Liquid crystal display device and semiconductor device

• US 8,841,671 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2013
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kimura, Hajime
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Zandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATTON, PAUL E
• Application Number:
  US14/013,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20140063397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: 349/43, 349/46, 349/47, 349/141, 349/142, 349/FOR.129, 257/E27.111, 257/59, 257/72, 257/71, 257/E21.413, 257/E29.278, 257/E29.151
• US Class Current: 257/59
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133345 Insulating layers G02F1/1335, G02F1/1337, G02F1/135, G02F1/136 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1337 Surface-induced orientation of the liquid crystal molecules, e.g. by alignment layers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133707 Structures for producing distorted electric fields, e.g. bumps, protrusions, recesses, slits in pixel electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134309 characterised by their geometrical arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134318 having a patterned common electrode
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134363 for applying an electric field parallel to the substrate, i.e. in-plane switching [IPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134372 for fringe field switching [FFS] where the common electrode is not patterned
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13439 characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136 Liquid crystal cells structurally associated with a semi-conducting layer or substrate, e.g. cells forming part of an integrated circuit G02F1/135 takes precedence
• 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 1/136277 formed on a semiconductor substrate, e.g. of silicon
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136286 Wiring, e.g. gate line, drain line
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1368 in which the switching element is a three-electrode device G02F1/136277 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13685 Top gates
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/121 common or background

Abstract

By increasing an interval between electrodes which drives liquid crystals, a gradient of an electric field applied between the electrodes can be controlled and an optimal electric field can be applied between the electrodes. The invention includes a first electrode formed over a substrate, an insulating film formed over the substrate and the first electrode, a thin film transistor including a semiconductor film in which a source, a channel region, and a drain are formed over the insulating film, a second electrode located over the semiconductor film and the first electrode and including first opening patterns, and liquid crystals provided over the second electrode.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first electrode over a substrate;

a gate wiring over the substrate;

a wiring over the first electrode;

a first insulating film over the first electrode, the gate wiring, and the wiring;

a semiconductor film over the first insulating film;

a second electrode and a third electrode over the semiconductor film;

a second insulating film over the second electrode and the third electrode;

a conductive film over the second insulating film;

a fourth electrode over the second insulating film and comprising a first opening pattern and a second opening pattern;

an alignment film over the fourth electrode and the conductive film; and

a liquid crystal over the alignment film,

wherein the gate wiring and the wiring are arranged in parallel,

wherein the wiring overlaps with the first electrode,

wherein the fourth electrode is in direct contact with the third electrode through a contact hole,

wherein the conductive film is electrically connected to the wiring and the first electrode,

wherein the conductive film is in direct contact with the wiring,

wherein the first opening pattern is different from the second opening pattern in a direction, and

wherein the contact hole does not overlap with the wiring.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, comprising a third insulating film over the first electrode, wherein the wiring is over the third insulating film.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the gate wiring overlaps with the first electrode.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the third electrode is in direct contact with the first insulating film.

5. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

the semiconductor device according to claim 1; and

a driver circuit electrically connected to the semiconductor device.

6. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first electrode over a substrate;

a gate wiring over the substrate;

a wiring over the first electrode;

a first insulating film over the first electrode, the gate wiring, and the wiring;

a semiconductor film over the first insulating film;

a second electrode and a third electrode over the semiconductor film;

a second insulating film over the second electrode and the third electrode;

a conductive film over the second insulating film;

a fourth electrode over the second insulating film and comprising a first opening pattern and a second opening pattern;

an alignment film over the fourth electrode and the conductive film; and

a liquid crystal over the alignment film,

wherein the gate wiring and the wiring are arranged in parallel,

wherein the wiring overlaps with the first electrode,

wherein the fourth electrode is in direct contact with the third electrode through a contact hole,

wherein the conductive film is electrically connected to the wiring and the first electrode,

wherein the conductive film is in direct contact with the wiring,

wherein the first opening pattern is different from the second opening pattern in a direction,

wherein the contact hole does not overlap with the wiring, and

wherein the fourth electrode consists of a plurality of edges that each are independently parallel or perpendicular to the gate wiring.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 6, comprising a third insulating film over the first electrode, wherein the wiring is over the third insulating film.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein the gate wiring overlaps with the first electrode.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein the third electrode is in direct contact with the first insulating film.

10. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

the semiconductor device according to claim 6; and

a driver circuit electrically connected to the semiconductor device.

11. A semiconductor device comprising:

a substrate;

a common electrode over the substrate;

a first insulating film over the common electrode;

a second insulating film over the first insulating film;

a pixel electrode over the second insulating film, wherein the pixel electrode comprises a first opening pattern and a second opening pattern;

a wiring over the common electrode;

a conductive film over the second insulating film;

an alignment film over the conductive film and the pixel electrode;

a liquid crystal over the alignment film; and

a transistor comprising a gate wiring over the substrate, wherein the transistor is electrically connected to the pixel electrode through a contact hole,

wherein the gate wiring and the wiring are arranged in parallel,

wherein the wiring overlaps with the common electrode,

wherein the conductive film is electrically connected to the wiring and the common electrode,

wherein the conductive film is in direct contact with the wiring,

wherein the first opening pattern is different from the second opening pattern in a direction, and

wherein the contact hole does not overlap with the wiring.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 11,

wherein the transistor and the wiring are over the first insulating film, and

wherein the second insulating film is over the transistor and the wiring.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein the gate wiring overlaps with the common electrode.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein the transistor comprises:

a third insulating film over the gate wiring and the wiring;

a semiconductor film over the third insulating film; and

a source electrode and a drain electrode over the semiconductor film,

wherein the second insulating film is over the source electrode and the drain electrode.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 14 wherein the pixel electrode is in direct contact with the one of the source electrode and the drain electrode.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 14 wherein one of the source electrode and the drain electrode is in direct contact with the third insulating film.

17. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

the semiconductor device according to claim 11; and

a driver circuit electrically connected to the semiconductor device.

18. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first electrode over a substrate;

a gate wiring over the substrate;

a wiring over the first electrode;

a first insulating film over the first electrode, the gate wiring, and the wiring;

a semiconductor film over the first insulating film;

a second electrode and a third electrode over the semiconductor film;

a second insulating film over the second electrode and the third electrode;

a conductive film over the second insulating film;

a fourth electrode over the second insulating film and comprising a first opening pattern and a second opening pattern;

an alignment film over the fourth electrode and the conductive film; and

a liquid crystal over the alignment film,

wherein the gate wiring and the wiring are arranged in parallel,

wherein the wiring overlaps with the first electrode,

wherein the fourth electrode is in direct contact with the third electrode through a first contact hole,

wherein the conductive film is electrically connected to the wiring and the first electrode,

wherein the conductive film is in direct contact with the wiring through a second contact hole,

wherein the first opening pattern is different from the second opening pattern in a direction,

wherein the first contact hole does not overlap with the wiring, and

wherein the second contact hole overlaps with the first electrode.

19. The semiconductor device according to claim 18, comprising a third insulating film over the first electrode, wherein the wiring is over the third insulating film.

20. The semiconductor device according to claim 18, wherein the gate wiring overlaps with the first electrode.

21. The semiconductor device according to claim 18, wherein the third electrode is in direct contact with the first insulating film.

22. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

the semiconductor device according to claim 18; and

a driver circuit electrically connected to the semiconductor device.

23. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first electrode over a substrate;

a gate wiring over the substrate;

a wiring over the first electrode;

a first insulating film over the first electrode, the gate wiring, and the wiring;

a semiconductor film over the first insulating film;

a second electrode and a third electrode over the semiconductor film;

a second insulating film over the second electrode and the third electrode;

a conductive film over the second insulating film;

a fourth electrode over the second insulating film and comprising a first opening pattern and a second opening pattern;

an alignment film over the fourth electrode and the conductive film; and

a liquid crystal over the alignment film,

wherein the gate wiring and the wiring are arranged in parallel,

wherein the wiring overlaps with the first electrode,

wherein the fourth electrode is in direct contact with the third electrode through a first contact hole,

wherein the conductive film is electrically connected to the wiring and the first electrode,

wherein the conductive film is in direct contact with the wiring through a second contact hole,

wherein the first opening pattern is different from the second opening pattern in a direction,

wherein the first contact hole does not overlap with the wiring,

wherein the second contact hole overlaps with the first electrode, and

wherein the fourth electrode consists of a plurality of edges each are independently parallel or perpendicular to the gate wiring.

24. The semiconductor device according to claim 23, comprising a third insulating film over the first electrode, wherein the wiring is over the third insulating film.

25. The semiconductor device according to claim 23, wherein the gate wiring overlaps with the first electrode.

26. The semiconductor device according to claim 23, wherein the third electrode is in direct contact with the first insulating film.

27. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

the semiconductor device according to claim 23; and

a driver circuit electrically connected to the semiconductor device.