Display device

• US 8,368,066 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2009
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• 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, Komori, Shigeki, Uochi, Hideki, Futamura, Tomoya, Kasahara, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): WOJCIECHOWICZ, EDWARD JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US12/571,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20100084652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 257/43, 257/59, 257/72, 257/98, 349/43
• US Class Current: 257/43
• 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 27/1244 for preventing breakage, peeling or short circuiting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/127 with a particular formation, treatment or patterning of the active layer specially adapted to the circuit arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/1054 with a variation of the composition, e.g. channel with strained layer for increasing the mobility
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/20 including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only AIIIBV compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/24 including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only semiconductor materials not provided for in groups H01L29/16, H01L29/18, H01L29/20, H01L29/22 including organic materials H10K99/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7869 having a semiconductor body comprising an oxide semiconductor material, e.g. zinc oxide, copper aluminium oxide, cadmium stannate

Abstract

A display device including an oxide semiconductor, a protective circuit and the like having appropriate structures and a small occupied area is necessary. The protective circuit is formed using a non-linear element which includes a gate insulating film covering a gate electrode; a first oxide semiconductor layer which is over the gate insulating layer and overlaps with the gate electrode; and a first wiring layer and a second wiring layer each of which is formed by stacking a conductive layer and a second oxide semiconductor layer and whose end portions are over the first oxide semiconductor layer and overlap with the gate electrode. The gate electrode of the non-linear element is connected to a scan line or a signal line, the first wiring layer or the second wiring layer of the non-linear element is directly connected to the gate electrode layer so as to apply potential of the gate electrode.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a scan line and a signal line intersecting with each other over a substrate;

a pixel portion in which pixel electrodes are arranged in matrix; and

a non-linear element provided over the substrate in a region outside the pixel portion,

wherein the pixel portion comprises a thin film transistor comprising a first oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein the non-linear element comprises;

a gate electrode;

a gate insulating film over the gate electrode;

the first oxide semiconductor layer over the gate insulating film; and

a first wiring layer and a second wiring layer each of which comprises a second oxide semiconductor layer over the first oxide semiconductor layer of the non-linear element and a conductive layer over the second oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein end portions of the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer overlap with the gate electrode,

wherein the gate electrode is connected to the scan line or the signal line,

wherein one of the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer of the non-linear element is directly connected to a third wiring layer which is connected to the scan line and formed with the same layer as the gate electrode, and

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer has a higher oxygen concentration than the second oxide semiconductor layer.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer has lower electrical conductivity than the second oxide semiconductor layer.

3. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer and the second oxide semiconductor layer contain indium, gallium, and zinc.

4. A display device comprising:

a scan line and a signal line intersecting with each other over a substrate;

a pixel portion in which pixel electrodes are arranged in matrix; and

a non-linear element provided over the substrate in a region outside the pixel portion,

wherein the pixel portion comprises a thin film transistor comprising;

a gate electrode which is connected to the scan line;

a first oxide semiconductor layer over the gate electrode;

a first wiring layer over the first oxide semiconductor layer, the first wiring layer being connected to the signal line and the first oxide semiconductor layer; and

a second wiring layer over the first oxide semiconductor layer, the second wiring layer being connected to a pixel electrode and the first oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein the non-linear element comprises;

a gate electrode;

a gate insulating film over the gate electrode;

the first oxide semiconductor layer over the gate insulating film; and

a first wiring layer and a second wiring layer each of which comprises a second oxide semiconductor layer over the first oxide semiconductor layer of the non-linear element and a conductive layer over the second oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein end portions of the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer of the non-linear element overlap with the gate electrode of the non-linear element,

wherein the gate electrode of the non-linear element is connected to the scan line or the signal line,

wherein one of the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer of the non-linear element is directly connected to a third wiring layer which is connected to the scan line and formed with the same layer as the gate electrode of the non-linear element, and

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer has a higher oxygen concentration than the second oxide semiconductor layer.

5. The display device according to claim 4, wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer has lower electrical conductivity than the second oxide semiconductor layer.

6. The display device according to claim 4, wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer and the second oxide semiconductor layer contain indium, gallium, and zinc.

7. A display device comprising:

a scan line and a signal line intersecting with each other over a substrate;

a pixel portion in which pixel electrodes are arranged in matrix; and

a protective circuit over the substrate and in a region outside the pixel portion, the protective circuit connecting the scan line and a common wiring,

wherein the pixel portion comprises a thin film transistor comprising;

a gate electrode which is connected to the scan line;

a first oxide semiconductor layer over the gate electrode;

a first wiring layer over the first oxide semiconductor layer, the first wiring layer being connected to the signal line and the first oxide semiconductor layer; and

a second wiring layer over the first oxide semiconductor layer, the second wiring layer being connected to a pixel electrode and the first oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein the protective circuit includes a non-linear element, the non-linear element comprising;

a gate electrode;

a gate insulating film over the gate electrode;

the first oxide semiconductor layer over the gate insulating film; and

a first wiring layer and a second wiring layer each of which comprises a second oxide semiconductor layer over the first oxide semiconductor layer of the non-linear element and a conductive layer over the second oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein end portions of the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer of the non-linear element overlap with the gate electrode of the non-linear element,

wherein the gate electrode of the non-linear element is connected to the scan line or the signal line,

wherein one of the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer of the non-linear element is directly connected to a third wiring layer which is connected to the scan line and formed with the same layer as the gate electrode of the non-linear element, and

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer has a higher oxygen concentration than the second oxide semiconductor layer.

8. The display device according to claim 7, wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer has lower electrical conductivity than the second oxide semiconductor layer.

9. The display device according to claim 7, wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer and the second oxide semiconductor layer contain indium, gallium, and zinc.

10. A display device comprising:

a scan line and a signal line intersecting with each other over a substrate;

a pixel portion over the substrate, the pixel portion including a transistor and a pixel electrode;

a non-linear element over the substrate in a region outside the pixel portion, each of the transistor of the pixel portion and the non-linear element comprising;

a gate electrode over the substrate;

a gate insulating film over the gate electrode;

an oxide semiconductor layer over the gate electrode with the gate insulating film interposed therebetween, the oxide semiconductor layer comprising indium, zinc and oxygen;

a source electrode over and in electrical contact with the oxide semiconductor layer;

a drain electrode over and in electrical contact with the oxide semiconductor layer;

an insulating film over the oxide semiconductor layer, the source electrode and the drain electrode, wherein the insulating film is in direct contact with a portion of the oxide semiconductor layer between the source electrode and the drain electrode,

wherein a gate electrode of the transistor is electrically connected to the scan line;

wherein one of the source electrode and the drain electrode of the transistor is electrically connected to the signal line;

wherein one of the source electrode and the drain electrode of the non-linear element is electrically connected to the gate electrode of the non-linear element through the gate insulating film of the non-linear element, and

wherein an edge of the gate electrode in each of the transistor and the non-linear element is tapered.

11. A display device according to claim 10, further comprising a second oxide semiconductor layer between the oxide semiconductor layer and one of the source electrode and the drain electrode.

12. The display device according to claim 10, wherein the oxide semiconductor layer further comprises gallium.

13. The display device according to claim 10, wherein the insulating film comprises silicon oxide.