Display device

• US 8,319,215 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Shunpei, Akimoto, Kengo, Umezaki, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Such, Matthew W
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARPENTER, ROBERT K
• Application Number:
  US12/570,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20100084651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 257/43
• US Class Current: 257/43
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13624 having more than one switching element per pixel
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1225 with semiconductor materials not belonging to the group IV of the periodic table, e.g. InGaZnO
• 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 29/7869 having a semiconductor body comprising an oxide semiconductor material, e.g. zinc oxide, copper aluminium oxide, cadmium stannate
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/131 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals

Abstract

With an increase in the definition of a display device, the number of pixels is increased, and thus the numbers of gate lines and signal lines are increased. Due to the increase in the numbers of gate lines and signal lines, it is difficult to mount an IC chip having a driver circuit for driving the gate and signal lines by bonding or the like, which causes an increase in manufacturing costs. A pixel portion and a driver circuit for driving the pixel portion are formed over one substrate. At least a part of the driver circuit is formed using an inverted staggered thin film transistor in which an oxide semiconductor is used. The driver circuit as well as the pixel portion is provided over the same substrate, whereby manufacturing costs are reduced.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a pixel portion at least comprising a first thin film transistor including a first oxide semiconductor layer and a first gate electrode; and

a driver circuit at least comprising a second thin film transistor including a second oxide semiconductor layer and a second gate electrode, and a third thin film transistor including a third oxide semiconductor layer and a third gate electrode,

wherein a length of the second oxide semiconductor layer in a channel length direction is smaller than a length of the second gate electrode in a channel length direction,

wherein a length of the third oxide semiconductor layer in a channel length direction is larger than a length of the third gate electrode in a channel length direction,

wherein a wiring in direct contact with the second gate electrode is provided above the third oxide semiconductor layer, and

wherein the wiring is a source wiring or a drain wiring of the third thin film transistor electrically connected to the third oxide semiconductor layer.

2. A display device according to claim 1,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer, the second oxide semiconductor layer, and the third oxide semiconductor layer each include a region with a depression.

3. A display device according to claim 2 further comprising an insulating layer,

wherein the insulating layer covers the first thin film transistor, the second thin film transistor, and the third thin film transistor and is in contact with the first oxide semiconductor layer, the second oxide semiconductor layer, and the third oxide semiconductor layer.

4. A display device according to claim 1, wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer, the second oxide semiconductor layer, and the third oxide semiconductor layer each comprise indium, gallium, and zinc.

5. A display device according to claim 1,

wherein the display device is incorporated into one selected from the group consisting of a television device, a digital photo frame, a portable game console, a slot machine and a cellular phone.

6. A display device according to claim 1,

wherein the pixel portion and the driver circuit are provided over a same substrate.

7. A display device according to claim 1,

wherein the first thin film transistor is an n-channel thin film transistor.

8. A display device according to claim 1,

wherein the second thin film transistor is an n-channel thin film transistor.

9. A display device according to claim 1,

wherein the third thin film transistor is an n-channel thin film transistor.

10. A display device comprising:

a pixel portion at least comprising a first thin film transistor including a first oxide semiconductor layer and a first gate electrode; and

a driver circuit at least comprising a second thin film transistor including a second oxide semiconductor layer and a second gate electrode, and a third thin film transistor including a third oxide semiconductor layer and a third gate electrode,

wherein a length of the second oxide semiconductor layer in a channel length direction is smaller than a length of the second gate electrode in a channel length direction,

wherein a length of the third oxide semiconductor layer in a channel length direction is larger than a length of the third gate electrode in a channel length direction,

wherein a wiring in direct contact with the second gate electrode is provided above the third oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein the wiring is a source wiring or a drain wiring of the third thin film transistor electrically connected to the third oxide semiconductor layer, and

wherein a fourth oxide semiconductor layer having smaller thickness and higher conductivity than the third oxide semiconductor layer is provided between the source wiring and the third oxide semiconductor layer or between the drain wiring and the third oxide semiconductor layer.

11. A display device according to claim 10,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer, the second oxide semiconductor layer, and the third oxide semiconductor layer each include a region with a depression.

12. A display device according to claim 11 further comprising an insulating layer,

wherein the insulating layer covers the first thin film transistor, the second thin film transistor, and the third thin film transistor and is in contact with the first oxide semiconductor layer, the second oxide semiconductor layer, and the third oxide semiconductor layer.

13. A display device according to claim 10, wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer, the second oxide semiconductor layer, and the third oxide semiconductor layer each comprise indium, gallium, and zinc.

14. A display device according to claim 10, wherein the fourth oxide semiconductor layer comprises indium, gallium, and zinc.

15. A display device according to claim 10,

wherein the display device is incorporated into one selected from the group consisting of a television device, a digital photo frame, a portable game console, a slot machine and a cellular phone.

16. A display device according to claim 10,

wherein the pixel portion and the driver circuit are provided over a same substrate.

17. A display device according to claim 10,

wherein the first thin film transistor is an n-channel thin film transistor.

18. A display device according to claim 10,

wherein the second thin film transistor is an n-channel thin film transistor.

19. A display device according to claim 10,

wherein the third thin film transistor is an n-channel thin film transistor.

20. A display device according to claim 10,

wherein the fourth oxide semiconductor layer comprises a crystal grain in an amorphous structure, and the crystal grain has a diameter of 1 to 10 nm.