Abstract: An active plate (2) for an active matrix display device (16), the active plate (2) comprising a substrate (4), a pixel area (6) and an adjacent drive circuit area (8). Both areas include polycrystalline silicon material formed by a process in which a metal is used to enhance the crystallisation process (MIC poly-Si), but only the MIC poly-Si in the drive circuit area (8) is subjected to an irradiation process using an energy beam (10). TFTs are fabricated with MIC poly-Si which have leakage currents in the off state sufficiently low for them to be acceptable for use as switching elements in the pixel area of matrix display devices. As only the drive circuit area (8) need be irradiated to provide poly-Si having the desired mobility, the time taken by the irradiation process can be significantly reduced.

Abstract: An electronic device (70) comprises a thin film transistor (TFT) (9,59), the TFT including a channel (16) defined in a layer of polycrystalline semiconductor material (10,48). The polycrystalline semiconductor material is produced by crystallising amorphous semiconductor material (2) using metal atoms (6) to promote the crystallisation process. The polycrystalline semiconductor material (10) includes an average concentration of metal atoms in the range 1.3×1018 to 7.5×1018 atoms/cm3. This enables polycrystalline semiconductor TFTs to be formed with leakage properties acceptable for use in active matrix displays using a metal induced crystallisation process of duration significantly less that previously thought necessary. Furthermore, this process duration reduction facilitates the reliable fabrication of poly-Si TFTs having bottom gates formed of metal.

Abstract: Magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) is used to provide in-pixel memory circuits for display devices. A memory circuit (25) comprises memory elements, for storing a drive setting, and a read-out circuit, for example a flip-flop circuit (64), for reading-out the stored drive setting. The memory elements comprise two MRAMs (60, 62), each coupled to a respective input of the flip-flop circuit (64). A drive circuit (26) is coupled to the read-out circuit and a pixel display electrode (27) for driving the pixel display electrode (27) dependent upon the read-out drive setting with drive current that does not pass through the MRAMs (60, 62). A display device (1) is provided comprising a plurality of pixels (20) each associated with one such memory circuit (25) and drive circuit (26).

Abstract: Magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) is used to provide in-pixel memory circuits for display devices. A memory circuit (25) comprises two MRAMs (60, 62), each coupled to a respective input of a flip-flop circuit (64). A display device (1) is provided comprising a plurality of pixels (20) each associated with a memory circuit (25). One of the MRAMs is a switchable MRAM (60), the other MRAM is a reference MRAM (62) arranged to provide a reference by which the changed states of the switchable MRAM (60) may be readily observed and measured in the form of a differential.

Abstract: Magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) is used to provide in-pixel memory circuits for display devices. A memory circuit (25) comprises two MRAMs (60, 62), each coupled to a respective input of a flip-flop circuit (64). A display device (1) is provided comprising a plurality of pixels (20) each associated with a memory circuit (25). A bit line (45) passes over and contacts a first MRAM (60) in a first direction and a second MRAM (62) in a second direction, the first and second directions being substantially opposite to each other. This provides opposite resistance states in the two MRAMs (60, 62). The bit line (45) does not pass over a word line (43), thereby avoiding or reducing overlap capacitance losses. The word line (43) is formed during a same masking stage as a gate line (44). The bit line (45) is formed during a same masking stage as a column line (54).