Method for manufacturing light-emitting display device

• US 9,142,568 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2011
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Shunpei, Koyama, Jun, Hatano, Kaoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Monica D
• Application Number:
  US13/226,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20120061673A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,476 Days
• Field of Search: 257/59, 257/72, 257/E33.053, 257/E21.412
• 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 27/1255 integrated with passive devices, e.g. auxiliary capacitors
• 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 29/41733 for thin film transistors with insulated gate

Abstract

It is an object of one embodiment of the present invention to manufacture a light-emitting display device by simplifying a manufacturing process of a transistor, without an increase in the number of steps as well as the number of photomasks as compared to those in the conventional case. A step for processing a semiconductor layer into an island shape is omitted by using a high-resistance oxide semiconductor which is intrinsic or substantially intrinsic for the semiconductor layer, used to form transistors. Formation of an opening in the semiconductor layer or an insulating layer formed over the semiconductor layer and etching of an unnecessary portion of the semiconductor layer are performed at the same time; thus, the number of photolithography steps is reduced.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

an insulating substrate;

a gate wiring over the insulating substrate;

a semiconductor layer formed over the insulating substrate;

a first thin film transistor formed over the insulating substrate and comprising a first channel formation region in a first region of the semiconductor layer, a first source or drain electrode layer, and a first gate electrode layer electrically connected to the gate wiring; and

;

a second thin film transistor formed over the insulating substrate and comprising a second channel formation region in a second region of the semiconductor layer and a second gate electrode layer,

wherein the semiconductor layer is continuously formed in the first region, in the second region, along a path linking the first region and the second region,

wherein the semiconductor layer is further formed over the gate wiring, and

wherein an opening in the semiconductor layer over a portion of the gate wiring forms a separation region.

2. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the second gate electrode layer is electrically connected to the first source or drain electrode layer.

3. An electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a capacitor making use of a third region of the semiconductor layer,

wherein the semiconductor layer is continuously formed in the third region, and along a path linking the first region, the second region, and the third region.

4. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is one of a television set, a monitor of a computer, a camera, a digital photo frame, a mobile phone set, a portable game machine, a portable information terminal, an audio reproducing device, and a large-sized game machine.

5. A display device comprising:

an insulating substrate;

a semiconductor layer formed over the insulating substrate;

a first thin film transistor formed over the insulating substrate and comprising a first channel formation region in a first region of the semiconductor layer, a first gate electrode layer, and a first source or drain electrode layer;

a second thin film transistor formed over the insulating substrate and comprising a second channel formation region in a second region of the semiconductor layer, a second gate electrode layer electrically connected to the first source or drain electrode layer, a second source electrode layer, and a second drain electrode layer;

an insulating film formed over the semiconductor layer, the first thin film transistor, and the second thin film transistor; and

a pixel electrode formed over the insulating film and electrically connected to one of the second source electrode layer and the second drain electrode layer,

wherein the semiconductor layer is continuously formed in the first region, in the second region, and along a path linking the first region and the second region.

6. A display device according to claim 5, wherein the semiconductor layer comprises an opening forming a separation region over a gate wiring made of a portion of the first gate electrode layer.

7. A display device according to claim 5, further comprising a capacitor in which a portion of the second gate electrode layer, a third region of the semiconductor layer, and a portion of the other of the second source electrode layer and the second drain electrode layer overlap with each other,

wherein the semiconductor layer is continuously formed in the third region, and along a path linking the first region, the second region, and the third region.

8. A display device according to claim 5, wherein the display device is one of a television set, a monitor of a computer, a camera, a digital photo frame, a mobile phone set, a portable game machine, a portable information terminal, an audio reproducing device, and a large-sized game machine.

9. A display device comprising:

an insulating substrate;

a semiconductor layer formed over the insulating substrate;

a first thin film transistor formed over the insulating substrate and comprising a first channel formation region in a first region of the semiconductor layer, a first gate electrode layer, and a first source or drain electrode layer;

a second thin film transistor formed over the insulating substrate and comprising a second channel formation region in a second region of the semiconductor layer, a second gate electrode layer electrically connected to the first source or drain electrode layer, a second source electrode layer, and a second drain electrode layer;

an insulating film formed over the semiconductor layer, the first thin film transistor, and the second thin film transistor;

a first pixel electrode formed over the insulating film and electrically connected to one of the second source electrode layer and the second drain electrode layer;

an EL layer formed over the first pixel electrode;

a second pixel electrode formed over the EL layer; and

a connection portion where the first gate electrode layer is not covered by the insulating film,

wherein the semiconductor layer is continuously formed in the first region, in the second region, and along a path linking the first region and the second region.

10. A display device according to claim 9, wherein the semiconductor layer comprises an opening forming a separation region over a gate wiring made of a portion of the first gate electrode layer.

11. A display device according to claim 9, further comprising a capacitor in which a portion of the second gate electrode layer, a third region of the semiconductor layer, and a portion of the other of the second source electrode layer and the second drain electrode layer overlap with each other,

wherein the semiconductor layer is continuously formed in the third region, and along a path linking the first region, the second region, and the third region.

12. A display device according to claim 9, wherein the display device is one of a television set, a monitor of a computer, a camera, a digital photo frame, a mobile phone set, a portable game machine, a portable information terminal, an audio reproducing device, and a large-sized game machine.

13. An electronic device comprising:

an insulating substrate;

a gate wiring over the insulating substrate;

a semiconductor layer formed over the insulating substrate;

a first thin film transistor formed over the insulating substrate and comprising a first channel formation region in a first region of the semiconductor layer, a first source or drain electrode layer, and a first gate electrode layer electrically connected to the gate wiring, and;

a second thin film transistor formed over the insulating substrate and comprising a second channel formation region in a second region of the semiconductor layer and a second gate electrode layer,

wherein the semiconductor layer is continuously formed in the first region, in the second region, and along a path linking the first region and the second region,

wherein the semiconductor layer is further formed over the gate wiring,

wherein an opening in the semiconductor layer over a portion of the gate wiring forms a separation region, and

wherein the semiconductor layer is an oxide semiconductor layer.

14. An electronic device according to claim 13, further comprising a capacitor making use of a third region of the semiconductor layer,

wherein the semiconductor layer is continuously formed in the third region, and along a path linking the first region, the second region, and the third region.

15. An electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the electronic device is one of a television set, a monitor of a computer, a camera, a digital photo frame, a mobile phone set, a portable game machine, a portable information terminal, an audio reproducing device, and a large-sized game machine.

16. A display device comprising:

an insulating substrate;

a gate wiring over the insulating substrate;

a semiconductor layer formed over the insulating substrate;

a first thin film transistor formed over the insulating substrate and comprising a first channel formation region in a first region of the semiconductor layer, a first gate electrode layer electrically connected to the gate wiring, and a first source or drain electrode layer;

a second thin film transistor formed over the insulating substrate and comprising a second channel formation region in a second region of the semiconductor layer, a second gate electrode layer electrically connected to the first source or drain electrode layer, a second source electrode layer, and a second drain electrode layer;

an insulating film formed over the semiconductor layer, the first thin film transistor, and the second thin film transistor; and

a pixel electrode formed over the insulating film and electrically connected to one of the second source electrode layer and the second drain electrode layer,

wherein the semiconductor layer is continuously formed in the first region, in the second region, and along a path linking the first region and the second region,

wherein the semiconductor layer is further formed over the gate wiring,

wherein an opening in the semiconductor layer over a portion of the gate wiring forms a separation region, and

wherein the semiconductor layer is an oxide semiconductor layer.

17. A display device according to claim 16, further comprising a capacitor in which a portion of the second gate electrode layer, a third region of the semiconductor layer, and a portion of the other of the second source electrode layer and the second drain electrode layer overlap with each other,

wherein the semiconductor layer is continuously formed in the third region, and along a path linking the first region, the second region, and the third region.

18. A display device according to claim 16, wherein the display device is one of a television set, a monitor of a computer, a camera, a digital photo frame, a mobile phone set, a portable game machine, a portable information terminal, an audio reproducing device, and a large-sized game machine.

19. A display device comprising:

an insulating substrate;

a gate wiring over the insulating substrate;

a semiconductor layer formed over the insulating substrate;

a first thin film transistor formed over the insulating substrate and comprising a first channel formation region in a first region of the semiconductor layer, a first gate electrode layer electrically connected to the gate wiring, and a first source or drain electrode layer;

a second thin film transistor formed over the insulating substrate and comprising a second channel formation region in a second region of the semiconductor layer, a second gate electrode layer electrically connected to the first source or drain electrode layer, a second source electrode layer, and a second drain electrode layer;

an insulating film formed over the semiconductor layer, the first thin film transistor, and the second thin film transistor;

a first pixel electrode formed over the insulating film and electrically connected to one of the second source electrode layer and the second drain electrode layer;

an EL layer formed over the first pixel electrode;

a second pixel electrode formed over the EL layer; and

a connection portion where the first gate electrode layer is not covered by the insulating film,

wherein the semiconductor layer is continuously formed in the first region, in the second region, and along a path linking the first region and the second region,

wherein the semiconductor layer is further formed over the gate wiring,

wherein an opening in the semiconductor layer over a portion of the gate wiring forms a separation region, and

wherein the semiconductor layer is an oxide semiconductor layer.

20. A display device according to claim 19, further comprising a capacitor in which a portion of the second gate electrode layer, a third region of the semiconductor layer, and a portion of the other of the second source electrode layer and the second drain electrode layer overlap with each other,

wherein the semiconductor layer is continuously formed in the third region, and along a path linking the first region, the second region, and the third region.

21. A display device according to claim 19, wherein the display device is one of a television set, a monitor of a computer, a camera, a digital photo frame, a mobile phone set, a portable game machine, a portable information terminal, an audio reproducing device, and a large-sized game machine.