Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor device in which a bottom-gate TFT or an inverted stagger TFT arranged in each circuit is suitably constructed in conformity with the functionality of the respective circuits, thereby attaining an improvement in the operating efficiency and reliability of the semiconductor device. In the structure, LDD regions in a pixel TFT are arranged so as not to overlap with a channel protection insulating film and to overlap with a gate electrode by at least a portion thereof. LDD regions in an N-channel TFT of a drive circuit is arranged so as not to overlap with a channel protection insulating film and to overlap with a gate electrode by at least a portion thereof. LDD regions in a P-channel TFT of the drive circuit is arranged so as to overlap with a channel protection insulating film and to overlap with the gate electrode.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 4, 2002
Date of Patent:
March 23, 2004
Assignee:
Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
Abstract: The light emitting device according to the present invention is characterized in that a gate electrode comprising plurality of conductive films is formed, and concentration of impurity regions in an active layer are adjusted with making use of selectivity of the conductive films in etching and using them as masks. The present invention reduces the number of photolithography steps in relation to manufacturing the TFT for improving yield of the light emitting device and shortening manufacturing term thereof, by which a light emitting device and an electronic appliance are inexpensively provided.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 19, 2001
Date of Patent:
March 16, 2004
Assignee:
Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
Inventors:
Shunpei Yamazaki, Takeshi Fukunaga, Jun Koyama, Kazutaka Inukai
Abstract: As the output of laser oscillators become higher, it becomes necessary to develop a longer linear shape beam for a process of laser annealing of a semiconductor film. However, if the length of the linear shape beam is from 300 to 1000 mm, or greater, then the optical path length of an optical system for forming the linear shape beam becomes very long, thereby increasing its footprint size. The present invention shortens the optical path length. In order to make the optical path length of the optical system as short as possible, and to increase only the length of the linear shape beam, curvature may be given to the semiconductor film in the longitudinal direction of the linear shape beam. For example, if the size of the linear shape beam is taken as 1 m×0.4 mm, then it is necessary for the optical path length of the optical system to be on the order of 10 m.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 14, 2002
Date of Patent:
March 16, 2004
Assignee:
Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
Abstract: A purpose of the invention is to provide a method for leveling a semiconductor layer without increasing the number and the complication of manufacturing processes as well as without deteriorating a crystal characteristic, and a method for leveling a surface of a semiconductor layer to stabilize an interface between the surface of the semiconductor layer and a gate insulating film, in order to achieve a TFT having a good characteristic.
In an atmosphere of one kind or a plural kinds of gas selected from hydrogen or inert gas (nitrogen, argon, helium, neon, krypton and xenon), radiation with a laser beam in the first, second and third conditions is carried out in order, wherein the first condition laser beam is radiated for crystallizing a semiconductor film or improving a crystal characteristic; the second condition laser beam is radiated for eliminating an oxide film; and the third condition laser beam is radiated for leveling a surface of the crystallized semiconductor film.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 25, 2002
Date of Patent:
March 16, 2004
Assignee:
Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
Abstract: A television system for subway cars (10) includes a plurality of TV monitors (22) mounted at intervals along the cars (10), at the junction of the sidewall and the ceiling, and a central video signal source unit (23) such as a video tape player, video disk player, computer-based digital video recorder or television receiver, connected to the video monitors (22). Programs of short duration, e.g. 5-15 minutes, matching the average length of a subway ride, and comprising advertising messages, news bytes and the like are played and displayed in the monitors repeatedly during the subway ride.
Abstract: In a cleaning method and a cleaning apparatus of a silicon substrate, after wet cleaning or etching of the substrate having a silicon surface is carried out, and during or after a pure water rinse of the substrate, an oxide film with a thickness of 10 to 30 Å is formed on the silicon surface by rinsing the substrate by pure water added with an oxidizer, and then the substrate is dried. Since drying is carried out after the oxide film is formed on the silicon surface, the occurrence of a water mark can be prevented.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 12, 2001
Date of Patent:
February 24, 2004
Assignee:
Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
Abstract: The method for producing a rare-earth sintered magnet of the present invention includes the steps of: compacting alloy powder for the rare-earth sintered magnet to form a green compact; loading the green compact into a case having a structure restricting a path through which gas flows between the outside and inside of the case, and placing a gas absorbent at least near the path; and sintering the green compact by heating the case including the green compact inside in a decompressed atmosphere.
Abstract: A sensitivity of a Coriolis flowmeter, which is also utilizable as a density meter, composed of a straight conduit through which a fluid to be measured flows, and two counter straight rods that are aligned on both sides of the conduit in parallel, in which one end of the conduit and each one end of the counter rods are fixed to a common support block and another end of the conduit and each another end of the counter rods are fixed to another common support block, is improved by providing to each of the conduit and counter rods a vibration generator for generating vibrations in such manner that the conduit and the counter rods vibrate in opposite phase, and by fixing both support blocks onto a rigid substrate.
Abstract: A method and apparatus for fabricating a phase-change recording medium for depositing particles of phase-change recording material onto a substrate to form a phase-change recording layer thereon. Here, a disk-like substrate is loaded into a vacuum chamber. The vacuum chamber is filled with sputtering gas, and then the substrate is rotate. Sputtering particles struck out of a sputtering target are deposited onto the substrate to form a phase-change recording layer. When the sputtering particles are deposited on the substrate up to a predetermined thickness, a crystallization energy supply mechanism irradiates the sputtering-particle-deposited substrate with a laser beam having energy necessary for initial crystallization. Alternatively, the crystallization energy supply mechanism irradiates a just-formed phase-change recording layer with a laser beam having energy necessary for initial crystallization.
Abstract: In a process for manufacturing a thin film transistor having a semiconductor layer constituting source and drain regions and a channel forming region, by the semiconductor layer being made thinner in the source and drain regions than in the channel forming region a structure is realized wherein, at the boundary between the source region and the channel forming region and the boundary between the drain region and the channel forming region, portions where electric field concentrations occur are displaced from the portion where a channel is formed. By reducing the OFF current (the leak current) without also reducing the ON current, a high mutual conductance is realized.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 6, 2000
Date of Patent:
January 27, 2004
Assignee:
Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
Abstract: This invention provides a liquid crystal display device having high display quality by preventing rays of light diffracted at an end part of a light shielding layer because such rays are irradiated to a semiconductor layer and invite fluctuation of TFT characteristics. To completely cut off the rays of light 117 diffracted at an end part of a third light shielding layer 108, a gate electrode 104 and a second light shielding portion 106 cover a semiconductor layer 103. In consequence, the irradiation of the rays of diffracted light can be prevented, fluctuation of TFT characteristics can be avoided and satisfactory display images can be acquired.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 17, 2002
Date of Patent:
January 20, 2004
Assignee:
Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
Abstract: A new chemical vapor reaction system is described. Instead of ECR where electrons can move as independent particles without interaction, a mixed cyclotron resonance is a main exciting principal for chemical vapor reaction. In the new proposed resonance, the resonating space is comparatively large so that a material having a high melting point such as diamond can be deposited in the form of a thin film by this inovative method.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 6, 1995
Date of Patent:
January 13, 2004
Assignee:
Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
Abstract: The method for producing a solder bump transfer sheet of the invention includes the steps of: providing a sheet having a chromium oxide layer containing substantially no iron oxide as the outermost surface; and forming a plurality of solder bumps placed in a predetermined pattern on the chromium oxide layer.
Abstract: In a producing a thin film transistor, a solution containing a metal element for promoting crystallization of silicon is added in contact with an amorphous silicon film, and then a silicide layer is formed by heating process. Further, after a region as crystal growth nucleus is formed by patterning the silicide layer, laser light is irradiated while heating process. As a result, crystal-growth is performed from the region as crystal growth nucleus in the amorphous silicon film, thereby to form monodomain regions corresponding to a single crystal. Also, before the solution is added, the amorphous silicon film may be subjected to plasma treatment 30.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 8, 1999
Date of Patent:
December 30, 2003
Assignee:
Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
Abstract: Compound tile with natural stone visible side, preferably marble, of the type comprising a plate of natural stone having a reduced thickness and firmly fixed by adhesive means to a rigidification supporting sheet, said support having a particular composition which is adapted to the physical characteristics of the natural stone plate.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 2, 2001
Date of Patent:
December 9, 2003
Assignee:
Uralita de Productos Y Servicios, S.A.
Inventors:
Juan J. Pastor Segura, Kepa Ceara Apraiz, Jose Maria Martinez Tejera
Abstract: According to a structure of the present invention disclosed in this specification, there is provided a laser irradiation apparatus, characterized by including: a plurality of lasers; a unit for controlling oscillation of the plurality of lasers; a unit for synthesizing a plurality of laser lights emitted from the plurality of lasers into a laser light; a unit for condensing the laser light on an irradiation surface or in the vicinity of the irradiation surface; and a unit for moving the laser light at least in one direction. Laser light irradiation is performed to a semiconductor film by using the above-described laser irradiation apparatus, whereby crystallization of the semiconductor film and activation of an impurity element can be performed.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 8, 2002
Date of Patent:
December 9, 2003
Assignee:
Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device wherein treatment gate insulating layer is formed such that its edges extend beyond edges of a gate electrode. Specifically, the method includes the steps of forming a non-single crystalline semiconductor layer on an insulating surface, forming a gate electrode on the semiconductor layer with a gate insulating layer formed therebetween, doping portions of the semiconductor layer with an impurity to form source and drain regions, and exposing the doped portions with light to crystallize the portions and activate the dopant. Since the gate electrode extends beyond the edges of the gate electrode, the doping of the portions of the semiconductor layer and the exposure to light irradiation is carried out through a part of the gate insulating layer.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 22, 1993
Date of Patent:
December 9, 2003
Assignee:
Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
Abstract: A method of forming a film by a plasma CVD process in which a high density plasma is generated in the presence of a magnetic field wherein the electric power for generating the plasma has a pulsed waveform. The electric power typically is supplied by microwave, and the pulsed wave may be a complex wave having a two-step peak, or may be a complex wave obtained by complexing a pulsed wave with a stationary continuous wave.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 10, 2000
Date of Patent:
December 9, 2003
Assignee:
Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.