Display device

• US 9,082,688 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2012
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• 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:
  US13/731,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20130134417A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 257/43, 257/59, 257/72, 257/98, 349/43
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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, a signal line, and pixel portion over a substrate;

wherein the pixel portion comprises;

a gate electrode over the substrate;

a gate insulating film over the gate electrode;

a first oxide semiconductor layer over the gate electrode;

a source electrode over the first oxide semiconductor layer with a second oxide semiconductor layer interposed therebetween; and

a drain electrode over the first oxide semiconductor layer with a third oxide semiconductor layer interposed therebetween; and

an insulating film over the first oxide semiconductor layer, the source electrode, and the drain electrode,

wherein the gate electrode is electrically connected to the scan line,

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

wherein end portions of the source electrode and the drain electrode overlap with the gate electrode,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer has a depressed portion, the depressed portion overlaps with the gate electrode, and

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

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein each of the first oxide semiconductor layer, the second oxide semiconductor layer, and the third oxide semiconductor layer includes indium, gallium, and zinc.

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

4. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the gate electrode and the scan line are formed of a same material.

5. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first wiring over the substrate;

a semiconductor layer over the first wiring; and

a second wiring and a third wiring over the semiconductor layer,

wherein the second wiring is electrically connected to the drain electrode and the first wiring, and

wherein the third wiring is electrically connected to the source electrode and the gate electrode.

6. A display device comprising:

a scan line, a signal line, and pixel portion over a substrate;

wherein the pixel portion comprises;

a gate electrode over the substrate;

a gate insulating film over the gate electrode;

a first oxide semiconductor layer over the gate electrode;

a source electrode over the first oxide semiconductor layer with a second oxide semiconductor layer interposed therebetween; and

a drain electrode over the first oxide semiconductor layer with a third oxide semiconductor layer interposed therebetween; and

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

wherein the gate electrode is electrically connected to the scan line,

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

wherein end portions of the source electrode and the drain electrode overlap with the gate electrode,

wherein the end portion of the source electrode is aligned with a side surface of the second oxide semiconductor layer,

wherein the end portion of the drain electrode is aligned with a side surface of the third oxide semiconductor layer, and

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

7. The display device according to claim 6, wherein each of the first oxide semiconductor layer, the second oxide semiconductor layer, and the third oxide semiconductor layer includes indium, gallium, and zinc.

8. The display device according to claim 6, wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer has lower electrical conductivity than the second oxide semiconductor layer and the third oxide semiconductor layer.

9. The display device according to claim 6, wherein the gate electrode and the scan line are formed of a same material.

10. The display device according to claim 6, further comprising:

a first wiring over the substrate;

a semiconductor layer over the first wiring; and

a second wiring and a third wiring over the semiconductor layer,

wherein the second wiring is electrically connected to the drain electrode and the first wiring, and

wherein the third wiring is electrically connected to the source electrode and the gate electrode.

11. A display device comprising:

a scan line, a signal line, and pixel portion over a substrate;

wherein the pixel portion comprises;

a gate electrode over the substrate;

a gate insulating film over the gate electrode;

a first oxide semiconductor layer over the gate electrode;

a source electrode over the first oxide semiconductor layer with a second oxide semiconductor layer interposed therebetween; and

a drain electrode over the first oxide semiconductor layer with a third oxide semiconductor layer interposed therebetween; and

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

wherein the gate electrode is electrically connected to the scan line,

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

wherein end portions of the source electrode and the drain electrode overlap with the gate electrode,

wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer has a depressed portion,

wherein the second oxide semiconductor layer and the third oxide semiconductor layer are separated from each other by a space,

wherein the depressed portion and the space overlap with the gate electrode, and

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

12. The display device according to claim 11, wherein each of the first oxide semiconductor layer, the second oxide semiconductor layer, and the third oxide semiconductor layer includes indium, gallium, and zinc.

13. The display device according to claim 11, wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer has lower electrical conductivity than the second oxide semiconductor layer and the third oxide semiconductor layer.

14. The display device according to claim 11, wherein the gate electrode and the scan line are formed of a same material.

15. The display device according to claim 11, further comprising:

a first wiring over the substrate;

a semiconductor layer over the first wiring; and

a second wiring and a third wiring over the semiconductor layer,

wherein the second wiring is electrically connected to the drain electrode and the first wiring, and

wherein the third wiring is electrically connected to the source electrode and the gate electrode.