Light-emitting device and manufacturing method thereof

• US 9,666,820 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2013
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Eguchi, Shingo, Oikawa, Yoshiaki, Maruyama, Hotaka, Okazaki, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Jay C
• Application Number:
  US13/767,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20130153877A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,566 Days
• Field of Search: 257 43, 257 98, 257E271, 257E27113
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/12 the substrate being other than a semiconductor body, e.g. an insulating body
• 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 29/78678 with inverted-type structure, e.g. with bottom gate
• 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 50/11 characterised by the electroluminescent [EL] layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/1213 the pixel elements being TFTs
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/126 Shielding, e.g. light-blocking means over the TFTs
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/131 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 77/111 Flexible substrates
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

An object of the invention is to improve the reliability of a light-emitting device. Another object of the invention is to provide flexibility to a light-emitting device having a thin film transistor using an oxide semiconductor film. A light-emitting device has, over one flexible substrate, a driving circuit portion including a thin film transistor for a driving circuit and a pixel portion including a thin film transistor for a pixel. The thin film transistor for a driving circuit and the thin film transistor for a pixel are inverted staggered thin film transistors including an oxide semiconductor layer which is in contact with a part of an oxide insulating layer.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a flexible substrate;

a driving circuit portion over the flexible substrate, comprising;

a first transistor comprising;

a first gate over the flexible substrate;

an insulating layer over the first gate;

a first oxide semiconductor layer over the insulating layer;

a first source over the first oxide semiconductor layer;

a first drain over the first oxide semiconductor layer;

an oxide insulating layer over the first oxide semiconductor layer, the first source, and the first drain, a part of the oxide insulating layer being in contact with a part of the first oxide semiconductor layer between the first source and the first drain; and

a conductive layer over the oxide insulating layer, the conductive layer overlapping with the first gate and a channel region of the first transistor, wherein the channel region is between the first source and the first drain;

a pixel portion over the flexible substrate, comprising;

a second transistor comprising;

a second gate over the flexible substrate;

the insulating layer over the second gate;

a second oxide semiconductor layer over the insulating layer;

a second source over the second oxide semiconductor layer;

a second drain over the second oxide semiconductor layer; and

the oxide insulating layer over the second oxide semiconductor layer, the second source, and the second drain, a part of the oxide insulating layer being in contact with a part of the second oxide semiconductor layer between the second source and the second drain;

a color filter over the oxide insulating layer;

a first electrode layer over the color filter and electrically connected to the second transistor;

an EL layer over the first electrode layer; and

a second electrode layer over the EL layer; and

a terminal portion comprising;

a third electrode layer over the flexible substrate;

the insulating layer over the third electrode layer, the insulating layer including a first contact hole;

a fourth electrode layer over and in contact with the third electrode layer through the first contact hole;

the oxide insulating layer over the fourth electrode layer, the oxide insulating layer including a second contact hole; and

a fifth electrode layer over and in contact with the fourth electrode layer through the second contact hole,

wherein the third electrode layer is formed from a same layer as the first gate,

wherein the fourth electrode layer is formed from a same layer as the first source and the first drain,

wherein the fifth electrode layer is formed from a same layer as the conductive layer, and

wherein the driving circuit portion is located outside the pixel portion.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the conductive layer is a light-transmitting conductive film formed in the same process as the first electrode layer.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 further comprising:

a first oxide conductive layer provided between the first oxide semiconductor layer and the first source;

a second oxide conductive layer provided between the first oxide semiconductor layer and the first drain;

a third oxide conductive layer provided between the second oxide semiconductor layer and the second source; and

a fourth oxide conductive layer provided between the second oxide semiconductor layer and the second drain.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a flexible metal substrate over the first transistor and the second transistor,

wherein the driving circuit portion and the pixel portion are sealed with the flexible metal substrate.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a partition covering a periphery of the first electrode layer,

wherein the partition does not overlap with the first transistor.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the color filter does not overlap with either the first oxide semiconductor layer or the second oxide semiconductor layer.

7. A semiconductor device comprising:

a flexible substrate;

a driving circuit portion over the flexible substrate, comprising;

a first transistor comprising;

a first gate over the flexible substrate;

an insulating layer over the first gate;

a first oxide semiconductor layer over the insulating layer;

a first source over the first oxide semiconductor layer;

a first drain over the first oxide semiconductor layer;

an oxide insulating layer over the first oxide semiconductor layer, the first source, and the first drain, a part of the oxide insulating layer being in contact with a part of the first oxide semiconductor layer between the first source and the first drain; and

a conductive layer over the oxide insulating layer, the conductive layer overlapping with the first gate and a channel region of the first transistor, wherein the channel region is between the first source and the first drain;

a pixel portion over the flexible substrate, comprising;

a color filter over the oxide insulating layer;

a first electrode layer over the color filter;

an EL layer over the first electrode layer; and

a second electrode layer over the EL layer; and

a terminal portion comprising;

a third electrode layer over the flexible substrate;

the insulating layer over the third electrode layer, the insulating layer including a first contact hole;

a fourth electrode layer over and in contact with the third electrode layer through the first contact hole;

the oxide insulating layer over the fourth electrode layer, the oxide insulating layer including a second contact hole; and

a fifth electrode layer over and in contact with the fourth electrode layer through the second contact hole,

wherein the third electrode layer is formed from a same layer as the first gate,

wherein the fourth electrode layer is formed from a same layer as the first source and the first drain, and

wherein the fifth electrode layer is formed from a same layer as the conductive layer.