixel electrode formed over said organic resin film and connected to said thin film transistor through an opening provided in said organic resin film.

47. A device according to claim 46 wherein said pixel electrode is a transparent conductive film.

48. A device according to claim 45 wherein said material comprises silicon oxide.

49. A device according to claim 45 wherein said channel region comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium and a combination thereof.

50. A device according to claim 45 wherein said gate insulating film is 500Å

to 2000Å

thick.

51. A device according to claim 45 wherein said insulating film is 0.2 to 0.6 μ

m thick.

52. A device according to claim 45 consisting of 640×

480 pixels arranged in a matrix form.

53. A device according to claim 45 consisting of 1260×

960 pixels arranged in a matrix form.

54. A device according to claim 45 wherein said semiconductor layer has an electron mobility of 15 to 300 cm²/Vsec.

55. A device according to claim 45 wherein said semiconductor layer has a hole mobility of 10 to 200 cm²/Vse.

56. A device according to claim 45 further comprising a conductive film formed on said insulating film and electrically connected to said thin film transistor through a contact hole formed in said insulating film.

57. A device according to claim 56 wherein said pixel electrode is connected to said thin film transistor via said conductive film.

58. A device according to claim 45, wherein said organic resin film comprises polyimide.

59. A device according to claim 45, wherein said channel region comprises boron at concentration in a range of 1×

10¹⁵–

1×

10¹⁸ cm<sup>−

3</sup>.

60. A semiconductor device according to claim 45, wherein said underlying insulating film prevents alkali metal atoms from getting into said semiconductor layer from said glass substrate.

61. An active matrix liquid crystal display device comprising:

a glass substrate;

an underlying insulating film formed on said glass substrate;

at least an n-channel thin film transistor and at least a p-channel thin film transistor both formed on said underlying insulating film, each of said n-channel and p-channel thin film transistors comprising;

a semiconductor layer having source, drain and channel regions;

a gate insulating layer adjacent to said channel region; and

a gate electrode adjacent to said channel region;

an insulating film comprising an inorganic material formed over said gate electrode; and

an organic resin film provided over said insulating film;

wherein said semiconductor layer exhibits a peak of Raman spectra, displaced from a peak of single crystalline silicon to the lower frequency direction, and

wherein said underlying insulating film contains halogen.

62. A device according to claim 61 further comprising a pixel electrode formed over said organic resin film and connected to said thin film transistor through an opening provided in said organic resin film.

63. A device according to claim 62 wherein said pixel electrode is a transparent conductive film.

64. A device according to claim 61 wherein said inorganic material comprises silicon oxide.

65. A device according to claim 61 wherein said channel region comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium and a combination thereof.

66. A device according to claim 61 wherein said gate insulating film is 500Å

to 2000Å

thick.

67. A device according to claim 61 wherein said insulating film is 0.2 to 0.6 μ

m thick.

68. A device according to claim 61 consisting of 640×

480 pixels arranged in a matrix form.

69. A device according to claim 61 consisting of 1260×

960 pixels arranged in a matrix form.

70. A device according to claim 61 wherein said semiconductor layer has an electron mobility of 15 to 300 cm²/Vsec.

71. A device according to claim 61 wherein said semiconductor layer has a role mobility of 10 to 200 cm²/Vsec.

72. A device according to claim 61 further comprising a conductive film formed on said insulating film and electrically connected to said thin film transistor through a contact hole formed in said insulating film.

73. A device according to claim 72 wherein said pixel electrode is connected to said thin film transistor via said conductive film.

74. A device according to claim 61, wherein said organic resin film comprises polyimide.

75. A device according to claim 61, wherein said channel region of each of the n-channel and p-channel thin film transistors comprises boron at concentration in a range of 1×

10¹⁵–

1×

10¹⁸ cm<sup>−

3</sup>.

76. A semiconductor device according to claim 61, wherein said underlying insulating film prevents alkali metal atoms from getting into said semiconductor layer from said glass substrate.

77. An active matrix liquid crystal display device comprising:

a glass substrate;

an underlying insulating film formed on said glass substrate;

a pixel circuit and a driving circuit formed on said underlying insulating film;

at least one thin film transistor formed in said pixel circuit, said thin film transistor comprising;

a semiconductor layer having source, drain and channel regions;

an insulating film comprising an inorganic material formed on said thin film transistor;

an organic resin film provided over said insulating film; and

a pixel electrode provided over said organic resin film and connected to said thin film transistor through an opening provided in said organic resin film;

wherein said semiconductor layer exhibits a peak of Raman spectra, displaced from 522 cm<sup>−

1</sup> to the lower frequency direction, and

wherein said underlying insulating film contains halogen.

78. A device according to claim 77 wherein said pixel electrode is a transparent conductive film.

79. A device according to claim 77 wherein said material comprises silicon oxide.

80. A device according to claim 77 wherein said channel region comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium and a combination thereof.

81. A device according to claim 77 wherein said insulating film is 0.2 to 0.6 μ

m thick.

82. A device according to claim 77 consisting of 640×

480 pixels arranged in a matrix form.

83. A device according to claim 77 consisting of 1260×

960 pixels arranged in a matrix form.

84. A device according to claim 77, wherein said organic resin film comprises polyimide.

85. A device according to claim 77, wherein said channel region boron at concentration in a range of 1×

10¹⁵–

1×

10¹⁸ cm<sup>−

3</sup>.

86. A semiconductor device according to claim 77, wherein said underlying insulating film prevents alkali metal atoms from getting into said semiconductor layer from said glass substrate.