Abstract: Reproduction is performed so that the user can grasp the details of content information on long sentence reading the reproduction of which has been suspended. If an vehicle-mounted device (10) receives content information with higher priority of the reproduction than that of the content information on the long sentence reading during the reproduction of the content information on the long sentence reading received from a center apparatus by a reproduction section (step S4; Y), the vehicle-mounted device (10) allows the control of a control unit to suspend the reproduction of the content information on the long sentence reading (step S7) and to start the reproduction of the content information with higher priority (step S8). If the reproduction ends, the vehicle-mounted device (10) allows the reproduction means to resume the suspended reproduction of the content information on the long sentence reading (step S12).

Abstract: The present invention provides a radio field intensity measurement device having a display portion with improved visibility, in the case of measuring a weak radiowave from a long distance. In the radio field intensity measurement device, a battery is provided as a power source for power supply and the battery is charged by a received radiowave. When a potential of a signal obtained from the received radiowave is higher than an output potential of the battery, the power is stored in the battery. On the other hand, when the potential of the signal obtained from the received radiowave is lower than the output potential of the battery, power produced by the battery is used as power to drive the radio field intensity measurement device. As an element to display the radio field intensity, a thermochromic element or an electrochromic element is used.

Abstract: An island-shaped single crystal semiconductor layer whose top surface has a plane within ±10° from a {211} plane is formed on an insulating surface; a non-single-crystal semiconductor layer is formed in contact with the top surface and a side surface of the single crystal semiconductor layer and on the insulating surface; the non-single-crystal semiconductor layer is irradiated with laser light to melt the non-single-crystal semiconductor layer, and to crystallize the non-single-crystal semiconductor layer formed on the insulating surface with use of the single crystal semiconductor layer as a seed crystal, so that a crystalline semiconductor layer is formed. A semiconductor device having an n-channel transistor and a p-channel transistor formed with use of the crystalline semiconductor layer is provided.

Abstract: An object is to provide a semiconductor device mounted with memory which can be driven in the ranges of a current value and a voltage value which can be generated from a wireless signal. Another object is to provide write-once read-many memory to which data can be written anytime after manufacture of a semiconductor device. An antenna, antifuse-type ROM, and a driver circuit are formed over an insulating substrate. Of a pair of electrodes included in the antifuse-type ROM, the other of the pair of the electrodes is also formed through the same step and of the same material as a source electrode and a drain electrode of a transistor included in the driver circuit.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device which can perform data communication through wireless communication, to suppress transmission and the like of an AC signal, the semiconductor device includes an input circuit to which a radio signal is input, a first circuit, which generates a constant voltage, such as a constant voltage circuit or a limiter circuit, a second circuit to which the generated constant voltage is input and which can change impedance of the semiconductor device, and a filter provided between the first circuit and the second circuit. Transmission of an AC signal is suppressed by the filter, and malfunctions or operation defects such as complete inoperative due to variation in the constant voltage is prevented.

Abstract: In fabricating a thin film transistor, an active layer comprising a silicon semiconductor is formed on a substrate having an insulating surface. Hydrogen is introduced into The active layer. A thin film comprising SiOxNy is formed to cover the active layer and then a gate insulating film comprising a silicon oxide film formed on the thin film comprising SiOxNy. Also, a thin film comprising SiOxNy is formed under the active layer. The active layer includes a metal element at a concentration of 1×1015 to 1×1019 cm?3 and hydrogen at a concentration of 2×1019 to 5×1021 cm?3.

Abstract: It is an object to provide an oxide semiconductor which is suitable for use in a semiconductor device. Alternatively, it is another object to provide a semiconductor device using the oxide semiconductor. Provided is a semiconductor device including an In—Ga—Zn—O based oxide semiconductor layer in a channel formation region of a transistor. In the semiconductor device, the In—Ga—Zn—O based oxide semiconductor layer has a structure in which crystal grains represented by InGaO3(ZnO)m (m=1) are included in an amorphous structure represented by InGaO3(ZnO)m (m>0).

Abstract: Variation occurs in transistor characteristics. The present invention relates to a signal line driver circuit comprising: a plurality of current source circuits corresponding to a plurality of wirings; and a shift register, characterized in that: the plurality of current source circuits each comprise capacitor means for converting a supplied current to a voltage in accordance with a sampling pulse supplied from the shift register and supply means for supplying a current corresponding to the converted voltage.

Abstract: An object is to provide a manufacturing method of a semiconductor substrate provided with a single crystal semiconductor layer with a surface having a high degree of flatness. Another object is to manufacture a semiconductor device with high reliability by using the semiconductor substrate provided with a single crystal semiconductor layer with a high degree of flatness. In a manufacturing process of a semiconductor substrate, a thin embrittled region containing a large crystal defect is formed in a single crystal semiconductor substrate at a predetermined depth by subjecting the single crystal semiconductor substrate to a rare gas ion irradiation step, a laser irradiation step, and a hydrogen ion irradiation step. Then, by performing a separation heating step, a single crystal semiconductor layer that is flatter on a surface side than the embrittled region is transferred to a base substrate.

Abstract: It is an object to manufacture and provide a highly reliable display device including a thin film transistor with a high aperture ratio which has stable electric characteristics. In a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device having a thin film transistor in which a semiconductor layer including a channel formation region is formed using an oxide semiconductor film, a heat treatment for reducing moisture and the like which are impurities and for improving the purity of the oxide semiconductor film (a heat treatment for dehydration or dehydrogenation) is performed. Further, an aperture ratio is improved by forming a gate electrode layer, a source electrode layer, and a drain electrode layer using conductive films having light transmitting properties.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided, which comprises at least a cell including a plurality of memory elements connected in series. Each of the plurality of memory elements includes a channel formation region, a source and drain regions, a floating gate, and a control gate. Each of the source and drain regions is electrically connected to an erasing line through a semiconductor impurity region.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an insulating film, which is used as an insulating film used for a semiconductor integrated circuit, whose reliability can be ensured even though it has small thickness, is provided. In particular, a method for manufacturing a high-quality insulating film over a substrate having an insulating surface, which can be enlarged, at low substrate temperature, is provided. A monosilane gas (SiH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and a rare gas are introduced into a chamber to generate high-density plasma at a pressure higher than or equal to 10 Pa and lower than or equal to 30 Pa so that an insulating film is formed over a substrate having an insulating surface. After that, the supply of a monosilane gas is stopped, and nitrous oxide (N2O) and a rare gas are introduced without exposure to the air to perform plasma treatment on a surface of the insulating film.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing, with high mass productivity, liquid crystal display devices having highly reliable thin film transistors with excellent electric characteristics is provided. In a liquid crystal display device having an inverted staggered thin film transistor, the inverted staggered thin film transistor is formed as follows: a gate insulating film is formed over a gate electrode; a microcrystalline semiconductor film which functions as a channel formation region is formed over the gate insulating film; a buffer layer is formed over the microcrystalline semiconductor film; a pair of source and drain regions are formed over the buffer layer; and a pair of source and drain electrodes are formed in contact with the source and drain regions so as to expose a part of the source and drain regions.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a beam homogenizer, a laser irradiation apparatus, and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, which can suppress the loss of a laser beam and form a beam spot having homogeneous energy distribution constantly on an irradiation surface without being affected by beam parameters of a laser beam. A deflector is provided at an entrance of an optical waveguide or a light pipe used for homogenizing a laser beam emitted from a laser oscillator. A pair of reflection planes of the deflector is provided so as to have a tilt angle to an optical axis of the laser beam, whereby the entrance of the optical waveguide or the light pipe is expanded. Accordingly, the loss of the laser beam can be suppressed. Moreover, by providing an angle adjusting mechanism to the deflector, a beam spot having homogeneous energy distribution can be formed at an exit of the optical waveguide.

Abstract: An SOI substrate having a single crystal semiconductor layer the surface of which has high planarity is manufactured. A semiconductor substrate is doped with hydrogen to form a damaged region containing a large amount of hydrogen. After a single crystal semiconductor substrate and a supporting substrate are bonded to each other, the semiconductor substrate is heated to separate the single crystal semiconductor substrate in the damaged region. While a heated high-purity nitrogen gas is sprayed on a separation surface of a single crystal semiconductor layer which is separated from the single crystal semiconductor substrate and irradiation with a microwave is performed from the back side of the supporting substrate, the separation surface is irradiated with a laser beam. The single crystal semiconductor layer is melted by irradiation with the laser beam, so that the surface of the single crystal semiconductor layer is planarized and re-single-crystallization thereof is performed.

Abstract: A semiconductor device in which the damage such as cracks, chinks, or dents caused by external stress is reduced is provided. In addition, the yield of a semiconductor device having a small thickness is increased. The semiconductor device includes a light-transmitting substrate having a stepped side surface, the width of which in a portion above the step and closer to one surface is smaller than that in a portion below the step, a semiconductor element layer provided over the other surface of the light-transmitting substrate, and a stack of a first light-transmitting resin layer and a second light-transmitting resin layer, which covers the one surface and part of the side surface of the light-transmitting substrate. One of the first light-transmitting resin layer and the second light-transmitting resin layer has a chromatic color.

Abstract: A thin film transistor of the present invention has an active layer including at least source, drain and channel regions formed on an insulating surface. A high resistivity region is formed between the channel region and each of the source and drain regions. A film capable of trapping positive charges therein is provided on at least the high resistivity region so that N-type conductivity is induced in the high resistivity region. Accordingly, the reliability of N-channel type TFT against hot electrons can be improved.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a display device which performs high grayscale display in accordance with display contents and a game machine with an improved realistic sensation. The invention is a display device characterized by including a pixel portion which performs display based on a video signal and a driver circuit portion inputted with the video signal, wherein the driver circuit portion has a unit for controlling a grayscale in accordance with display of the pixel portion. In a liquid crystal display device, luminance of a lighting unit is controlled based on a signal from the unit for controlling a grayscale whereas a current supplied to a light emitting element is controlled in a light emitting device. By applying such a display device to a game machine, a realistic sensation can be improved.

Abstract: A device including a novel nonvolatile memory element is provided. A device including a nonvolatile memory element in which an oxide semiconductor is used as a semiconductor material for a channel formation region. The nonvolatile memory element includes a control gate, a charge accumulation layer which overlaps with the control gate with a first insulating film provided therebetween, and an oxide semiconductor layer formed using an oxide semiconductor material, which overlaps with the charge accumulation layer with a second insulating film provided therebetween.

Abstract: It is disclosed that a semiconductor device includes an oxide semiconductor layer provided over a gate insulating layer, a source electrode layer, and a drain electrode layer, in which a thickness of the gate insulating layer located in a region between the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer is smaller than a thickness of the gate insulating layer provided between the gate electrode layer and at least one of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer.