Display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9343517-B2
Application number	US-201113020216-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2011
Priority date	Sep 19, 2008
Publication date	May 17, 2016
Grant date	May 17, 2016

Abstract

A display device includes a pixel portion in which a pixel electrode layer is arranged in a matrix, and an inverted staggered thin film transistor having a combination of at least two kinds of oxide semiconductor layers with different amounts of oxygen is provided corresponding to the pixel electrode layer. In the periphery of the pixel portion in this display device, a pad portion is provided to be electrically connected to a common electrode layer formed on a counter substrate through a conductive layer made of the same material as the pixel electrode layer. One objection of our invention to prevent a defect due to separation of a thin film in various kinds of display devices is realized, by providing a structure suitable for a pad portion provided in a display panel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A semiconductor device comprising:
a gate electrode;
a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode;
a semiconductor layer comprising an oxide semiconductor including indium over the gate insulating layer;
a source electrode and a drain electrode over the semiconductor layer;
a protective insulating layer over the source electrode and the drain electrode;
a pixel electrode over the protective insulating layer and electrically connected to one of the source electrode and the drain electrode;
a liquid crystal layer over the pixel electrode;
a counter electrode over the liquid crystal layer;
a conductive particle; and
a common connection portion comprising:
a first conductive layer;
a first insulating layer over the first conductive layer;
a second conductive layer over the first insulating layer;
a second insulating layer over the second conductive layer; and
a transparent conductive layer over the second insulating layer,

wherein the semiconductor layer has a recessed portion between the source electrode and the drain electrode,
wherein an entirety of the semiconductor layer overlaps with the gate electrode,
wherein a periphery portion of the semiconductor layer has a tapered shape,
wherein the first conductive layer is electrically connected to the transparent conductive layer,
wherein the second conductive layer is electrically connected to the transparent conductive layer,
wherein a first part of the transparent conductive layer is located in a first opening of the second insulating layer and a second part of the transparent conductive layer is located in a second opening of the second insulating layer,
wherein the transparent conductive layer is electrically connected to the counter electrode through the conductive particle,
wherein the first conductive layer comprises a same material as the gate electrode,
wherein the second conductive layer comprises a same material as one of the source electrode and the drain electrode,
wherein the first insulating layer is a same layer as the gate insulating layer,
wherein the second insulating layer is a same layer as the protective insulating layer, and
wherein the conductive particle overlaps with the first conductive layer and the transparent conductive layer.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein a side surface of the recessed portion aligns with a side surface of one of the source electrode and the drain electrode.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the oxide semiconductor is an In—Ga—Zn—O based oxide semiconductor.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an insulating layer over the semiconductor layer, the source electrode, and the drain electrode,
wherein the insulating layer is in contact with the semiconductor layer in the recessed portion.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an insulating layer over the semiconductor layer, the source electrode, and the drain electrode,
wherein the insulating layer is in contact with the semiconductor layer in the recessed portion, and
wherein the insulating layer comprises aluminum oxide.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the pixel electrode comprises a transparent conductive material.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second gate electrode adjacent to the gate electrode,
wherein the second gate electrode extends to form a gate wiring, and
wherein the pixel electrode overlaps with the gate wiring.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the source electrode is in contact with a side surface of the semiconductor layer, and
wherein the drain electrode is in contact with a side surface of the semiconductor layer.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein one of the source electrode and the drain electrode is arranged so as to enclose an edge of the other one of the source electrode and the drain electrode.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the gate electrode is projected from a gate wiring.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an insulating layer over the semiconductor layer, the source electrode, and the drain electrode,
wherein the insulating layer is in contact with the semiconductor layer in the recessed portion,
wherein the gate insulating layer is in contact with a bottom surface of the semiconductor layer,
wherein the insulating layer comprises silicon and oxygen,
wherein the gate insulating layer comprises silicon and oxygen, and
wherein the insulating layer and the gate insulating layer are in contact with each other.

12. A semiconductor device comprising:
a gate electrode;
a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode;
a semiconductor layer comprising an oxide semiconductor including indium over the gate insulating layer;
a source electrode and a drain electrode over the semiconductor layer;
a protective insulating layer over the source electrode and the drain electrode;
a pixel electrode over the protective insulating layer and electrically connected to one of the source electrode and the drain electrode;
a liquid crystal layer over the pixel electrode;
a counter electrode over the liquid crystal layer;
a conductive particle; and
a common connection portion comprising:
a first conductive layer;
a first insulating layer over the first conductive layer;
a second conductive layer over the first insulating layer;
a second insulating layer over the second conductive layer; and
a transparent conductive layer over the second insulating layer,

wherein the semiconductor layer has a recessed portion between the source electrode and the drain electrode,
wherein one of the source electrode and the drain electrode is arranged so as to enclose an edge of the other one of the source electrode and the drain electrode,
wherein a periphery portion of the semiconductor layer has a tapered shape,
wherein the first conductive layer is electrically connected to the transparent conductive layer,
wherein the second conductive layer is electrically connected to the transparent conductive layer,
wherein a first part of the transparent conductive layer is located in a first opening of the second insulating layer and a second part of the transparent conductive layer is located in a second opening of the second insulating layer,
wherein the transparent conductive layer is electrically connected to the counter electrode through the conductive particle,
wherein the first conductive layer comprises a same material as the gate electrode,
wherein the second conductive layer comprises a same material as one of the source electrode and the drain electrode,
wherein the first insulating layer is a same layer as the gate insulating layer,
wherein the second insulating layer is a same layer as the protective insulating layer, and
wherein the conductive particle overlaps with the first conductive layer and the transparent conductive layer.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 12 , wherein a side surface of the recessed portion aligns with a side surface of one of the source electrode and the drain electrode.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 12 , wherein the oxide semiconductor is an In—Ga—Zn—O based oxide semiconductor.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 12 , further comprising:
an insulating layer over the semiconductor layer, the source electrode, and the drain electrode,
wherein the insulating layer is in co

Assignees

• Yamazaki Shunpei
• Akimoto Kengo
• Komori Shigeki
• Uochi Hideki
• Wada Rihito
• Chiba Yoko
• Semiconductor Energy Lab

Inventors

• Yamazaki Shunpei
• Akimoto Kengo
• Komori Shigeki
• Uochi Hideki
• Wada Rihito
• Chiba Yoko

Classifications

• G02F1/13458

  Terminal pads · CPC title

• G02F1/13392

  spacers dispersed on the cell substrate, e.g. spherical particles, microfibres · CPC title

• G09G2300/0804

  Sub-multiplexed active matrix panel, i.e. wherein one active driving circuit is used at pixel level for multiple image producing elements · CPC title

• H10K59/8052

  Cathodes · CPC title

• H10D86/443

  adapted for preventing breakage, peeling or short circuiting · CPC title